I love coming to the Central Park Zoo when I am visiting the Upper East Side. The zoo is a nice to just relax and reflect from the hustle and bustle of the City. On a quiet midweek day, there is nothing like going to the 2:00pm seal feeding at all times of the year. The seals get so excited and the humans like seeing the seals in their playful mood.
The seals can be very friendly and don’t mind humans around.
The seals like to reach out for attention.
The zoo is small so touring it will only take about an hour or so to see all the exhibitions. You have a choice of seeing the monkeys, the birds, the seals and the penguins. They finally moved the polar bear out of the zoo a few years ago and he always looked so bored with his life. He would give you a look like ‘get me out of here’.
The Central Park Zoo is set up with different exhibitions.
The smaller animals like the monkeys and the penguins look like they are having more fun in their enclosed homes with more room to move around. They always look at us as visitors in an amusing way like why are we so interested in them. It is an interesting interaction with the animals there to see their reaction to us.
The Monkey Island
The Monkey Island with the monkeys hiding that afternoon.
There is also more birds, amphibians and bats to see in other exhibitions around the zoo and smaller outside areas to view the smaller animals such as pandas and leopards that have finally been given space to roam around.
The Penguins are very playful all day long.
The Bird Sanctuary is another popular section of the zoo. There are all sorts of rare and exotic birds to see and watch in a copy of their native habitat. I thought they looked a little bored seeing the same birds day after day.
The birds have a lot of space to fly around but seemed a bit bored.
The pink Heron
The Bird Sanctuary
The parrot seemed a little bored.
The Birds feeding themselves.
In the small animal exhibition, the mongooses were putting on quite a show for all of us. It looked liked they were mating in front of the crowd.
The mongooses running around.
These two looked like they were mating.
It is a nice walk around the zoo and the perfect way to spend a sunny afternoon.
There is also a nice gift shop just outside the zoo and the Dancing Crane Cafe is the zoo restaurant which is over-priced and the food the few times I have tried it was mediocre. It is not like the cafe up at the Bronx Zoo that was pretty decent.
Don’t miss the hourly concert at Delacorte Clock when the animal sculptures dance to the music played. It is such an enjoyable experience.
History of the Zoo:
The Zoo was not originally part of the layout for Central Park when designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. A small menagerie developed on the edge of the park with exotic animals that had been donated to the park starting with a bear cub tied to a tree in 1859 and a monkey in 1860. Other animals came later including cranes, a peacock and a goldfish.
The original menagerie
In 1860, the American Zoological and Botanical Society wanted to create a zoo somewhere in New York City. In 1864, the zoo received a formal charter, making it the second publicly owned zoo behind the Philadelphia Zoo. Though a formal zoo had not yet been created, the menagerie, with its free admission and good location made it the most popular attraction in Central Park.
By the 1930’s, the menagerie had become run down and was not sufficient to hold the animals. In 1834, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia hired Robert Moses to head the unified Parks Department and a new more formal zoo was created. The new zoo was opened on December 2nd, 1934 and by 1936 over six million people had visited the zoo.
The eagle statues dotted the zoo.
By 1967, the zoo was again falling apart due to years of negligence and budget cuts. New York City’s fiscal crisis had affected the Parks System and conditions had gone downhill. In 1980, The Wildlife Conservatory (the former NY Zoological Society) signed a fifty year agreement in April of that year and started a renovation of the zoo from 1982 to its opening in 1988.
When the Zoo opened in August of 1988, the concept of the zoo had changed. The Wildlife Conservation Society had taken over the Queens Zoo, the Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn and already had possession of the Bronx Zoo and the direction of the society was toward conservation and care of animals while the Prospect Zoo was to be used as a Children’s Zoo and the Queens Zoo would concentrate on North American animals. The Children’s Zoo next to the Central Park Zoo went through its own renovation in the late 1990’s and is now called the Tisch Children’s Zoo after businessman, Laurence Tisch who had donated most of the money for the renovation.
The gardens make a big impact around all the exhibitions.
(This information was taken from both Wiki and the Central Park Zoo History)
The zoo has the most amazing view of Central Park South. This neighborhood lines the southern part of the park.
These experiences at the Bronx Zoo cover various Members Nights and visiting the Zoo at Christmas time for the Holiday Lights event. Each were written at different times of the year.
My blog on the Private Members Night at the Bronx Zoo 2022 on MywalkinManhattan.com:
The entrance of the Bronx Zoo from the original entrance by Astor Court
The 125th Sign by the “Holiday Lights” event that evening
I have been coming to the Bronx Zoo since I was five years old, and I never really thought it changed that much over the years. I recently went to a Private Members Night last Fall (See Day One Hundred and in MywalkinManhattan.com) and realized that I had not been there since they opened the Congo Gorilla Forest exhibition and that was in the late 90’s. I had not been in the zoo for over twenty years. A lot has changed since I visited back in 1997. A lot of new exhibitions have opened and renovations made.
When you get off of the subway at West Farms Square/East Tremont stop for the zoo that leads to the Asian Gate, you are greeted by these beautiful and colorful glass murals of contemporary scenes of animals from the zoo by artist Naomi Campbell. These interesting panels show different points of the zoo.
Artist Naomi Campbell is as a Canadian born artist who graduated from the Champlain College in Quebec and from the Art Students League of New York. She is known for her paintings, drawings and print making. Her sculptures are known for action and movement (MTA NYC website).
Panel One
Panel Two
Panel Three
Panel Four
Panel Five
Panel Six
My After just finishing Turtle Bay and my next start of the walk in East Midtown, I took the night off and had been invited to a private members night at the Bronx Zoo. Having been occupied by my responsibilities on the fire department for the last six years and always being the night of our department meeting I always had to miss the event. Since I am no longer Secretary of the Department, I decided to attend this year.
The entrance of the zoo
On a rather overcast Thursday night I took the subway up to the Bronx for the event (I was smart in calling first to be sure it was still happening and Membership said it was).
I had not taken the subway this far up to the Bronx in years and was amazed at all the changes. The South Bronx has been on a building spree for the last twenty years and it shows with all the new apartment buildings springing up all over the place. I have not seen this much new construction since walking around West End Avenue in Manhattan.
I was not sure where to get off on the subway and forgot to ask when asking the best way to get to the zoo. I just took the Number 2 train up to the Bronx and got off at the Bronx Park stop. That was interesting. I thought that the subway would drop me off closer to the entrance but this took me to the other side of the park and I had to walk around. Did I feel like a fish out of water.
I was in the middle of an Arabic neighborhood where everyone totally ignored me. I guess that was the interesting part of it was feeling invisible. It was mostly made up of small businesses with lots of restaurants and bakeries in the area. Walking down 180th Street from the subway finally got me to the entrance to the zoo.
I had not been to the Bronx Zoo in about twenty years, not since the Congo Exhibit opened so it was a treat for me. The only problem with Member’s Night was the threat of rain as it had been cloudy all day but that did not damper the crowds that came into the zoo. For the most part, there have been many changes to the zoo over the years and the philosophy of raising animals in captivity has changed so the exhibits have changed with it.
The only problem I saw was that many of the animals looked bored or contained. Almost like a nursing home for the wild. The zoo does need to look at the displays more to see how the animals are reacting to it. I have to say though, the zoo really has done a nice job with the new displays and done a good job with keeping them well-feed and happy.
The Bronx Zoo Map
I started my night in the Jungle World exhibition. This glassed in exhibit is home to birds, insects and monkeys all of which are a tad bit small for the animals. There was a lot packed into a small space. It was an interesting to see the animals in a somewhat realistic environment but still I saw the looks on the monkeys faces and they looked bored. I think they should pair this exhibit down with less mammals and give the animals left more space. It is fascinating how they expect something to live in such small quarters.
The monkeys still do there own thing
It was more fun when I got to the monorail and got to see animals in a larger more realistic habitat. Here they had room to move around. Even so they way the animals looked at us passing by I don’t know who was looking at who. The ride was interesting as each animal lived in its own place to live and roam.
The pathways during the summer months
We had a guide who took us past herds of deer, a lion den, two rhinos who were playing amongst each other and bison who were going about their business. I liked this exhibition because it gives these animals a realistic home with room to move around.
The Grevy’s Zebra
We got to make stops at each of the habitats and the speaker gave us a little talk about each animal, how it has adapted to New York weather and you get to see how each animal interact with each other.
The Zebras were dining when I got there
Once I was off the monorail, I took the path down to the Treetop Adventure exhibition where you get to climb all through the obstacles of rope bridges and ladders. That was a lot of fun keeping up with the teenagers who were racing through the maze. I climbed up rope ladders, crossed rope bridges and climbed through barrels to the top of every stop.
Walking the paths of the Congo Jungle
It was fun to see how the age groups handled each section of it. The toughest part was climbing through the last circular tube because it is meant for little kids and I had to crawl on all four to get through but I went through the whole thing like a pro. It seemed to impress the little kids.
The Treetop Maze was a lot of fun to climb
The rope bridge
From the Treetop Adventure I traveled east down the path to the World of Birds exhibition and got to see many different species of birds. There was a nice assortment of exotic birds from all over the world in their jungle habitat. Each section of the exhibit was dedicated to a different species from all corners of the globe.
The World of Birds
After the World of Birds, I passed Tiger Mountain and looked at the tiger that looked at all of us and the poor thing looked bored. I think the humidity was getting to him but unlike the other visitors I did not want to arouse him because by the end of the day he looked tired.
The next part of the pathway took me to the Bear exhibition in which all the bears looked very playful and they looked like they were ignoring us and were have a good time amongst themselves. What I liked about this exhibit was that there was plenty of room for the bears to move around and engage with nature. The mother bear looked like she was having fun with the cubs.
The Congo Village
I then walked through Somba Village, which I guess was the zoo’s take on an African village. Everything was closed that evening maybe because of the crowd or because the weather was not that nice and the zoo figured that the weather might keep people away. As I passed the buildings I did not realize that it was a gift shop and a snack shop.
Congo Gorilla Forest
I next visited the Congo Gorilla Forest for the first time since it opened over twenty years earlier. The exhibit has several different species of gorilla and monkey each in their own encampments. The area is large and is furnished with all sorts of trees, rocks and water placements that make the habitat more real for the mammals. For the most part I saw the gorillas just go about their day walking with each other and taking care of each other. It was nice that the zoo created an environment where the mammals felt right at home. There was lots of room to move around.
Congo Gorilla Forest
After visiting the Congo Gorilla Forest, I went to see what was open for dinner. The Dancing Crane Cafe that was located in the older section of the zoo. The restaurant was packed with families that I did not want to bother eating then and since it was getting late wanted to see the Dinosaur Walk and the Sea Lion Tank before the end of the evening.
The Dancing Crane courtyard
When I got to the Sea Lion Tank at the Astor Court, the sea lions were in the pool splashing around showing off to all the patrons who were watching them swim. They are so used to people watching them they just swam and dove around us. I thought they waved to us.
The seals taking a rest by the end of the evening
The entrance to the older section of the Zoo:
The main entrance of the zoo facing the Fordham Road entrance is the original zoo that was built in 1907. This is where the original animal buildings were located that are now used for administration purposes. These buildings are some of the original buildings when the park opened after 1899.
These graceful stone buildings were built by the firm of Heins & Lafarge and the Rockefeller Fountain was donated by William Rockefeller. It had been built by Biagio Catella in 1872 and moved to the park in 1903.
The Rockefeller Fountain built by Biagio Catella
This is the Monkey House
The Bird House
The Lion House
The Elephant House
The Elephant House
Don’t miss walking around Astor Court after visiting the sea lions. These buildings are a real treat if you love architecture and detailed stone work. Each building has its own unique look to it and the animals grace the buildings where they used to live at a time when animals were just an amusement instead of living breathing animals who needed living space. Still the Victorians knew how to design a building.
Astor Court
I walked along the gardens near the fountain and by Astor Court while the band set up for a family concert for the families. As the sky threatened, the families got ready for the concert. I decided to visit the Dinosaur Safari Walk before the park closed.
The Dinosaur exhibition
This was very interesting as they movable Dinosaurs in the natural habitat placed here and there along the walk by species.
These animals move and roar
The dinosaurs winked, moved and roared around us giving me the creepy feeling that I was in the movie ‘Jurassic Park’. As I walked through the exhibit, I watched as they moved around and lifted their heads up to look at us. I thought it was very clever and in our case Thank God they were not real.
Don’t miss the ‘Dinosaur Safari’ before it closes
On the way back from the walk, I stopped to admire all the buildings once again that surrounded Astor Court. Really look up and see the detail work of the stone animals. The artisans did a wonderful job with the craftsmanship and the intricate details.
The Rhino Statute by Astor Court
While everyone else was enjoying the concert, I made the trip back to The Dancing Crane Cafe (See Review on TripAdvisor) for dinner. It was around 7:00 pm when I got to the restaurant and that and the gift shop were still busy. I have to say for a zoo restaurant I was pretty impressed by the food. It is standard children’s menu with hamburgers, chicken fingers and individual pizza.
The Dancing Crane Cafe
I had the Chicken Fingers and French Fries combination dinner with a Coke ($11.99 with a 10% membership discount). They were delicious. Perfectly cooked with just the right amount of breading and perfectly deep fried where they crisp on the outside and moist and juicy on the inside.
Usually these things are sitting under a heat lamp dried out but here the restaurant was so busy that every thing was freshly cooked and delicious. I indulged in an Individual Pizza.
The pizza was pretty impressive. It just came out of the oven and the sauce had the perfect spiced taste.
The pizza at Dancing Crane Cafe is really good
It was fun to sit by the window and watch the flamingos in the pool next to the restaurant or just watch the other members trying to calm their kids down before the zoo closed for the evening.
The Dining Room at the Dancing Crane Cafe
As the last of members and their families came into the restaurant for dinner, the Bug Carousel was going in full force and packed with kids and their parents trying to get one last ride in before the park closed. I could not believe the prices of everything and how much was extra when you visit the zoo but that is the nice part of being a member of the Wildlife Conservatory. Everyone once in a while there is a nice member perk.
Even though it was a somewhat gloomy night, I had a ball walking around the zoo and enjoying the company of other members who were also having a good time with their families. It is nice to see that my membership is making a difference.
The pools at the zoo
For Members Nights, I enjoyed the Dancing Crane Cafe, the main restaurant in the zoo. I was impressed that the food was really good. It was mostly kid staples like pizza and chicken fingers but everything was really fresh, and everything was cooked for us.
The Bronx Zoo Members Night 2026:
On August 13th, 2026, the Wildlife Conservatory and the Bronx Zoo held their Annual Members Night at the Zoo. It was a warm and sunny evening, perfect for touring the zoo. The park was in full bloom and the animals seemed very happy to see us. The zoo opened for members at 4:00pm and I arrived at 5:00pm ready to really tour the park. The best part was that since it was during the week, most people did not arrive until after 6:00pm, so I was able to go on the Tree Top Trail and the Monorail around the zoo when the crowds were small. It was really nice to experience the zoo when there no crowds of people.
The Asian Entrance to the Zoo
The gardens to the entrance to the zoo
I entered through the Asian Gate entrance which is closest to the subway entrance from and I was greeted by a friendly staff and colorful gardens that were reaching their Summer peak.
One of the zoo sculptures from the movie “Congo”
All the animals were outside at this time of the day and most were eating their dinners all over the park. As I passed each animals home, they just went about their evening like I was not even there. Every once in a while one would stare back but for the most part, they looked like they were going about their day.
The camels were being fed when we entered the zoo
The first thing I did when I arrived for Member’s Night was ride the monorail to see the bulk of the zoo. I had not been on this for years. What is nice about coming to Member’s Night is that all the rides and attractions are free to the members. All we had to do is show our pins. Even during regular days, there is a discount but you still have to pay a small fee to get on the rides.
The start of the monorail
The rail conductor introduced himself and then we were off touring the zoo, moving past each area of the park at a reasonable speed so we could see the animals in their homes. Our first area that we passed was Patty, the elephant, who was relaxing and cooling herself off. Then we passed the rhinos who were doing the same. It seemed the animals were all watering themselves down from the heat.
Patty the elephant on the tour
The rhinos bathing themselves
Passing the Bronx River, I felt like we were touring a foreign country. You would have never known we were in the Bronx. I had never seen the river this beautiful or natural before. The park must do a good job in maintaining it cleanliness and keeping it natural looking.
The Bronx River flows through the zoo
Wild goats guarding their part of the park
There were three different types of deer on the tour
After I got off the monorail after my world tour of the zoo, I toured through Somba Village near the Congo Exhibition. This area is where all the animals native to Africa are located and the zoo does an interesting job in trying to recreate their natural habitat for a zoo based in the Bronx.
Sombo Village in the zoo
I passed a peacock while walking in this part of the park. He walked around like he owned the place. Everyone was trying to get him to open up his tail.
The peacock walking down the paths
The first part of this side of the park was the Giraffe field. This was one of the first exhibitions at a zoo where these large animals had room to move and interact with plenty of space.
The Giraffe exhibition
The giraffes passing one another
I then took the Tree Top Walk through the top of the park. I had not done this in years and you do have to be in shape to walk through all these rope bridges. You will make a lot of twists and turns and have to have balance when you walk through this maze of rope bridges and paths.
The Tree Top Path
Walking down the rope and wood bridges
Moving through the paths
The first stop on the path
Finishing through the path pretty quickly
The small obstacles of the path
I visited the Congo Exhibition next, which was interesting because I remember coming here with my father when it first opened in the 1990’s. It really does feel like you have entered another world. Even when you enter the path to go into the exhibit, it is like entering a clearing in Africa.
The entrance to the Congo exhibition
Entering the exhibition
Entering the Congo exhibition
The Baboon I first saw looked tired
I then entered the heart of the exhibition where a variety of mammals lived with baboons, monkeys, gorillas and apes either staring back at us or just amused that we were watching them while watching us. I am beginning to realize there is not much difference in the reactions between us and them.
The sign for the large Congo exhibition
Walking through the entrance city a few
Watching the bamboos move around
He looked like he was praying
Then the gorilla made an appearance
He just looked at us
I left the Congo exhibition and walked to the middle of the park where the Dancing Crane Cafe was located and decided to have dinner while it was still early. I figured it would be crowded later with families and decided to eat earlier in the evening.
Before I got to the restaurant, I had to pass the Pink Flamingos in their pond. This is located just behind the restaurant which sits in the background to the left.
The Pink Flamingo Pond before you get to the restaurant
They were content eating and talking amongst themselves
For a zoo/park restaurant, I really like the quality and selection of the food at the Dancing Crane Cafe. In the four times I have eaten here, I have never had a bad meal. You will be surprised that for a public cultural spot, the food is very good, the portion sizes are comparable to the price and the service is always friendly and welcoming. I enjoy talking to the staff at the restaurant.
I was in the mood for a double Cheeseburger and Fries and it looked so good at the counter. I picked one up with a Coke. There is nothing better than a burger and Coke on a hot evening (See my review on TripAdvisor).
My dinner on Member’s Night was the perfect early evening meal
The Double Cheeseburgers here are so good!
So are the fries
After dinner before I explored the rest of the park, I stopped to ride the Bug Carousel just around the corner from the restaurant. The line was short as everyone looked like they were heading to dinner. As I left the cafe, a lot of families were arriving for dinner.
The Bug Carousel just before we started
I hate to admit this but I love carousels. I do not care what age we are because I love the lights and sounds and just the sheer fun watching other people especially the kids (and the big kids like me) have such a good time. The music and sounds of laughter make the ride fun.
The insect riders are so beautifully designed
After the ride was over, I headed to the older part of the Zoo and walked around Astor Court. I love these old buildings with their beautifully carved stone motifs and the Victorian architecture. This part of the zoo shows how the philosophy of zoos have changed over the years. The natural habitat instead of just showcasing the animals leads to a more prosperous life for the animals in captivity.
(from the Building Conservative Associates website)
Originally known as the New York Zoological Society, the Bronx Zoo opened its doors to the public on November 8, 1899, and for more than 120 years, it has been one of New York City’s major cultural attractions. BCA has been involved in several projects at the Bronx Zoo (Bcausa.com website).
Astor Court
Astor Court, the historic center of the Zoo, consists of raised, landscaped terraces, two grand stairs leading up to the Court, and an ensemble of the Zoo’s original Beaux-Arts buildings sited around the central Sea Lion pool. Five of the limestone, brick, and terra-cotta buildings were constructed to designs by the noted architectural firm of Heins & La Farge between 1899 and 1910; the sixth building was designed by the architect Henry D. Whitfield in 1922. The formal neo-classical plan of the Court is symmetrical and longitudinal. One of the few intact examples in New York City of the City Beautiful movement to survive from the early twentieth century, Astor Court is a designated New York City historic landmark (Bcausa.com website).
This project involved the complete rehabilitation of Astor Court to restore historic elements and make modifications to bring the Court to contemporary standards. BCA was the restoration consultant, overseeing the restoration design. BCA conducted a conditions assessment, performed investigative probes and field tests, and developed construction documents for the restoration scope. BCA performed preservation design review of new elements and also provided construction administration services (Bcausa.com website).
The detailed Rhino cornerstone
The Elephant details around the entrance
My first stop was the seal tank where tired seals lounged on the rocks, most were sleeping and ignoring us staring at them.
The seals were relaxing that evening
They just stared at us
What I like best about visiting in Astor court is the architecture and the beautiful stonework. This is the most historical section of the zoo.
The original entrance to the zoo
The Bronx Zoo sign
The beautiful stone entrance
The fountains always remind me of the old Luna Park in Coney Island. They are now used as gardens.
The elegant fountain made more festive at Christmas time
The Rockefeller Fountain was designed by the Italian sculptor Biagio Catella and constructed in 1872; originally it stood in the Piazza Cavour in Lake Como, Italy. William Rockefeller bought the fountain and gave it to the Zoo, where it was installed in 1903. Today the fountain, a New York City landmark, is sited in the gardens just inside the Fordham Road Gate (Bcausa.com website).
The Lion House, located at the southwest corner of Astor Court, was designed by Heins & LaFarge and completed in 1903. Constructed of limestone, terra cotta and Roman iron spot brick with a copper roof, it is a designated New York City landmark (Bcausa.com website).
This project involved a complete rehabilitation of the exterior envelope. As the historic preservation and conservation consultant, BCA conducted archival research, performed a hands-on conditions assessment of the historic fabric, designed and oversaw probes, conducted field and laboratory materials testing, performed preservation design review, created restoration construction documents and provided construction administration services for the masonry restoration work (Bcausa.com website).
The stone eagle holding guard at the entrance of Astor Court to the complex
The colorful gardens as you exit this side of Astor Court
I finished my evening around 6:30pm as the zoo was closing for the evening (Members Night ending at 7:00pm). The last sculpture I saw as I exited the zoo was the totem pole at the exit of the zoo. This had been lit with festive lighting at the holidays.
The totem pole in the Asian section of the Bronx Zoo
It was another wonderful Member’s Night at the Bronx Zoo and this time I had the time to enjoy all aspects of the park. I never had the time to ride the Carousel or walk the Treetop Walk during a Members Night. It was a fun evening. Until next Summer. I can’t wait for the Christmas Light Display.
Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo 2024:
I returned again for the “Holiday Lights” event in 2024, and the food was just as good as the first time (so many patrons online complain about this restaurant, and I think it very good for what it is).
The outside of the Dancing Crane Cafe during the holiday season at the Bronx Zoo
The inside of the Dancing Crane Cafe at holiday time
The Christmas tree at the Dancing Crane during the “Holiday Lights” event
I had the Chicken Fingers with French Fries, and it was a nice sized portion. The chicken was a generous portion that was almost a whole breast. The restaurant is pricey but every once in a while, it is a treat. The one thing I have to say about the place is the food is consistent and for a zoo it is pretty good. I thought the quality was excellent.
My Chicken Fingers dinner was really good
The Chicken was so well fried and tasted really good
The Fries were really good as well
I looked over the zoo with a fresh pair of eyes without the throngs of visitors that you normally see there. I enjoyed looking over the animals in a more natural habitat that a lot of zoos don’t offer.
The holiday display at the Bronx Zoo in 2024
The Holiday display in 2024 at the Bronx Zoo
Recently the Zoo has brought back the “Holiday Lights” event for the holidays. I was able to attend the last night of the event on a Sunday night and it was pretty special. In the era of COVID, it really cheered me up. In 2024, I visited the last weekend that the event took place, and it was nice to tour the park after hours and not a lot of people be there. The best time to come to this event is after Christmas. I came the last weekend it was open, and it was the best time to come with no crowds and plenty of time to walk around the park in the dark to enjoy the displays.
Almost all of the Zoo was decorated with lights and there was Christmas music playing the whole night. Even though the holidays had passed it still put me back into the mood.
The nautical display at the Bronx Zoo “Holiday Lights”
The Nautical scenes of the display
The “African” exhibit at the “Holiday Lights” event
The giraffes in the “African” event
The Elephants in the “African” section
The colorful frog in the “Magical Forest”
The colorful flowers in the “Magical Forest” at “Holiday Lights”
The forest of flowers
More Flowers
The tribe of Moose at the “Holiday Lights” event
Flock of Parrots in the woods
Path of Rhinos on display
Mother and baby frogs
The Frog family on display
Each of the trails had lighted tunnels that were a sensory excitement to walk through especially as it got darker.
The Circular tunnel
The other lighted tunnel offered a wonder in lights to walk through
All the trees were adorned with white lights and each of the sections of the park were decorated with a theme.
The Snowflake display in the park
There were elephants wondering through the paths, seals and penguins swimming through their displays and all sorts of tinkling snowmen and animals like bears, lions, tigers and giraffes lining the paths.
Various animals in white lights
The lightshow paths were lined with all sorts of light
The “Magical Musical Christmas Tree” and show at the “Holidays Lights” event
The musical show that takes place on a continuous basis. You have to see this show once. It is amazing show!
The nicest section that I almost missed was the musical Christmas tree in the old section of the park and the zebras on stilts.
The Illuminated puppets at the zoo during the “Holidays Lights” event
The original section of the park was decorated with multiple lights with contemporary Christmas music playing in the background. There were birds flying, reindeer being chased and seals leading the way for other animals.
The entrance of the zoo that evening
I was finally able to ride the Bug Carousel which was a little hokey but a lot of fun. I could see why the kids like it so much. There were plenty of adults who were also enjoying the complimentary ride. There was ice sculpture demonstrations, comics performing and all of the food outlets and gift shops were open to a somewhat limited crowd. We had timed tickets, so the crowd was rather small for such a big event.
The Rockefeller Fountain and Astor Court decorated for the holidays
The Totem Pole lit up and decorated for the holidays
I got there by 6:15pm and the park display was open until 9:30pm. By the time I left for the evening at 9:00pm, the park crowd had really thinned out and there were very few people walking around. Still it was nice to walk around and feel I had the whole park to myself. It was getting cool that evening but still a nice night to walk around. I will have to remember this for next year.
Leaving for the evening of the Lightshow at the Bronx Zoo for “Holiday Lights”
The History of The Bronx Zoo:
In 1895, a group made up of members of the Boone and Crockett Club founded the New York Zoological Society with the purpose of founding the zoo. The architectural team of Heins & LaFarge designed the original permanent buildings as a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the sea lion pool.
The Astor Court Fountain during the “Holiday Lights” event
The Fountain at night
Jellyfish display by Astor Court
The Jellyfish lightshow inside one of the buildings
The Rockefeller Fountain was bought to the park in 1902 from another part of the park. It had been built in 1872 and was moved to the front of the zoo by the Rockefeller family and is now surrounded by a series of gardens as you enter the park from the parking lot.
The Rockefeller Fountain in Astor Court the night of “Holiday Lights”
When the zoo opened, it featured 843 animals in twenty-two exhibitions around the park. The zoo has been home to many exotic animals many being the first of their kind in a zoo. At various times in its history, the park has featured Komodo Dragons, Andean flamingos and a Sumatran rhinoceros.
Today the park is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The main exhibitions are the Congo Gorilla Forest, Jungle World, the Wild Asia Monorail, Madagascar!, Tiger Mountain, the African Plains, the World of Birds, the World of Reptiles and the Zoo Center. There are also various restaurants and snack shops throughout the park (that were closed the evening I went there), a carousel and a playground.
The Bronx Zoo Gift Shop the night of “Holidays Lights”
(This information on the park comes from Zoo history and Wiki)
At any time of the year, the Bronx Zoo is a lot of fun!
The front of the Staten Zoo on Groundhog’s Day in 2025
The ceremony for Groundhog’s Day in 2025
I wanted to celebrate Groundhog’s Day this year and had fully planned to go to Punxsutaway, PA to see the Groundhog’s Day festival again (see Day Thirty-Seven of ‘MywalkinManhattan’) but a ‘Arctic Vortex’ swept all over the Midwest with its fringes reaching the middle of Pennsylvania. It would be 30 degrees on Groundhog’s Day with a temperature of 4 degrees that night. The thought of sitting in Gobbler’s Knob in almost 0 weather had no appeal to me and I changed my plans. I had remembered that there was a festival on Staten Island at the Staten Island Zoo with ‘Staten Island Chuck’ on Groundhog’s Day so off I went early the next morning to see the groundhog see his shadow.
Staten Island Chuck during the ceremony in 2025
The Staten Island Zoo had a fun and engaging Groundhog’s Day ceremony (see Day One Hundred and Thirty One of ‘MywalkinManhattan’) with a musical concert with the students of P.S. 29 and a private band who made up a song to go with the festival. At 8:00am, they presented Staten Chuck to the audience and he told us that there would be an early spring (its still freezing out!).
The Groundhog’s Day ceremony in 2025
The video on the event in 2025:
After the ceremony was over, the Zoo gave us plenty of time to explore the park before it opened to the public. With it being so cold outside, a lot of the outdoor animals were not in their pens outside but I was able to most of the exhibits.
Map of the Staten Island Zoo
I was able to visit all the inside exhibitions which was nice because the crowds began to thin as the morning went on. It is a nice sized zoo with a lot of indoor exhibitions for a rainy or cold day. I visited the Birds of Prey exhibit which contains many types of birds in their simulated natural habitat. There were some interesting colorful birds that the zoo keepers took out so that we could see them up close.
The Bird display at the zoo
There was a Fox exhibition where the small furry creatures were crawling and climbing all over the rocks and formations. They just stared at me looking at them leading me to believe that they were used to humans looking at them. There were all sorts of animals that stare back at you. The Meerkats were very playful and really started at me like they knew who I was.
The Meerkat display inside
The Meerkats are so playful when I was visiting
The video on these Meerkats playing in front of me:
The Meerkats being playful and trying to get my attention:
The furry anteater
I walked through the African, Tropical Forest and the Aquarium which were located towards the front of the zoo. I walked through the aquarium which is small but still nice and you are able to see many types of fish and plant life.
The Aquarium tanks at the zoo
The Aquarium tanks from the Asian River Tank
The Starfish tank in the tanks
The Pacific Kelp Forest with kelp and starfish
The Red Bellied Pacu fish display in the Jungle exhibition
The Pacu sign describing the fish
The Pacu fish in the display
In the African exhibition, I loved looking at the bearded monkeys who just looked back at me and then it was off to the reptile wing to look at snakes, turtles and frogs.
The display of the Lemur monkeys
The Lemur just stared at me
I went outside later in the morning and looked at the horses (who looked freezing) and the kangaroos, who looked at me like they wanted to run back inside (it was about 35 degrees at that point). The emus looked at me with desperation as well like ‘at least he is going to feed us’ look.
The Llamas and Pony looked at me like they were shivering
None of the outdoor animals looked comfortable in this weather. Even Staten Island Chuck was inside because his keeper said that it was too cold even for him to be outside.
The Llamas looking at all of us when we were walking around
The one thing about the Staten Island Zoo is that it is compact and you can see the whole zoo in one afternoon. There is also plenty of parking behind the zoo in the park.
The small goats at the zoo
The Leopard exhibition and the poor Leopard looked so cold
The Leopard looked so cold
The Zoo also has a nice gift shop, where a ‘Staten Island Chuck’ stuffed animal will cost you $20.00 ( in 2020 I bought the little stuffed animal. It is really cute). There is also a restaurant with stand kid fare like chicken fingers and burgers in the afternoon hours. There selection of doughnuts are really good. For a dollar, it is worth the trip.
The Staten Island Zoo Snack Shop
The menu is very basic but the food is really good
I ate a early lunch at the Snack Shop and the food is very reasonable. I got a Grilled Cheese with Bacon with a side of French Fries and a Coke and it was really good. The selection of items are the typical items that appeal to children and adults alike.
The Grilled Cheese lunch at the Staten Island Zoo Snack Shop
I would highly suggest the Grilled Cheese with Bacon as savory and buttery and was really gooey. The perfect comfort food on a cold day.
The Grilled Cheese with Bacon was the perfect lunch on a cold day
The gift shop has a lot of fun things to buy and I did buy a Staten Island Chuck in 2020 when I visited the second time. It really is a great toy and memento of the event.
The stuffed Staten Island Chuck is the perfect gift to remember the event
The Groundhog Day ceremony in 2020!
Watch the video on the event right before the country’s shutdown:
Check out my blog on ‘Visiting the Staten Island Zoo for the Groundhog’s Celebration Day One Hundred and Thirty-One’:
After visiting the zoo, take time to walk through the park and then walk down Forest Avenue to visit the shops and restaurants. Don’t miss Bruno’s and Moretti’s Bakery’s for a snack.
Very clever cartoon when the Mayor dropped the Groundhog.
Chuck predicted Spring would come early in 2025
Spring is in the air in 2025
The History of the Staten Island Zoo:
(from the Zoo website)
In August 1933, the Staten Island Zoological Society was created and the park built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. On March 25, 1935, the Egbert-Robillard Bill was passed by the New York State Senate to have the city provide maintenance for the zoo. Two months later on May 7, 1935, the Governor of New York signed an agreement to allocate public fund for the zoo to cover operational and maintenance costs while the exhibits, animal care and educational programs were to be maintained by the Staten Island Zoological Society. With the land now owned by the city and a program to convert the 8 acre estate into a zoo. The zoo opened to the public on June 10, 1936 and was considered the first U.S. “educational zoo”. (Wiki)
The murals made of tile in the Jungle exhibit
Staten Island Zoological Society:
(from the Zoo website)
Unlike all the other zoos in New York City, which are operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Staten Island Zoo is operated by the Staten Island Zoological Society which was created in August 1933 under the organization of Harold O’Connel. Local legend maintains that the society was partially formed from the Staten Island Reptile Club, which was located nearby on Britton Street and Broadway.
The Reptile Room at the Zoo
The snakes in the Reptile Room
Although no written documentation exists regarding the merger it would explain the newly formed Staten Zoological Society’s affinity for reptiles and why the zoo was (and still is) known for its extensive reptile collection. Just short of one year after its organization on July 24, 1934, the Staten Island Zoological Society was officially incorporated. (Wiki)
Chuck’s Home at the Zoo
Chuck looked really cold in 2025
The zoo is home to Staten Island Chuck, a groundhog who is the official Groundhog Day forecaster for New York City and Grandpa, a black-handed Spider Monkey, who made local newspapers when he accurately ‘predicted’ the outcome of six out of nine matches during the U.S. Open Tennis Championship. (Wiki)
The presentation in 2019:
Staten Island Chuck Festival 2019
The presentation in 2025 at the Staten Island Zoo:
The musical performance of the band live singing ‘Staten Island Chuck’:
The live musical performance at the event
There was also a second song about Groundhog’s Day:
The second song on Groundhog’s Day
The ceremony was a little on the long side because every politician had to chime in but still was a lot of fun:
The Opening Ceremony in 2025
The next person to talk was the Zoo Director:
The Staten Island Zoo directors speech
It was nice to welcome back the choir of P.S. 29 in Staten Island who had entertained us back in 2019. They had not been there in 2020 during the start of the pandemic.
The musical performance of P.S. 29
The prediction of an early Spring:
The prediction was of an early Spring
Meanwhile in Punxsutawney Phil predicted six more weeks of Winter. It depends on who you want to listen to in the forecast. Once they finished the ceremony, everyone took pictures with Chuck and then they put the poor, cold guy away.
Chuck’s home at the Zoo
Chuck’s private home at the zoo
His personal sign
The story of the Groundhog
The sign on Groundhog’s Day at the Staten Island Zoo
Visiting a Museum: The Unique, Unusual, Obscure and Historical 