We are opening for the season on March 29, 2019
. Regular hours will be 10 am to 5 pm until December 1 (barring a few special days). Regular admission is $10 for adults; $8 for children ages 3-14 and seniors 62+; and free for children 2 and under. Potawatomi Zoological Society members are admitted free of charge.
We are looking forward to a great year! We'll still be under construction, but we are bringing in some amazing new animals and we have even more exciting experiences and events planned for our guests.
Although the big animal addition will be bringing in a southern white rhino this summer, we have already added a few new species and animals to our collection and have more planned, such as new kangaroos, peccaries, lemurs, a male painted dog, and a female red fox, to name a few. Bringing animals to the Zoo helps preserve rare and endangered species but they also help us spread our message of conservation.
We will continue to have regular keeper experiences where guests can interact with animal ambassadors, observe enrichment, and learn about different species. The schedule of experiences will be available soon on the Zoo’s
website
.
For more details about construction, animals, or to become a member, please see
potawatomizoo.org
or check the Zoo’s Facebook page for the most up-to-date information.
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Family-Friendly Education Experiences
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EdZOOcation has a great summer planned, including two fun family experiences: Evening Safaris and Zoo Snooze Sleepovers.
Evening Safaris
are hour-long evening classes starting at 5:30 pm suitable for all ages.
They offer attendees an adventure in the Zoo after-hours, led by an EdZOOcation teacher. Evening Safaris
take place twice per month May, June, August, and September. Each month has a different theme like Deserts, Grasslands, Rainforest, and Tundras. They are $6 per person for members and $8 per person for non-members.
Zoo Snooze Sleepovers
offer adults and children over five the opportunity to camp out in the Zoo overnight. Although anyone can plan their own Zoo Snooze Sleepover by contacting
EdZOOcation
, the Zoo has two planned Sleepovers:
Nocturnal Animals on June 22-23 and Rainforest Animals July 26-27. Sleepovers include two animal encounters, hands-on activities, a Zoo flashlight tour, behind the scenes experience, and free admission to the Zoo the morning following the overnight. Sleepovers are $30 per person for members and $35 per person for non-members.
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Roars & Pours Starts April 26
After the success of Roars & Pours in 2018, the Zoo has added new dates in 2019 for these after-hours special events.
Roars & Pours Family Nights are open to all ages and will be held April 26, May 11, June 13, July 11, August 23, and October 3 from , 5:30 – 8 pm.
Admission to Family Nights is $5 for adults 15 and up and $1 for children 3-14. Babies 2 and under are free. This year, tickets will be available for pre-sale at all local Martin's Supermarkets starting April 15. People who purchase pre-sale tickets will be able to enter the Zoo more quickly via a dedicated pre-sale line.
The
July 11 Roars & Pours will be free for members and will feature a special outdoor movie night.
On September 21, Roars & Pours will be a special 21 and older Brew Night. We plan to bring in some fun new brews and experiences so stay tuned for ticket information!
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It's Baby Season!
We love springtime because it's a chance to see new babies at the Zoo! Right now, we only have two babies visible to the public, but they're both pretty cute.
A
wallaby joey was born this winter. It's hard to tell exactly when it was born, because for the first few weeks of life, they are hidden in their mother's pouch, but we saw it peek its head out in mid-February. The mother, Daenerys, is very protective of it, so we don't yet know if it's a boy or a girl.
Our
Sichuan takin female, Mulan, gave birth to a takin kid on February 26. Takin young are called kids because they are part of the taxonomic subfamily
Caprinae, which includes goats, sheep, and similar species. After the Zoo staff performed the kid's first checkup, we were able to confirm that it was a girl!
We'll be having a
naming contest for the takin kid to help raise money for Sichuan takin conservation, so keep an eye out for voting boxes around the Zoo.
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2019 Field Trip Scholarships
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We are pleased to announce our
2019 Educational Assistance Program. Through funding provided by
The Pokagon Fund,
Kerry’s Kids,
Enterprise Holdings Foundation and
PNC Foundation, Potawatomi Zoological Society will offer scholarship opportunities to cover admission costs and travel reimbursement for under-served and low-income schools and programs to visit the zoo during the 2019 season (April-October).
Educational organizations serving children ages 3 – 14 interested in taking advantage of the program must complete and submit a two-page application and qualify for the program. Applications are reviewed as received and qualified applicants will be accepted until all available funds are allocated. The program will close upon funding depletion.
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