The zoo will again be the location of the extremely popular Teddy Bear Day.  This is the time when children of all ages can bring their stuffed animals – teddy bears or other characters- to the zoo for a “checkup” by our zoo’s very own “Teddy Bear Doctor”.  Information will be provided in the Ed-ZOO-cation center about the bears who call Applegate Park Zoo home.  Beverages and cookies will be provided for free.

This year’s event will be held on Saturday, March 17th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.  And since this event falls on St. Patrick’s Day, the first 100 visitors to the zoo who wear green that day will receive a free portion of goat food.  (This offer valid until 100 portions are given away, or until the goats are full, whichever comes first.)

To read the zoo society’s lateet newsletter, go to the Newsletters tab under Downloads.

Lots of good reading!

Volunteering at the zoo is easy to do:

1. Fill out a volunteer application at the zoo gift shop and return it to the gift shop volunteer on duty.

2. Go to the Personnel Office at the Merced Civic Center (678 W. 18th St.). Tell them you’ve filled out an application to volunteer for the gift shop at the zoo and that you are there to find out about fingerprinting. They will tell you where to go to be fingerprinted (FREE OF CHARGE to you). They will also give you a form to take with you when going to get you fingerprints done.

3. Go to the location they direct you to for fingerprinting. The city pays for this – not you!

4. Wait. After approximately two weeks, the zoo will get the print results, and someone from the zoo will contact you about volunteering. (If you haven’t heard after two weeks, call the zoo at 209-725-3337.) That’s it!

THANK YOU for volunteering at the Applegate Park Zoo!!!

 class=”size-thumbnail wp-image-249 alignleft” title=”Merced Zoo 36 – 525p” src=”http://mercedzoo.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Merced-Zoo-36-525p-150×150.jpg” alt=”" width=”150″ height=”150″ /> Click here to go to our “Where Page” and check out the new pics from the air of our Zoo!

 #008000;”>Well, the cat’s outa’ the bag. Since you logged onto our site, you now know the secret! Things are happen’in and you need to be kept in the know… So on with our story.

Many of the animals here at the zoo will take advantage of the coolness of water,  given the chance in this summer heat.

If YOU want to see the animals, you might want to come out when it is comfortable for you.

If the heat is bothering you, more than likely, the animals are also bothered… subdued, lethargic, and in general, staying quiet and hidden away out of the sun.

The best time, is to get to the zoo as soon as it opens in the morning or later in the day, as it cools off.  Many of the animals would use the same schedule in the wild for the same reasons.

Deer hide away and sleep during the day, only to “get up” as the sun starts to go down. Now think about this… the cougar, that feeds on deer, probably keeps the same hours as the deer. It only makes sense. (The cougar doesn’t eat the deer at the zoo, only the ones in the wild.)

The whole point here is, come on down to the zoo and get acquainted with the inhabitants. You’ll be glad you did. For hours, click here