Zoo Idaho to open on April 2nd
Zoo Idaho’s 2016 season will get its start this weekend.
Saturday, April 2 at 10 a.m. the gates will be opened, officially welcoming visitors for the new year. 2016 will mark the debut of a number of improvements at Zoo Idaho. Additional fencing has been added around the grizzly bear exhibit that will allow guests to have a better view of the bears, Shoni and Stripes. The raccoons have moved into a newly renovated exhibit next to the turkey vulture. Also making a move was the bobcat who now calls the old lynx exhibit home.
“We made a conscious effort to strike a balance in our improvements during the offseason,” said Peter Pruett, Zoo Superintendent. “We wanted to make sure to enhance our visitors’ experience and also improve the lives of the animals who call Zoo Idaho home year round.”
Work is also continuing on the zoo’s entrance along South 2nd Avenue. A new ADA pathway is scheduled to be in place by mid-May while landscaping will go into the summer months. Another new walkway will be constructed from the entrance to the bighorn and mountain goat exhibits. Officials also say construction will begin this spring on new exhibits for the golden eagle and bald eagle, with construction expected to wrap up in the summer.
During the month of April, Zoo Idaho will be only open during the weekends. Because of the ongoing construction on the South 2nd Avenue entrance, visitors are asked to enter the zoo at the Zoo Education Building located at 3101 Avenue of the Chiefs, near the Pocatello Animal Shelter. Admission is $5.75 for ages 12 to 59, seniors ages 60 and up are $4.50, children ages 3 to 11 are $3.75, and infants ages 0 to 2 get in free.
Starting in May, the Zoo will be open daily through October and guests can resume using the South 2nd Avenue sometime mid-month.
“We’re an extremely economical option for entertainment and education,” Pruett said. “A family of four can spend a day at Zoo Idaho for less than $25.”
For more information on Zoo Idaho, visit zoo.pocatello.us or call 234-6264.
