ZooAmerica: Favorite Exhibit

http://z8.invisionfree.com/Hersheypark_Crazy/index.php?showtopic=114

Posted by HPCrazy:
What's your favorite exhibit/section of ZooAmerica? For me, I enjoy walking through the whole zoo. Nice and relaxing. Probably if I had to pick at least one or two exhibits, it would have to be the Bison and Bobcat/Mountain Lions. I enjoy watching them roam whenever I'm at the zoo.

I really love the prairie dogs and bison, as well as the indoor exhibits. The reptiles have to be my favorite, though. I like ZooAmerica since you really don't feel like you're in a one-purpose-settled-area, since it's like a nature walk and the animals are in their natural habitats. Plus, it's so close to HP and there's a lot to do.

I also love walking through ZooAmerica myself. Alex and I have developed a habit to take advantege of their free community weekend every year for the past two years. It's a nice change after being in the park when it's open.

What's the free community weekend? Is it when they let people in from the outside instead of thrugh HP?

Yes, they've been overlapping it with their "Chocolate-Covered February" festivities for the last two years, so we've just been going that weekend so we can add that to our agenda for the day. We usually go in the morning before going over to Chocolate World.

Ah, that's cool. I'll have to keep it in mind if there's a vacation planned during the winter.

Yeah, it's worth a trip in the winter time. The zoo animals can also be active during that time.

One thing I never see is the wolves. Maybe once out of every 4 or 5 visits I see all the wolves come out. I guess they like to hide from crowds...

Now I usually see those. Something I hardly ever see is the Prairie Dogs. They always seem to be hiding in their "homes" whenever I'm there.

I think they're out on a sunny yet humid day. Plus, that seems to be the time I'm always walking around in the hot sun.

Strange how we always see the opposite animals.

REMINDER ZOO AMERICA IS FREE THIS WEEKEND.
THIS IS THE ONLY TIME IT WILL BE FREE WHEN THE PARK IS NOT OPEN.

Saturday, January 30 and Sunday, January 31.

ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park will kick off its celebration of 100 years of a community zoo in Hershey by offering its annual free Community Weekend from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on both days. Admission is free to all guests that weekend.

Special highlights of the weekend include "animal encounters" hosted by ZooAmerica naturalists and animal art demonstrations featuring painting by a skunk, snake, lizard or rat at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day. Ranger Scratch, the Zoo's mascot, also will make a special appearance both days.

I love ZooAmerica. Most of the animals are ones other zoos do not have. My favorite encounters are: Bobcats, Mountain Lions, Ocelots, Wolves and especially the Linx.

Best time to go to ZooAmerica is in late fall through early spring. Almost all the animals love the crisp weather. The wolves are usualy out during these seasons. The otters and prairie dogs are the only ones that might not be very active. I forget when the prairie dogs have their pups. I want to say mid June.

If you happen to be by the wolf encounter when the fire siren blows for Derry township you will hear them howl. They believe it is another pack.

Other bits of info:
Black wolf is the alpha, named Dakota
Grey wolf is his beta, named Sarah
The two tawny colored wolves are bothers, but not sons to either Dakota or Sarah
The male mountain lion is Stanley
The female mountain lion is Rosa. She is his second mate. They tend to not get along perfectly.
The female linx is Blondie. She normally sits on the rock ledge in her encounter. She is pretty aloof.
The male linx is Woody. I believe he is her second mate. He loves to stalk the marteens next door.
The bobcats left in the encounter are named for Hershey's candy, but I can't remember which ones. The momma bobcat is in with two of her offspring...a male and female. There was another male, but he was donated to another zoo. The daddy bobcat died not long after they mated to produce the three little ones.

I know a bunch of different facts about some of the snakes because they are pretty neat and I used to work in the Park store that had the snake/lizard display.

So I guess this means I'm as much a "zoo rat" as a "park rat" haha.

HPfangirl4life wrote:
Other bits of info:
Black wolf is the alpha, named Dakota
Grey wolf is his beta, named Sarah
The two tawny colored wolves are bothers, but not sons to either Dakota or Sarah
The male mountain lion is Stanley
The female mountain lion is Rosa. She is his second mate. They tend to not get along perfectly.
The female linx is Blondie. She normally sits on the rock ledge in her encounter. She is pretty aloof.
The male linx is Woody. I believe he is her second mate. He loves to stalk the marteens next door.
The bobcats left in the encounter are named for Hershey's candy, but I can't remember which ones. The momma bobcat is in with two of her offspring...a male and female. There was another male, but he was donated to another zoo. The daddy bobcat died not long after they mated to produce the three little ones.

When I was there on Monday, I was wondering what were their real names, so thanks.

^^ One of my favorite exhibits is the bobcats. Never knew their names, but now I know how cleverly the are named. Thanks