SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - The Zoo in Forest Park will reopen for the season on Saturday with a full day of interactive events, educational programs, and a chance to win a family membership.
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Visitors can lo
ok forward to keeper talks, animal encounters, and enrichment demonstrations throughout the day.
"This is such an amazing time of year," said Sarah Tsitso, executive director of The Zoo in Forest Park. "It's been a long, cold winter, and now it's finally time to reconnect with your favorite furry (or scaly, or feathered) friends here at the Zoo. There's that old saying: 'March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.' But for us, as we reopen for another great season, March always ends with a bang."
Keeper Talks: Guests can attend six scheduled presentations on different species, where zookeepers will share insights on each animal's diet, habitat, conservation status, and unique stories.
10 a.m. - Bald Eagle
11:30 a.m. - Coyote
1 p.m. - Fisher
1:30 p.m. - Bobcat
2:30 p.m. - Lemur
3 p.m. - Muntjac
Animal Encounters: From 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., visitors will have the chance to get up close with a variety of animals, including turtles, snakes, parrots, and rabbits.
Enrichment Presentation: At 2 p.m., zookeepers will showcase how sensory enrichment enhances the well-being of animals under human care. This demonstration will take place outside the enclosure of Keeba and Sakari, the zoo's two resident timber wolves.
As part of the celebration, the zoo is hosting a scavenger hunt, allowing one lucky family to win a 2025 Family Membership. Visitors who complete the hunt will be entered into a random drawing for the prize. “We’re so excited to welcome guests back to The Zoo,” said Gabry Tyson, assistant executive director. “Although the animals ensure it is never completely quiet around here, it sure is a lot quieter during the off-season. We’re ready to hear children laughing at our goats or families marveling at our bobcats.”
Starting March 29, the zoo will be open weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through mid-May. During Connecticut and Massachusetts school vacation weeks (April 12-27), the zoo will operate daily before transitioning to its full seven-day-a-week schedule after Mother's Day.
For more information, visit their website.
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