Hordes of students of all ages and their parents gathered at Utah's Hogle Zoo for its first career day Saturday.

Featuring lectures by the zoo's animal keepers, its senior veterinarian and representatives from local universities and conservation groups, the career day focused on providing a unique experience for students interested in working with exotic animals.

Suzanne Blockburger, a volunteer coordinator at the zoo, said the career day is a way for students to understand the amount of dedication required to work with animals and provide them with information to get a jump-start on their career.

"If you have an idea of what you want to do, you can get started earlier," Blockburger said. "Plus, a lot of animal-care jobs require experience — and we have volunteers (ages) 14 and up that work with animal care and education."

Michael Colton, 13, attended a number of the informational sessions, including a Meet-A-Keeper event at the Asian Highlands exhibit.

"I've always wanted to be a vet since I was 10," Colton said. "I never knew about animals except for my dog; now they just fascinate me."

Michael desires to study Komodo dragons — his favorite reptile. He plans to volunteer at the zoo next summer.

Michael's mother, Angela, attended the career day with him and supports his interest in working with animals.

"I'm all for it," she said. "Anything to keep him interested is great."

Anamarie Lamb, an ambassador at the career day from Utah State University's College of Natural Resources, said it is vital for people to become environmentally aware.

"I've learned through my involvement that we need to be thinking about future generations and sustainability," Lamb said. "A lot of kids want to know what they can do to make a difference."

Blockburger said people interested in future careers working with animals should try volunteering. For more information visit the zoo's Web site at: www.hoglezoo.org.

"Working with animals is a very rewarding experience," Blockburger said. "You can feel like you are in charge of something and responsible caring for it."

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