Summary:
Steve Lachonas will include several unique live animals, and show how their incredible design can teach us lessons from both from God’s Word and Creation.
Presenter: Steve Lachonas
Steve’s first professional experience working with animals started in his early 20’s when he worked as a volunteer bird keeper at the Los Angeles Zoo and participated in a season of nest box observation for the zoo’s California Condor breeding program.
His background in exotic animal outreach started as a keeper and animal handler for LA based Wildlife on Wheels, then later he moved to the mountains and seas as an outdoor education instructor and later program director with Mountain and Sea Educational Adventures.
While at MSA, Steve taught hands-on classes in snorkeling, identifying local sea-life, kayaking, astronomy, marine biology, bird watching, hiking, ecology and orienteering. It was during this time that Steve also decided to attend the Masters California graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Christian Ministries
Several years after graduating, Steve worked for the Phoenix Zoo as an exhibit guide, camp zoo summer instructor, night camp instructor and school and family programs educator and animal handler, then later moved on to spend several seasons working for the animal outreach company, Animal Tales. At Animal Tales, Steve travelled to over 12 different states doing presentations at different venues, including a week of shows at the prestigious Hoover Library Theatre in Hoover, Alabama.
In addition to his interpretive and educational work at the Phoenix Zoo, and Animal Tales, most recently Steve got the opportunity to work as a keeper and presenter for the Little Rays Nature Center travelling exhibit “Survival of the Slowest.” Hosted by The Arizona Science Center.
Over the years, Steve has also had the privilege of collaborating with several prominent Creation ministry organizations including the Creation Studies Institute in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Creation Ministries International Canada and most recently, Answers in Genesis as the Head Zoo Keeper, at the Eden Animal Experience at the Creation Museum.