Local children and adults will have the opportunity this weekend to travel not so far away for an opportunity to learn more about many of the creatures that roam Planet Earth.
Oglebay’s Good Zoo will host “Let the Fourth Be with Zoo” this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., and those in attendance will have the chance to get up close and personal with several of the creatures cared for at the wildlife park.
“Our ambassador animals will be available for some meet-and-greets and that will include everything from invertebrates such as tarantulas, cockroaches, millipedes, turtles, and tortoises as well as some other unique critters like the armadillos and some other cute and cuddly guys,” said Courtney Snyder, the associate curator at Good Zoo. “And our guests will be able to get pretty close to the animals.
“One of our educators will be doing a presentation with the animals so they can learn more about them, and our guests will have the opportunity to a use a two-finger touch with most of the animals,” she explained. “Our educators also will be making comparisons with these critters to some of the animals we’ve all seen in the movies.”
The themed event also will feature a number of different special displays in all corners of Good Zoo with the appropriate characters ready to meet children and adults alike.
“May the Fourth Be with Zoo at Good Zoo will be intriguing to the children because there will be many little touches that we’re making that I’m sure true fans will notice during the day,” hinted Jon Banco, a coordinator for special events for Oglebay. “And there are going to be a lot of photo opportunities for the kids and their parents and guardians because we’ll have all of the characters there.
“And the folks who join us will experience so many of the beautiful animals that are cared for at Good Zoo, and it’s always fun to watch the kids and their reactions,” he said. “The children and adults are free to dress in character, too, just to add to the fun of the day because we know there are a lot of fans out there who belong to a few generations.”
Officials of Good Zoo have partnered recently with the Oglebay Foundation to enhance the park with new animals, new programming, and new attractions to attract guests for years to come. The zoo now is home to 68 different species of animals, 20 of which are considered rare or endangered.
“I’m always really surprised when I find out someone has never visited Good Zoo because, for its size, it’s truly an amazing place because of the setting, all of the fascinating animals, and because of the personal experiences that are available on a daily basis,” Banco explained. “We hear a lot in the Wheeling area how lucky we are to have things like the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra and the Capitol Theatre, and Oglebay and the Good Zoo are on that list, too.
“’May the Fourth Be with Zoo’ is just another example of what we do to entertain local residents and our guests here at Oglebay, and it’s a lot of fun for the people who work here to watch our guests have so much fun,” he said. “Once you visit Good Zoo, you’ll want to return to see even more.”
