Halloween in Gainesville is about to get a whole lot wilder.
The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo, located on 3000 NW 83rd St., will host its Halloween event "Boo at the Zoo" from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
Zoo grounds will be transformed into different Halloween themes by student zookeepers. Three candy stations will be open in each section to give candy to trick-or-treaters.
Jack Brown, director of the zoo, gave zookeepers an incentive to inspire them.
"The winning area that does the best job on their particular theme gets the following Wednesday off of lab for free," Brown said.
The day off is no small occasion for the student zookeepers, who are required to work weekends, holidays and summers.
"The animals are here all the time, and they need to be cared for," he said. "Our students are totally immersed in everything they do, which is anything a normal keeper would do."
The students carry out daily animal care, which includes cleaning cages, preparing animal diets, giving medications or providing enrichments for the animals. Enrichments are different ways to make an animal's environment more exciting through the use of new foods and toys.
"Boo at the Zoo's" guests will be the enrichments for the animals Saturday. All of the animals are left on exhibit for the guests, adding to the experience.
"If the animals were adversely affected by the crowds or the commotion, we would put them off display," Brown said.
Although there will be games in the front lawn, the main focus will be in the zoo. The zookeepers want to share their enthusiasm for the animals.
"I really love the enrichments," said Alexandra Henwood, a third-year student at the teaching zoo. "You see different behaviors [from the animals]. It's not an inside job, which I would hate."
According to Brown, the zoo's purpose is two-fold: to teach its students and to teach its visitors. The community plays a big part for the teaching zoo. With habitats and populations declining, the fate of the animals is left to the people.
To aid the community, visitors need to bring one canned good for their admission, with all cans going to local food banks.
"It's our chance to give back to the community," Brown said. "Whether that be through these cans of food or just a fun, safe place to spend Halloween."
