Christmas for the Animals

Every day Zookeepers spend time and thought on animal enrichment. Whether it’s a special food treat that is hidden somewhere in the exhibit, or an old cardboard box sprayed with a hunting scent, just about every animal receives some kind of animal enrichment every day! It’s the part of animal care that works much like a crossword puzzle does for us! It keeps animals busy and engaged in their surroundings and – most importantly – triggering those natural behaviors like foraging or hunting! Most of the items used for animal enrichment are regular household items like mixed nuts in the shell, jams, jelly, cereal, mustard, and oatmeal. Some days the enrichment might be a old burlap bag as a toy, or a sturdy chew, or a scent (even like perfume).

At Christmas for the Animals our Zookeepers will demonstrate how animal enrichment works! It’s also the day we ask you – our zoo supporters – to make a donation of an animal enrichment item. A full enrichment list – and a fun little fact about how the item is used can be found here. As our thank you, the event is ENTIRELY FREE! Oh, and did we mention that Santa and his reindeer will be there too – along with a variety of other activities???

Breakfast with Santa

Join us for an all you eat pancake breakfast and visit with Santa! We’ll throw in some touchable animals and a few extra activities, and you’ll have yourself a great family event in the warmth of the John Ball Zoo BALLROOM (located on the second floor of the Park Administration Bldg) Saturday, December 3, 2011
Breakfast – 8:30am to 10:00am
Christmas For the Animals – 10:00am – 2:00pm

Advance Tickets Only:
Non-Members: Adults - $15, Kids (3-12) - $12, Kids 2 and under Free
JBZS Members: Adults - $13, Kids (3-12) - $10, Kids 2 and under Free

Call 336-4312 OR 336-4311 to order!

Head into the Zoo for Christmas for the Animals immediately following breakfast.