On Friday and Saturday last week, a group of 19 pupils were selected to take part in the future zoo programme. The course, ran by Blackpool Zoo, aims to encourage young people to consider a career in animal care and welfare. Pupils learnt about animal welfare, conservation and routes into employment. Pupils spent two days at Blackpool Zoo cleaning out enclosures, making enrichments, and encountered many of the zoos inhabitants face to face, including the zebras, giraffes, bongos, tortoises, lemurs, elephants, penguins, sea lions and lorikeets. The pupils also took part in a workshop to discuss the importance of conservation, particularly the negative impact of using animal products for cosmetic and clothing purposes.