The black bears at Dickerson Park Zoo will get a special Thanksgiving treat on Tuesday, November 5, at 11 a.m. The bears' caregivers have been busy preparing a bear-friendly buffet for the 7th Annual Beary Happy Thanksgiving.
"Their main caregiver will set up a picnic table, and it will be filled with all their favorite foods," said Dickerson Park Zoo Spokesperson Joey Powell. "Fruits, you know, bears eat a lot of fruits. They're going to have pumpkins and apples and squash, and they will have melons and strawberries and grapes." Sometimes caregivers will add some honey for a special treat.
Anyone can go to the Bear exhibit to watch — regular zoo admission applies.
Powell said "since the boys will be settling down for winter soon, Thanksgiving is a great holiday to treat them before they take a long snooze." Bears don't go into full hibernation but enter a state of decreased physiological activity called torpor, according to DPZ.
Holiday Open House
The Holiday Open House is set for Saturday morning, November 29, from 10 to noon at the education building.
Powell said it's an annual event held on Small Business Saturday.
"We're all familiar with Black Friday and then Small Business Saturday is a thing that's taken off and so we are joining in on that fun," she said.
The zoo will offer free ornaments (while they last) and photos with Santa as well as discounted registration for Wildlife Zooniversity classes and Friends of the Zoo memberships. Guests can also meet ambassador animals, including lizards, chinchillas and hamsters. Those are animals kids often request around the holidays.
"It's a great chance to come and actually see what it's like having one of those animals and caring for one and actually talk to our educators that care for them on a daily basis," Powell said.
Silent Night
The zoo will also host Silent Night Wednesday, December 3, from 5 to 7 p.m.
"The idea behind it is more of a sensory-friendly evening," Powell said. "We're asking guests to silence their cell phones, whisper and just really kind of relax and enjoy the quiet before the real busyness of the season kicks in."
Powell said the zoo will be lit with twinkling lights for that event.
Centerstone will provide notepads and pens for communicating and journaling. Admission is $5 for teens and adults and $2 for kids 3 to 12.
