Celebrate Your Child’s Birthday at the Buffalo Zoo!

Buffalo, NY – Throw a “wild” birthday party for your child at the Buffalo Zoo!

Birthday parties are available most Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. or 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., all year long. Each party includes room rental, decorations, full admission to the Zoo, a guided tour to the exhibit of your choice, party gift bags for each child, pizza and soda for the kids, a special gift for the guest of honor, a dedicated party host to lead you through all of the fun and a live animal demonstration.

Prices are $12/child for member-hosted parties and $15/child for non-member-hosted parties. (Please note that there is a party minimum of 10 children and a maximum of 25 children.) The Buffalo Zoo birthday party program allows for a total of FOUR adults (two adults sponsoring the party and two additional adults to assist as chaperones) to attend the birthday party for free. Additional adults may attend for an additional fee (unless they have a Buffalo Zoo membership or guest passes).

For more information or to schedule a birthday party, please call (716) 995-6128 or visit the Zoo’s website at www.buffalozoo.org. The parties are available all year long, but party dates book quickly, so don’t delay!

Holiday Discount Days at the Buffalo Zoo

To thank Western New York for its continuing support, the Buffalo Zoo is offering special Holiday Discount Days.

From December 26-31, the Buffalo Zoo will slash admission prices. All visitors, regardless of age, will pay $5 per person to get into the Zoo. (Normally, adult and child admission fees are $10.00 and $7.00 respectively. As always, Buffalo Zoo members and children under the age of two years receive free admission.)

Please note that the Buffalo Zoo is open from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. The grounds remain open one hour after gates close.

However, there are some revisions regarding the Zoo’s holiday/winter hours:

Christmas Eve (Saturday, December 24): Admission gates close at 1:30 p.m.

Christmas Day (Sunday, December 25): CLOSED

New Year’s Eve (Saturday, December 31): Admission gates close at 2:30 p.m.

New Year’s Day (Sunday, January 1): OPEN regular schedule (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.)

The Buffalo Zoo will also be CLOSED on Mondays and Tuesdays during the months of January and February.

During their visit, guests are invited to take part in the Zoo’s special winter activities, including daily keeper talks, training demonstrations, animal encounters and more!

For more information about the Zoo’s Holiday Discount Days, please call (716) 837-3900. Visitor information (including the daily schedule) is also available on the Zoo’s website at www.buffalozoo.org.

Christmas wrapping at the Buffalo Zoo

The perfect holiday gift for the animal lover on your list.


Surapa, our elephant artist in residence has created some truly unique ornaments for the holidays. Add some remarkable artwork to your tree for just $10 or $15 depending on the size of the ornament. Surapa has also created some one-of-a-kind wine glasses for the holidays. Our Zootique Gift Shop has plenty in stock, they are just 1 for $15 or 2 for $25. This is just a sample of some of the great trunk-painted artwork available.


The store is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. There is plenty of ideas in the Zootique for the animal lover on your list, but you don't wait on this great holiday gift idea.

Buffalo Zoo Offering Animal Encounters This Winter!

BUFFALO, NY— In support of the Buffalo Zoo’s mission to educate the public about the world’s wildlife, the Zoo is offering animal encounters this winter.

Sea Lion Encounter

Visitors will have the opportunity to meet Pocus, one of the Zoo’s two male California sea lions, and his keepers. For $20 per person, each participant will have the chance to have a holiday photo taken with Pocus behind-the-scenes inside the holding area at NOCO’s Sea Lion Cove. Participants can choose to receive a kiss from Pocus or pose next to him as a “trainer” holding a target pole. Photo sessions will take place PROMPTLY at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the following weekend dates: December 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18. The minimum age requirement for participants is 6 years. Each encounter is limited to 16 guests. Reservations can be made by calling the Zoo’s Switchboard Operator at (716) 837-3900 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

Other Special Winter Offerings (Now – March 11, 2012)

Elephant Feedings Wed., Sat. 1:45 p.m., 2:00 p.m., 2:15 p.m.

Keeper Talk/Training Demo (Delta Sonic Heritage Farm) Daily at 10:30 a.m.

View sea lion feeding (Sea Lion Cove) Daily at 11:00 a.m.

View river otter feeding (Otter Creek) Daily at 11:30 a.m.

Macaw Keeper Talk (Living Treehouse in Education Dept.) Sun., Thurs., Sat. 1:00 p.m.

Animal Encounter/Contact (Living Treehouse in Education Dept.) Wed., Fri. 1:30 p.m.

View meerkat feeding (meerkat exhibit by the gorilla habitat) Saturdays at 1:30 p.m.

View gorilla feeding (gorilla exhibit) Sundays at 1:30 p.m.

Animal Encounter (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls) Saturdays at 2:00 p.m.

View caiman feeding (M&T Bank Rainforest Falls) Sundays at 2:00 p.m.

For more information about the daily schedule, please call the Buffalo Zoo’s Switchboard Operator at (716) 837-3900 between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. daily or visit www.buffalozoo.org.