FONZ and the National Zoo host a variety of fun and educational special days throughout 2012 to celebrate some special animals.

These family-friendly events offer educational and fun activities for children, keeper talks, and animal demonstrations. No tickets are required. Featured Creature Days are free and open to the public.

Details for each event will be posted as they become available.

March 17: Gorilla Day

Gather up your troop and come visit ours at the Great Ape House from 11am to 3 pm, for a fun-filled day of feedings, keeper chats, and demonstrations. Support Friends of the National Zoo and gorilla conservation by bringing an old cell phone to recycle and receive a Green for Gorillas sticker! Free and open to the public. No ticket required.

The above activities are subject to change in the event of inclement or unseasonably cold weather.

Did you know?
You can recycle your cell phone and other electronic devices, and help the Zoo and wildlife at the same time? Bring your old cell phones, chargers, accessories, MP3 players, handheld game systems, GPS handheld units, laptops, E-readers, digital cameras, and portable hard drives to the Zoo. You can drop them in a receptacle at the Great Ape House! Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) sends them to our partner ECO-CELL to be safely recycled or refurbished. FONZ then receives money for these items that is used to support conservation efforts around the Zoo.

Recycling electronics helps reduce mining for coltan, a metallic ore used in cell phones and laptops. The mining of this material is a great threat to the gorilla’s habitat! Recycling and refurbishing these items keeps dangerous materials out of landfills.

Learn more about recycling at the Zoo.

November 10