While some students soaked up the sun and played sand volleyball on South Beach, kangaroos and other animals chilled in the shade not too far away.
The University Program Council brought an assortment of animals for a Zoo to You event, Tuesday.
UPC did not hold the event last year, but it was previously an annual event in the years prior, Jennifer Grubb, the creative events executive programmer for UPC, said.
“It was always a big hit,” Grubb, a senior studying communication studies, said. “I remember coming here my freshman and sophomore year and everybody loved it, so I figured I would bring it back.”
UPC worked with Jungle Island Zoo, an exotic animal petting zoo. Some of the animals included kangaroos, goats, alpacas, a yak, a cow and camels.
Matt Hemminger, a sophomore studying international business and German, heard people talking about the event and thought it would be cool to pet exotic animals.
“I don’t know why they decided to do this, but it seems like a good stress reliever for students, especially right before finals, to get to pet some, cool, exotic, fluffy animals,” he said.
Hemminger’s favorite animal was the kangaroo because he previously went to the University of Akron and the animal is the college’s mascot.
“They’re just cute,” Hemminger said. “They’re like little long-legged dogs.”
Students could purchase carrots for one dollar and feed the animals. The cow and goats seemed particularly fond of the food and attention.
There was a designated area for camel rides, an activity Bernice Johnson, a junior studying psychology, took part in. It was fun riding the camel, she said, but got a little scary when it wobbled.
“I’ve always wanted to travel to places because I know where they are usually at, so to be able to see them on campus, it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, college is actually worth the tuition,’ ” Johnson said. “I was like, ‘Can you bring elephants and puppies next time?’ ”
