User login
 |
 |
 |
 |
Detroit Zoo Has Special Hours For Visitors To See Active Winter Animals
Royal Oak, MI - Beginning November 1, 2008, through March 31, 2009, Detroit Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The popular family attraction is open 362 days a year (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day), and can be just as enjoyable in the winter as in the warmer months. Winter visitors often find that when the temperature drops, many of the animals become more active outdoors. For the cold-challenged, there are also an abundance of indoor habitats to enjoy. Either way, you’re always just minutes away from warmth on your winter journey through the Zoo. Start by waddling to the Penguinarium to watch the king, macaroni and rockhopper penguins swim through their three-sided habitat. From there, it’s just a hop, skip and a jump to the National Amphibian Conservation Center, an award-winning habitat the Wall Street Journal called “Disneyland for toads”. Next, stop at the Ford Education Center and board the Wild Adventure Ride to experience the country’s first zoo-based virtual reality voyage. Brace yourself for a trek along the Mall Road and, if Jack Frost is nipping at your nose, warm up at the Arctic Food Court with a cup of hot cocoa. Then, wend your way over to the wolverines – the mascot of our great state – and the winter-hardy Asian wild horses. Follow the trail west to meet a couple of the Zoo’s newer residents, two American bison yearlings who share a habitat with an 8-year-old bison and six collared peccaries. Lumber on over to the bear dens, home to a Syrian brown bear, two North American black bears and four grizzlies. The bears get sleepy in the winter, but can be seen foraging outdoors on nicer days. Then, saunter on over to the giraffe house, where the warm indoor habitat provides a close-up view of the Zoo’s tallest creatures. Next, charge on over to see two white rhinos, who can be enjoyed through the winter months from their indoor viewing area. While you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to check out the Zoo’s newest indoor habitat, Meerkat Digs. Next door you’ll find the black-and-white ruffed lemurs and, just around the corner, the Japanese macaques. Whether they’re playing in the snow or relaxing on the edge of their hot tub, the snow monkeys’ behavior and social interactions are always entertaining. Then, turn around and meet the king – of the jungle, that is. The lions can be seen surveying the Zoo from atop their cliff throughout the year. The majestic Amur tigers can be found just a short jaunt away, along with their neighbor, a red panda. Winter is a good time of year to spot this agile climber hanging from branches or lounging on tree limbs in his wooded habitat. Swing back around to the Great Apes of Harambee, where chimpanzees, Western lowland gorillas and drills go bananas on tires, branches and ropes in the habitat’s spacious dayrooms. Proceed to the Arctic Ring of Life, where the 70-foot-long Frederick and Barbara Erb Polar Passage immerses you in an underwater environment of swimming polar bears and seals. This popular exhibit is undergoing improvements throughout the winter months, so be sure to check www.detroitzoo.org before your visit for scheduled maintenance updates. Once back on the Mall Road, slither on over to the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles to see over 85 species of crocodilians, snakes and lizards. Then, dive into the Mardigian river otter habitat to watch the two adorable residents play in their 8,200-gallon pool. From there, it’s a short flight to the Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, where the popular Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden is a balmy 75 degrees and the Free-Flight Aviary provides a tropical environment for over 30 species of birds. Before you leave, be sure to stop at Zoofari Market for a cozy sweatshirt or a souvenir mug perfect for a hot winter beverage. You can also replace the calories you just burned with some homemade fudge or a specialty coffee from the Fudge Shop. So, don your cold-weather wear and hop, fly, lumber, saunter, waddle or simply walk through the Detroit Zoo for a fun day in a “wild” winter wonderland. The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak. The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October. Admission is $11 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks. For more information, call (313) 852-4056. |
By Patricia Janeway
User login
Your Comments listed below have been added (Scroll down to add additional comments)
Irresponsible Board of Management
Maybe , just maybe The Toronto Zoo Board Is In The Middle Of A Financial Crisis And There Is No Place To Go But To City Council like a wayward son go to Mom and Dad for more money...
Although it was made clear by Shelley Carroll (the City's Budget Chief) that the Toronto Zoo has to behave more financially responsible, perhaps the problem is that there is no place else to go. The $250 Million fund-raising plans are a pipe dream (especially after firing the Zoo Foundation), it is not possible to raise admission prices any longer (or face a significant drop in attendance) and the "junkets" (especially to China for the Giant Pandas) by members of the Zoo Board can not be cut significantly for any reason. In other words, there is no place to go but City Council. What a crock! The Toronto Zoo Board needs a reality check, as it has become clear that they do not understand the problems they are facing. Perhaps the thousands of free Zoo passes given to Councillors on the Zoo Board could be cut to zero, perhaps the Zoo Foundation could be re-instated, and perhaps a citizen's advisory committee could be formed to provide much-needed guidance to the existing members of the Board.
This is Proof positive
that citizens should have more direct say in the budget process. Line item veto by a citizen's budget committee might get the desired cuts we must attain. The citizens of Toronto should stand with one voice that we just won't allow a property tax increase this year.
By Latinoboy in TORONTO
Ethyl Mercaptan
I would be quite interested in any reference you might have to the presence of ethyl mercaptan in carrion. Most literature indicates that dimethyl sulfide and methyl mercaptan are the sulfur containing entities involved. I had also thought that vultures, like many carrion eating and inhabiting species (flies, etc) were attracted to the rather bad smell of the nitrogenous materials (cadaverine, putresceine, etc) produced during decomposition.
Ant farms
Very nice ant exhibit! I wrote a small ant farm post with a reference to your article.
Train Business Directory Available for Visitors
A "Train Business Directory" shows over 850 locations near all of the Portland MAX light rail at PortlandLightRail.net.
Happy Birthday, Boomer!
You are a great ambassador for your cousins in the wild, Boomer!
Orangutans are critically endangered because of rapid deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations.
If nothing is done to protect orangutans, they could be extinct in just a few years!
Your fans can visit the Orangutan Outreach website to make a difference!
Orangutan Outreach
http://redapes.org
Reach out and save the orangutans!
Facebook Cause: http://causes.com/redapes
Venemous snakes?
What is it with people that want to exterminate venemous snakes? If they weren't an integral part of the food chain and ecosystem, they wouldn't be here! Evolution and natural selection has chosen them as survivors! The fact that they are "harmful" to humans is only a result of humans encroaching on their territories and habitats. Be mindful of your surroundings and situation and you can safely live with the so called "harmful" species that we share this planet with!
Local wildlife day
Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.
Local wildlife day
Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.
Sadly, a lack of common sense is the trend
What is sad to me is the lack of common sense regarding venomous snakes that seems to becoming more commonplace.
It has become trendy for government agencies to defend venomous snakes, saying they kill rodents, etc., but non-venomous snakes also kill rodents. I have not heard one logical argument as to what a venomous snake contributes to an ecosystem that a non-venomous snake doesn't.
Any non-biased biologist can affirm species extinction has always happened naturally. It's common sense to kill a venomous snake, rather than let it continue breeding and increase the potential for harm.
The unfortunate consequence of naturalists defending venomous snakes is they make them appear so necessary and harmless that both people and agencies--hospitals, for example--do not expect or prepare for snake encounters.
It's doubtful that many hospitals near the snakes stock the expensive antivenin. Governments should help fund snakebite treatment rather than fund snake protection.
Skype Usage
Very cool and novel way to use Skype. Glad to see that people are thinking outside the box with its collaborative application. If it's not too late, you may want to submit this to Skype as a good use of their software for the Skype in business contest they're running.
Shawn
OnState Communications
Word Oceans Day - June 8
And don't forget to "Wear Blue and Tell Two"
Another great way to celebrate World Oceans Day is to wear blue in honor of the ocean and tell people two things they likely don't know about the ocean and two ways they can take action. For more Information check out this website:
© 2009 Zoo and Aquarium Visitor. All rights reserved.
