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On Demand Programs
at the Zoo, your school, or other locations in
El Paso County
Zoo on Demand Programs are available upon
request. Most programs require advance notice of at least 2 weeks or more. Teachers wanting the Zoo to visit their
school and those planning field trips to the Zoo can request almost any program
offered in this catalog. Scout
troops, home school groups, religious groups, civic groups, family groups,
individuals and friends can also request Zoo on Demand Programs. To schedule your request all you need to
do is gather together enough people to meet the group minimum. We will even help you promote your
special day by sending an email invitation from the Zoo to all your friends on
your email invitation list!
Curriculum based Animal
Encounters
(for school groups at the Zoo or at your school)
Behind the Scenes
Field Trip Upgrades
On Demand Animal
Encounters at the Zoo
Menu of On Demand Programs
Asia Sleepover
Behind the Scenes Tour of Americas
Behind the Scenes Elephants Animal Encounter
Behind
the Scenes Tour Super Deluxe Elephant Experience
Elephant Produce Hunt
Night Prowl
Zoo Toddler Trek: Big and Small
Zoo Toddler Trek: Creepy Crawlers
Zoo Toddler Trek: Feathered Friends
Zoo Toddler Trek: Super Swimmers
Behind the Scenes Tour
of
Makes a great field trip upgrade
(Ages 7 on up)
This
two-hour tour offers an experience you will not find anywhere else in
Registration:
$15 per person in addition to entrance fees
Makes a great field trip
upgrade
(Ages 7 on up)
You and your class or family and friends
can participate in feeding our elephants during their keepers’ daily
enrichment routine. This special behind the scenes 30 minute tour gives each
participant an opportunity for an inside view of the elephant facilities plus
the fun of hiding food for the elephants before they are let back out into the
main viewing area.
Minimum group size 20, Maximum group size 30.
Registration- $10
per person in addition to entrance fees.
Behind the
Scenes Elephant Animal Encounter
Makes a great field trip upgrade
(Ages 7 on Up)
This
30-minute animal encounter will take your group for a behind the scenes view of
our Elephant Facilities and will introduce them you to the elephants’
zookeepers. Minimum Group Size 10,
Maximum Group Size 20.
Registration-
$14 per person in addition to entrance fees
(Ages 7 on up)
Have you ever wondered what happens to the
animals when everyone has gone for the day and the Zoo is closed? Find out!
Bring your pillow, toothbrush, sleeping bag, and spend the night at the zoo!
The Asia Sleepover Adventure runs from 7pm to 7am and you can spend the next
day exploring the Zoo.
Sleepovers include evening and early morning guided tours, live animal presentations, nighttime visits to see some of our animals (not all are available), and animal related activities and/or crafts. Snacks and a continental breakfast are included.
Registration-
$40 per person for ages 7-12 and $50 per person ages 13 on up. Minimum Group
Size 20, Maximum 30
Important Notes:
Tour experiences may vary. Participants
must abide by staff instructions at all times and stay with the group
leader. The Zoo strives for full
and equal participation of all visitors and continually upgrades facilities to
make them more accessible. For more
information, please call (915) 521-1850.
Our
Night Prowl is a unique and exciting experience for you and
your family! Meet some of the
animals that are active during the evening hours. Exploring your El Paso Zoo after dark is
an amazing way to discover the zoo, but you will need to use all of your
senses. Join us for two hours of adventure on this nocturnal nature
tour. (Children under 18 must
be accompanied by an adult).
Registration -
$20 per person Minimum Group
Size 10, Maximum 30
Important Notes:
Tour experiences may vary. Participants
must abide by staff instructions at all times and stay with the group
leader. The Zoo strives for full
and equal participation of all visitors and continually upgrades facilities to
make them more accessible. For more
information, please call (915) 521-1850.
Behind the Scenes Tour
Super Deluxe Elephant Experience
(Ages 7 on up)
You and
your family and friends can take a special behind the scenes tour of our
elephant facility. The tour offers
an opportunity to help give one of our Asian elephants a bath by doing some
scrubbing and rinsing with a hose.
Once the soap has been rinsed off and the elephant is clean, you will
have a chance to touch it and find out what an elephant feels like. Then help our keepers feed her breakfast
before she makes her grand entrance to the exhibit yard. Minimum group size 1, Maximum group size
5. (Children under 18 must
be accompanied by an adult).
Registration -
$200 for 1-5 people
Zoo Toddler Treks:
Creepy Crawlers
(ages 2-3)
Bugs are not bad! However, it is
important to know what to do when one is near you! You and your 2 or 3 year-old can learn
all about Earth’s largest grouping of animals – bugs! Our hour together will include
opportunities to see insects up close and learn how to act around them. Enjoy fun group playtime activities and
a walk through part of the Zoo for an insect safari! Minimum Group Size 10 adults and 10
children.
Registration -
$20 for one adult and one child, $10 each additional child or adult
Zoo Toddler Treks: Big
and Small, We Love Them All 10am to 11am
(ages 2-3)
What is the biggest animal at the zoo?
What is the smallest? You and
your 2 or 3 year-old can learn about how animals of extreme sizes live at the
zoo. Our hour together will include
opportunities to touch our
Minimum
Group Size 10 adults and 10 children.
Registration -
$20 for one adult and one child, $10 each additional child or adult
Zoo Toddler Treks: Super
Swimmers 10am to 11am
(ages 2-3)
What wonders lie in the depths of the seas? You do not have to dive 20,000 leagues
to find out! You and your 2 or 3
year-old can learn about the zoo’s water-loving mammals, birds and fish. Our hour together will include
opportunities to see our
Minimum
Group Size 10 adults and 10 children.
Registration -
$20 for one adult and one child, $10 each additional child or adult
Zoo Toddler Treks:
Feathered Friends 10am to 11am
(ages 2-3)
Some
fly, some walk and some even swim!
You and your 2 or 3 year-old can learn all about those winged wonders,
birds. Our hour together will
include opportunities to encounter our
Minimum
Group Size 10 adults and 10 children.
Registration -
$20 for one adult and one child, $10 each additional child or adult
(all ages)
Join a Zoo Education Specialist for a special opportunity at the Zoo designed
to help you get great pictures of our animals before the Zoo opens at breakfast
time. Capture images no one
else can, then visit the rest of the zoo animals at your leisure. Photo sessions run from 9:00 am to 9:30am
at featured exhibits.
Minimum group size 10, Maximum group size 20.
Exhibits featured
(choose one):
-
Andean Bear and Spider Monkeys
-
Malayan Tiger and Sun Bear
-
Asian Elephant
-
Sumatran Orangutan and Siamang
-
Multi-species Aviary
Registration - $20 per person
Scouting
groups can arrange for a special 4-hour day of fun
Registration -
$30 per person
Curriculum Based Classes at the Zoo
or at Your School
Curriculum
based and TEKS focused animal encounters at the Zoo or at your school are
available by request. They include
programs designed for a wide variety of groups including classes on field
trips, scout groups and religious groups.
We recommend that you make your request far in advance, although the Zoo
will arrange for these programs on short notice when scheduling permits and
resources are available.
Animal Encounters at Your School
Animal
encounters are fun
interactive learning experiences with opportunities to interact with our
education animals and animal biofacts. There may be up to 40 students per session.
Cost per 30-60 minute animal encounter - $110. Cost for second and
or third additional programs - $70 per class. The maximum time we can spend at your
school is 3 hours.
Classes at the Zoo: Our
Zoo classroom is unlike any other in El Paso.
(Available
year round except during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Holidays)
Zoo
Education Specialists and Volunteers present TEKS-focused, curriculum-based
animal encounters in the Cisneros Paraje and the new El Paso Water Utilities
Discovery Center Classroom. All
classes are fun, interactive learning experiences with opportunities for
encounters with our
When coming to the Zoo
there may be up to 30 students per session at $3 per student. The minimum class size is 20. Smaller class sizes can be accommodated
at any size for $60. Zoo admission
fees are extra at $5 per student.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you
are bringing your class to the Zoo you must make reservations at the Front Gate
prior to registering your class for a Zoo Adventure Program. See Education Group Reservations form for details. If you want the Zoo to come to your
school continue making your reservations now.
Chinchilla
Menu of On Demand
Curriculum Based Programs
at Your School or the Zoo
Animal Wrappers: Target Age: Pre Kinder through 2nd grade
and 3rd grade Science
All
about Water: Target Age: Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Animals and Plants of our Chihuahuan Desert:
Target Age: Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Career
Days: Target Age: All ages can be customized to fit appropriate age level
Creating a Backyard Habitat: Target Age: 1st Grade
Which
is it: Target Age: 1st Grade Science
Our World Our Friend: Target Age: 2nd Grade
Animals of the Chihuahuan Desert: Target Age: 2nd Grade
Science Lab: Target Age: 3rd Grade
Endangered Animals of the Chihuahuan Desert: Target
Age: 3rd Grade
Rainforest Revenues: Target Age: 4th Grade
Desert Food Web: Target Age: 5th Grade
El Paso’s Venomous Animals: Target Age: All ages
can be customized to fit appropriate age level
Which Is It?
Target Age: 1st Grade Science
What
makes a bird different from a lizard?
What does a person have in common with a rabbit? This program introduces the
characteristics of vertebrates using hands-on activities, animal bio-facts and
visual aids. Students will have the opportunity to meet representatives of
different animal groups and develop the skill of classifying animals by sight.
Children 7 and under will not be allowed to touch reptiles.
Our World Our Friend
Target Age: 2nd Grade
How are our everyday lives affecting animals and plants around the world? In addition, why is that so
important? This program gives
children a look at endangered species through the story THE GREAT KAPOK
TREE. They will discover how the
choices we make each day affect the world around us, with focus on forests.
When requesting this program at your schools please have a TV and VCR or DVD
player available. Education animal ambassadors include animals native to a
rainforest. Children 7 and under will not be allowed to touch the reptile.
Animal Wrappers
Target Age: Pre Kinder through 2nd grade and 3rd grade Science
Why
do mammals have hair? Are feathers
for something more than flight?
This program investigates the outer coverings of invertebrates,
reptiles, birds and mammals using
Rainforest Revenues
Target Age: 4th Grade
How
many of the items we find in our homes and use each day actually comes from the
rainforest? You will be amazed to
find what products in our homes and schools have rainforest origins! This presentation provides an in-depth
look at the importance of and delicate balance within a rainforest ecosystem.
Activities and discussions contrast the positive products that come from the
forest and some of the destructive effects of over-production and
over-consumption. Our live
Target Age: All ages can be customized to fit appropriate age level
Our
teachers use live invertebrates and non-venomous snakes to teach audiences how
to identify and recognize venomous animals of the Chihuahuan Desert. Snakebite
prevention measures are also covered. Children 7 years or younger will not be
allowed to touch the animals
Desert Food Web
Target Age: 5th Grade
Who eats what? This fun, interactive program will help
your students understand how animals depend on each other for survival in the
wilds of our local Chihuahuan Desert. Students will also have the
opportunity to learn through live
Animals
and Plants of our
Target
Age: Kindergarten to 3rd Grade
Your students will learn everything there is to know
about animals and plants and how they survive in our Chihuahuan Desert through
a collection of hands-on activities. The class will include an animal encounter
and biofacts such as animal skins.
Target
Age: 1st Grade
This Project Wild program will help your
students learn how to create a backyard habitat for local animals and
understand the importance of sharing habitats with animals that live in El
Paso.
Animals of the
Target
Age: 2nd Grade
Would you like to have your students learn about the importance of Chihuahuan
Desert animals? Are you interested
in animal encounters for a better understanding of animal adaptations? What special adaptations do animals need
in the Chihuahuan Desert to help them succeed in this environment? Are those adaptations physical,
behavioral or both? Students will
have the opportunity to see live animals from the Chihuahuan Desert that live
in and around our city. Students
will note colors, sizes, textures, shapes, body features.
Target
Age: All ages can be customized to fit appropriate age level
Zoo
Education Specialists can customize any Zoo Adventure animal encounter to
include information on Zoo careers.
Choose
any of the curriculum based program topics and let us know the age group and
how long you would like us to be at your event. The pricing for one hour is $110 and $70
for additional hour up to three hours.
We can also offer Career Day animal encounters on Zoo field trips for $3
additional to entrance fees per student.
Target
Age: 3rd Grade
Your
students will have a unique, hands-on experience using microscopes to identify
the dorsal hairs of the Mexican wolf, Sumatran orangutan, Asian elephant and
other animals in our own science lab. Students will be able to learn
everything there is to know about inherited traits of animals by observing
information using a microscope.
Endangered Animals of
the
Target
Age: 3rd Grade
Have you ever wonder why some animals are extinct? What is the meaning of extinction and
endangered? Would you like to have
your students explore the world of our Chihuahuan Desert animals? Students will learn exciting
things about the natural world of our animals with a focus on endangered
animals. They will be able to compare and then give examples of the ways living
organisms depend on each other and on their environments.
Target
Age: K to 3rd Grade
Have you ever wondered about the importance of
water and how it is stored in different forms? These interactive lessons will help
children understand water sources in El Paso and why it is a limited resource
that needs to be conserved.
Children will learn about the cycle of water and its physical forms.
Presented in conjunction with the El Paso Water Utilities.
Field Trip Upgrades at
the Zoo
Also available for
non-school groups
Behind the Scenes Tour
Americas
Makes a great field trip upgrade
(Ages 7 on up)
This
two-hour tour offers an experience you will not find anywhere else in El Paso.
Discover how the El Paso Zoo is dedicated to conservation and the well-being of
hundreds of different species of animals by visiting the Wolf and Bear Exhibit,
Commissary, Animal Hospital, and Sea Lion Life Support facilities. Minimum
Group Size 10, Maximum Group Size 20.
Registration -
$15 per person in addition to entrance fees
Elephant Produce Hunt
Makes a great field trip
upgrade
(Ages 7 on up)
You and your class or family and friends
can participate in feeding our elephants during their keepers’ daily
enrichment routine. This special behind the scenes 30 minute tour gives each
participant an opportunity for an inside view of the elephant facilities plus
the fun of hiding food for the elephants before they are let back out into the
main viewing area.
Minimum group size 20, Maximum group size 30.
Registration -
$10 per person in addition to entrance fees.
Behind the Scenes Elephant
Animal Encounter
Makes a great field trip upgrade
(Ages 7 on Up)
This
30-minute animal encounter will take your group for a behind the scenes view of
our Elephant Facilities and will introduce them you to the elephants’
zookeepers. Minimum Group Size 10,
Maximum Group Size 20.
Registration -
$14 per person in addition to entrance fees