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North Carolina Zoo

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Zoo looks to address parking pinch

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ASHEBORO — High attendance on some spring days has created parking issues for North Carolina Zoo.

The NC Zoo Council heard details of the situation during last week’s meeting.

Zoo director Pat Simmons said there could be plans to expand parking ahead of opening the new Asia exhibit to relieve some of the parking headaches.

The Zoo has issued the following advisory: “For your safety and guest experience, the Zoo may need to limit parking once the lots are full. We typically reopen the parking lots once guests start leaving and spaces open.”

Some of the parking pinches have come from contractors for the Asia exhibit using one of the overflow lots. Additional parking was planned as part of the Asia exhibit, so expediting that could be in the works.

Zoo officials said sunny weekend days logically tend to draw the largest crowds. Carpooling is recommended when possible.

For patrons with options on when to visit, the Zoo typically has lower attendance on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Zoo hours for April through October are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (closing time is 4 p.m. from November through March). Parking is free.

Also, at the Zoo, the baboon habitat reopening is scheduled for May 24.

Then beginning May 29 through early September, a show featuring trained dogs promoting conservation will be among the daily events at the Zoo.

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NC Zoo Evacuated Due to Bomb Threat

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ASHEBORO – The North Carolina Zoo closed Monday because of a security threat, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office and zoo reported.

Guests line up to leave the North Carolina Zoo after a bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

A bomb threat had been received at about 10:47 a.m. through electronic means and reported to law enforcement from a representative of North Carolina Zoo.

A juvenile has been identified as the subject of the threat.

Visitors and staff were evacuated. Later, zoo officials announced that 1,372 guests were evacuated.

Emergency crews were called to the zoo. Law enforcement officials conducted a search of the zoo grounds. By 1:39 p.m., the Sheriff’s Office completed its work at the scene.

The Guilford County Sheriff’s Office’s bomb squad was asked to standby, but wasn’t asked to respond to the scene.

A North Carolina Zoo ranger and law enforcement officer were part of the response to Monday’s bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

The Sheriff’s Office said that all “units are working with Zoo Park Rangers to secure the zoo perimeter and evacuate all patrons.”

Guests who spoke to reporters said they were asked to leave because of a “security incident.”

Among the visitors were students from Guilford County on a field trip.

“All school groups have been successfully evacuated from the zoo campus following a security threat,” according to a statement from North Carolina Zoo.

Based on online reports from visitors, the process was orderly and calm in assisting with patrons leaving the zoo grounds.

North Carolina Zoo closed unexpectedly Monday after a bomb threat. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)

By Monday afternoon, North Carolina Zoo announced that normal operations would resume Tuesday.

Randolph County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations division identified the origin of the threat. A juvenile petition will be filed with the Department of Juvenile Justice, according to a statement from the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office had five search teams on the scene to check all public areas of the zoo.

Zoo officials will provide refunds or return tickets. They also said they hope to reschedule school groups.

Zoo officials also said that their caretakers have continued animal care. “We are prioritizing ongoing animal care based on medical needs,” the statement said.

The entrance to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro on March 27, 2023. (Scott Pelkey/Randolph Record)
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NC Zoo Council approves ticket price increase

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The N.C. Zoo Council recently voted to approve an increase in the cost of admission to the North Carolina Zoo. The council, which is comprised of 15 members appointed by the governor to oversee the operation and development of the zoo, held a virtual meeting to discuss the matter on February 8. According to Pat Simmons, Director and CEO of the North Carolina Zoo, “zoo funding comes 50% from the State with the other 50% from gate ticket sales,” but the cost of running the zoo has gone up over the years. Revenue from ticket sales has not grown to match the increased maintenance cost. The North Carolina Zoo’s proposal, which was approved, will increase the in-person ticket prices from $15 to $20 for adult admission. In addition, it also recommends a new seasonal rate to accommodate the fact that many African animals’ habitat requirements change in the colder months. Finally, a fixed discounted rate of $5 per person was proposed for holders of electronic benefit cards to make it easier for economically disadvantaged populations to enjoy a day at the zoo. The approved proposal has been sent to the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for a final decision. If approved, the price changes could go into effect as early as mid-March.

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Lion adjusts to NC Zoo

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Haji is settling in at the North Carolina Zoo.

Haji, a male lion, came to the zoo in Asheboro in early December. He was designated to be a new companion to a female lion, Mekita. The zoo last week provided information that pointed out that Haji had his first steps in his new habitat.

Haji and Meita are alternating schedules in the habitat as they get to know each other. Haji is almost three years old. He was born at Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Haji means “journey.”

Also, the zoo will be closed Jan. 23-27 for staff training and maintenance.

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North Carolina Zoo takes next steps for Asia exhibit

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NC Zoo director Pat Simmons, center, high-fives state Sen. David Craven Jr., who reaches over Randolph County commissioner Darrell Frye, during Wednesday’s groundbreaking. (Scott Pelkey/North State Journal)

ASHEBORO – North Carolina Zoo is moving closer to Asia after the groundbreaking for a new exhibit.

The 10-acre Asian expansion is a few years away from being opened, but the next steps were evident when regional and state officials gathered Wednesday for the ceremonial start to the process.

“Asia has been a long time coming,” said Walker Moffitt, chair of the North Carolina Zoo Council and Asheboro mayor pro tem.

This is the first expansion since 1994 when the North America exhibit was added. There’s an anticipated 2026 opening for the Asia exhibit.

While the addition is certainly a potential boost for NC Zoo, that should extend to Randolph County as well.

“It has been a team effort and we’re glad to be part of that team,” said Darrell Frye, chair of the Randolph County commissioners.

There’s $75 million approved from the state legislature for this expansion.

It should expose NC Zoo visitors to a wider range of animals.

“We really wanted to bring in tigers,” said NC Zoo director Pat Simmons said. “That is something that the public has asked us for for the longest time.”

One of the features of the expansion will include the tigers’ habitat that will allow tigers to walk across an enclosed bridge-like structure above zoo patrons. That part of the exhibit also will include a 300-seat indoor café overlooking the tigers.

In addition to tigers, there will be small-clawed otters, Chinese alligators, Chinese giant salamanders, Komodo Dragons and Visayan warty pigs.

“This is a critically endangered animal,” Jennifer Ireland, the zoo’s curator of mammals, said of the warty pig. “There is very, very few left in the wild.”

Birds will include wrinkled hornbills, red-crowned crane and cinereous vultures.

State Sen. David Craven Jr. praised the economic activity stemming from NC Zoo.

This expansion could make the zoo a multi-day destination, so that could spread the financial windfall.

“When they come, they eat at our restaurants,” Frye said. “They stay at our hotels, our campgrounds. They shop. They buy gas.”

Beloved lion dies

Earlier this month, there was a more somber mood for NC Zoo because of the death of its 23-year-old African lion, Reilly.

Zoo officials said Reilly dealt with renal disease for several years. Chief veterinarian Dr. Jb Minter said renal disease is common for a cat of Reilly’s age.

Reilly was euthanized because of his weakened situation. He was the oldest male lion at an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility.

“He far exceeded the average lifespan for lions under human care,” said animal management supervisor Jodi Wiley, who worked with Reilly for seven years. “This speaks volumes of the amazing care the keepers have given him over the years.”

A lion’s average lifespan under human care is about 17 years. Reilly weighed up to 440 pounds, though he was down to 394 at the time of his death.

Reilly was born Feb. 7, 1999, at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. He came to NC Zoo in March 2001. He fathered three males and six females.

“He was so tolerant of his rambunctious offspring and was fiercely devoted to his lady lion, Mekita,” zookeeper Beth Malott said in a release from NC Zoo. “Reilly was a one-of-a-kind soul, and his morning roars will be greatly missed.”

Now, Mikita is the only lion at NC Zoo.

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NC Zoo hits new milestone for attendance

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Visitors celebrate the 48th birthday of C’sar, an African elephant, on Monday morning at North Carolina Zoo, where officials have reported record attendance during the past year. (PJ Ward-Brown/Randolph Record)

ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo has been busier than ever this past year.

The NC Zoo announced for the fiscal year ending June 30 that more than 1 million visitors entered the gates. The previous high for a fiscal year was 879,990 in 2018-19, based on numbers listed in the announcement.

“We’re thrilled to welcome so many guests from North Carolina and around the world,” NC Zoo director Pat Simmons said in a statement. “We are constantly striving to build upon our success through growing our programs and making our guest experience better than ever.”

It potentially could become even busier for NC Zoo.

“We’re super excited for the Zoo,” said Linda Brown, president of the Asheboro/Randolph Chamber of Commerce. “The city (of Asheboro) and the Zoo are doing so much to enhance and improve the facilities.”

Repeated inquiries to NC Zoo for additional information regarding the attendance didn’t receive responses, or NC Zoo officials reached were unwilling to provide more insight earlier this week. 

Amber Scarlett, executive director of the Asheboro-based Heart of North Carolina Visitors Bureau, said tourism practically doubled from 2020 to 2021 in the region. She called NC Zoo the key tourism attraction in Randolph County.

“Bringing new and return visitors to our area to not only explore the extraordinary habitats of animals and plants, but also allowing families to affordably create memories,” Scarlett said. “We look forward to even more economic impact from the Zoo’s expansion in upcoming years.”

There could be several factors in the soaring attendance that has been announced by NC Zoo.

It apparently was a fast rise for NC Zoo, which closed operations to the public on March 17, 2020, because of Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive order based on the COVID-19 pandemic.

About two months later – June 15, 2020 – NC Zoo reopened to the public, but with new procedures in place. It wasn’t until July 1, 2021, that NC Zoo returned to normal operations with no capacity limits.

With a new Asia zone for NC Zoo in the works, that’s bound to increase traffic as a tourist attraction. Groundbreaking for that is expected later this summer, with that area opening in 2026.

“That makes the Zoo an overnight destination,” Brown said of the addition.

That Asia zone will be the first new continent added to NC Zoo since the North America continent opened in 1994.

On Monday, NC Zoo celebrated the 48th birthday of C’sar, an African elephant.

From April through October, entry to the zoo comes from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. The zoo closes at 5 p.m. From November through March, zoo entrance is permitted from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., with a 4 p.m. closing.

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Zoo hooks up more hiking options

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ASHEBORO — Another trail opened during the weekend as part of the North Carolina Zoo’s system and this one has a theme that might intrigue many folks in Randolph County.

The grand opening of the completed Purgatory Mountain Trail Network was held as part of Saturday’s National Trails Day.

A moonshining component was highlighted as part of the weekend hike. That seemed appropriate to Randolph County commissioner Hope Haywood.

“If we think about history and culture, the moonshine trail is also closely connected to another part of our culture, which is the pottery culture here,” she said. “Our potters got their start historically making jugs for moonshine. Certainly for food and food storage, but for moonshine. So that is all connected and makes me smile to think about it.”

National Trails Day is held the first Saturday of June. That’s particularly relevant in this part of North Carolina.

“This opportunity to not only celebrate what we have here at the Zoo, but across the state as it relates to trails,” said Jeff Michael, deputy secretary with Natural Resources for North Carolina. “We have come to recognize that trails are a unique part of our parks and recreation.”

Michael, who oversees the North Carolina Zoo in his role with Natural Resources, said it’s good to highlight the impact of the state’s parks and trails.

Several area politicians attended the opening of the new trail. Michael said he’s excited about the state legislature’s declaration for 2023 to be the “Year of the Trail.” That fits right in in what he hopes will bring awareness to trails when that campaign kicks off.

“The importance of our families getting out and enjoying these places,” he said. “Not just physical health, but our mental health.”

The Zoo has more than 6 miles of trails, with most of those on the Zoo property on Purgatory Mountain (and 1.6 miles at Ridge’s Mountain Nature Preserve). The Zoo has plans to extend its trail systems by 12 miles across the next several years.

“The time for trails is now,” Haywood said. “This is the time to press for getting those funds and to complete things that we’ve started.”

Haywood, who’s a regular trail hiker, said she appreciates the maintenance of trails in the area. Those duties are handled by many different organizations.

“It takes a lot, just not to build a trail, but to keep that maintained,” she said. 

Haywood said that makes it feasible to extend the trail system within Randolph County.

When Haywood is on trails, she said she’s prone to chat with fellow hikers.

“I meet more people from outside of Randolph County from inside Randolph County on our trails,” Haywood said, noting that’s not to diminish the numbers from within the county. “I am constantly amazed (at where people are coming from). … I love seeing the reach of the Zoo extended here. People are looking for what we have right here in Randolph County.”

These trails are accessible at the North America parking lot free of charge any day that the Zoo is open.

Aviary

Zoo closes aviary habitat

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ASHEBORO — The North Carolina Zoo announced it would permanently close its aviary habitat.

First built in the early 1980s, the 40-year-old domed structure requires significant repairs due to the effects of high humidity and wet conditions, according to the NC Zoo. The decision to close and take down the habitat was made by the zoo leadership and the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

“For 40 years, the Zoo’s aviary offered a special place to connect with nature,” NC Zoo director Pat Simmons said. “The free-flying birds and tropical plants served as an oasis for many people – guests and staff alike. It was a heart-wrenching decision to close the aviary; however, safety is our highest priority.”

There are 93 birds of 33 species that are in the process of being relocated to other parts of the Zoo or rehomed at other Association of Zoos and Aquariums facilities. More than 2,000 plants of 450 species currently live in the aviary, so zoo staff is working on logistics for removing the plant collections.

“It is truly an immersive habitat, and guests often remarked that they felt as though they were really in a tropical forest. To hear the swoosh of a Victoria Crowned Pigeon as it flies by is magical,” said Debbie Zombeck, the zoo’s curator of birds and a worker at the aviary since 1993. “To watch the birds’ natural behaviors as they forage for food, build nests and raise their young made the Aviary a must-see destination in the state.”

The Aviary has been closed since late January due to the threat of the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The HPAI virus is a highly contagious disease that can affect several species of birds. None of the Zoo’s birds have tested positive for the virus.

Simmons said the structure would have needed to be rebuilt as repair efforts wouldn’t have been practical.

The closure of the habitat won’t result in staff members losing jobs. Some staff might be reassigned elsewhere in the zoo as plans are developed for changes in the animal and plant collections.

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Zoo will host three-day science festival

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ASHEBORO — A month-long celebration of science will include an event at the North Carolina Zoo in April. The North Carolina Science Festival presents events across the state and this year Asheboro will host the three-day “Tinkering for Tomorrow” experience at the Kidzone at the zoo.

The event runs April 1 through April 3 from 10am to 2pm. During the festival, the zoo will provide fun places where craft supplies, and recycled items are available to create solutions to science problems. There is no additional charge for the activities.

The festival features hundreds of community events and is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Founded in 2010 by Morehead Planetarium, the festival is celebrating its 12th anniversary in 2022. With a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and math, the festival showcases the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Engineering Tomorrow”— a celebration of the “E” in STEM and chance to explore how science can help solve the challenges ahead.

“We continue be amazed by the incredible work our partners are doing to celebrate science,” says Jonathan Frederick, the Festival’s Director. “From storytelling at events at local libraries to nighttime skywatching extravaganzas, there really is something for everyone.

Other nearby events include hands-on events based on other science themes.

Sandhills Community College will host an event titled “Designer Genes” on Wednesday, April 6, from 11am to 1pm in the Dempsey Student Center on the Pinehurst campus. Participants will experience multiple hands-on activity stations to engage in learning about DNA, cellular components, organismal genetic make-up, viruses, gene editing and genetically modified organisms. Participants may post reflections on what they learned on a Gene Graffiti Board and each will receive a Gene Passport.

Town Creek Indian Mound is hosting the “Statewide Star Party.” This event will happen in two separate events on April 9. The daytime event — from 10am to 3pm — includes activities that help participants better understand the University and celebrates the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The nighttime event starts at 7:30pm and provides a guided tour of the night sky, including sky lore from cultures around the world. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and binoculars.

There is no cost to participate in the event and the public is invited to attend.