Franklin Park Zoo

11/05/2024

A soothing minute with Dinari. If you need to get outside and unplug, we're here for you this week and all year round.

11/04/2024

Whew, that's a wrap on an amazing Boston Lights. 🤩 Seriously, beautiful weather, more lights than ever—it was a banner year for the lantern experience and making memories with family and friends. Thanks to everyone who joined us!

And special thanks to our event sponsor WBUR 90.9 FM, and to Castle Island Brewing Co. for providing the delicious beer garden. See you next year!

11/03/2024

🍂 This is a great week to unplug, get outside and appreciate nature. Join us for one of our expert-led Biodiversity Walks through Franklin Park! We'll be sleuthing for salamanders, looking for birds on lunch breaks and pausing for mid-day plant pick-me-ups.

Learn more and register→ zoonewengland.org/engage/biodiversity-walks/

11/02/2024

Don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight for that extra hour of sleep. 💤

11/01/2024

UPDATE: Boston Lights tickets are sold out tonight, Nov. 2. There are tickets still available for Sunday, Nov. 3.

FINAL DAYS of Boston Lights! 🤩 ✨ Tickets are going fast and we expect to sell out tomorrow, Nov 2. But there are still tickets available for tonight and Sunday evening. On these busy evenings, we recommend guests consider public transportation or ride-share options, or allow plenty of time for parking.

For those who plan to visit, be sure to purchase tickets in advance to make sure so that you don’t miss out. This Sunday is your last chance to see the lanterns aglow!

Buy tickets→ zoonewengland.org/bostonlights

11/01/2024

It’s been years in the making, but this week Zoo New England leaders witnessed a momentous event in promoting animal welfare in Massachusetts. President John Linehan and EVP Cynthia Mead had the honor of being present to watch Governor Maura Healey sign the Traveling Animals Acts bill, which prohibits the use of elephants, big cats, primates, bears, and giraffes in traveling shows throughout the Commonwealth.

We are deeply grateful to our many partners in advocacy, including the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the MSPCA-Angell, The Humane Society of the United States, ifaw and many more, whose efforts helped make this bill a reality. And thanks are also due to the bill’s sponsors, State Senator Bruce Tarr, Senator Adam Gomez, Representative Carole Fiola, Representative Mindy Domb and State Representative Brad Jones and the many legislators supporting the bill. And finally, thank you to members of our Zoo community who mobilized to educate and advocate for this bill by helping with tours at Franklin Park Zoo, calls and emails to legislators, and even testimony on Beacon Hill. We did it!

10/31/2024

FINAL DAYS! Halloween is a *fabulous* night to enjoy the lanterns at Boston Lights. The show ends Sunday, and we expect it to be a busy weekend.

Tickets→ zoonewengland.org/bostonlights

10/31/2024

Aren't skeletons all the rage in Halloween décor? Let's take a look inside some Franklin Park Zoo animals on this spooky holiday! X-rays are a vital tool for our veterinary teams caring for our animals. Can you identify these animals?

10/29/2024

The results are in... say hello to sweet Felicity!

Felicity eked out Eowyn in our naming opportunity for our newest Hartmann's mountain zebra foal. Our animal care team is tickled with your selection—you did good, Facebook family! Thanks to everyone who voted. 🦓

10/28/2024

Da-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah... it's Bat Week! 🦇

With over 1,200 species, bats make up one fifth of the earth’s mammals. Head to the Tropical Forest to see one of these species up close — the straw-colored fruit bat, the second largest bat in Africa. Like other fruit bats, this bat does not use echolocation. They use their sense of smell to find fruit!

10/27/2024

We just celebrated National Vet Tech week, but really, every week could be vet tech week. That's because these extraordinary members of our veterinary care teams are vital to the world-class care we deliver at Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo every day. They advocate for animals both in the exam room and in the wild—and we could not be more grateful. Thank you Jean, Jessica and Sharon.

Want to be a member of our team? We are now hiring for a Veterinary Technician. Learn more about this position and apply: https://zoonewengland.bamboohr.com/careers/301

10/27/2024

Have you heard? We have another gourd-geous day of Zoo Howl at Franklin Park Zoo today! Wear your Halloween costumes and celebrate spooky season with us from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. All activities included with daytime admission!

Tickets & info→ zoonewengland.org/engage/zoo-howl

10/26/2024

Halloween is nigh. Get in the spirit of spooky season at Zoo Howl today and tomorrow at Franklin Park Zoo! 🎃🍬👻💃📙We have piles of fun in store for you—and your favorite animals too.

All Halloween fun is included with daytime admission. Learn more and buy tickets in advance→ zoonewengland.org/engage/zoo-howl

10/25/2024

Tickets are selling fast for Boston Lights this Saturday, Oct. 26, and we expect to sell out. On busy evenings, we recommend that guests allow extra time for parking. There are still tickets available for other evenings during Boston Lights, which ends on Nov. 3. We have special Diwali performances on Sunday evening and another week of fabulous weather ahead! If you plan to visit, be sure to purchase tickets in advance so that you don’t miss out.

Tickets→ https://www.zoonewengland.org/engage/boston-lights?utm_campaign=2023_Boston_Lights&utm_content=20241025&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

10/25/2024

Hooray for lemurs on World Lemur Day! Visit with Maki and the rest of our group of ring-tailed lemurs at Franklin Park Zoo during Zoo Howl this weekend. Their bandit masks are ready to go! 🎃

Live far away? Dive into the inspiring One Health conservation concept that aims to support lemurs AND their human neighbors in Madagascar. Zoo New England is working with Health In Harmony to study and protect several species of lemur in Madagascar, while also investing in the health care, food security and economic opportunities designed by Malagasy community members who live around the forest. Learn more→ zoonewengland.org/protect/around-the-globe/one-health-in-madagascar/

10/25/2024

Diwali is right around the corner, and we know just the place to celebrate this global festival of light — Boston Lights! Join us this Sunday, Oct. 27, for special dance performances by Kathak dancers from Chhandika-Chhandam Institute of Kathak Dance and bask in the glow of our India-themed lanterns.

Tickets are going fast! Buy in advance→ zoonewengland.org/bostonlights

📸 Melissa Blackall Photography

10/23/2024

🦓 Help name this sleepy filly!🦓 Our keepers came up with five options: Celeste, Eowyn, Felicity, Francine or Wednesday.

Choose your favorite→ zoonewengland.org/visit/name-our-zebra-foal/

Make your pick by this Friday, 10/25, and you'll be entered to win a zebra Zoodopt!

10/22/2024

❄️ 🌱 😎 🍂 Imagine: a year of unlimited close encounters, a year of discounts, a year of making memories—for LESS! Take advantage of our special limited-time Zoo New England Membership Discount Offer here→ zoonewengland.org/discount

Zoo memberships make for great gifts. Just sayin'. 🎁

10/20/2024

When International Sloth Day happens around Halloween, Maxine gets some really "gourd" enrichment 🎃

10/19/2024

So many cute names for our baby zebra, so hard to decide. Keeper John here shares the names and why they're special. Now it's up to you to follow this link and vote on your favorite→ zoonewengland.org/visit/name-our-zebra-foal/

Need some inspiration? Come visit her at Franklin Park Zoo and watch her interact with half brother and the rest of the zebra harem this weekend — the weather looks beautiful.

10/18/2024

✨ Just two weeks left for Boston Lights! Tomorrow is expected to be very busy, so please leave plenty of time before your timed entry.

Or consider another evening—the weather next week looks stunning. 🤩 We have lots of availability, especially weeknights, through Nov. 3!

10/16/2024

🦓 Help us choose a name for this feisty little princess! Vote here: zoonewengland.org/visit/name-our-zebra-foal/

Our animal care team selected a few special names for our youngest Hartmann's mountain zebra, vote on your favorite by October 25. Follow the link above to learn about the names and select your favorite—one lucky voter will win a zebra Zoodopt!

10/14/2024

How it started... and how it's going.

Happy 4th birthday to our handsome, young western lowland gorilla, Pablo. 🖤

10/13/2024

Our HATCH turtle conservation program has been raising threatened turtles in classrooms for 15 years now. And it's WORKING! Read our Conservation Blog to learn how this award-winning program started and how it continues to make a difference—for turtles, teachers and future wildlife stewards!

The award-winning, school-based turtle headstarting program H.A.T.C.H turned 15 this year. To celebrate this milestone, we wanted to share about the history of how we got started headstarting turtles in schools, and stories from students and teachers wh...

10/12/2024

Tis the season for chonking up. The prairie dogs are doing a lot of snacking as they pack it on for winter.