By Barbara Arnstein
Looking for someplace fun & wildly different to take the family this summer? The Buffalo Zoo offers wild fun day and night.
By day, everyone can visit lion cubs, giraffes, a tiger, an ocelot, meerkats, hyenas, gorillas, parrots, polar bears, seals, otters and many other animals and birds. Plus, there’s a train ride and a carousel for children, and an interactive replica of a rain forest that’s entirely indoors. A new and exciting animal show, “Canine Champions for Conservation” is also included in the basic price of admission. Three times a day, six days each week, visitors can enjoy watching very talented dogs performing stunts, racing through agility courses, and presenting impressive routines. They can see dogs dancing, jumping rope, leaping to catch frisbees, walking on their front legs, whirling in and out of a walking human’s legs, and accomplishing many more fun feats. Plus, at the end of the show, visitors have the opportunity to meet and greet the furry stars and their trainers.
The M&T Bank Rainforest Falls interactive exhibit features a two-story waterfall, ramps and overlooks for visitors to watch dozens of free-flying birds, animals and reptiles (plus an elevator to make the visit easier). Its inhabitants range from an ocelot and squirrel monkeys to giant river turtles, an anteater and a vampire bat.
For the third year in a row, Zoomagination, the Zoo’s fantastically imaginative summer lantern celebration featuring way, way larger-than-life animals, birds, fish, insects and flowers is wonderfully lighting up the nights. Especially the thirty-foot-long dragon (that blows bubbles!) This year’s event showcasing Asian and African culture is all-new and includes three different shows every evening that include incredible acrobatics, agile dancing and additional entertainment. Besides the nightly performances, visitors can enjoy Asian-inspired food, a beer garden and shopping for artisan-made items. The train ride and the carousel will be running each evening, but since it is past all the Zoo animals’ bedtimes, visiting them is not part of the Zoomagination activities.
The many larger-than-life, wildly colorful figures and giant flowers now around the zoo include many that are familiar to fans of traditional Asian art, including butterflies, a peacock, a lion, a rooster, a horse, a monkey and lotus blossoms. Kid visitors especially love interacting with the frog that lights up and counts down. The special event runs from 6:30-10:30pm, Thursdays through Sundays. Admission is $19.95 for adults, and $16.95 for kids.
In case you were wondering, the answer to the question, “Does the Buffalo Zoo have any buffalo?” is sort of both “yes” and “no”. You see, it does have what many people think of as buffalo, but which are, in fact, actually American Bison. General admission is free for members and kids under age two, $19.95 for kids ages two to twelve, $25.95 for those from age 13 to 64, and $22.95 for Seniors, Those with SNAP benefit cards get a major discount. The most inexpensive food item at the Zoo is a cup of custard for $3.99. Hot dogs are $9.49 (including fries). The kids’ combo frankfurter, or peanut butter and jelly meals, include a hot dog or pb&j with apple sauce, animal crackers and a juice drink for $9.99. Other food options include burgers and pizza. The Buffalo Zoo is located at 300 Parkside Avenue in Buffalo, NY. For more information, go to buffalozoo.org or call (716) 837-3900.