“Buy the Animals Lunch” Campaign to Run Through July

Help show your support for the animals at the Buffalo Zoo by buying them lunch!

Beginning Sunday, July 1 until Tuesday, July 31, 2012, you can add $1 to your gift, food or membership purchases at the Zoo. All proceeds will benefit the Adopt an Animal program and go toward the purchase of food for the Zoo’s animal residents.

Visitors can “buy the animals lunch” at the Zootique Gift Shop, Beastro concession stand and Guest Services Office located at the main gate on Parkside Ave. Those who support this campaign will receive an “I Helped Buy the Animals Lunch” heart-shaped card. After filling the card out with your name, you may opt to keep the card or have it displayed at the Zoo.

With an annual grocery bill of more than $250,000, the Zoo’s Adopt an Animal program raises the funds needed to feed the 1,200 animal residents. In addition to the “Buy the Animals Lunch” summer campaign, animal adoptions are available year-round. Several categories with corresponding benefits are offered. Choose your own favorite animal to support or purchase a gift adoption to help make a difference!

For more information about the Zoo’s annual adoption program, please call (716) 995-6131or visit us online at www.buffalozoo.org.

High Five for the Military! July 4th

The Buffalo Zoo is offering a "High Five For the Military" discount on the following dates in 2012:

Independence Day (July 4)
Veterans Day (November 11)

Members of the United States military and up to four additional guests will be admitted to the Zoo for a total of $5.00. A valid military ID must be presented at the admission gates to receive discount. The Buffalo Zoo thanks you for your service!

The Buffalo Zoo Welcomes Meerkat Babies!

On Wednesday, June 20, members of the media came by the Zoo to photograph the latest additions to the Zoo’s animal family—baby meerkats!

On May 9, 2012, three baby slender-tailed meerkat pups were born to mother, Serafina, and father, Frederick. While both are good parents, the three other adult females belonging to the meerkat group, Thandiwe, Nzuri and Victoria, are also participating in rearing the young. This is the first successful litter to be born to this particular group and the first surviving babies to be born at the Buffalo Zoo since 2000. The breeding was recommended as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP), which is designed to help a species maintain a healthy and stable population.

A naming contest will be announced in July. Meerkat fans will have the opportunity to suggest names and have a chance at winning a great prize!

Meerkats are found in southern Africa, including South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. This burrowing species is a member of the mongoose family and inhabits savanna ecosystems. Meerkats live in groups (or “mobs”) consisting of 5-30 individuals.

In meerkat society, only the dominant male and female will produce successful litters. While infanticide is common within this species, meerkats are also known for cooperative behaviors. A subordinate female who is still lactating often acts as a wetnurse for the successful litter. Buffalo Zoo keepers suspect that Thandiwe lost her litter approximately one week prior to the arrival of Serafina’s litter since she often cares for the pups while Serafina is foraging for food. Both Frederick and Nzuri rotate the role of “sentinel,” stationing themselves at the highest point of the exhibit to watch for danger. Each individual plays an important role and without these cooperative behaviors, a group cannot be successful.

Buffalo Zoo visitors can observe the meerkats in their exhibit adjacent to the gorilla habitat.

New York State Museum Week

Join the celebration!  All across New York State, museums, zoos and botanical gardens, historic homes, living history museums, arts centers and cultural organizations cordially invite you to discover a fascinating world of art, photography, history, science, pop-culture and more during the first New York State Museum Week—May 31 to June 6, 2012.

Check out the list of New York State Museum Week participants to get information on exciting special events, activities, promotional offers and discounts presented throughout the week!  Discover New York’s abundant variety of wonderful museums—their contributions to our culture and local economies, and the one-of-a-kind personal experiences they offer visitors every day.

From Museum Mile along the upper stretch of Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, to the intimate setting of the Hyde Collection upstate in Glens Falls, you can enjoy an up-close-and-personal encounter with world-class art and other cultural treasures. The wide variety of museums taking part in this exciting event also includes the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and The Frick Collection in New York City, the New York State Museum in Albany, Sciencenter in Ithaca, Rochester Museum & Science Center, the National Museum of Dance in Saratoga Springs, The Wild Center in Tupper Lake, The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, and the Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Center in Jamestown.

New York State Museum Week—designed to give guests a taste of what museums have available throughout the year—is the perfect opportunity for neighboring-residents and visitors alike to discover (or rediscover) these remarkable cultural institutions and their contributions to the preservation of our state’s rich heritage.

Join the fun and be part of this great experience! After you visit the Zoo, of course.

"Visit participating museums"