Welcome to John Ball Zoo Society's website!
General Information
Hours & Rates, Directions, or contact us with questions.
Haga clic aquí para información general acerca del zoo.
BISSELL Lions of Lake Manyara Exhibit NOW OPEN!
This
VERY special exhibit depicts Lake Manyara, a region in Tanzania. The first
thing you'll notice as you walk up to this new exhibit will be two large
bomas (replicas of round, thatched roofed African dwellings). These bomas
will serve as your viewing structures, with floor to ceiling windows. From
here you can get eye-level to the lions! Lake Manyara is also one of the
few regions in the world where lions have been known to climb trees, so
you'll see the exhibit features a 30-foot artificial tree which we hope
will be a favorite napping spot for the lions.
This new exhibit is different in many ways from other zoo lion exhibits. It depicts a lush forested landscape as opposed to the savanna setting more common. Thru the use of hydronics - the tree and some of the rocks will be heated and cooled for the comfort of the lions!
Next to the bomas will be a nearly three story, open air viewing tower as an optional perspective of the animals and their habitat. From that tower visitors can get an unobstructed view LIONS OF LAKE MANYARA and as a bonus, the Grand Rapids skyline.
LIONS OF LAKE MANYARA will house three lions, a male and two females.
SUMMER EXHIBITS – Now Open
SKY
TRAIL NOW OPEN!: This all new double-decker ROPES
COURSE includes seven climbing elements on each level! ($7.00 per experience)
300-foot, 4-story ZIPLINE: Take a ride on the only zipline in Michigan!!! ($5.00 per ride)
WALK THRU WALLABIES: These smaller versions of kangaroos will roam freely around throughout their exhibit as you as you stroll thru!! Keep a close eye for the ‘joeys’ peeking out of the pouches!
SWAN BOATS: Tool around the park pond in these whimsical paddle boats! ($5.00 per ride – 2 adults or 1 adult and 2 children per boat)
PYGMY
GOAT PETTING CORRAL: This petting corral is perfect for toddlers
because the goats and lambs are babies too!!
FARM ANIMAL PETTING CORRAL: Brush the donkeys, cows, goats and sheep!
RIDE THE HUMP: Camel rides now open! (Only $4.00)
STINGRAY LAGOON!
Touch the COWNOSE RAYS, NURSE SHARKS and the all new HORSESHOE
CRABS! ($1.00 to enter)
Coming soon!!! WALK THRU BUDGIE AVIARY containing over
300 colorful parakeets that you can hand feed! ($1.00 for seed stick)
FROGS!!!
New
FROG Exhibit
Frogs are in trouble. So are toads, salamanders and newts. In fact, almost one-third of the world’s amphibians are threatened with extinction partly because of an infectious fungus that is believed to have been introduced when pet frogs, specifically the Clawed Frog, were released into the wild.
To raise awareness of this crisis, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) has highlighted 2008 as the “Year of the Frog”. This will be a national awareness campaign and zoos and aquariums around the country have agreed to participate in efforts to get the word out about the plight of amphibians. In many cases, breeding programs at Zoos around the country are the only thing saving some species of frogs from extinction. John Ball Zoo’s contribution to this effort is a brand new frog exhibit and a ramp up of their breeding efforts.
The new exhibit, which opened on Saturday April 19, features about 80 different animals representing 15 different species of frogs and toads. The new exhibit is intentionally designed to capture the attention of the young children. It is brightly colored with interactive graphics that parents and children can explore together. One offers tykes a chance to actually hear the ‘call’ of many different frogs. The strategy is to build upon the strong attraction young children already have for frogs and to help develop needed respect for these very important disappearing.
Submit
a FROGGY Message and Enter to Win!
KIDS, send us a FROGGY MESSAGE and have a chance to WIN a giant plush Red-eye Tree Frog! There will be a winner each month, from April to September.
WE LOVE FROGS! And we know, you do too! We want to see your frog artwork, poems, letters, or any other ways you can express (on paper) why you think FROGS ARE COOL! Your froggy message might also be selected for display at our new FROG FRIENDS CLUB exhibit.
Summer Discovery Classes 2008
John Ball Zoo’s Summer Discovery Program is a unique, fun, hands-on learning experience for children, ages 3 years to those entering 8th grade! Each class follows its particular theme and uses a variety of methods to stimulate the learning process (role-playing, behind the scenes tours, games, stories, songs, and more).
Videos Featuring John Ball Zoo
Click here to visit MLive.com and view a short video tour of John Ball Zoo, featuring Zoo director Bert Vescolani and produced by Grand Rapids Press.
Click here to check out our Chimp Clip, produced by Grand Rapids Community Media Center.
