ON THE MOVE
BYO
It’s a plus that the zoo has room to grow and has grown plenty since opening in 1927 at its Delaware County site. It currently houses more than 5,000 animals on nearly 250 acres, and a new African Savanna is slated to be built by 2014. However, all that room means you’re going to cover a lot of territory when you visit. It can’t be overstated: Either bring a stroller for little ones or rent one at the entrance. The zoo-provided strollers are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A single-seat stroller costs $8 and a double-seater costs $12. Manual and electric wheelchairs also are available, again on a first-come, first-serve basis (for $12 and $30 respectively). The latter requires a valid driver’s license to rent. Though you don’t need to produce a disabled parking permit to use them, neither is available for recreational use only. For more information, call 614-724-3732.
The zoo lets people bring their own food and drink in, but they ask that you don’t bring anything contained in glass and that you also don’t bring straws. The straws, explained Shank, would be especially dangerous to animals if they fell into or were blown into their enclosures.
IT’S APP-SOLUTELY HELPFUL!
TEACHING MOMENTS
Animals can be such animals — which means that you and your children might encounter some interesting animal behaviors. These can include: • Animals peeing and pooping. • Animals engaged in acts of sexual gratification (beware the bonobos and giant tortoises). • Animals eating other animals that had the misfortune to fly into their enclosures (polar bears dined on Canada geese recently, while the alligators have snacked on ducks). Shank assured us that the docents are armed with enough factual information to aid any parent in explaining these real-life moments to children, but she said the docents always take their cues from parents about how much information is needed. Don’t hesitate to give her an index finger across the throat, Shank said, if little Gertrude or Roderick isn’t ready for a trip around the Circle of Life.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS
• Want to lure a polar bear over to the “sniff port” located on the far left side of their above-water viewing space? Eat peanut butter beforehand, said Shank. At the sniff port, you’re supposed to breathe out, and the scent that wafts through to the other side often lures the polar bears over. And peanut butter is the smell that seems to be the most alluring. • Want to hang out with a gorilla? Don’t make eye contact, advised Shank. Sit down next to the glass and pretend to be disinterested: “If you don’t look directly at them, they’re more apt to come over, especially with kids.” The gorillas also seem to recognize regular visitors and react with interest to them, even checking out pictures or artwork that the visitors might have sitting out on their laps.
“DID YOUR MOMMY GET LOST?”
That’s what Shank said docents often say when they encounter kids who have that wild-eyed and trembling-bottom-lip look. It’s part of their training to get kids and their lost parents reunited. “This is one of the primary reasons we carry radios, so we can call security who then takes over,” Shank said, adding that the top locations where kids get separated from adults are: • The above-water level of the Polar Frontier exhibit: “They turn around and head right for the Battelle Ice Bear Outpost behind,” Shank explained. • The Nocturnal House (a.k.a. “Bob and Evelyn’s Roadhouse”): “The way the doors are in there, it’s easier to get separated.” • The Reptile House: “It’s constructed as a big loop, but if you get separated, go look for them at the staffed lab. That’s where kids usually go.” • Discovery Reef: “It’s dark in there, and the best thing to tell your children is that, if they get separated from you, they shouldn’t leave the building.”
The zoo introduced its own smartphone app last month, so we asked Phil Pikelny who writes the app reviews for Columbus Parent to give us his app-sessment: Whether planning a trip to the zoo or whether you are already on the grounds, the free Columbus Zoo iPhone and Android apps can serve you well. They’re chock full of planning information — hours of operations, exhibit information, animal photos, a map of the Zoo, descriptions of rides at the Zoombezi Bay water park and videos. You can buy tickets to the facility right from the app and then plan your visit using the 90-Day Planner. A GPS-enabled Zoo map will help you know where you are on the grounds and guides you to the nearest exhibits, concession stands and restrooms. The app will also give you information on The Wilds and The Safari Golf Course. This app may be second only to visiting the Zoo with Jack Hanna at your side. The app is available now for free download on the iTunes App Store and Android Market. Search for “Columbus Zoo” to download.
columbusparent.com | August 2011 |
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