Enjoy gourds of fun and watch as the Zoo’s wildlife go wild for pumpkin treats!

 

It’s pumpkin everything season! The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating the changing season by hosting its annual Chomp and Stomp Enrichment Event for the Zoo’s wildlife on Friday, October 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come out and watch as members of the Zoo’s animal family enjoy plentiful pumpkins as part of the Zoo’s ongoing animal enrichment program, designed to stimulate their senses and encourage natural behaviors. The Zoo’s caretakers use daily enrichment to enhance the quality of an animal’s habitat, and to offer opportunities for animals to engage in specific behaviors like foraging and exploration. Guests may see caretakers add toys, feeders, scents or treats to encourage an animal’s natural abilities, ensuring they have different opportunities throughout the day and seasons.

Chomp and Stomp Enrichment Event schedule is as follows:

10 a.m.                Sumatran tiger family – mom, Lola, and her cubs, Luna and Bob (Cat Forest)

10:30 a.m.          Chimpanzees (Great EscApe)

11 a.m.               California Sea Lions (Sea Lion Habitat)

Stingrays (Stingray Bay, attraction cost applies)

11:30 a.m.          Galapagos Tortoises (Children’s Zoo)

NOON                 BREAK

1 p.m.                  African Crested Porcupines (Located along the Zoo’s lakeside)

1:30 p.m.            Bison (Oklahoma Trails)

2 p.m.                  Asian Elephants (Sanctuary Asia/Elephant Habitat)

 

Guests will have an opportunity to talk with the Zoo’s expert team members during the event to learn more about the Zoo’s enrichment program. This event is free with Zoo admission. The Chomp and Stomp enrichment event schedule will be posted in the entry plaza and on the Zoo’s Facebook page.

Embrace the fun, tradition and sweets of the trick-or-treating season at Haunt the Zoo! The Oklahoma City Zoo is thrilled to host the 39th annual Haunt the Zoo for Halloween presented by Oklahoma’s Own News 9. Show off your festive best and wear your Halloween costume to Haunt the Zoo. Adults are encouraged to dress up, too, but nothing scary. Haunt the Zoo occurs Saturdays and Sundays, October 8 through 30. Trick-or-treating is available each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a morning reservation block from 9 a.m. to noon and an afternoon block from noon to 4 p.m. General Zoo admission or ZOOfriends memberships plus, official Haunt the Zoo treat bags are required to trick-or-treat and must be purchased in advance at www.okczoo.org/htz.

It’s time to go big or gourd home! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry no later than 4 p.m. Connect to wildlife and tons of fun as you experience BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise at the OKC Zoo. Sponsored by Devon, BRICKLIVE features 45+ life-sized animal statues made with almost two million toy bricks! BRICKLIVE Animal Paradise is open daily during regular Zoo hours through Sunday, October 30. Purchase advance tickets for Zoo admission and BRICKLIVE at www.okczoo.org/tickets. 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.

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, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. To learn more about Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.