The month of May promises warm weather, sunshine, and animal encounters at Roger Williams Park Zoo. Beginning Saturday, May 23, daily giraffe feedings are available for Zoo guests 3 and older. Visitors can participate in the memorable experience by purchasing food from a booth near the covered giraffe viewing area during their visit. Unlike previous years, participants pay $5 for food that can be shared, and take turns feeding the giraffes. The feedings run daily from 11am – 12 noon and 2 – 3pm.
The Zoo’s vibrant exhibit, Flutterby: Butterflies in Bloom, arrives for its second and final season on May 23. This daily exhibit lets guests experience hundreds of beautiful, free-flying North American butterfly species up-close. A delight for visitors of all ages, this immersive experience is $3 per person, and toddlers 2 and under are admitted free. Flutterby: Butterflies in Bloom takes place in the greenhouse before the Big Backyard, and closes on Labor Day.
Another seasonal offering, the camel rides, continue this month at the Zoo, a special treat for guests of any age. Visitors can take a ride on trained camels around a track near the Big Backyard, providing a close-contact experience. Camel rides happen daily until September 7, and cost $6 per rider.
On Thursday, May 14, guests 16 and older can enjoy refreshments and snacks while attending a captivating lecture about timber rattlesnakes and why they’re danger of extinction. One of two venomous snakes in New England, timber rattlesnakes aid in controlling small mammal populations and are a food source to many predatory animals. Due to disease and human fear, the timber rattlesnake population has decreased dramatically.
Learn from RWP Zoo Director of Conservation Lou Perrotti how the Zoo teamed with New England biologists and conservationists in a collaborative effort to save the timber rattlesnake. The lecture begins at 7pm, but doors open at 6:15. The price of the event is $25 per person, which includes one glass of wine (ages 21 and up), cheese, and the lecture. Pre-registration is required.
Get details for this and other events and education programs at www.rwpzoo.org. Zoo hours April to September: 10am – 5pm, with last admission at 4:30pm.
Roger Williams Park Zoo is a Macaroni Kid Cranston/Kent sponsor.
