Spring Break must-dos at the Zoo

Week kicks off with Gorilla Egg Hunts and More on March 31.

Spring Break Week kicks off with a favorite seasonal tradition at Gorilla Egg Hunts and More on Saturday, March 31, 2018, and looking into the week ahead, Zoo Atlanta offers a number of tips for making the most of all the Zoo experience has to offer.

Gorilla Egg Hunts and More
While human egg hunts abound in Atlanta in spring, at Zoo Atlanta, the treat-hunting is for the animals. More than 50 species will find themed surprises in their habitats during one of a number of annual highlights of the Zoo’s robust animal enrichment program, in place year-round for all species. Enrichment, which may take the form of objects, novel foods or scents, training activities and more, is designed to stimulate animals’ natural behaviors while promoting their well-being.

The event’s namesake animals, the western lowland gorillas, will hunt for Jell-O eggs at 2:15 p.m. and 2:45 p.m. Zoo-wide animal activities begin at 9:30 a.m. and will continue by species throughout the day. Visit here for a full list of times, and check the Zoo Atlanta map for locations. Gorilla Egg Hunts and More is free for Zoo Atlanta Members and children under 3; free with general admission.

Spring Break tips
Arrive early, as parking will be very limited in the Cherokee Avenue parking lot; the parking lot on Boulevard is closed. Gates open at 9:30 a.m., with the last tickets of the day sold at 4:30 p.m. on weekdays; 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Purchase tickets in advance to expedite entry. Access a mobile Zoo map and customize an itinerary.

Carpooling, MARTA travel and ride-share are strongly encouraged. Zoo Atlanta has partnered with Lyft to provide free rides to the Zoo from the Five Points and King Memorial MARTA stations, and from the Zoo back to either of these two stations. To take advantage of the offer, request a Lyft within the geofenced areas of the Five Points station or King Memorial station between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. A promo code will be delivered upon request of a ride. Visit here for full offer details.

Must-dos at the Zoo
Animal highlights include Ya Lun and Xi Lun, the only giant panda twins in the U.S., and one of North America’s largest populations of great apes. Find two of the Zoo’s newest arrivals, African slender-snouted crocodiles, in an updated new habitat in Scaly Slimy Spectacular: The Amphibian and Reptile Experience. Look for one of the Zoo’s youngest family members, a male Angolan colobus infant born to Lami on March 8, with his family in The Ford African Rain Forest.

Splash Fountain presented by Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority opens for the season on Saturday, March 31. Parents are encouraged to bring bathing suits for children.

Treetop Trail presented by Kaiser Permanente allows adventurers to zig, zag, climb, walk, and balance at their own pace as they navigate a series of elements in an aerial playground over the Zoo’s KIDZone. Treetop Trail is available as an add-on to Zoo admission. Children must be 48 inches tall to participate without an adult chaperone.

Don’t miss special on-grounds programming designed to inspire everyday conservation action. New in 2018, a series of Conservation Action Carts focus on themes such as sustainable shopping; recycling; habitat loss and deforestation; the illegal wildlife trade; backyard conservation; stewardship of natural resources; and responsible pet ownership. Each is designed to promote the simple actions all individuals can take to make an impact on the preservation of species and their habitats.

Twenty-five cents of every Zoo Atlanta general admission ticket go toward programs for wildlife through the Zoo’s Quarters for Conservation initiative. Projects supported in the 2017-2018 program year are the East Africa Vulture Project, Project Bush Dog and the Tiger Conservation Campaign. Visit here to learn more about these and many other programs and partnerships supported by Zoo Atlanta in wild places around the globe.