Pine Grove Zoo

02/28/2024

Just a reminder... we created a new page!
You can click the link below to follow us there! We thank you all for your continued support and we hope to see you over on our new page!!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556587584637

02/19/2024

Just a reminder... due to some ongoing issues with scammers we created a new page.
You can click the link below to follow us there! We thank you all for your continued support and we hope to see you over on our new page!!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556587584637

02/13/2024

Just to clear up some confusion... unfortunately, due to some ongoing issues with scammers we created a new page.
You can click the link below to follow us there! We thank you all for your continued support and we hope to see you over on our new page!!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556587584637

02/12/2024

We have a new page! Click the link and follow us there. We will no longer be posting updates to this page… so if you want to stay up to date on all Zoo-happenings, come check out our new page!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556587584637

02/12/2024

Students entering 8th grade through 12th grade!!
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work at the Zoo? Do you have an interest in Animal Science, Biology, or Education? Do you want to spend time this year hanging out at Pine Grove Zoo? Then Zoo Crew is for you! Students will gain important life and job skills through one of Pine Grove Zoo’s most unique programs.
Requirements:
• Must be at least 13-17 years of age
• Highly motivated and reliable
• Show exceptional academic performance (i.e., at least 2.5 GPA, active volunteer at school or in the community, member of National Honor Society, Student council, OR in a leadership role)
• Attend a pre-participation training conducted by Pine Grove Zoo with a parent or guardian
• Complete an application and submit a letter of reference from a teacher or other educator
• Be interviewed by Pine Grove Zoo staff
This is a much-anticipated program and will be very competitive! There is a limited number of participants that will be accepted.
For more information or to obtain an application, contact Pine Grove Zoo at 320-616-5595 or [email protected]

02/09/2024

Pine Grove Zoo’s: Zoo Gone Wild Event is tonight from 6:30 -10:00pm! Tickets can still be purchased at the door. We look forward to seeing everyone there!!
• Each ticket holder receives a free admission pass to Pine Grove Zoo for the 2024
season
• A variety of individually wrapped snacks will be provided at each table.
• Ticket prices are only $60.00 per person.
• Doors open early for socializing from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Falls Ballroom
• Laugh till you cry moments, music and lots of fun will return when Ted and Dave
take the stage around 8:00 pm.

02/07/2024

A huge THANK YOU to each of our Zoo Gone Wild sponsors. Our event is successful because of the amazing businesses and organizations that sponsor our event! Thank you and we appreciate you: Edward Jones Investments, Walmart, Little Falls Lions Club, Vacuum Cleaner Outlet & Service Center, Kampa Gerbi Insurance, Central Minnesota Electric, Little Falls Machine, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union, Larson Abstract, CHI St. Gabriel’s Hospital, Magnifi Financial, and Barrett Petfood.

02/05/2024

Happy Birthday to Jerry and Gary our Black Bears! These fun-loving boys are brothers. Jerry is a very calm bear who doesn’t like to be rushed. On the other hand, Gary is like a child and loves playing with snowflakes, food or water. These sweet brothers are still sleeping in their dens. They will be starting to wake up in March from their torpor or “hibernation”. Gary is the more cinnamon/brown colored bear while Jerry is the black colored bear.
Both Jerry and Gary and Black Bears, which is a species - not a color. Black bear is a species, Ursus americanus, not a color. Black bears come in more colors than any other North American mammal.
In the eastern third of North America, the majority of black bears are a deep black color, and about a quarter of them sport a white chest blaze. The further west you go, the more likely it is you could see brown, cinnamon, tan, or blonde-black bears. In British Columbia you might be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the rare Kermode bear, a subspecies of black bear with all-white fur. Researchers tracking black bears have even documented cases of bears changing colors during the year. And it’s not uncommon for a mother bear to give birth to cubs of several different colors.
No one knows for sure why black bears come in so many different colors, but scientists suggest that the colors allow bears to adapt to their habitat; bears in densely wooded areas that are dark and shady are often darker colored than bears in open, sun-drenched landscapes where lighter-colored fur helps them blend in better.
Come out and visit Jerry and Gary this season. We plan to open our doors on April 18, 2024 at 9:00 am. Happy Birthday handsome boys! You are loved!

02/03/2024

Happy Birthday to one of our spirited, sweet, and fun-loving Capuchin Monkeys, Funky. He loves peanuts and berries! He enjoys playing with stacking cups and anything he can toss in the air! His favorite place to nap is in a hammock and two of his favorite people are Marnita, our Director, and Dr. James Van Stone at Pierz Veterinary Clinic, one of our veterinarians.
Funky and Scooter are such busy energetic monkeys. They are constantly thinking of different ways to play and have fun. Our visitors love just watching them keeping busy. Happy Birthday Funky! We love you!

02/02/2024

There is still time to get your tickets to Pine Grove Zoo’s Zoo Gone Wild on Friday, February 9th from 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm.
• Each ticket holder receives a free admission pass to Pine Grove Zoo for the 2024
season
• A variety of individually wrapped snacks will be provided at each table.
• Ticket prices are only $60.00 per person.
• Doors open early for socializing from 6:30 – 8:00 pm
• Laugh till you cry moments, music and lots of fun will return when Ted and Dave
take the stage around 8:00 pm.

01/31/2024

It’s International Zebra Day! Let’s celebrate these amazing Zebras. We are so lucky to have Zoey and Lucy as part of our Zebra Family. The zebra’s skin is black or dark brown, while its coat is striped in black and white. Did you know that those stripes appear all over its body? Even on its mane and ears! Zebras have about 80 stripes!! Come out and see Zoey and Lucy this spring when we open on April 18th!

01/15/2024

There is still time to get your tickets to Pine Grove Zoo’s Zoo Gone Wild on Friday, February 9th from 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm.
• Each ticket holder receives a free admission pass to Pine Grove Zoo for the 2024 season valued at $14.00.
• A variety of individually wrapped snacks will be provided at each table.
• Ticket prices are only $60.00 per person.
• Doors open early for socializing from 6:30 – 8:00 pm
• Laugh till you cry moments, music and lots of fun will return when Ted and Dave take the stage around 8:00 pm.

10/22/2023

Our 2023 season has ended and what a ride it's been! Thank you to our amazing members, our generous community, our loyal and dedicated volunteers, every person that visited this past year and our staff and leadership team that continues to inspire and ignite compassion and understanding for our animal family and their wild cousins in our natural world.

We look forward to a great 2024 season!

10/21/2023

We are ready! BooFest today 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. $7.00 per person. Costumes encouraged. It will be a ghoulishly good time!

10/18/2023

We are excited to partner with Great River Arts on this upcoming event! Make sure you come and visit some of our amazing outreach animal family members! We can’t wait to see you!

GRA is thrilled to be working with for an Outreach event at Great River Arts! Join us at Great River Arts on Saturday, November 4th from 11-12pm for a special outreach day with Pine Grove Zoo! There will be educational talks and first hand encounters with 4 of Pine Grove Zoo's animal ambassadors at Great River Arts located at 122 1st St. SE! The cost for this event is $5 per person with a max of 100 participants. To register for this event call GRA at 320-632-0960 or register online at www.greatart.org.

10/16/2023

Our October weather sounds perfect for our BooFest Halloween Event this coming Saturday, October 21st 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm. To avoid lines at Pine Grove Zoo's (in Little Falls, MN) upcoming BooFest Event, you can purchase advance tickets!

BooFest Event is on Saturday- October 21st 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Inflatable obstacle course, 18-foot inflatable slide, games, jump houses, business trick or treating, our howling haunted house and so much more. All activities and fun are included in the ticket price as well as visiting our animal family during the event.

Tickets are just $7.00 per person (age 1 and under are free). Since this is a fundraising event, vouchers, certificates and memberships do not apply.

You can get your advance tickets by calling 320-616-5595 or purchase tickets on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boofest-2023-tickets-499708550727?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwAR3goVHAKlx648wmDlh-jpofWNrXeAtjYG6YIbeLCC8iEFyK7vNS_D96bRg.

10/13/2023

Smash Bash is that Saturday, October 14th from 10:00 am - 12:00 Noon! Watch our animal family enjoy a festive fall enrichment treat - pumpkin. Some smashing, stomping, rolling, and curious exploration are sure to abound in this fun enrichment activity for our zoo family. Included with regular admission.

10/13/2023

Hi Pine Grove Zoo Friends! Due to the rainy day today, we will NOT be open. We will, however, be open tomorrow and Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. The trees at the zoo are certainly putting on their autumn "glow"!

10/12/2023

The last day we are open for our 2023 season is this coming Sunday, October 15th. We are open Thursday through Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

But don't forget - our BooFest Event is on Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm.

10/11/2023

To avoid lines at Pine Grove Zoo's (in Little Falls, MN) upcoming BooFest Event, purchase advance tickets!

BooFest Event is on Saturday- October 21st 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Inflatable obstacle course, 18-foot inflatable slide, games, jump houses, business trick or treating, our howling haunted house and so much more. All activities and fun are included in the ticket price as well as visiting our animal family during the event.

Tickets are just $7.00 per person (age 1 and under are free). Since this is a fundraising event, vouchers, certificates and memberships do not apply.

You can pick up your advance tickets in our Admissions Thursday - Sunday 9:00 - 4:00 pm, by calling 320-616-5595 or on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boofest-2023-tickets-499708550727?aff=oddtdtcreator

Explore, encounter and rediscover the wonders of the wild at Pine Grove Zoo in Little Falls, MN.

10/09/2023

10/04/2023

Sometimes the path of how animals make their new home at Pine Grove Zoo is an journey in itself.

In 2019, we acquired 3 young red fox that were in desperate need of a home. Ash, Blaze and Scorch were illegally obtained by a private party from the wild and were subsequently confiscated by the DNR. The DNR contacted Pine Grove Zoo, as we were these little guys last hope of survival. They were unable to be re-released into the wild and desperately needed a home.

Watching these three brothers play, frolic and sleep together warms our hearts knowing we were able to give them a new home. Ash is a bit shyer and more reserved, while Scorch tends to be the bravest of the three. Blaze has a bit more of an independent nature and will do what he wants when he wants.

We hope these three little fireballs' story helps educate visitors on the importance of the preservation of the lives of animals and to respect the wildlife that surrounds us each day.

We hope you stop in and visit Ash, Blaze and Scorch before we close for the season on October 15th. They are handsome boys!

10/02/2023

And the winner of our BooFest ticket giveaway is:

Amanda S.

Thanks to everyone who participated. Thank you also for your understanding as I'm sure some of you were aware that we had spam contact some of you directing you to a fake Pine Grove Zoo website. I did report them.

To avoid the longer lines the day of the event, we have advance tickets available for our BooFest Event, which is on Saturday- October 21st from 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm. Tickets are just $7.00 per person (age 1 and under are free). Since this is a fundraising event, vouchers, certificates and memberships do not apply.

You can pick up your advance tickets in our Admissions Thursday - Sunday 9:00 - 4:00 pm, by calling 320-616-5595 or on Eventbrite at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boofest-2023-tickets-499708550727?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/01/2023

There is still time to visit Gracie and Daisy, our Alpacas and the rest of Pine Grove Zoo's animal family.

We are open tomorrow 9:00 am - 4:00 pm. Our hours for the remainder of the season are as follows: Thursday through Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (closed Monday through Wednesday). Our last day of the season is Sunday, October 15, 2023. Of course, we are open on Saturday, October 22nd 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm for our family fun BooFest Event.

Did you know that Alpacas are generally kinder and gentler than Llamas, while Llamas are calmer, larger, and better at guarding other livestock. One more fact that will differentiate the two is that Alpacas have fine, soft fiber while Llama fiber is coarser.

You may notice that Daisy has two different colored eyes. This is called heterochromia, which refers to a difference in coloration, usually of the iris but it could also be of hair or skin. Heterochromia is primarily the result of the relative excess or lack of melanin (a pigment). It is usually hereditary. We love this unique feature Daisy has - she is beautiful!

09/30/2023

Do you have any extra pumpkins that you would be willing to donate to Pine Grove Zoo?

Our animal family loves pumpkins as enrichment. You can drop off pumpkins at our back gate any day or in our admissions Thursday - Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.

Our animal family thanks you!

09/27/2023

Do you want to be part of a fun event and an amazing volunteer team? We are looking for volunteers for our family-friendly BooFest Event on Saturday, October 21st from 1:30—5:00 pm. Volunteers are an important part of this annual fundraising event. We appreciate our incredible volunteers!

Volunteerism, on any level, is one of the most selfless acts that we can become involved in.

Contact Vicki at 320-616-5595 or [email protected] or [email protected] for more information.