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NC Zoo

Apr52024 by Randolph News NowNo Comments
NC Zoo warns of high attendance this weekend due to Spring Break

NC Zoo warns of high attendance this weekend due to Spring Break

NC Zoo
Visitors to the North Carolina Zoo view Johnthan the Chimp. (Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo is warning visitors to plan ahead and be aware of expected higher than normal attendance through this weekend due to spring break. On April 1st, 2024, the N.C. Zoo officialy switched to spring hours, adding an extra hour, now remaing open until 5 p.m. Early spring has historically been the busiest time of year for the Zoo and officals says they anticipate high attendance through April 7th, due to spring break. In the interest of safety and preserving a positive vistor experience, and likley also to avoid traffic jams stretching out to the roundabout at the entrace again, the Zoo says they will be limiting access to the property when parking is full. "If you arrive...
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Feb132024 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments
Vote for the NC Zoo for BEST ZOO in USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Awards

Vote for the NC Zoo for BEST ZOO in USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Awards

NC Zoo
(Image provided by the N.C. Zoo) ASHEBORO N.C. - The North Carolina Zoo is asking for your vote after being nominated to compete against twenty other zoos for the title of 'Best Zoo' as part of USA Today’s Reader’s Choice Awards for 2024. A panel of experts with USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards nominated their top 20 picks for the best zoos in the United States. Among those picks was the North Carolina Zoo. The nomination coincides with the Zoo's 50th anniversary this year. In a post on social media, the NC Zoo Soceity said that "chosen by industry connoisseurs and USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards editors, we're honored to be among the nominees." Now it's up to the public to vote. You may vote once per day through Monday, March 4 at noon ET. The top The 10 win...
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Jan312024 by Randolph News NowNo Comments
NC Zoo | Desert Dome Welcomes Pair of Rare African Birds

NC Zoo | Desert Dome Welcomes Pair of Rare African Birds

NC Zoo
[Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. – The Desert Dome at the North Carolina Zoo recently became the new home to a pair of rare African birds. Several months ago, two Von der Decken's Hornbills arrived at the North Carolina Zoo. Jake, the male, who came from the Los Angeles Zoo, and Zuri, the female, who came from the Rosamond Gifford Zoo in New York. After spending around a month in quarantine, a standard precaution, the pair were introduced to each other and now reside together in the Desert Dome. Von der Decken's Hornbills (Tockus deckeni) are a distinctive species of birds found in the arid regions of East Africa, particularly in Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania. The birds distinguishing feature, is its large bill, also called a horn.  “For them it's a to...
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Jan42024 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments
North Carolina Zoo Set to Temporarily Close for Staff Training and Safety Drills

North Carolina Zoo Set to Temporarily Close for Staff Training and Safety Drills

NC Zoo
Emergency Services Vehicles near Junction Plaza at the NC Zoo. (Scott Pelkey / Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO N.C.  – The North Carolina Zoo along will all its public walking trails will be closed to the public from Monday January 8th through January 12th for staff training, including required safety drills and maintenance. As an accredited Zoo through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the North Carolina Zoo is required to conduct various safety drills involving its staff. These drills cover a wide range of scenarios, from protocols for handling animal escapes to responding to diving incidents, to fires, animal bites, and more. “Employees need to drill and practice their responses so that they are prepared in the event of an actual situation,” said Diane Villa, the Zoo’s D...
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Dec292023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments
North Carolina Zoo Sets Record Attendance After Passing One Million Guests in 2023

North Carolina Zoo Sets Record Attendance After Passing One Million Guests in 2023

NC Zoo
ASHEBORO N.C. – With just a few days before the end of the year, the North Carolina Zoo exceeded one million guests in a calendar year for the first time in its history. On December 27th, 2023, Ran Liu and his family became the one millionth visitor to the North Carolina Zoo for the 2023 calendar year. The previous record for highest attendance in a calendar year was 930,002, set in 2022. The Liu family (Photo provided by NC Zoo) “Being recognized as the millionth guest was a pleasant surprise and an honor,” says Liu, a Zoo member according to a press release from the Zoo. “I look forward to the day when [the Zoo] celebrates two or three million guests in a year,” he explains. “Everyone should experience it for themselves. I encourage others to come, volunteer, or find a way to g...
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Dec142023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments
North Carolina Zoo Mourns Tragic Loss of Giraffe Calf

North Carolina Zoo Mourns Tragic Loss of Giraffe Calf

NC Zoo
(Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO, N.C. (NC ZOO)-– The North Carolina Zoo is heartbroken to announce the untimely death of Fenn, the beloved six-month-old giraffe calf, whose birth and presence at the Zoo delighted individuals around the world. A grief counselor has been brought in to support staff members as they navigate the emotions associated with this tragic loss. Fenn was nursing when he became unexpectedly startled by another giraffe. He bolted, colliding with a nearby gate and falling to the ground.  Unfortunately, Fenn sustained head and neck trauma from the fall and passed away late evening Dec. 13 despite receiving rapid medical intervention from veterinary staff.  Fenn was born at the North Carolina Zoo on May 20, 2023, to a first-time mother, Leia (14), and fath...
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Dec72023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments
North Carolina Zoo Announces Call for Artists: Artwork for New Asia Region

North Carolina Zoo Announces Call for Artists: Artwork for New Asia Region

NC Zoo
"Elephant Group," by Peter Woytuk located at the NC Zoo Entrance (Acme News Archive) ASHEBORO, N.C. (NC ZOO) — The North Carolina Zoo and North Carolina Zoo Society announce a new public art opportunity for artists and artist teams to design art for the new continent of Asia. With a budget of $250,000 provided through the Zoo Society, this project will join the more than 150 works of art in and around the Zoo. The first step of the process, the Request for Qualifications, has begun and calls for artists (and artist teams) to submit their qualifications for the design, fabrication, and installation of a permanent outdoor public art project for installation within Asia. The request will run through Feb. 2, 2024. The art collection at the Zoo includes monumental works rang...
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Oct272023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments
NC Zoo to Investigate Death of Polar Bear While being Transported

NC Zoo to Investigate Death of Polar Bear While being Transported

NC Zoo
Photo provided by N.C. Zoo ASHEBORO N.C. - The North Carolina Zoo says they will investigate what led to the death of a male polar bear during a transfer to another zoo earlier this week. In a press release, the North Carolina Zoo announced that on October 25th, 2023, Payton, the Zoo’s male polar bear, had died while being transported to the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky. According to the N.C. Zoo, an experienced care team, left the North Carolina Zoo with Payton, performing routine checks on the 1,000-pound polar bear during the trip. “On the second check, less than two hours away from the North Carolina Zoo, the care team found Payton non-responsive. He was immediately transported to a nearby large animal veterinarian, who confirmed that Payton had passed,” said the Zoo in the ...
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Sep202023 by Scott PelkeyNo Comments
One Year In, Construction on Asia on Schedule

One Year In, Construction on Asia on Schedule

NC Zoo
Construction is underway on the new Asia expansion at the NC Zoo. [Scott Pelkey | North State Journal] ASHEBORO N.C. - One year after breaking ground, construction on the Asia expansion at the North Carolina Zoo is on track, but with the planned opening still years away there is still a lot of work to be done.  General construction on Asia is halfway complete with Rodgers Builders, the general contractor for the project, reporting no significant delays thus far. Work constructing the buildings and infrastructure is expected to be completed by fall of 2024. Once Asia’s construction is complete, the work of turning ten acres of gravel, dirt, and concrete buildings into a new continent is where the Zoo’s work will really start, says Diane Villa, Director of Communications & Mark...
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Sep192023 by Randolph News NowNo Comments
REMC Invites Public to Drive Electric Event at North Carolina Zoo

REMC Invites Public to Drive Electric Event at North Carolina Zoo

Events, NC Zoo
A Chevy Volt electric vehicle sits on display at the Drive Electric Event held in the NC Zoo's North America parking lot on October 1st 2021. (Acme News / Archive Photo) ASHEBORO N.C. (REMC) – On Friday, September 29, from 9 am to noon at the North Carolina Zoo, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation will sponsor “It’s Electric,” a public education event showcasing electric vehicles (EVs). This outdoor event, planned during National Drive Electric Week (September 22 to October 1), draws attention to the positive aspects of driving all-electric and plug-in hybrid automobiles. Local and state dignitaries will welcome the crowd at 10 am. Vehicles from various automobile dealerships, an electric school bus and EV chargers will be on display for REMC members and guests of...
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