Elmwood Park Zoo,PA

Description

Elmwood Park Zoo
Elmwood Park Zoo is located in Norristown, Pennsylvania.The zoo first opened in 1924, when a private landowner donated a small piece of property and a handful of white-tailed deer to the borough of Norristown. As time progressed, upgrades became imperative to the living conditions of the animals. The first change was the design of the cages which went from wire, the norm for the early 20th century, to realistic habitats. The first animals that were exhibited came from North and South America. The zoo’s funds were mostly given to them by the Norristown Zoological Society. The NZS achieved non-profit status as an organization in 1985 and took over ownership of Elmwood Park Zoo from the municipality of Norristown. The first huge operation that went into action was the expansion of the park that was completed in 2002, and the park size doubled from its original 8-acre size.







Mallard Duck
Mallard ducks are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Their habitat ranges from arctic tundra to subtropical regions and they can be found in both fresh and salt water wetlands. They are attracted to bodies of water that are less than 3 feet deep with abundant aquatic vegetation.Mallards are omnivorous and will feed on a variety of foods based on availability and breeding cycle stage. They will consume gastropods, invertebrates, crustaceans, worms and a variety of plant matter.


TURKEY VULTURE
Turkey vultures (also commonly referred to as “buzzards”) are found throughout North America; from as far north as southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South America. They inhabit a variety of open and semi-open areas, including deserts, pastures, shrublands, and forests.Turkey vultures have bald red heads and black plumage that resembles that of the male wild turkey. They are large birds, measuring as long as 32 inches, weighing as much as 5 pounds, and possessing wingspans as large as 6 feet.


DOMESTIC FERRET
Domestic ferrets are named so because they are completely domesticated. They cannot and do not exist in the wild. They are a distant relative of both the European polecat and black-footed ferret. Domestic ferrets can be found all over the world, with the exception of Antarctica.Domestic ferrets have a long, slender body that averages 20 inches in length (including its 5 inch tail). They range in weight from 1 to 4 pounds. They typically have black, brown or white fur, small ears and a pink nose.






ARCTIC FOX
The Arctic fox has thick fur all over their body, even on the bottoms of its paws. Arctic foxes are usually between 18 and 26 inches long, with a 13-inch tail. They can weigh between 6 and 26 pounds. They have short, pointed ears, short legs, and a short muzzle. Arctic foxes fur changes with the seasons. During winter, their coloring can range from a white to a blue color to help them blend in with the ice and snow. In the spring, they shed their winter fur to reveal a new gray or brown coat of fur.


JACOB SHEEP
The Jacob is a small spotted sheep that is most often covered in black and white wool. Males have an average weight of 160 pounds and females 100 pounds. The most unique characteristic is their 4 horns, although they can have only 2 or as many as 6. Both males and females are horned, although the male’s horns are larger.


GILA MONSTER
Gila monsters are very large lizard with black bodies marked with pink, orange, or yellow.They primarily feed on eggs raided from bird nests and newborn mammals, such as rabbits and squirrels.Gilas breeding season is in the early summer. The eggs would be buried near the surface, so the heat of the sun incubates the hatchlings. Incubation takes approximately four months. They reach full maturity between ages 3 – 5.The average lifespan of a Gila monster is 20-30 years.







ROSE HAIR TARANTULA
The rose hair tarantula (referred to in the United States as the Chilean rose tarantula) can be found in the desert scrub regions of Northern Chile, Bolivia and Argentina. Like many other tarantulas, they build burrows to live in during the day and are mostly active at night.Rose hair tarantulas are moderately large, measuring up to 5 inches. Although they are rather dark in coloring, there is a subtle red casting on the hair, from which their name is derived. With legs extended they can measure about 5 inches in length.


GREEN IGUANA
Green iguanas are commonly bright green with blue markings in their juvenile stage but become more drab with maturity. Adults have a fleshy dewlap beneath the throat, which is larger in the males. Dominant males tend to have bright orange forelimbs and pale heads. All Green iguanas have long legs and toes that assist in climbing and running. They can grow up to 6 feet long and can weigh about 11 lbs.


Food & Shopping
Food – Treetop Café
Feed your beastly appetite at Elmwood Park Zoo’s delicious Treetop Café! Located next to Treetop Adventures’ harness house, Treetop Café has a menu that includes daily specials, grilled sandwiches and burgers, wraps, fries, salads and more!


The Lenore Weiss Nature Shop is packed with animal-themed toys and gifts, as well as exclusive Elmwood Park Zoo merchandise and apparel.

HOURS:
Admission rates and exhibit opening/closing schedules are subject to change at any time.
Monday – Sunday
10 am – 5 pm (Admission closes at 4:30 pm)
Closed June 29, 2017, September 9, 2017, September 17, 2017, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day

SUMMER ADMISSION RATES

Adult (ages 13-64) $16.95
Child (ages 3-12) $12.95
Student (valid ID required) $14.95
Senior (ages 65 and up) Free
Baby (ages 2 and under) Free
Parking

Visit the full website for complete details,www.elmwoodparkzoo.org