The Exotic Animal Training and Management (EATM) Program was established as a major at Moorpark College in 1974. Bill "Briz" Brisby, a Professor at Moorpark College, started the program with one animal - "Kiska", the wolf. Additional animals were slowly added, and the "Lower Compound" was constructed (located near the current football stadium), to house all the animals. This first compound was quite dusty, had no landscaping, and would flood in the rains. As the college made more of a committment to the program, a new location was found.

In 1990, the EATM Compound was moved to its current location, on a 5 acre site overlooking all of the Moorpark College campus. Animal enclosures were built, and new ones are continuously being constructed. The animal collection has gradually increased over the years as animals were acquired through donations and breeding loans from major zoos and research centers. This extraordinary collection has included exotic animals ranging from Marmosets to an Asian Elephant, Leopard Geckos to Alligators, Turacos to Emus. We currently have a Bengal Tiger, African Lioness, Spotted Hyena, Mountain Lions, a California Sea Lion, a wide variety of Primates, Birds, and many, many other exotic and endangered animals. We also have quite a few camels, and a baby usually every Spring!

As the animal collection grew, so did the program. New courses were developed and enrollment increased. The present animal collection, is maintained on a five-acre facility on the Moorpark College campus called "America's Teaching Zoo".

Students in the Exotic Animal Training and Management program are required to work at America's Teaching Zoo most days and weekends. This requirement is in addition to the long hours and days spent working with and caring for the animals, and attending classes. Our Zoo has almost 200 different animals, and is maintained and run entirely by the students. Responsibility is a key commitment to this program. Graduates of the EATM program are working all over the world, in many different situations involving animals. They are training dolphins and other marine mammals, doing conservation work, training animals for television and films, working at zoos and theme parks, and many other animal jobs.

Explore the links to the left. They should answer many of the questions you have about the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program here at Moorpark College. Information about how to apply, frequently asked questions, and an application are available online. Feel free to send us an e-mail if you have specific questions.

Timeline.... (Always under Construction)
The Exotic Animal Training and Management Program

(If you are an EATM graduate, and wish to help us write this History of the Program, please send us an e-mail with your experiences and/or historical additions to the timeline. Thanks.)

1971
Program created.... called the "Institute for Wild and Exotic Animal Studies"... first animal "Kiska" a Gray Wolf acquired..... Lower Compound construction began

1974
EATM became a major at Moorpark College...Associate of Science Degrees are awarded to program graduates.

1990
Compound moved from lower location, to current 5 acre site overlooking the Moorpark College campus.

1991
First Spring Spectacular (one weekend long) - 2 shows - "Back to the Future" & "Animal in Action".

1992
Second Spring Spectacular -

1993
Third Spring Spectacular -

1994
January - The Northridge Earthquake hits just after 4am.
Fourth Spring Spectacular (increased to 2 weekends long) - "Aladdin's Animal Adventure"

1995
March - Fifth Annual Spring Spectacular - "The Wild Kingdom"
"Moose" the EATM Nightwatch dog arrives...rescued from an animal shelter...

1996
March - Sixth Annual Spring Spectacular - "Around the World in 40 Minutes or so"

1997
March - 7th Annual Spring Spectacular - "The Fork in the Road"
October 16, 1997 - Chad, the African Lion - the last of Brisby's animals, passes away.
Fall 1997 - El Nino winter - very wet with lots of rain and mud.

1998
March - 8th Annual Spring Spectacular - "Animal Channels"
May - 38 students graduate from the EATM Program.
Summer 1998 - EATM parking lot paved - was previously all dirt from EATM to the Performing Arts building. Zoo without water for 2 weeks during paving.

1999
March - 9th Annual Spring Spectacular - "Zoomanji"
May - 40 students graduate from the EATM Program.

2000
Filming of the TV Series "Moorpark 24/7 starts.
March/April - 10th Annual Spring Spectacular - "If the Last Tree Falls"
(Spring Spectacular increased to 3 weekends long)
May - 51 students graduate from the EATM Program.

2001
March - 11th Annual Spring Spectacular - "2001 - an Animal Odyssey"
May - 48 students graduate from the EATM Program.
Fall - Animal Planet series "Moorpark 24/7" airs. Filmed at America's Teaching Zoo during the past year.

2002
March - 12th Annual Spring Spectacular - "Furry Tales"
May - 36 students graduate from the EATM Program
June - Marmoset Trailer goes away - Marmosets relocated to Primate Gardens, and eventually to their own enclosure in Maintenance area.
July - "Lulu" the camel has a baby at the EATM Compound.
July - "Schmoo" the Sea Lion's tank is converted to Salt Water.
September - "Delores" the ocelot - passes away.
November - "Yoda" the ring-tailed lemur passes away.
California under quarantine for Newcastle Disease, which affects birds.

2003
March 13 - "Robert" or Bob the Water Buffalo as he was affectionately known, passed away.
March 29 - "Luna" the red-ruffed lemur passes away.
April - 13th Annual Spring Spectacular - "A Pirates Tale"......Arggggg...!!
May - 51 students graduate from the EATM Program
September - California Newcastle Disease quarantine lifted..
October - Wildfire forces evacuation of Zoo and animals - facility undamaged, but surrounding hills completely burned. 2 animals die due to fire stress-related issues.
December - "Walter" the baby Water Buffalo & "Dunny" the Scottish Highland Cow arrive.

2004
April - 14th Annual Spring Spectacular - "Welcome to the Jungle"...it's Amazing...!!!!
May - 45 students graduate from the EATM Program

2005
Winter - 2nd wettest year in California history..!!! All animals and students have a wet winter.
March - 15th Annual Spring Spectacular - "Animals in Wonderland"
May - 49 students graduate from the EATM Program...!!!
These students have found jobs at such places as; San Diego Zoo, San Diego Wild Animal Park, Cincinnatti Zoo, National Aquarium (Baltimore), Sea World - San Diego, Deer Mountain Eagle Center (Ketchikan, Alaska) ...
September - Fires again..!!! On the far side of Simi Valley - no zoo evacuations necessary.

2006
March - Spring Spectacular - "Peter Pan and the Perils of a Pixie".
May - 47 students graduate from the EATM program.
July - "Back road" paved...!!! And new drainage system installed.
September - "Moose" the EATM Nightwatch dog passes away.
October - 20 year reunion of the EATM class of 1986 takes place at America's Teaching Zoo.
New EATM Building plans going through approval process - Construction bids to be awarded in Summer 2007... a 13,000 square foot building, with classrooms, laboratories, offices, and other uses

2007
Drought - one of the driest winters on record - looks to be a bad fire season coming for Southern California.
March - Spring Spectacular - "Indiana Jones and the Quest for the Sacred Animal".
May - 44 students graduate from the EATM Program.
October - fires again threaten the Moorpark area - most animals evacuated as a precaution. Fires do not reach the college, so animals return after 2 days.
New EATM Building Construction plans being finalized - construction to begin in Spring 2008 - (estimate) - the EATM Program will have new classrooms, Laboratories, and offices..... existing buildings to be remodeled after completion of new structure.. Construction estimated to take 15+ months...

2008
Finally some rain falls in the Moorpark area - the hills surrounding the college begin to turn green.
EATM building construction slated to begin...

2009
New EATM building possibly ready for occupancy (estimate).

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HISTORICAL PHOTOS

Bill Brisby, foreground - Diane Brisby, Lynne Doria, Leslie Pontell in the background.
Spring Circus - approximately 1981, at the old compound.

Duchess, one of the horses in the Equine Program at Moorpark College, 1981.
This program was eliminated and the EATM program moved to this site.
The building on the left in the photo above is the current EATM Hay Barn.
This arena was on the current "Primate Gardens" site...!!

Ron and Luke, near the entrance to the Equine Program - Spring 1982.
This area is now the front gate of America's Teaching Zoo.
Moorpark College buildings can be seen in the top right of the photo.

(photos above courtesy Candy Lidstrom)

rev. 1/08