Final Night of Boo at the Zoo tonight!

Posted on October 31, 2015 by Scott

The Zoo comes alive at night with thousands of new holiday lights decorated throughout the park, including trees wrapped with Halloween-colored lights, pathways decorated with exciting visual displays, and spooky new attractions for the Haunted Train and Haunted House.

Boo at the Zoo also features all the fun that Arkansas families have come to expect, with trick-or-treat stations full of toys and candy to choose from, carnival rides and games, bounce house inflatables, Frankenstein’s Dance Party and the Thriller Dance performance, a nightly costume contest, live music every night, free s’mores with every ticket, free milk from Hiland Dairy, the Haunted Carousel ride, Haunted Train ride, a hay maze, face painting, glitter tattoos, kid’s area games, Haunted Bingo, and food trucks with food available for purchase each night.

Admission to Boo at the Zoo is $20 per person for wristband admission and includes all rides, attractions and six tickets for trick-or-treat stations and s’mores. Wristband admission does not include food or retail purchases or Haunted Bingo. General Admission is $10 and includes six tickets that may be used for trick-or-treat stations, s’mores, or for rides and attractions. Rides and attractions take between two and 10 tickets. Individual tickets for rides, attractions, treat stations and s’mores are also sold inside the Zoo for $.50 each and guests purchasing General Admission tickets also have the option to upgrade to a wristband if they chose. Admission passes can be purchased online starting now at www.LittleRockZoo.com/boo or at the Zoo’s front gate entrance.

Boo at the Zoo is sponsored by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau, Blue and You Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation, Acxiom, Ambetter of Arkansas, Coca-Cola, Cumulus Broadcasting with B98.5, Alice 107.7 and KOKY 102.1, Arkansas Federal Credit Union, Aristotle, Discount Trophy, New Age Distributing, The Wonder Place, TruService Credit Union, Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Premium Refreshment Services.

About Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo is Arkansas’s largest Halloween festival featuring trick-or-treating in a safe environment along with dozens of Halloween themed activities for the entire family. Now is its 24th year, Boo at the Zoo has become a staple for central Arkansas families. Boo at the Zoo is a nighttime event where the Little Rock Zoo reopens after normal operating hours to host ghosts and ghouls and everything that goes “bump” in the night in all corners of the Zoo. Costumes are not required to attend Boo at the Zoo but are encouraged. The event is known for popular attractions such as the Haunted Train where the Zoo’s miniature train is turned into a haunted nighttime attraction as well as the Haunted Carousel that is free to the public. To learn more visit www.LittleRockZoo.com/boo

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

BOO at the Zoo Glows in 2015

Posted on October 23, 2015 by Scott

Attendees coming to the Little Rock Zoo’s annual Halloween festival will get to see the park in a whole new light this year with the addition of glowing decorations in theme of Halloween. Boo at the Zoo continues Oct. 23 – Oct. 31, with a special Dia de los Muertos event Oct. 30.

The Zoo will come alive at night with thousands of new holiday lights decorated throughout the park, including trees wrapped with Halloween-colored lights, pathways decorated with exciting visual displays, and spooky new attractions for the Haunted Train and Haunted House.

Boo at the Zoo will also feature all the fun that Arkansas families have come to expect, with trick-or-treat stations full of toys and candy to choose from, carnival rides and games, bounce house inflatables, Frankenstein’s Dance Party and the Thriller Dance performance, a nightly costume contest, live music every night, free s’mores with every ticket, free milk from Hiland Dairy, the Haunted Carousel ride, Haunted Train ride, a hay maze, face painting, glitter tattoos, kid’s area games, Haunted Bingo, and food trucks with food available for purchase each night.

Dia de los Muertos Oct. 30

In honor of the traditional Hispanic holiday, Dia de los Muertos, the Little Rock Zoo has partnered with Hola! Arkansas to host a special Boo at the Zoo on Oct. 30. The rich culture of Dia de los Muertos will be showcased by members of Hola! Arkansas, who will set up a special altar in honor of deceased relatives – a tradition of many Hispanic families celebrating this holiday that normally falls on Nov. 1. This special night of Boo at the Zoo will also feature Hispanic dancers and performers. All regular Boo at the Zoo activities and events will also be available, and the event is open to the public.

About Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo is Arkansas’s largest Halloween festival featuring trick-or-treating in a safe environment along with dozens of Halloween themed activities for the entire family. Now is its 24^th year, Boo at the Zoo has become a staple for central Arkansas families. Boo at the Zoo is a nighttime event where the Little Rock Zoo reopens after normal operating hours to host ghosts and ghouls and everything that goes “bump” in the night in all corners of the Zoo. Costumes are not required to attend Boo at the Zoo but are encouraged. The event is known for popular attractions such as the Haunted Train where the Zoo’s miniature train is turned into a haunted nighttime attraction as well as the Haunted Carousel that is free to the public. To learn more visit www.LittleRockZoo.com/boo

Zoo & Aristotle Launch Interactive Lit Trees & Map for BOO

Posted on October 17, 2015 by Scott

The Little Rock Zoo and Aristotle bring interactive fun to Boo at the Zoo this Halloween with a special Smartphone app and beacon technology that lets guests control lighted trees and provides an interactive online map of the event.

Interactive Tree Display

Sponsored by Aristotle, the interactive tree display is located in front of the Diamond Express Train and features eight differently colored lit trees that can be controlled by a smartphone. A part of the Internet of Things, a beacon is a small device that continually emits a specific webpage URL. When a phone is within range of the trees, the app will notify the user that a beacon is near. When visitors can select the beacon on their smart phones, a webpage with a keyboard graphic appears on the phone’s screen. When guests press a color-coded key on the keyboard, a corresponding colored tree lights up and plays a musical note. Up to ten (10) people within range of the trees can play at once and are allowed access for a limited amount of time.

Interactive Map

Guests who download the BeaconSage app will also be able to see an online Boo at the Zoo map on any smartphone device and can use the map to tell what rides and attractions are in a particular area. The map displays the number of tickets needed for rides and attractions as well as the age ranges for the rides and attractions.

Beacons have been strategically placed inside the Zoo so that smartphone devices will receive data transmissions from the beacons when the device is within range. Guests can participate in the interactive fun by downloading the BeaconSage app at the Apple App Store or through Google Play.

About Boo at the Zoo

Boo at the Zoo runs Oct. 17 & 18 and 23-31. Boo will feature all the fun that Arkansas families have come to expect, with trick-or-treat stations full of toys and candy to choose from, carnival rides and games, bounce house inflatables, Frankenstein’s Dance Party and the Thriller Dance performance, a nightly costume contest, live music every night, free s’mores with every ticket, free milk from Hiland Dairy, the Haunted Carousel ride, Haunted Train ride, a hay maze, face painting, glitter tattoos, kid’s area games, Haunted Bingo, and food trucks with food available for purchase each night.

Boo at the Zoo is sponsored by the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau; Blue and You Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield Foundation; Acxiom; Ambetter of Arkansas; Coca-Cola Cumulus Broadcasting with B98.5, Alice 107.7 and KOKY 102.1; Arkansas Federal Credit Union; Aristotle; Discount Trophy; New Age Distributing; The Wonder Place; TruService Credit Union; Kroger; Target; Wal-Mart; Home Depot; and Premium Refreshment Services.

Teen Night Oct. 22

For the first time, Boo at the Zoo will offer a Teen Night for those in grades 7^th through 12^th. Students are asked to present their student IDs for entry or to present a document verifying their grade level. Chaperone tickets are also available at a discounted price for this event, and the Zoo has added extra security on this night to ensure that teens have a safe and fun experience. Tickets for Teen Night are $20 per person and chaperone tickets are $10 per person.

Dia de los Muertos Oct. 30

Boo at the Zoo Background

Boo at the Zoo is Arkansas’s largest Halloween festival featuring trick-or-treating in a safe environment along with dozens of Halloween themed activities for the entire family. Now is its 24^th year, Boo at the Zoo has become a staple for central Arkansas families. Boo at the Zoo is a nighttime event where the Little Rock Zoo reopens after normal operating hours to host ghosts and ghouls and everything that goes “bump” in the night in all corners of the Zoo. Costumes are not required to attend Boo at the Zoo but are encouraged. The event is known for popular attractions such as the Haunted Train where the Zoo’s miniature train is turned into a haunted nighttime attraction as well as the Haunted Carousel that is free to the public. To learn more visit www.LittleRockZoo.com/boo

Zoo announces death of orangutan

Posted on October 14, 2015 by Scott

The Little Rock Zoo lost a member of its great ape family yesterday when Chiquita, a 46-year-old female orangutan living at the Zoo since 2006, passed away.
Median life expectancy for female orangutans in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is 33.9. The average for both male and female orangutans is lower at 28.2. In the wild, median life expectancy data is incomplete but ranges from 30 to 40 years of age. At the age of 46 Chiquita had outlived most of her zoo and wild counterparts.

Zoo staff observed abnormal behavior from Chiquita in the last month and noticed that she was not eating. Chiquita began losing weight at a rapid pace, so Zoo veterinary staff conducted medical tests showing that Chiquita was in renal failure. Medical staff administered her fluids and closely monitored her, but Chiquita’s condition only worsened.

CHIQUITA: Dies at 46. - LR ZOO Chiquita was born at the Toledo Zoo in 1969 and was transferred to the Little Rock Zoo to be a companion to Rok, the Zoo’s 30-year-old male orangutan. The Zoo is working with the Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to find a new female companion for Rok.

Chiquita made headlines in 2013 when a team of Little Rock surgeons performed laparoscopic surgery on her to repair an umbilical hernia and remove a benign mass on one of her ovaries. The surgery was performed by Dr. Brian Burton of The Women’s Clinic, P.A.; Dr. Julia Watkins with West Little Rock Women’s Center and Dr. Eric Paul, a general surgeon with Surgical Clinic Arkansas. The surgery was assisted by anesthesiologists Drs. Harjot & Lydia Hunjan and Zoo veterinarian Dr. Kim Rainwater. Medical equipment for the procedure was donated by Stryker Endoscopy.

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.

A Whole New Light at the 2015 Boo at the Zoo this month

Posted on October 11, 2015 by Scott

Attendees coming to the Little Rock Zoo’s annual Halloween festival will get to see the park in a whole new light this year with the addition of glowing decorations in theme of Halloween. Boo at the Zoo opens to the public Oct. 17 – 18 and continues Oct. 23 – Oct. 31, with a special Adult Night on Oct. 16, a new Teen Night on Oct. 22, and a Dia de los Muertos event Oct. 30.

Adult Night Oct. 16

Boo at the Zoo will also feature an Adult Night for anyone 21 years of age or older on Friday, Oct. 16, where adults can preview the event and enjoy adult beverages at trick-or-treat stations that come complimentary with ticket purchases. All rides, attractions, games and events of Boo at the Zoo will be available for adults during Adult Night. While costumes are not required, visitors are encouraged to do so. Tickets for Adult Night are $25 per person for non-members and $20 per person for Zoo members.

Teen Night Oct. 22

For the first time, Boo at the Zoo will offer a Teen Night for those in grades 7th through 12th. Students are asked to present their student ID’s for entry or to present a document verifying their grade level. Chaperone tickets are also available at a discounted price for this event, and the Zoo has added extra security on this night to ensure that teens have a safe and fun experience. Tickets for Teen Night are $20 per person and chaperone tickets are $10 per person.

Dia de los Muertos Oct. 30

About Boo at the Zoo

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Creative Class of 2015: Susan Altrui

Posted on October 1, 2015 by Scott

October is Arts & Humanities Month. This year, the Culture Vulture will be highlighting 31 members of Little Rock’s Creative Class: the Creative Class of 2015.

Up first Susan Altrui. Earlier this year, Altrui was named Assistant Director of the Little Rock Zoo. She previously had overseen marketing, public relations and fundraising for the Zoo. During that time, the Zoo opened the penguin and cheetah exhibits as well as undertaken several other initiatives which involved fundraising and friendraising.

In addition to her work with the Zoo, Altrui is the chair of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Institute board. She has been involved in bringing Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival back from the brink and returning it to higher visibility. Altrui also served as an executive producer on the documentary Ann Richards’ Texas.

In 2014, she was appointed to the Arkansas Entertainer’s Hall of Fame board. Altrui is a member of the Junior League of Little Rock and Rotary Club of Little Rock. In her “spare” time she plays tennis.

Zoo Brew tonight at the Little Rock Zoo

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Scott

Join the Little Rock Zoo for a frothy celebration like no other on Thursday, September 17! T

his fun craft beer festival takes place in and around Zoo grounds at Cafe Africa and the Civitan Pavilion and features dozens of beers to sample, live music to jam to featuring The Delta Donnie Band, and some of the best food trucks in central Arkansas who will have food available for purchase.

Food trucks include: Agrilla the Bun, Hot Rod Wieners, Katmandumomo, Loblolly Creamry, Pie Hole, Southern Gourmasian, Waffle Wagon, and Bratwurst and Sausage served-up fresh in Cafe Africa! Your ticket includes admission to the event, beer pours, and a free souvenir Zoo Brew cup! Food sold separately.

Brewers include: