Amarillo Zoo celebrates International Cat Day and more ahead of school
The Amarillo Zoo is inviting community youth to several upcoming events, including a celebration of International Cat Day, having a Kids Wild Night Out and opportunities to enroll in the zoo's preschool program.
International Cat Day
The Amarillo Zoo is celebrating International Cat Day on Saturday, Aug. 6. The community is invited to join in the festivities by participating in several activities, including an enrichment craft station available for guests to create their own cat toys. According to Dylan Long, visitor service specialist for the Amarillo Zoo, the crafts will include unique materials such as camel hair to create the toys for families to take home to their own feline friends.
Other activities also include Face Paint and Enrichment Stations from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a tiger headband is also available for purchase for $1. Participants can see the zoo's cats in action by attending the zoo's Bobcat Enrichment and Chat at 10 a.m., Safari Show at 11 a.m., African Lion Enrichment and Chat at 1 p.m., Serval Enrichment and Chat at 2 p.m., and Bengal Tiger Enrichment and Chat at 3 p.m.
During these Enrichments and Chats, attendees will be able to learn fun facts about the Amarillo Zoo's cats, including information such as that Savannah the Serval and Savannah the Lion are the oldest felines in the zoo, each at 18 years old. Other fun facts include that traditionally, Bengal tigers are the largest cats in the zoo, but currently Solomon the Lion is the largest cat due to how well he eats.
"This is just a great way to learn about cats big or small, learn about our larger cats and how important they are to the ecosystems that they naturally inhabit, and learn how to best care for our domesticated cats whether they are indoor or outdoor cats," Long said.
During the day from 9:30 a.m. to noon, Amarillo Animal Management and Welfare will also be in attendance, hosting cat adoptions for individuals and families seeking an addition to the family.
Tickets are available in person at the Amarillo Zoo or online at https://zoo.amarillo.gov/plan-your-visit/hours .
Kids' Wildest Night Out
In preparation for back-to-school season, the Amarillo Zoo is offering a Kids' Wildest Night Out event on Friday, Aug. 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the zoo.
During the event, parents are welcomed to register and drop off their kids for the evening to receive some alone time before summer ends and school begins. The event will include several activates as the zoo crew takes the kids on a one-of-a-kind tour of the animal kingdom in the zoo.
"This is an evening program, so that parents can have a night to themselves child free and we can have fun with the kids and teach them about the animals and how they use their five senses to survive. ... It's just a fun way, especially with it being that Friday before school starts, for kids to have that final fun before school begins and give parents a break as well," Long said.
Kids' Wildest Night Out is for children 6-12 years old. The program is available for $10 per child. Pizza and drinks will be provided, but snacks are welcome.
To register for Kids' Wildest Night Out, sign up online at https://bit.ly/amazoopublicprograms .
AEPP
As of Aug. 1, the Amarillo Zoo has opened fall registration for its Animal and Environmental Preschool program.
"We've seen a rise across the nation in environmental preschool programs, and this just brings that extra learning opportunity and inquiry base that allows kids to ask, 'How does this work?' and 'How does a plant grow?'. It's just a fun little program for kiddos and preschoolers to enjoy and learn," Long said.
AEPP is designed for children ages 3-5 that are not starting kindergarten or homeschool. The drop-off program is a nature-based preschool program designed to connect children to nature through hands-on activities, animal encounters, and inquiry-based learning.
Students will meet once a week on a designated day and time across six weeks. Total cost for students to attend the program is $100, and registration is limited. Parents are also encouraged to attend the course as an educational zoo volunteer and help facilitate the activities. To register for the program, families can sign their children up online at https://bit.ly/amazoopublicprograms .
"Being involved with our youth is the best way to bring up the next generation for wildlife conservation and conservation in general," Long said, "and allow for our children to be more open-minded with animals, the environment, nature, and the importance of zoos."
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Zoo celebrates International Cat Day, Wildest Night Out, more
