Talk Bronx New York

Growing up near New York City, school field trips to the Bronx Zoo were a regular thing; I don’t think a year went by in elementary school when we didn’t go to the zoo.  Additionally, with grandparents who were members, there were a lot of non-school trips there as well.

The Bronx Zoo is a place I remember fondly, and consequently, on a recent trip back to the area, I went with my wife (who also grew up going there on a regular basis) and my two-year-old daughter, who had never been.  The day started out well enough, with my daughter going through the Children’s Zoo, examining all the various birds and ducks and wallabies.  Though she was a little young to read about all the animals, she had no trouble trying to perform the same six-foot standing jump a bullfrog can achieve (she was unsuccessful).  And, while they may have been a mite scary, feeding the goats and sheep proved just as fun to her as I remember it being.

Then, with newly arrived grandparents in tow, we marched off to the Bronx Zoo’s brand-new (as of this past June) Madagascar! exhibit.  Housed in the zoo’s famous Lion House which was constructed in 1903, the exhibit focuses on the animals, wildlife, and dangers facing the third largest island on the planet.  This last bit the exhibit manages to convey in a sensible way, explaining the issues and using some visuals, but without ever making the future seem unremittingly bleak.

Organized by the Wildlife Conservation Society which manages the Bronx Zoo, Madagascar! features, among other things, many varieties of lemur, some of which are easier to spot than others; some truly outstandingly colorful tomato frogs; 100,000 Madagascar hissing cockroaches; and a crocodile pool.  In this fantastic pool there are two massive crocodiles and a variety of fish.  Though the pool is large – it holds 17,000 gallons of water – the crocodiles seemed as though they were close enough to touch and, when they started moving, many of the kids in a passing school group were noticeably startled.  Looking at the crocs looking at us, one never felt unsafe (the glass is two inches thick), but still got the impression that they would snack on us if they could. Read more..

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 The Bronx Zoo’s rhino sculpture greets visitors with a festive wreath during its annual Holiday Lights event.

 Bronx Zoo has the ‘Light’ stuff

A winter wonderland has descended on the Bronx Zoo, and even some of the animals get to stay up extra late to get in on the fun.

The zoo kicked off its annual Holiday Lights event, now in its 11th year, on Nov. 16. The festivities feature more than 500,000 twinkling lights and larger-than-life lighted animal, dinosaur and holiday sculptures.

Abby Gravatt, 6, and her little sister, Josie, 4, came all the way from New Paltz in upstate New York for opening night, and were excited to ride the Zucker Bug Carousel with their parents.

While Bronx ice sculptor Paul Magnaldi fashioned a peacock from a slab of ice, little Fatima Albino had her face painted with fun, colorful butterflies to match her winter hat.

Holiday Lights, co-sponsored by Hess Corp., also features nightly entertainment, ranging from storytelling to stilt dancers to choral performances.

Children can wander through the Butterfly Garden to follow the children’s classic story “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” while mom and dad do some holiday shopping.

At the Zoo Center, the Children’s Zoo domestic area, Tiger Mountain, the Mouse House, World of Reptiles and Monkey House, the animals are all staying up late to party with their nocturnal guests.

The Bronx Zoo’s Holiday Lights runs nightly through Jan. 6. For more information, visit www.bronxzoo.com or call (718) 367-1010.

SOURCE: Daily News

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