Millbrook's Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo
Did you know that the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo is one-of-a-kind?
It is, in fact, the only zoo in this country that is located at a high school. The zoo was established in 1936 at Millbrook School, a coeducational independent high school in Millbrook, New York. Its founder, Frank Trevor, was Millbrook School’s first biology teacher and a man with a passion for sharing his love of wildlife with all people, especially children.
And there are plenty of other interesting facts about the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo:
It is, in fact, the only zoo in this country that is located at a high school. The zoo was established in 1936 at Millbrook School, a coeducational independent high school in Millbrook, New York. Its founder, Frank Trevor, was Millbrook School’s first biology teacher and a man with a passion for sharing his love of wildlife with all people, especially children.
Tom Lovejoy ’59 was a graduate of Millbrook School and a student of Trevor's, inspired to educate the next generation of environmental stewards. Nicknamed “the Planet Doctor," Lovejoy worked to protect the Amazon rainforest and advance global environmental policies. He pioneered the concept of "biological diversity" and played a key role in linking climate change to biodiversity loss. Through his groundbreaking Amazonian research, advocacy as a presidential appointee, and courses at George Mason University, Tom inspired so many others to continue his fight to preserve Earth’s ecosystems.
And there are plenty of other interesting facts about the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo:
- It houses more than 170 exotic and indigenous animals
- 70 different species are represented
- It is home to 11 endangered species
- Its facilities extended over six acres
- It operates a veterinary clinic
- It is one of 237 zoos in the U.S. accredited by the AZA (Associations of Zoos and Aquariums)
Academics and the Zoo
Classes such as Environmental Science and Animal Behavior are tied closely to the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo. Students of environmental science, for example, examine basic ecological principles and analyze human impacts on the biosphere. The approach is solution-oriented and focuses on sustainability—quality of life for all within the means of nature. This course is both scientific and multidisciplinary in its approach and challenges students to use the best scientific theory, research, and data to understand a variety of contemporary environmental problems and viewpoints. Frequent field activities and trips make use of local wetlands, streams, forests, and other wildlife habitats as well as the animals at the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo.
Community Service at the Zoo
The Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited facility, which provides Millbrook students a unique opportunity to work directly with wildlife. The zoo has a collection of more than 180 individual animals representing 80 species, ten of which are endangered, and participates in numerous Species Survival Plan (SSP) programs. Zoo community service students (zooies) are assigned to teams where they rotate through the zoo during the year to get a broad-based view of the zoo in its entirety. This encourages students to have a variety of experiences in animal husbandry, diet preparation, and veterinary medicine. Students who show exemplary work and passion are selected to be leaders, called student curators, and assist in training and working with their peers. Student curators and zooies assist zoo staff with all levels of caring for the animals at the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo. This is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity and can be an extremely rewarding experience.
Zoo Squad
Zoo Squad is a student alternative to participation in a sport that takes place Monday through Friday and generally has no weekend commitments. The AZA-accredited Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo staff coach and closely supervise the Zoo Squad participants. The daily objective is to accomplish varying general zoo tasks, from feeding animals to renovating exhibits. Being part of the zoo squad provides students with an inside view of how the Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo runs and the opportunity to interact closely with animals and the areas in which they live.
