KidZooU, the new Children's Zoo, will open on April 13th. Philly Zoo to open all-new children's zoo exhibit | NJ.com
Merlin, a 21 year old male African Lion, was put down. Merlin, 21-year-old lion at Phila. Zoo, has died | 6abc.com
They zoo has updated there map saying that the children's zoo will open in april. The old children's zoo will be home the zoos horses and horse rides. The maps includes the location of the extension of the treetrop's trail. It will head over the tortise yard to Peco Primate Reserve. http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/PhiladelphiaZoo/files/be/be7c9f3b-a4eb-4951-b778-f154703f8253.pdf
-The zoo has released a map of there future animal trail expansions that shows trails for monkeys, orangutans, gorillas, cats and hippos !!!!! - The map shows a hippo trail linking the current yard with the zoos lake which would be amazing and very unique. This would give the hippos a huge exhibit space. I hope that this becomes a reality soon. The zoo shows a trail connecting the cat exhibits to the bear exhibits and to the ape exhibits. This zoo will be covered with trails in several years. map-http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/PhiladelphiaZoo/files/ec/ec8317d3-edac-42a6-89e6-cadb2ca877e0.pdf rendering- http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/PhiladelphiaZoo/files/96/96e6446c-b753-45ae-8932-add5c020203f.pdf
the zoo has a new website. check it out. Philadelphia Zoo Home Page https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...105769467933.96423.53301382933&type=1&theater
A new parking structure opened. Philadelphia Zoo’s New Transportation Center and Parking Garage Is Dedicated CBS Philly
Has anyone visited or is planning to visit the philladelphia zoos new childrens zoo? I hope to visit later this year but would like a review and photos before.
Thank you I cant wait to hear about it. I love the philladlephia zoo as it is one of the most unique and creative zoos in america.
I would highly recommend that if anyone decides to go to this zoo during peak season or a nice weekend day, get there at opening! I went early afternoon and sat in Philadelphia traffic, then traffic to get into ANY parking lot or the garage (PS they need ANOTHER garage for this volume of visitors), then in line to get into the zoo. You can imagine exhibits were packed and when strollers are thrown into the mix, there is limited space for movement! Is this zoo suffering at all financially? With the cost of ticket prices and parking fees, not to mention the amount of visitors they receive, they must be making a nice profit. Now that I am done with that rant, lets move onto the new Children's Zoo! I went to this during the last 45 minutes so the crowds were more subdued. When you first walk into the area, you are met by the goats (Arapawa and Nigerian Dwarf) in a basic fenced off area. Graphics introduce us to the "goat" with a silhouette of a goat, a sign describing the differences of goats and sheep, different types of goats, then revolving signs describing each type of goat at the zoo. The next outdoor exhibit you encounter is the Pigeon loft (Pigeon - KidZooU - Hamilton Family Children?s Zoo & Faris Family Education Center -- I forgot what kinds and they do not have the names, but pictures on their website). The graphics are similar to the ones of the goat. Next, I went into the old pachyderm building. The Animal Action Lab is for groups and part of the tree top walking trail is in this section of the building. Budgies are in a basic glass exhibit with a colorful mirage like border around it. Next to it is a painted truck on the wall with conveyer belts that kids and can move items up to recycle. Up next is an aquarium with tropical fish. Next to this is a Saving Energy Station with interactive elements for children. The first setting is a kitchen and the one next to that is a living room with a polar bear outside the window. Kids have a screen they can move around and the pinpoint areas in the room where they can help save energy. The screens are also seen above on TVs. Across from this area is a glass fronted butterfly exhibit. There is an interactive model of Philadelphia where visitors can figure out how saving water and electricity can help save the butterflies. The first section of the indoor exhibits is completed and you go down a hallway to go to the second half. In the center of the room is a huge replica of an ant where kids can go in their tunnel. Inside the tunnel kids can pick up and move their eggs or larvae around. The ants also have an area where visitors can look straight down on their exhibit. There's even a pop up bubble where you can see the ants all around you. In a corner of this room is the rat exhibits. Described on their website as a rat gynasium, there are multiple active elements to get the rats' bodies and minds enriched. Behind the main room is the Wildlife workshop. Once again, many graphics and interactive elements like a wheel titled, "What's your Eco Job?" with options to land on. Amazing Insects in in the back corner with small glass windows to peep into their exhibits. The only sign I saw for an insect in this area was the praying mantis. To complete this area is Tiny Tot Barn which animals on the wall that kids can press a button and hear what noises they make. There are also wooden animal sculptures, and soft areas for little ones to rest and hear stories. Going back outside you come across the duck pond where guests are encouraged to feed the ducks. There are quartered feeding machines which display a sign when the ducks have had too much to eat for the day. The goat bridge and climing tower is divided into two sections; one area for children and another for the Saanen goats. Next to this is an area where children can pet and brush goats and sheep. An aid is at the entrance with a stuffed goat to inform visitors good areas to pet the animals and certain spots to avoid. The mini horses have a yard next to this, but it was closed off to visitors when I was there. Off to the side is the barn with goats, a side yard for Jacob sheep (new babies) and a coup for chickens (Polish, Sultan, Frizzle, Spanish, Faverolles, Cochin, Hamburg, Silkie). For better descriptions of these exhibits, please go to their website. My overall opinion is that this is a great edition to the zoo and very informative for children. They replaced some of their older children zoo animals with rarer species. The animals seemed enrich in their enviroments and the graphics and interacting elements will keep children informed and engaged. I think it was a wonderful idea to keep their pachyderm house intact with modern exhibits to educate visitors. I will try to post photos of the exhibit within the next day or so.
A new gorilla from Franklin Park Zoo will come to Philadelphia to breed. http://www.zoonewengland.org/document.doc?id=372
The Zoo's second litter of snow leopard cubs was born. Philadelphia Zoo’s Snow Leopards Deliver Another Litter of Cubs CBS Philly
