Outreach programs are available Monday-Friday year round depending on our staff availability. We cannot guarantee dates for outreaches will be available as we are only able to do outreach programs on a very limited basis due to limited staffing. Outreach programs are free of cost; however, at this time outreach programs are only available to organizations and school groups within Rowan County. To schedule a program please visit our Schedule A Program page.

Animal Program

Ages: Preschool and above

Program Length: 30 minutes *this program can be extended to 45 minutes or an hour upon request*

Number of Participants: Min 10

This program allows participants an up close look at several of our animal ambassadors. This could include native and/or non-native birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. We discuss basic natural history, species adaptions, and personal history on each animal shown during the program. This program can potentially offer participants a chance to touch some of our animal ambassadors, however this is never guaranteed. This program can be tailored for any audience from preschool to collegiate science classes and everything in between.

Owl Pellet Dissection

Ages: 3rd grade and above

Program Length: 1 hour

Number of Participants: Min 10

Participants will be shown how to dissect an owl pellet and identify the prey animal bones that are found within. Some discussion of owl natural history, adaptations, and environmental issues will also take place.

Poisonous Plants & Venomous Animals

Ages: 3rd grade and above

Program Length: 45 minutes

Number of Participants: Min 10

This presentation is designed to give a basic understanding of what poisonous and venomous mean as well as give examples of native North Carolina species of plants and animals that you should be on the lookout for. This program does not feature any live animals, however some preserve specimens are occasionally used.

Skulls & Skins

Ages: 3rd grade and above

Program Length: 30-45 minutes

Number of Participants: Min 10

This program allows us to showcase some of our larger animal ambassadors that we typically cannot bring into the classroom through the use of skulls, animal furs, and other bio-facts. This program typically discusses 3-4 native North Carolina animals, and goes into detail about their natural history, adaptations, and conservation.

Working Wild

Ages: 6th grade and above

Program Length: 30-45 minutes

Number of Participants: Min 10

Do you dream about working with animals as a career? Do you wonder what it takes to get a job working with animals? If you answered yes to either of those questions then this might just be the program for you. We discuss how our staff obtained their current job roles and we explore all of the many job opportunities available to people who think they want to work with animals.\

How do You Zoo?

Ages: Kindergarten and above

Program Length: 30-45 minutes

Number of Participants Min 10

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of running a zoo? Are you curious about what it takes to care for a collection of wild animals? This program answers those questions by providing an in depth look into how our facility operates.