Courtesy photo.
MOORPARK — America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College will re-open Saturday, Feb. 6 just in time to celebrate the 7th birthday of Ira the lion, King of the Campus.
The community is invited to celebrate with Ira in-person or virtually. Ira’s birthday party will be live streamed from noon to 12:30 p.m. so people at home won’t miss a thing as in-person guests visit Ira in his new home, appropriately named “Ira’s Kingdom.”
Ira moved to his new home on Dec. 23 after two years of fundraising, months of construction and weeks of training him for the big move to his new habitat, which is four times the size of his old one.
Guests who purchase tickets to the virtual experience will meet Ira’s caretakers, enjoy a tour of his new home and hear stories from the training staff about how they moved him. Guests who visit in-person will get a special socially distanced treat as they’ll see the Zoo live for the first time in almost a year as a result of the pandemic restrictions.
Visitors will help Ira celebrate by watching him enjoy birthday-themed enrichment, which includes a birthday cake and “presents.”
In-person Zoo visitors must follow COVID-19 safety protocols. This means that masks must be worn while on the property, and social distancing guidelines will be enforced.
Tickets to the Live Virtual Celebration of Ira’s 7th Birthday are $15. Admission to the Zoo is $9 for adults, $7 for children and seniors, and free for members. America’s Teaching Zoo is located on the Moorpark College campus, 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark.
Once the Zoo opens on Feb. 6, it will remain open for general admission every Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. throughout February. Virtual shows will also take place every Saturday and Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Visit America’s Teaching Zoo’s ticketing website to purchase tickets:
https://moorpark.vbotickets.com/events
For additional information, call Mara Rodriguez at (805) 378-1441. Follow the Zoo on Instagram at @americasteachingzoo
About Moorpark College — Moorpark College is one of three colleges in the Ventura County Community College District and annually serves more than 14,000 students. Founded in 1967, Moorpark College is fully accredited and has the highest six-year completion rate within the California Community College System. The Campaign for College Opportunity named Moorpark College a 2020 Champion of Higher Education for the Associate Degree for Transfer Pathway. It is also a designated Hispanic-Serving Institution. The college’s signature career/technical programs include nursing, radiologic technology, biotechnology and journalism. The college’s America’s Teaching Zoo is the only associate degree exotic animal training program in the country. To learn more, visit MoorparkCollege.edu or follow @MoorparkCollege on social media.