Philadelphia Zoo Fundraiser “Zoo-A-Thon” Returns Featuring Animal Art Work, Zoo Keeper Chats, and Feedings
Philadelphia Zoo is excited to engage its community of supporters, members, guests and fans in a two-day fundraising campaign, raising money for the Zoo’s robust animal enrichment program on Friday, March 17 and Saturday, March 18. During those 48 hours, the Zoo will be accepting donations through calls, texts and online, and will be hosting a number of onsite activities for guests to take advantage of, including artwork created by animals and by mural artists from VURT Creative to celebrate the importance of wildlife and art in all our lives.
Other activities will include big cat feeding pole enrichment, rabbit painting at KidZooU, reptile keeper chat, bear country keeper chat, Andean Bear peanut butter feeding on glass, alpaca and goat walks, red panda feeding, penguin keeper chat and feeding, rabbit obstacle course, gorilla keeper chat and more. Zoo hours during the Zoo-A-Thon are 9:30am to 5:00pm for the general public.
All activities in Zoo-A-Thon are free and included with the regular cost of a ticket for either of these two days. Zoo members enjoy free admission to the Zoo, and tickets for non-members are $16 each for adults and children ages 2+ (through April 1st). Tickets are available here.
“We provide specialized care to our 1,900 animals each and every day,” said Vice President of Animal Well-Being Rachel Metz. “That care includes feeding scientifically formulated diets to each individual animal, targeted and preventative veterinary health services and daily enrichment to exercise both the animals’ bodies and minds. Enrichment is vital to animal well-being, and encourages the animals in our care to demonstrate the natural behaviors these animals show in the wild.”
“The impactful work of Philadelphia Zoo is not possible without the support of our donors,” says Chief Development Officer Neil Batiancila. “Each donor is a partner in our mission to create joyful discovery and inspire action for animals and their habitats. All gifts make a difference.”
As an integral part of providing exceptional animal care, animal enrichment offers a creative outlet for physical activity and mental exercise, offering more choices for animals on how they spend their time. A few examples include puzzle feeders that encourage animals to forage for food; climbing structures that enhance habitats and provide exercise opportunities; and training sessions where animals can interact with keepers— which for some includes painting!
The Zoo’s dedicated team of keepers has trained some of our animals, including Wesley the Velveteen lop rabbit, to paint as a part of their enrichment programs.
Onsite Schedule for Zoo-a-thon Days:
(all are subject to change without advance notice)
FRIDAY, MARCH 17TH
10:00am- Rare Animal Conservation Center Keeper Chat & Puzzle Feeders with Francois Langurs
10:00am- Big Cat Feeding Pole Enrichment at Big Cat Falls
10:00am- 2:00pm- Artists from VURT Creative painting murals on Impala Plaza & Wolcott Plaza
11:00am- Press Event: Rabbit Painting at KidZooU
11:00am- Reptile House Keeper Chat
11:15am -Bear Country Keeper Chat & Andean Bear Peanut Butter Feeding on Glass
11:30am- Alpaca or Goat walk from KidZooU
12:00pm- Domestic Rat Enrichment at KidZooU
12:30pm- Red Panda Feeding at Water is Life
1:00pm- Penguin Keeper Chat & Feeding at Penguin Point
1:30pm- Big Cat Milk Feeding in Zoo360 Trail Behind Tiger Terrace
2:00pm-Rabbit Obstacle Course inside KidZooU
2:30pm- Gorilla Keeper Chat at PECO Primate Reserve
3:00- Bird Feeding Inside McNeil Avian Center Rainforest
SATURDAY, MARCH 18TH
10:00am- Rare Animal Conservation Center Keeper Chat & Sloth Feeding
10:30am- “Mini” big cat feeding pole enrichment inside Big Cat Falls
11:00am- Reptile House Keeper Chat
11:15am -Bear Country Keeper Chat
11:30am- Alpaca or Goat walk from KidZooU
12:00pm- Giant River Otter Feeding at Water is Life
12:30pm- Red Panda Feeding at Water is Life
1:00pm- Penguin Keeper Chat & Feeding
1:30pm- Big Cat Milk Feeding in Zoo360 Trail Behind Tiger Terrace
2:00pm- Golden Lion Tamarin & Saki Monkey Feeding Inside PECO Primate Reserve
2:30pm- Gorilla Keeper Chat at PECO Primate Reserve
3:00- Bird Feeding Inside McNeil Avian Center Rainforest
