What’s the Commotion at the Rare Animal Conservation Center?

The Answer – Treetop Trails! The Zoo is in the process of building an elevated trail system - imagine a miniature enclosed suspension bridge - for the primates inside the Rare Animal Conservation Center (RACC). The monkeys and lemurs will "timeshare" the trail system, to travel outside the building and through the ring of tall trees around Impala Plaza. Click here to see drawings of the Treetop Trails system – and remember to look up the next time you are at Impala Plaza.

Zoo's Community Conservation Grants

Zoo’s Community Conservation Grants – Deadline Approaching

Considering a class or school-wide environmental project in 2011? The Zoo is currently accepting applications for its next round of Community Conservation Grants. Fifteen grants of up to $1,500 each will be awarded by April 2011 to support locally-based environmental projects in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Click here to learn more about program eligibility and to submit an online application. Don’t delay - the grant application deadline is March 15, 2011.

Spring Field Trip Season around the Corner – Book Now

We know it feels like spring will never get here…but it will! Given the cabin fever we have all been experiencing, we anticipate that this year’s spring field trip season will be bigger than ever. Registering early provides the best chance of booking your first choice of dates and will help avoid delays on the day of your visit. Remember that during our peak season, Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are generally less crowded. Call (215) 243-5235 today to book your spring field trip to the Zoo.

Bob Fest

Cheetah

Canada lynx

Teacher Spotlight –
Meet Bob Fest

Bob Fest, an AP Biology and Environmental Science teacher at Winslow Township High School (NJ), was a member of the Zoo’s inaugural Teacher Advisory Council and is currently working with the Zoo on a pilot citizen science project focused on amphibian conservation in Ecuador. Working with Dr. Carlos Martinez-Rivera, the Zoo’s Amphibian Conservation Biologist, Bob and his students are helping collect important tadpole data. Click here (and scroll to page 10) to read more about the Zoo's amphibian conservation project in Ecuador as well as the Zoo's efforts to save critically endangered Haitian frogs.

Cheetahs – Pilot Citizen Science Opportunity

Interested in having your own students participate in a wildlife-focused citizen science project? Working with our longtime partner, Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF), the Zoo is coordinating a pilot cheetah census project that provides students with the unique opportunity to review camera trap photos taken in Namibia and help catalog the region's biodiversity. This project is targeted at high school-level science students and participation is on a first come-first served basis. Interested teachers can e-mail education@phillyzoo.org to sign up for this opportunity and can click here to read more about CCF's mission.

Teacher Workshop – Animal Adaptations

Join the Philadelphia Zoo and the New Jersey Academy for Aquatic Sciences at Adventure Aquarium in a two-city journey through animal adaptations. Participants will spend half of their day with educators at the Zoo, and half with NJAAS’s educators at the Aquarium. Hands-on activities that help children understand ecology and adaptations, behind-the-scenes tours, and group discussions round out this five-hour workshop. The workshop will take place on Saturday, March 12th and the cost is $50 per person - click here to register for Animal Adaptations A to Z.

Discounted Winter Rate Expires Soon

There are only a couple of weeks left to take advantage of our off-peak season admission price of $7 per student. This rate will expire on March 31, 2011. Visiting the zoo during winter can be especially magical and almost guarantees that you will face fewer crowds. Many of our animals including the polar bears, penguins, tigers, and snow leopards love colder weather and are very active during this time of year. Click here to see a YouTube video of our animals enjoying a recent snowy day and call (215) 243-5235 to take advantage of our winter rate.