Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine

On our bazillion and one trips to the zoo, we have never ventured into the Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine. This facility provides world-class care for the Zoo's 3,000 animals. I think it will probably be a regular stop from now on. Here, the displays feature hands-on interactives, tools-of-the-trade, and views to surgical suites where you just might be lucky enough to sneak a peak at a treatment procedure in progress! On this particular day we didn't have enough time to borrow an actual vet bag and become veterinarians for a day, but we did explore most of the other activities.

Rachel was busy preparing lunch for a Colobus monkey.

I think Emily may have been preparing her own lunch.

I mean, after all, you do work up an appetite taking care of animals, so if you do happen to get the grumbellies, just grab a snack.
We were able to open the cabinets and drawers (which were covered in plexiglass) to see what supplies and surgical tools were inside, use the scale and blood pressure machine.
This is the exam/operating room for large animals.

Smaller patients are cared for in this room.

Hands-on computers!!! Something the littles don't have much access to at home!

Uuuugh - Let's try not to think about the germs...
The stool was more fun for Emily than the phone because it had wheels... thus, the blurry picture.

We studied real xrays. This bird had swallowed 37 cents. They are quite attracted to shiny objects.

According to Rachel, this poor, unfortunate lemur had broken every bone in his body!

Have I ever mentioned how much fun it is to homeschool?