TICKETS ON SALE FOR OKC ZOO’S NEW BREAKFAST WITH THE ANIMALS EVENT SERIES

Take part in the Oklahoma City Zoo’s newest event during Breakfast with the Animals. Tickets are going fast for breakfasts on Saturdays May 4, 11, 18, and 25 in the newly renovated Love’s Pachyderm Building. Guests will enjoy a build-your-own breakfast taco bar, pancakes, potatoes, and eggs while hearing from OKC Zoo caretakers and ambassador animals from 9-11 a.m.. A giraffe-feeding experience is included in the price of the ticket.  Tickets are $55 each for adults ages 12 and older ($39 for ZOOfriends members) and $45 each for children ages 3-11 ($32 for ZOOfriends members). Purchase tickets for Breakfast with the Animals at www.okczoo.org/our-events. Seating is limited and first come first served.

 

 

APRIL: JOIN THE OKC ZOO’S DRAWDOWN ECOCHALLENGE TEAM

The Oklahoma City Zoo can talk the talk, but will it walk the walk? Join Zoo staff members through April 30 for the Drawdown EcoChallenge. With activities ranging from cleaning litter and tagging butterflies to learning about alternative energy sources and reducing single-use plastics, it’s an easy way to combine forces with other ecologically minded Oklahomans to make a lasting difference for the environment. Visit https://bit.ly/DrawdownEcochallengeOKCZooTeam to sign up.

 

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 6: OKC ZOO HOSTS BIRD AWARENESS DAY ACTIVITIES FROM 10 A.M. TO 1 P.M.

The bird is the word during the Zoo’s second animal awareness day of the year on Saturday, April 6, 2024, for Bird Awareness Day. Take the flock to the Children’s Zoo and Dan Moran Aviary to meet some of the Zoo’s avian caretakers and learn about the many feathered friends who call the OKC Zoo home. Be sure to grab one of 500 free water bottles sponsored by Shape Your Future and TSET (Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust) and wear your best flamingo pink in celebration. All event activities are free with Zoo admission and take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

 

MONDAY, APRIL 8: OKC ZOO OPEN LATE FOR ZOO LOVERS’ DAY

OKC Zoo fans will get an extra treat on Monday, April 8, 2024, when the Zoo extends its hours to 8 p.m. for Zoo Lovers’ Day, a special day of giving and animal enrichment events, hosted by Oklahoma Zoological Society in support of the Zoo. Come for this special day and evening at the Zoo and watch as various animals enjoy special enrichment items from 1 to 8 p.m. with last entry at 7 p.m. The event is chock full of animal enrichment starting at 1 p.m. with the Galapagos tortoises, followed by Sumatran tigers, Asian elephants, cassowaries, the river otter, African lions, giraffes, Red River hogs, and lemurs. Pick up an event passport with your ticket purchase to collect stamps as you travel throughout the park learning more about the Zoo’s unique programs and how Zoo Lovers like you can support their mission. Every donation made will enter you into a drawing for amazing raffle prizes. Fall in love with the Zoo as you learn more about how you can help conserve wildlife and wild places here in Oklahoma and around the world! To learn more about Zoo Lovers’ Day or make a donation, visit www.ozsgiving.org/zooloversday. Each gift made during Zoo Lovers’ Day will be matched up to $10,000, courtesy of Jackie and Robert Tilghman. The Zoo will stay open until 8 p.m. on Monday, April 8 only, with last entry at 7 p.m.

 

 

TUESDAY, APRIL 9: READ ACROSS OKLAHOMA RETURNS TO THE OKC ZOO

Get read-y for Oklahoma’s premiere literacy event at Read Across Oklahoma, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. The first 1,500 children with paid Zoo admission or ZOOfriends membership will receive a free book and everyone can take part in interactive learning stations across the Zoo. This year’s feature book is The Forgetful Elephant by Oklahoma author and illustrator Kylan Mogg. For those who can’t make the trip, virtual activities—including a video, word searches, coloring sheets, and crossword puzzles—will be available online at https://oklahoma.gov/libraries/literacy/read-across-oklahoma.html. Read Across Oklahoma activities are free with Zoo admission.

 

 

SATURDAY, APRIL 20: OKC ZOO CONSERVATION CLUB EARTH DAY PARTY

Help the next generation preserve the environment with the OKC Zoo’s Conservation Club. This month’s class, open to kids ages 8-13, includes a half-day of hands-on activities, chats with experts, and expeditions through the Zoo. On April 20, 2024, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., club members will celebrate with an Earth Day Party and learn about how small choices can make big impacts for the planet. Tickets are $20 per child ($15 per child for ZOOfriends members). Learn more at https://www.okczoo.org/conservation-club.

 

 

ONGOING: OKC ZOO SUMMER CAMP SIGN-UPS OPEN

Learning doesn’t end during the summer at the OKC Zoo. Enrollment is now open for the Zoo’s award-winning Summer Camp program. Sign-ups are open for weekly camps created for kids ages 5-17 with themes including Wildlife Warriors, Animals of Pride Rock, Zoolympics, and more. Class sizes are limited, so sign up early to ensure your kids get in. Each week-long day camp is $300 per child ($270 per child for ZOOfriends members). Visit https://www.okczoo.org/summer-camps to learn more and sign up.

 

 

ONGOING: GORILLAS ON THE LINE CELL PHONE CHALLENGE

Have you recently upgraded to a new phone? Spring cleaning turn up a device you don’t use anymore? Make a huge impact by donating cell phones or other small electronics to help save gorillas. Support the Oklahoma City Zoo in its efforts to protect wild gorillas and their habitat by donating to the Gorillas on the Line Cell Phone Challenge now through Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Donate a cellphone or small electronic and receive a free general Zoo admission ticket! Recycling old cellphones and electronics raises funds to directly support gorilla conservation initiatives through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Gorilla SAFE: Saving Animals from Extinction programs. Answer the call for gorillas and donate a device now through April 30. Schools, organizations, businesses and individuals are encouraged to collect as many cell phones and electronics as they can in support of gorilla conservation. Donated items can be dropped off for recycling in the Zoo’s Guest Services office located in the entry plaza during regular park hours.

 

 

ONGOING: OKC ZOO ATTRACTIONS SCHEDULE

 

  • NEW Scooter Pals! Take a ride on the wild side with the OKC Zoo’s new Scooter Pals. This new mobile entertainment opportunity is a fun way for guests 18 and older to explore the park. Scooter Pals are animal themed and available to rent daily weather permitting, located in the Zoo’s entry plaza. Cost is $5 activation fee, $0.35/minute.  
  • Children’s Zoo Barnyard (Children’s Zoo) is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Elephant Express Tram: Take the tram for a relaxing, informative tour of the Zoo. Rides offered daily from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. All day bracelets are $6 per person. Children two and under free. 
  • Elephant Presentations are free to attend and take place at Sanctuary Asia, elephant habitat at 2 p.m. Friday through Sunday. 
  • Endangered Species Carousel: Carousel rides are available daily from 9:30 a.m. to 430 p.m. Cost is $4 per person. 
  • Explorikeet Feedings (Children’s Zoo): These feathered favorites are waiting to meet you! Feeding opportunities are available daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $4 per person. Participants under the age of 14 must be accompanied by a paying adult. 
  • Gorilla Trek VR: Experience the life of gorillas in the jungle with this 360-degree live action virtual reality film with motion platform seating. Open Monday through Friday 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $8 per person. 
  • Rhino Feedings:  Discover this memorable experience with one of the most magical residents at the Zoo–an Indian rhino! Feeding opportunities available weekends (Thurs.-Sun.) from 11:30 a.m. to noon. at Sanctuary Asia. Cost is $10 per person. 
  • Stingray Bay: Our stingrays will bring a smile to your face! Stingray Bay is open daily from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Cost is $4 per person to enter. Stingray feedings occur Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., while supplies last, for an additional $3 per person.
  • Flamingo Mingle: Flock to the Flamingo Mingle feeding daily from 9:30 to 10 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 3:30 to 4 p.m. Cost is $5 per person.
  • Giraffe Feeding: Feed our tallest friends during the Giraffe Feeding Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 3 p.m.
  • Camel Rides: Camel Rides are available the OKC Zoo daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Cost is $8 per person.

 

The Oklahoma City Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry no later than 4 p.m. Purchase advance Zoo admission tickets at okczoo.org/tickets and avoid the entry lines. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District. Zoo admission is $16 for adults and $13 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Membership has its perks! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission all year-long, plus many additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership. 

Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. To learn more about Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.