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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed people can change the world: indeed it's the only thing that ever has!"
Margaret Meade
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Hours and Information
Buttonwood Park Zoo is open every day (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day) from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm (gates close at 4:30 pm).
Admission Fees:
Adult: $6
Senior: $4.50
Teen: $4.50
Child 3-12 yrs: $3.00
Child under 3: Free
Group rates are available for groups of 10 or more with advance registration. Call (508) 991-6178 for more information.
Free parking.
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September brings cooler weather, back-to-school excitement and fun at the zoo! Read below to learn how you can take part in a Family Fall Fun Campfire, "Walk in the Footsteps of Giants" for elephant conservation, pack litter free lunches and more!
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 Success Story
In May, our female Black Necked Stilt, Pippy, was shipped to the Fresno/Chaffee Zoo in California upon recommendation of the AZA Charadriformes Taxon Advisory Group. The TAG is encouraging cooperative breeding efforts between zoos housing stilts and other shorebirds.
To our delight, the pairing was a success! Pippy and her new mate wasted no time and have produced three healthy chicks.
The birth of these chicks is exciting for many reasons. It is a testament to the outstanding care our keepers provide to all of our animals because successful reproduction is an indication of good mental and physical health. The information gained through  observation and data collection (weight and growth rates of the chicks, pre and post-reproductive behavior in the adults, etc) will be passed on to other institutions becoming involved in breeding programs. The production of viable offspring will contribute to the growth and maintenance of the captive population. Finally, our involvement once again illustrates how a small institution can make great contributions!
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 Now is the perfect time to view monarchs and other beautiful butterflies in Buttonwood Park Zoo's Garden for the Butterflies! The garden and the generous involvement of the Garden Club of Buzzards Bay in planting projects at the zoo has recently been featured in the Standard Times.
Read the story
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 Toe Jam to Play Labor Day Show!
The Toe Jam Puppet Band will be performing this Labor Day, September 3rd at 10:30 and 12:30. Admission is $5 per family plus zoo admission. Come play, sing, and dance the day away!
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A Bittersweet Farewell
The two Randall Lineback calves born this spring have gone to a new home on a private farm in Maine. They will be touring New England fairs representing the rare Randall Lineback breed.
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Campfires at the Zoo
 Friday, Sept. 21 6:30 pm
Friday, Sept. 28 6:30 pm
Cost: $25/family for members
$35/family for non-members
Bring a blanket to spread on the ground and enjoy a beautiful Friday evening at the zoo. Relax around the campfire as we share an activity, a story and a snack. Each hour-long program will have a different theme. Participants must pre-register and pay in advance. In the event of poor weather, we will call by 5:00 pm to cancel. To register, call the North Woods Gift Store at (508) 991-4556 x 14.
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 There's Still Time to Walk in the Footsteps of Giants
Registration materials are available for Elephant Tracks 2007 here and at the zoo. Sign-up now to "Walk in the Footsteps of Giants" and do your part for worldwide elephant conservation!
*New*
Teams of 8 to 10 walkers that raise at least $250 for elephant conservation and register as a team will have their registration fees waived!
More information
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 Elephant Appreciation Day
Celebrate all elephants with a day of demonstrations, activities and crafts on Sunday, September 23rd from 1 to 4. Join us for a day of elephant-sized fun!
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Creature Feature: Asian Elephants
Asian elephants are one of the last three living species of elephants. Smaller than their African relatives, Asian elephants also have smaller ears and females lack tusks. If tusks are present in Asian elephant females they are called "tushes" and are barely visible. Asian elephants grow up to 21 feet long, stand up to 10 feet tall, weigh up to 11,000 pounds, and females are typically smaller than males. They live in large blocks of forest near water sources and grasslands, their grey skin blending into the shadows of trees. They eat roots, grasses, fruit, bark, and sometimes scrape minerals from the soil. A single elephant can consume up to 300 pounds of food in a single day!
Exceptional adaptations make elephants unique. Large, flappable ears help these huge animals keep cool when shade, water, or mud is scarce, and an elephant's trunk is actually a long nose with many functions. It is used for smelling, breathing, trumpeting, squirting water into the mouth, and grabbing; even very small items can be grabbed with a small fingerlike feature on the end of their trunk. Elephant females and young males travel in herds, following seasonal migration routes that the matriarch remembers from year to year. They communicate via rumbles, growls, bellows, and moans, some of which can at times be heard by other elephants more than a mile away.
Fun facts:
« An elephant's trunk contains 100,000 different muscles!
« Elephants' closest known relatives are dugongs and manatees, hyraxes, and aardvarks.
Centuries of hunting and habitat destruction have caused dramatic declines in Asian elephant populations. They are now considered endangered, with between 25,600 and 32,750 left in the wild.
How can you help elephants?
« Avoid purchasing any ivory products
« Participate in events such as Elephant Tracks to support elephant conservation
« Tell others what you know about these magnificent creatures!
Buttonwood Park Zoo is home to two Asian elephants, Emily and Ruth. Emily first came to the zoo in 1968, and left briefly before returning in 1985. Ruth is the older of the two, and joined Emily at the zoo in 1986.
More information on Asian elphants:
National Geographic
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
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Attention all Scouts and Potential Scouts!
 Girl and Boy Scouts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island are invited to experience "one of the finest small zoos in the United States" for FREE on Sunday, September 30th 2007 from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. All Girl and Boy Scouts wearing Scout gear will be admitted for free!
Discover what programs the zoo offers especially for Scouts, and complete badge requirements while you're at it! Choose to participate in a reoccurring scheduled activity led by a member of the zoo's education staff, or pick up a self-guided activity sheet at the front desk for a different learning experience.
Not a Girl or Boy Scout just yet? Representatives for local Girl and  Boy Scout councils will be present and each child that registers will also receive free admission!
Please note: accompanying adults and siblings must pay regular admission to the zoo.
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Eco-Tip: Litter Free Lunches
Did you know that on average, one school-age child packing a disposable lunch generates 67 pounds of waste per school year? In fact, just one average-sized elementary school of 280 children produces 18,760 pounds or over 9 tons of lunch waste in one school year.
 Amazingly, almost all of this waste can be prevented AND save you and your child's school money. According to the EPA, a child taking a prepackaged lunch to school spends an average of $4.02 a day or $723.60 per school year compared to $2.65 a day ($477.00 per school year) for a child who packs a waste-free lunch--a difference of $246.60 per person per year! And that's not all. When families pack disposable lunches, schools pay higher waste removal fees. Packing a waste-free lunch reduces the volume of trash and thus helps schools save money.
Recipe for a waste free lunch:
« Start with a reusable lunchbox
« Add food in reusable containers
« Toss in a whole apple, orange, or banana
« Include a drink in a refillable bottle
« Throw in a cloth napkin
« Add reusable utensils
« Eat, rinse and repeat the next day
Packing waste-free lunches may take more time, but given the benefits they're well worth the extra effort. Pack in the evening, buy in bulk, and write your family name on all containers to make it work!
What else can you do?
« Instead of buying nifty 100 calorie packs, separate servings yourself into small reusable containers and save money while reducing waste!
« Organize a waste-free lunch day at your child's school
« Encourage teachers to hang posters and create lesson plans on waste free lunches.
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Want Webkinz?
Celebrate back to school with Webkinz! Webkinz pets are lovable plush pets that each come with a unique Secret Code that lets you enter Webkinz World and play with a virtual version of your pet. Stop by the North Woods Gift Store for this great end of summer gift! Prices range from $8.95 to $12.95.
Available while supplies last
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September Zoo Happenings
Every Monday, two shows 10:30 and 12:30!
Toe Jam Puppet Band
Creative Arts Playgroup
Cost: Zoo admission + $5/family
Sing, dance and play the day away with New Bedford's favorite, the Toe Jam Puppet Band.
Sunday, Sept. 9
National Grandparent's Day
Have a grand time at the Buttonwood Park Zoo! Grandparents are admitted free with a paying grandchild all day.
Saturday, Sept. 15 8:00 am
Breakfast with the Animals
Zoo members: $13/person
Non-members: $16/person
Children under 3 free
Rise and shine with the animals! Join the zoo staff as they feed the animals and prepare exhibits for the day. Then enjoy a delicious breakfast buffet at the Bear's Den Café. Program fee includes tour, breakfast and zoo admission for the day. Participants must pre-register and pay in advance. Program held rain or shine. To register for the program, please stop in at the North Woods Gift Store or call (508) 991-4556 x 14.
Friday, Sept. 21 6:30 pm
Friday, Sept. 28 6:30 pm
Family Fall Fun Campfires
Cost: $25/family for members
$35/family for non-members
Bring a blanket to spread on the ground and enjoy a beautiful Friday evening at the zoo. Relax around the campfire as we share an activity, a story and a snack. Each hour-long program will have a different theme. Participants must pre-register and pay in advance. In the event of poor weather, we will call by 5:00 pm to cancel. To register, call the North Woods Gift Store at (508) 991-4556 x 14.
Sunday, Sept. 23 Check-in from11:30 - 12:30, walk begins at 12:30
Elephant Tracks 2007
"Walk in the Footsteps of Giants" and join the New Bedford Chapter of American Association of Zoo Keepers in this fundraising walk at the Buttonwood Park Zoo. All monies raised will benefit wild populations of elephants. For more information, please visit our website at www.bpzoo.org
Sunday, Sept. 23 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Elephant Appreciation Day
Cost: Free with zoo admission
We'll celebrate all elephants with a day of demonstrations, activities and crafts. Join us for a day of elephant-sized fun!
Sunday, September 30 1:00 - 4:00
Scout Day
Discover the experiences and programs the zoo offers specially for Boy and Girl Scouts, and complete badge requirements while you're at it! All Boy and Girl Scouts wearing Scout gear will be admitted for free. Accompanying adults and siblings must pay regular admission.
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Contact Info
Buttonwood Park Zoological Society
(508) 991-4556
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