Visit Tyler and Caldwell Zoo recently invited a few of us from the East Texas Moms Blog to join them for Night Hike at the Zoo.
Our night started by hanging out with the elephants; Tonya, the matriarch of the group, and 2 nine-year-old males names Emanit and Mac. I don’t know about you, but I can count on one finger how many times I have eaten pizza while watching two elephants play around in water. The pizza was amazing but the sounds of elephants splashing around in the pool made it a millions times better.
Next we were lead to the back entrance of the giraffe house. Caldwell Zoo has four giraffes and they were all very hungry. We were greeted by them hanging their long necks over their homes searching for the romaine lettuce that we had. The male giraffe, Marjani, was hungry and not shy with his search for food. I may have been licked a few times.
There were many surprises that made the night even more fun.
We learned about conservation, got to engage with nature and learned a few ways we can help in our own community.
The zoo was dark and empty. We were guided by three very knowledgeable women that answered all of our questions. It was so cool to have someone there to answer questions about the animals. This made for a special experience with the amount of knowledge they exhibited. We were lead from exhibit to exhibit by flashlight and you almost forget that you are in the city until you hear police sirens blare or an extra loud car drive by.
The Night Hike is available from 6 PM to 8:45 PM year around, but weather depending. The hike is open to anyone that would like to sign up ages 6 and up. Fifteen participants per group are required, so get a group together and explore the zoo after hours.
Thank you to the Caldwell Zoo for this experience. I can’t wait to take my family to the Night Hike.
