Accountants Pitch In To Clear Brush At The Maryland Zoo

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- They left the office to clean up the zoo.

Andrea Fujii reports dozens of local accountants put down the calculator and picked up a rake Thursday for Maryland animals. 

Twenty-five employees of accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers spent the day clearing out brush.

"Weeding, gardening, just cleaning up the area so the patrons can enjoy it more," said Kelli McDonald, volunteer.

More importantly, they make the area safer for the animals.

"Help move all the toxic plants away from all the animals so that they don't get sick," said Jake Kinney, volunteer.

Overseeing the project were the lemurs, just feet away and thankful for the help.

"Keep the vines from taking over the trees, keep toxic things like buckwheat away from the animals," said Sheryl Heydt, The Maryland Zoo.

The zoo only has four horticulturists for their 80-acre property, so doing this on their own would be tough.

It is a dangerous job.  Poison ivy is very present.

"The goal is that nobody goes home itching," said Heydt.

Despite the hazards, volunteers say it's worth it.

"They really need our help, so we're glad to be here to make their job a little easier," said one.

If you're thinking about heading to the zoo this weekend, The Kratt brothers, stars of a wildlife TV show, will be performing there on Sunday.