Elmwood Park Zoo

12 DAYS OF DEALS: DAY SIX Purchase any new, renewal, or gift membership today and receive 40% OFF! Yearly Members receive exclusive discounts on giraffe feedings, carousel rides, food and merchandise purchases, special ticketed events, discounts on reciprocal zoos around the country and more. Your membership purchase is also one of the best ways to support Elmwood Park Zoo, one of the area's leading non-profit educational institutions! Take advantage of this sale in-...store, over the phone, or online at: elmwoodparkzoo.org/day-6-40-off-memberships *No discount code is required- prices are already reduced to their sale levels.*Organizational memberships are not included in this sale.

12 DAYS OF DEALS: DAY FIVE ICYMI: Save $50 today by booking early for 2021 summer camp! At Elmwood Park Zoo Summer camp, children ages 3-12 will explore habits and daily lives of some of the zoo’s wild residents. Each weeklong Summer Camp includes a lot of learning and fun, with crafts, stories, snacks, animal visitors, and in-depth tours of the zoo. Regular summer zoo events and shows are incorporated into camp each week. Teens ages 13-15 can participate in our weeklong advanced workshops. During this experience, teens will meet professionals in the field and gain hands on experience as they work side by side with zookeepers and education keepers. Learn More: elmwoodparkzoo.org/day-5-camp-discounts

Sign your kiddos up for our next School's Out Day Camp on Tuesday November 3rd! If your kids have the day off from school, let them enjoy a day at the zoo!Two camps are available, one for 6-8 year olds, and one for 9-13 year olds. Each day camp includes hands on educational workshops, animal observations, animal meet and greets, crafts, and more! For more information, and to sign up, please visit: epzcamps.com

What’s a bat's favorite activity? . . . .... . . AcroBATtics #BatWeek #BatAwarenessWeek

There's only four more Brunch With Santa dates available don’t miss your opportunity to visit Santa Claus! Celebrate the holidays by enjoying a delicious brunch buffet with your family in our spacious and socially-spaced Canopy Gardens Pavilion. Your ticket includes early zoo admission before the public opening, brunch, an animal greet, and of course, a photo opportunity with Santa himself! Tickets at epzsantabrunch.com

We're hosting a special night of Wild Lights called Wild Lights Just for You, for individuals and families with sensory sensitivities. Music will be lowered and total park capacities will be reduced further, all in an effort to provide a more relaxed experience for guests. Tickets are on sale now for this night, Thursday, December 17, from 5 to 8 pm. Click here to purchase tickets: elmwoodparkzoo.org/event/wild-lights-just-for-you. Scroll down on our regular ticket pages for both Members and Non-Members to purchase these tickets. Presented by Taphouse 23, Wild Lights features brilliant light displays throughout the entire zoo, along with animal encounters, music, carousel rides, and more!

Getting through the week can be quite the balancing act! #FridayFeline #PawsitiveVibes #Friyay : J.Miner

Join us this for another weekend of Boo at the Zoo, sponsored by Einstein Medical Center Montgomery and Metropolitan Veterinary Associates! Enjoy trick-or-treating around the zoo, a costume contest, animal meet and greets, and more! If you attended Boo at the Zoo on Saturday, October 17, view your photos here: booatthezoo.boothpics.com/WBYD Photos courtesy of Twinkle Photo Team. Make your event special and memorable by having a Twinkle Photo Booth at your next event!

Thank you Norristown Brick for playing a huge part in renovating our main path at the zoo! This staple in the community is a local supplier of masonry, landscaping material and hardscaping materials for commercial and residential markets. Norristown Brick is ready for your next big project: norristownbrick.com We would also like to recognize J. Natale & Son Contractors, EP Henry, Gallo Brothers Development, and AJR Environmental, Inc. who also supported our main path renovation. Please support the local businesses in your community during this difficult time!

Thanks for joining us today as we explore owl adaptations with Houdini the Eastern Screech Owl and Educator Laura!

We are deeply saddened to report the loss of Buckwheat, our 43 year old yellow-naped Amazon. Buckwheat passed away from advanced kidney disease. As one of the zoo's longest residents, Buckwheat came to the Elmwood Park Zoo in October 2000 after his owner was unable to care for him. He lived in many locations at the zoo during his 20 years with us - in the Wildlife Lodge and Aviary exhibits. More recently, Buckwheat resided in the Birds of Paradise Exhibit where he enjoyed the... company of sun conures, Azule (our blue and gold macaw) and mostly Rex, the zoo's yellow-crowned Amazon who came to the zoo several months before Buckwheat's arrival. While it's impossible to estimate the number of guests that Buckwheat impacted during his time at Elmwood, Buckwheat made a life-long impact on many members of the Animal Care Staff - interactive staff, educators and keepers alike came to know and love Buckwheat. While some could describe him as a bit cranky, a privileged few staff members shared lunches and head scratches with him. As with all large psittacines, Amazon's require highly specialized care including among other things a high quality species-appropriate diet and complex environmental enrichment to keep them occupied and stimulated. Without appropriate nutrition and enrichment, they can develop behavioral problems and medical conditions that remain with them for life. While many large psittacines like Amazon's are capable of living up to 80 years in managed care, their life expectancy is greatly influenced by the care they received in their early years of life - a poor diet early on can predispose them to numerous diseases such as heart, liver and kidney disease. Buckwheat was an incredible ambassador for his species - educating thousands upon thousands of visitors not only about the plight of the South American rainforest but also about the challenges associated with keeping Amazons as pets - these highly intelligent and long-lived animals thrive in large exhibits with high-quality diets, routine veterinary care and expert care from skilled keepers. While Buckwheat's passing has been challenging particularly for the staff that directly cared for him, we are all committed to continuing to share his story.

When Gerald slobbers all over you during a giraffe feed : J.Miner

We would like to announce that our 7 year old Hartmann's mountain zebra, Hannah is moving to Iowa! Within AZA accredited zoos, Hartmann's mountain zebra are managed under a Species Survival Plan - this cooperative program between accredited facilities helps to ensure that animal populations are sustainable with a high level of genetic diversity for the long-term future. Hannah received a recommendation to breed with a stallion another AZA institution. While we had hoped that Hannah and Zack would make a happy couple (and would make a baby zebra), this was not the case - proximity is not always a guarantee for harmony. While we are all sad to send Hannah on her way, we understand the important role that these cooperative programs play in ensuring the long-term survival of the species both in human care and in the wild. : J.Miner

In this episode of Zoo School Live!, meet our 8-legged friends, Rosie and Nightmare! Educator Laura is here to teach us all about the zoo's lovely tarantulas.

We figured we'd start your day off with one of our "spooky" species: our two tarantulas! Our spiders live behind the scenes, and serve as ambassadors in our education programs. Tune into our Zoo School Live! episode at 11am on Facebook to learn about these creepy crawly critters!

#ConservationCorner: As you look to purchase your Halloween candy for the upcoming holiday, double check the brand on the list below, and be sure that they're a company producing treats that contain deforestation-free palm oil (or no palm oil at all!) Palm oil is a resource harvested from tropical rainforests in the southern hemisphere. Its collection is a large contributor to deforestation and habitat loss for vulnerable and endangered species living in that area. By choosing treats this Halloween (and every day) that are free from irresponsibly-sourced palm oil, you can help animals like orangutans, tigers, and rhinos. For more information please visit cmzoo.org/palmoil Thank you Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for sharing!