Pine Grove Zoo Ready For A Big 2025 Season
LITTLE FALLS (WJON News) -- With Easter just around the corner it is time for area zoos to open for the year. Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls will open with limited hours on Friday and then will go into full summer hours from May 1st to September 2nd.
Zoo Director Marnita Van Hoecke says many fan-favorite events like the Sleepover Safari and Yoga will be back along with some new things like Chill Your Wild Side. Chill Your Wild Side is where families can learn how animals cool off in the summer heat but Van Hoecke says it also has special treats for the animals:
"We actually made snowmen and have them in the freezer so that we can give them to the animals that day so we're really excited. I'm not sure how the snowmen are going to fair after all these months but we're hoping that they fair well and we'll be able to actually give little snowmen to some of our little creatures here."
Another new thing coming to Pine Grove Zoo in 2025 is its Memorial Garden which will overlook the Kangaroo Habitat. Van Hoecke says it will be a place for people to honor their loved ones but also for the zoo to honor their animal family:
"Our animals age in place here so when they come here they spend their life here and so we want to honor their memory because a lot of people really bond with them. The great thing about a small zoo is you get to know them (the animals) as a, not just a species but an individual, and people definitely have their favorites here for sure."
She says they will have benches and block memorials available once the garden is ready and more information will be available on the zoo's website as things get closer.
Van Hoecke says the zoo's staff is always super creative when coming up with new events every year. Other new things at Pine Grove Zoo include the Wolf Connection and Wooly Wonders Workshop. Pine Grove Zoo is the 2nd oldest Zoo in Minnesota and features over 35 species of animals.
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