On Thursday, April 26th join our preschool class as we explore the world through storybooks! Each class includes a story reading, animal meet and greet, and activity! This month is all about frogs!

Join us at the Utica Zoo for our annual Girl Scout Day! Scouts and leaders will have the opportunity to participate in activities and animal meet and greets throughout the day. Education presentations and activities will focus on badge topics including animal habitats, bugs, pet care, and trees! Scouts will also meet the many women who work to make the zoo a premier educational and animal-care facility, learn all about the animals who live at the Utica Zoo, their natural habitats, and how we care for them. The price of the program includes admission to the zoo and participation in the many activities going on throughout the day. Details at http://uticazoo.org/event/girl-scout-day-at-utica-zoo/

Kick off your spring break with a trip to the zoo and grab lunch while you're here!

Join us for Earth Day on April 28th from 11am-3pm. There will be vendors, conservation booths, and animal meet and greets throughout the day! Details: https://www.facebook.com/events/431290467308516/

Plan your spring break at the zoo! Join us to celebrate Mother Earth! We will be celebrating Earth Day, Arbor Day and Environmental Education week with a variety of camps, classes and events. Visit the http://uticazoo.org/school-break-programs/ for a full listing of programs. Learn more. Do more. Share more. Celebrate #EEWeek2018 with @National Environmental Education Foundation April 23-29. Learn how small actions add up to make a difference and impact our health and our planet and share your EE story with others. #EEinAction.

Help us celebrate Ape-ril with our gibbons. The 12 species of gibbons are classified as lesser apes. They are relatively smaller, slender, and more agile than other apes. You can help save apes by donating your old cellphones for recycling. We work with a company that disposes of them following strict environmental guidelines and uses the resulting parts to refurbish new phones to be sold in developing countries. Any devices that cannot be resold are recycled sustainably and without using landfills. Not only will this decrease the need to mine for more substances like coltan – a process that can have a damaging impact on the habitat ape populations need to survive. You can bring your old cellphones to the zoo's gift shop. (no chargers please)

Our Spring Night Prowl is on Friday, April 20th at 6:00pm! Join us for a habitat hunt to learn all about the many different places animals call home! Then we will meet some ambassador animals up close and end with a special snack! Admission to the program is $5.00 per child for members or $10.00 per child for nonmembers. One adult is admitted free per one child. Additional adult admission is $5.00 for members or nonmembers.

Participate in our Recycled Art Contest at the Utica Zoo Earth Day Celebration! Make a project at home or stop by our craft station in the auditorium during the event to create a project! The contest will be divided into three age groups: PreK through 1st grade, 2nd grade through 5th grade, and 6th grade through 12th grade. One winner will be chosen from each age group to win a family membership to the Utica Zoo. Projects can be dropped off from April 21st to April 28th. All projects must be submitted by 2:00pm on April 28th to be entered into the contest. Only one project per person may be entered and all projects must be made of recycled materials! Check out other Earth Day activities at http://uticazoo.org/earth/

Go batty at the Utica Zoo during our special Zoo Adventures class to celebrate Bat Appreciation Day! This preschool class will be held on Tuesday, April 17th at 1:30pm. Enjoy a bat story, meet some critters who come out at night, and craft your own bat to take home! The cost to participate is $5.00 per child for members and $10.00 per child for nonmembers. To preregister or for more information, contact Kathleen McGill by email at kathleen.mcgill@uticazoo.org or phone at 315-738-0472 ext. 36.

Join us for our monthly homeschool program on April 19th at 10:30am, as we explore the wild world of reptiles and amphibians and the vital role they've played in our ecosystem for thousands of years – come learn all about them and why they are so important.

We're preparing for another strong year, and we're looking for some strong employees to join our team! Current openings include marketing, events, and admin, For details check out: http://uticazoo.org/careers/

We are thrilled to announce the birth of two African Crested Porcupines. The pair of “porcupettes” were born on March 14th to parents Kutarna and Darius. At their neonatal vet exam, they were determined to be a male and a female. The male is roughly 12 inches long and weighs 2.76lbs. The female is 13 inches long and weighs 3.36lbs. Since the porcupettes are so small, they haven't been in their exhibit yet, but animal care staff anticipate they will be large enough to be out soon!