Animal care students benefit from weekly zoo sessions
Students on animal care programmes at Coleg Ceredigion’s Aberystwyth campus are benefitting from weekly practical sessions at Borth Animalarium where they study a wide range of animals from rabbits to goats to bearded dragons and stick insects.
The partnership ensures that all students on animal care courses, regardless of their level of study, take part in a weekly half-day session at the zoo which is delivered by college lecturers.
They are learning from a wide range of animals including exotics, birds, small mammals, dogs, horses and goats, with each group bringing its own set of health and welfare requirements.
In a recent session, June Lincoln, an animal care lecturer at Coleg Ceredigion guided students through a range of animal health checks, using her extensive knowledge and some of her own collection of insects including millipedes and scorpions.
She introduced Ariel, a red adult female corn snake around 4ft long. She explained how they can use vibration and a specialised sense called a jacobson organ to detect prey.
They also health-checked a bearded dragon that originates from Australia and needs UV and heat lights for survival in captivity. June also explained to students the importance of correct nutrition and supplementation when feeding reptiles to prevent metabolic bone disease which is caused by a lack of calcium.
This partnership allows students to explore and work closely with a variety of species such as Pigmy goats, small and large breed rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, mice and rats, as well as wallabies, ackie monitors, chameleons and a boa constrictor amongst others.
Coleg Ceredigion offers animal care courses from level one, which is an entry qualification, to level three, which is equivalent to three A-levels but is more practical in its nature and mostly assignment based.
Students at the college have access to a state-of-the-art equine facility to work with horses and also a new kennel facility with a range of breeds of dogs.
Joshua Clements, a level two animal care student at Coleg Ceredigion who is particularly fond of exotics, said: “I quite enjoy the practical elements of the course so these visits are great for me, where we are encouraged to handle all types of animals and exotics.
“I like all animals but at the start of college I was weary of horses but the course has helped me overcome that so I am now comfortable and confident around them in the equine yard.”
