Sketch of Archilife Study Tour, May 2016
2016年5月份見識之旅縮影 ![]() For the tour of May 14, 2016, Ms. Lu Ming-yun led nine ARF interns and their parents on a trip to The One and Only Crocodile Zoological Farm to learn about nature and the symbiotic environment. It was sunny on the day of tour, and the interns and their parents were on time for the departure. At the start of the day's activities, team leader Ms. Lu Ming-yun reminded everyone about things to note and what to observe, and gave the interns some background knowledge. ![]() The destination of the tour was The One and Only Crocodile Zoological Farm and its surroundings in Chaochou Township, Pingtung County. The farm is Taiwan's largest crocodile-theme ecological park. Not only does the farm rear different species of crocodiles, it also houses many types of animals and an ecological pond. Led by the lady farm owner, the morning's itinerary began with kneading pizza dough for lunch and enjoying some farming experience while waiting for the dough to ferment. The farm owner introduced everyone to the surrounding environment and seasonal flowering plants, and was able to give details and answer questions from having grown up in that area. Next, everyone went to a guava orchard to pluck the fruits and sample them on site, and even bring them home. All had a great time plucking the fruits, and were touched by the warmth and hospitality of the farmers. For lunch, the proofed dough was shaped, ingredients were added according to individual preference, and the pizzas were baked in a brick oven. The DIY factor made the experience more fun and the pizzas especially delicious. ![]() After enjoying the handmade pizzas for lunch, the main attraction of the day's tour began. There was an introduction to common species of crocodiles and ways of identifying them, and specimens were shown so that everyone could learn about the different parts of a crocodile and their economic value. Next, everyone was shown the actual crocodiles and their habitat. The interns experienced the thrill of feeding the crocodiles themselves and felt the strength of the crocodiles' bite when they had a tug-of-war with the crocodiles using a long bamboo pole. In addition to crocodiles, the farm also reared ostriches, chickens and bullfrogs. The farm owner also gave an introduction of their ecology and related knowledge. At the end of the tour, farm personnel showed the interns how to launch water rockets. After a brief explanation of the scientific principle, the water rockets were launched using an air pump. Some of the interns had never played with water rocket before, and were especially curious and thrilled. The entire trip and hands-on experience had been enriching, and the farm owner's enthusiasm and humor made the guided tour even more interesting. At this point, the day's itinerary came to an end. Everyone returned to home after taking a group photo and looked forward to the next study tour. |