North Carolina Zoo Offers a New Virtual Visit Experience

Photo by North Carolina Zoo

Asheboro, NC – Since a visit to the North Carolina Zoo isn’t currently possible, the Zoo is bringing its programs to you! 

In an effort to help meet the educational and learning needs of children and parents during this challenging time, the Zoo is offering an all-new Virtual Visit program. This program features a wide range of different online education events, art projects, at-home activities, and stories from the Zoo and the wild that will allow children, teachers, parents and others to experience the Zoo and its animals in a completely new way.

“A trip to the North Carolina Zoo is always more than just seeing the animals — it’s a chance to learn in a fun environment,” said the Zoo’s Curator of Education Beth Folta. “We’ve now adapted many of our learning experiences to an online format easily accessible to everyone from home.”

The Virtual Visit web page  — nczoo.org/virtual-visit — is the hub for all these experiences. It will be updated daily with new animal videos, wildlife-themed activities and other ideas for at-home learning and play, even as the Zoo's staff continue to be busy caring for more than 1,800 animals and more than 2,000 acres of land.

Highlights of the Zoo’s Virtual Visit program include: 

• Zoo EDventure Online Series:  every Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., join us Live on Facebook to get an up-close look at our amazing animals. This is a chance to learn and interact directly with Zoo staff about the theme of the day. All our Zoo EDventures can also be viewed through the Virtual Visit webpage and YouTube.

• Zoo Classroom is the Zoo’s free distance learning series appropriate for K-12 audiences streamed live every Thursday from 1 to 2 p.m. Each program features a different and fun topic on wildlife and nature. Join us live to ask our educators questions in real time or enjoy our whole series of classes on the website on your own time. Required pre-registration is easy through the Zoo’s Virtual Visit Zoo Classroom page

• Living with Nature is the Zoo’s distance learning event series currently available to everyone. All of the 2019-2020 events are now available online and have a variety of activities to do before, after, and during the viewing of the recorded program. These are accessible through the Zoo’s website at any time. 

• Untamed Science: Every Tuesday and Thursday watch an episode of the Zoo’s science education show. Learn about how use science to care for the Zoo’s animals and help protect endangered species in the wild.

• Ask an Expert: An all new offering only on Instagram. Every Tuesday meet a new Zoo expert. On Wednesday ask them your zoo and wildlife questions. Then on Thursday hear the answers live. Experts from across the Zoo will be featured, including veterinarians, conservation scientists, animal care staff and more.

• All-new Zoo Blogs: Get in-depth stories and firsthand accounts of what it takes to run a modern zoo. New stories will be coming out every week on how we care for our animals, insights into zoo operations, and what the North Carolina Zoo is doing to save species from extinction.

• Adventures in EdZOOcation Facebook Group:  Join the Zoo’s EdZOOcation Facebook group and get extra weekly content available only to group members. Every week we will be posting new activities, lessons, videos and more on a variety of topics. Adventures in EdZOOcation programs will include:
• Zoo Science: Every Tuesday learn a new nature-based science experiment that you can do at home
• Nature Arts and Crafts: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday get instructions for how to make a different animal-related craft or art project.
• Wild about Nature: Learn about easy outdoor activities you can do locally & in your own backyard.
• Just go to the Zoo’s Facebook page and click on “Adventure in EdZOOcation Groups” to join.

For a full list of offerings, visit the Zoo’s Virtual Visit and follow the Zoo on all social media channels Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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About the North Carolina Zoo

At the North Carolina Zoo, we celebrate nature. As the world’s largest natural habitat zoo, we inspire a lifelong curiosity about animals for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Zoo each year. Our dedicated team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate care for the more than 1,800 animals and 52,000 plants that call our Park home. We also lead efforts locally and globally to protect wildlife and wild places because we believe nature’s diversity is critical for our collective future. The North Carolina Zoo invites all of our guests to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina and welcomes everyone to join in our mission to protect nature’s diversity. Visit NCZoo.org to begin your life-changing journey.

About the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.

NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call 919- 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.

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