Gorillas & Lemurs & Mandrills, Oh My!

West Valley College students, led by Anthropology Club officers, attended the San Francisco Zoo on Friday, April 18th. The field trip was months in the making, with the idea for a club field trip first being floated late last semester. Multiple museums were suggested, but it was eventually decided that a zoo visit would be best. This would increase engagement in the club and would be especially helpful for students enrolled in ANTH-001, also known as Physical Anthropology.

Students in Dr. Andrew “Andy” Kindon’s Physical Anthropology class are required to write a Primate Observation paper. The paper requires students to visit a Bay Area zoo and observe at least two species of primate. Multiple Anthro club officers have taken Andy’s classes, and were able to provide advice on what to look for while observing the primates. Multiple species live at the SF Zoo including gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans, mandrills, and lemurs. 

Students that arrived at the zoo alongside the Anthro Club officers had their entry tickets paid for with funds provided by the Associated Students of West Valley College. Over 20 students attended the field trip, with more arriving throughout the day. The zoo trip was a great success, and it greatly increased engagement and awareness for one of West Valley College’s amazing clubs.