Explore Chattanooga Spring 2022

Spotlight | WHAT TO SEE

Hand Feed an Endangered Species

A t the Chattanooga Zoo, guests are welcome to help feed the giraffes at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The three males--named George, Porter, and Hardee Star--arrived at the Makazi Ya Twiga exhibit in 2020. They formerly lived together as a herd at the Free port-McMoRan Audubon Species Sur vival Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Today their home is Phase I of the Chat tanooga Zoo’s African Expansion, made up of a giraffe barn and a 4,000-square foot outdoor yard. This means that if it’s raining, cold, or the giraffes simply aren’t outdoors during your visit, you can still view them from a platform in the indoor day yard. Tickets for the giraffe feeding experience include lettuce or another treat provided by zoo staff. A subspecies of giraffe native to the horn of Africa, George, Porter, and Hardee Star are reticulated giraffes, an endangered species threatened by habi tat deconstruction and poaching specific to northern Kenya, Somalia, and Ethio

pia. With just over 15,000 remaining in the wild, the Chattanooga Zoo’s efforts are a part of the Giraffe Species Survival Plan breeding program committed to the survival of the species. A 14-acre property, the Chattanooga Zoo’s additional exhibits include: - Deserts & Forests: komodo dragon, meerkat, fennec fox, reptiles, and amphibians - Corcovado Jungle: jaguar, giant anteater, and other animals from the Amazon rainforest - Walkin’ the Tracks: cougar, deer, coyote, and prairie dog - Gombe Forest: chimpanzee, black crested mangabey, Kihansi spray toad - Himalayan Passage: red panda, snow leopard, gibbon, Bali mynah - Warner Park Ranch: dromedary camel, alpaca, highland cattle, and a petting zoo Want to preview more exhibits before your visit? Check out the zoo’s webcam video streaming of the meerkat, snow leopard, tamarin, and spotted genet at www.chattzoo.org.

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