Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

November 16, 2011 - Jacksonville, Fl -

On November 24, 2011, for the first time in its history, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be open on Thanksgiving Day. Area residents and guests are invited to come out to the Zoo during the holiday weekend for a cornucopia of fun, including hearing keeper talks, admiring lush gardens, and watching its two-month-old Kudu calf enjoy his first Thanksgiving. Guests will be amazed by the more than 1,800 animals and 1,000 unique species of plants. Stingray Bay—now open year-round—has just added seven new stingrays for a total of 22 now in its collection.  Visitors can admire and even pet the stingrays for a low fee of just $1 for members or $2 for non-members. They can also safely feed them for an extra dollar.

“We are thrilled to open our Zoo to area families and visitors on Thanksgiving,” said Tony Vecchio, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens.  “Whether you are a Zoo member or first time visitor, this holiday weekend is a perfect time to come see why we are now a top regional attraction: The weather is perfect, the animals will be enjoying their special holiday enrichment, and the gardens are gorgeous.”

To really enjoy that Thanksgiving Day feast, start the day with a little exercise at Zoo Fit, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ aerobic walking program, at 7:00 a.m. at the Zoo’s Main Camp.  Hear the Zoo’s animals as they wake up and enjoy the lush gardens before the Zoo opens.  Drop-in fees are $4.00 for Zoo members and $8.00 for non-members per walk.  Join and save.  For more information on Zoo Fit, go to jacksonvillezoo.org.

The Zoo will be open on Thanksgiving Day during normal business hours from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please go to jacksonvillezoo.org for general admission pricing and other information or to buy your tickets online in advance.

For more than 96 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment.  Since its beginning in 1914, with an animal collection that consisted of only one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become one of the top zoos in the nation.  It now features more than 1,800 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. Preservation of sustainable biodiversity is a key mission of the Zoo.  The Zoo is a non-profit organization and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  It is open year-round, seven-days-a-week, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except for Christmas day and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information, go to jacksonvillezoo.org.