Creature Creations (Ages 3+) Saturday, November 11th  12:30 – 1:30 pm & 2:30 – 3:30 pm Featured Animal: Bald Eagle Join us for Creature Creations, an indoor painting class led by instructor Kathleen Patrick and a zoo educator. This fun program will introduce your child to a featured animal, either inside the classroom or at an animal habitat.   Members: $16 per ticket Non-Members: $27 per ticket   One ticket includes admission for one child and one accompanying adult. Only registered children can participate in the program. Additional admission tickets are available at the door. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Unregistered children (including siblings) can not attend. Purchase Tickets Important Safety Guidelines For Creature Creations: Programs will be limited to 20 participants with 1 Art Teacher and 1 Zoo Educator. Participants will be seated 2 per table with additional chairs available nearby for guardians/parents. All materials will be provided. Out of consideration for all of our BPZOO guests, if a participant is experiencing any of the following symptoms (fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea), please do not allow them to attend this program. You will be granted a full refund as a sign of our appreciation. Questions? Contact the Education Department at (508) 991- 4556 ext.110 or email svanwormer@bpzoo.org.

BPZOO Provides Home to Orphaned Black Bear Cubs New Bedford, Massachusetts: The Buttonwood Park Zoo has a deep, rich history of caring for black bears and is once again providing a home for an adorable pair of cubs recently orphaned in the wild. BPZOO has been without black bears since last September, with the passing of 23-year-old Toby. He, along with two females Amy and Ursula, had lived at BPZOO since 2000. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game contacted BPZOO in late June, inquiring if there was space for two cubs who had been orphaned because of bear/human conflicts in Homer and Eagle River in Alaska. “Providing a home to orphaned, non-releasable wildlife is paramount to our mission,” said Zoo Director Gary Lunsford. “Given that BPZOO has been caring for black bears since our inception in 1894, we jumped at the opportunity to work with officials in Alaska to provide a forever home to these cubs in need.” The two cubs, an approximately eight-month-old male, and a seven-month-old female, arrived at BPZOO the last week in August and are currently quarantining under the watchful eyes of BPZOO vet staff. “We are already getting a clear picture of their individual personalities,” said BPZOO Veterinarian Emmy Budas. “He is the sweet and gentle type – gently taking treats from us, while she is showing us her sassy side. Both cubs are eating well and appear to be in excellent health.” After spending time getting to know their personalities, zookeepers and veterinarian staff carefully considered names for the cubs. With a nod to their Alaskan homeland, the male cub has been named Moose, the official state land mammal, and the female Oona, named after an inland lake, not far from Juneau. Moose and Oona will remain in quarantine for approximately 30 days to ensure they are in good health and to give them time to adjust to their new environment. Black bears have been making local headlines this summer, spotted lumbering through towns on the South Coast and South Shore. As their natural habitats here, and in Alaska, continue to shrink, bear/human conflict increases with detrimental implications for the animals. The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, or MassWildlife, offers a variety of resources on their website to prevent conflicts with black bears, including limiting food sources, protecting pets, crops, bees, and livestock with electric fences, or removing bird feeders. “We look forward to introducing the new bears to the community,” Lunsford said. “We expect this will happen sometime towards the end of September. In the meantime, please do your part to keep bears wild. You should never feed or otherwise approach a wild bear. Be respectful of nature so that we can protect it together.” About Black Bears American black bears are one of eight species of bears found around the world. Common across North America, they are currently present in 40 U.S. states, 12 provinces and territories of Canada, and 6 states of northern Mexico. Loss of habitat and unregulated hunting resulted in the extirpation of black bears across large portions of their range by the early 1900s. While the loss of forest cover has eliminated black bears from many areas, their numbers are increasing. Climate change seems to have enabled black bears to range farther north. American black bears are the smallest of the three bear species in North America, ranging from 200 – 600 pounds, with males being significantly larger. The average life expectancy for American black bears is 20 years. A Gift That Lasts All Year!  BPZOO Memberships make a perfect gift for the animal lover in your life. Join Our...

JOIN US FOR A BIG CELEBRATION Elephant Appreciation Day at BPZOO is happening on Sunday, October 1st, 2023, and we welcome you to join us in honoring and celebrating Ruth and Emily! Can you believe that Ruth is turning 65 and Emily is turning 59!? Stop by the Asian elephant habitat for educational activities from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm, with a Happy Birthday sing-a-long & special enrichment happening at 1:00 pm. Did you know – Ruth and Emily are among the oldest Asian elephants in North America? It is an honor and a privilege to provide a home for these beautiful elephants and we welcome the community to join us in honoring them! If you would like to bring Emily and Ruth a special treat, donations of unopened packages of unsalted shelled peanuts, yogurt-covered raisins, and dried fruit will be accepted on their behalf. The Asian elephants you know and love living in zoos and human care serve as ambassadors to inspire people to care about their preservation. Asian elephant numbers are 10 times lower than those of African elephants. Worldwide, the estimate is that only 40,000 – 50,000 remain. Lack of habitat, competition for resources, and development have left about a third of all Asian elephants reliant on some form of managed care. We need to find ways for humans and elephants to peacefully coexist to save the species. AZA facilities and affiliated conservation organizations are doing just this, in order to ensure this magnificent species will remain for generations to come! You can make a donation in their honor that goes directly towards Asian elephant conservation.   BPZOO is dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places.

BPZOO CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY  Join us for International Red Panda Day at the Zoo on Sunday, September 17th to learn about our red pandas, Jacob, Marie, and the cubs and raise awareness about this beautiful, yet endangered species. Here is the schedule of all the fun: 🐾 11 am – 2 pm: Face Painting, Activity with a BPZOO Educator, and Raffle Tickets for Red Panda Painting 🐾 11 am: Painting with the Pandas 🐾 12 pm: Cubs’ Gender Reveal 🐾 1 pm: Cubs’ Name Reveal 🐾 2 pm: Red Panda Keeper Chat and Raffle Drawing Let’s see how much we can raise for red pandas! Donate to the Zoo’s conservation donation fund during your visit and be entered into a raffle to win a Red Panda Painting! For every $5.00 donation, you’ll receive one raffle entry. These donations must be made in person on September 17th to be entered. What are we doing to protect this endangered species? BPZOO is proud to partner with the Red Panda Network, the world leader in efforts to protect red pandas and their habitat, as a Reforestation Sponsor. Our most recent donation of $5,000 will support the land purchase, reforestation, and the salary of a local land steward for one hectare of red panda habitat in the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung (PIT) corridor in eastern Nepal: a critical location for red panda conservation that has been heavily fragmented and degraded by deforestation. Red pandas are unique, important and unfortunately endangered. There may be as few as 2,500 red pandas remaining in the wild. Red pandas are a flagship species. Their conservation has landscape-level impacts, and like an umbrella, the entire ecoregion — its forests and wildlife — are protected when red pandas are conserved.   BPZOO is dedicated to protecting wildlife and wild places.

Saturday, September 30th from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm Tie Dye Workshop: Get creative and design your very own tie-dye masterpiece. We provide the materials, you bring the imagination! Create vibrant, one-of-a-kind designs on your choice of clothing items. Whether you’re a tie-dye pro or a beginner, this activity is fun for all ages. Children’s sizes XS-Large. $14.95 per shirt. Pre-registration required. The best part? Return to Buttonwood Park Zoo wearing your t-shirt and receive a FREE ride token! Be careful when washing it for the first time! Wear gloves or the dye may stain hands your hands. Purchase Your Ticket Today! Glitter Witch Tattoos: Add a touch of enchantment to your day with our Glitter Witch Tattoos station. The Glitter Witches will adorn you with sparkling, mystical designs. Choose from an array of magical designs and patterns, and let your inner witch or wizard shine. Honey Tasting: Experience the sweet side of nature with our Honey Tasting event. Sample our pumpkin spice whipped honey or honey lip balms, each with its own unique flavor profile. Learn about the importance of bees in our ecosystem and discover the secrets of honey production. Animal Encounters: While you’re here, don’t forget to visit our amazing animals! Buttonwood Park Zoo is home to a diverse array of species from around the world. Explore our habitats and learn about wildlife conservation. *Ticket purchase provides you with a white BPZOO T-shirt for tie-dying. Glitter tattoos are available for purchase through the Glitter Witches. This event will be rain or shine. Tickets can not be refunded.*

Tickets are LIVE for BPZOO MEMBERS ONLY through September 10th! Baby Boo at the Zoo will satisfy all your little ones fall, Halloween, and cool weather cravings! This daytime Halloween-themed family-friendly event is full of games, trick-or-treating, costume parade, food, and fun. Friday, October 27th 9:30 am – 1:00 pm Ticket Prices: Member Pricing: Adults (18+): $10 | Child (2-17): $5 | Under 2: Free Non-Member Pricing: Adults (18+): $15 | Child (2-17): $10 | Under 2: Free Baby Boo is geared towards ages 5 and younger Purchase Tickets Here Special Halloween Toe Jam Puppet Band performance at 12:30 pm! Are you or your family looking for a unique way to give back to the community? Boo at the Zoo at Buttonwood Park Zoo is a fun way to volunteer while helping to create slightly spooky memories for thousands of families. Would you like to volunteer? Email ksherman@bpzoo.org. Thank you to our sponsors and their continued...