>> Deborah: I RECENTLY VISITED A SPOT TO BRING YOU AN "AFTER
DARK" STORY, AND THE PLACE WAS A COMPLETE ZOO, AND I LOVED IT.
IT WAS AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO, AND THEY'RE OPENING THINGS
UP IN THE EVENINGS TO SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN GET INTO THE GROOVE
AT THE ZOO AFTER HOURS.
[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING]
>> ZOO GROOVES IS A NEW CONCERT SERIES AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO
IN ASHEBORO.
IT FEATURES MUSIC, FESTIVITIES, FUN AND GAMES FOR KIDS,
CONCESSION STANDS.
SO IT'S JUST A FUN, FUN EVENING FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILIES TO COME
OUT AND ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL SETTING HERE AT THE ZOO.
♪
>> WE COME TO THE ZOO ALL THE TIME.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD TIME HERE.
AND LAST YEAR THEY HAD THE SAME AND WE CAME, HAD A GREAT TIME.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE MORE PEOPLE OUT HERE, THE MORE BANDS THEY
HAVE, THE BETTER TIME WE HAVE OUT HERE.
>> WE KNOW THAT IN NORTH CAROLINA, SOMETIMES IT GETS
PRETTY TOASTY.
SO HAVING A CHANCE TO COME HERE IN THE EVENINGS AND ENJOY
ACTIVITIES AND BE INVOLVED AND LIKE RIGHT NOW HAVE ZOO GROOVES
OR OTHER ACTIVITIES GOING ON FOR KIDS, IT GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO
KIND OF EXPERIENCE SOME OF THE SPECIAL THINGS WE GET TO
EXPERIENCE REGULARLY AND ALSO IN THE COOLER PART OF THE DAY WHERE
YOU CAN HAVE FUN WITH YOUR FAMILY BUT NOT GET TOO WORN OUT.
>> Deborah: ALTHOUGH THEY'VE PLANNED AN EVENING OF FUN, THE
NORTH CAROLINA ZOO'S MAIN MISSIONS ARE TO PROTECT WILDLIFE
FROM EXTINCTION AND EDUCATE THE PEOPLE.
SO YOU CAN STILL LEARN A LOT ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS.
ONE OF THE FUN THINGS ABOUT COMING TO THE ZOO IN THE
EVENING, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN'T GO TO THE ANIMAL EXHIBITS, THERE
ARE ANIMAL AMBASSADORS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EVENING.
AND I'M STANDING HERE WITH AMY BULLINS AND HER BEAUTIFUL
RED-TAILED HAWK.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BIRD.
>> SO THIS IS BRAVEHEART.
HE IS ONE OF OUR ANIMAL AMBASSADORS.
HE IS A GREAT WAY TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO NATURE.
RIGHT NOW HE IS JUST SUPER ANALYZING HIS AREA.
HAWKS HAVE AMAZING VISION.
THEY CAN SEE LIKE A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER THAN WE CAN.
SO HE'S LOOKING AT ANTS ON THE TREES.
HE'S LOOKING AT THE GRASS.
HE'S WATCHING MOVEMENT.
HE'S CHECKING OUT PEOPLE SETTING UP CHAIRS AND BLANKETS, THINGS
THAT HE WOULDN'T ORDINARILY GET TO EXPERIENCE ON THE DAY-TO-DAY
AND JUST ANALYZING HIS ENVIRONMENT WITH
HIS SUPERIOR VISION.
>> THIS IS ZINK, AND ZINK IS A BLUE-TONGED SKINK.
>> Deborah: WHY, YES, HIS TONGUE IS BLUE, AND
WE SEE IT FREQUENTLY.
>> IMAGINE IF YOU WERE A PREDATOR AND YOU SEE SOMETHING
YOU'RE NOT READY TO SEE IN A BLUE TONGUE VERSUS PINK OR SOME
OTHER COLOR, SO THAT'S A
WONDERFUL DEFENSE MECHANISM.
IT'S A REPTILE, FOR ONE.
THEN IT'S A LIZARD.
>> Deborah: HE'S NOT SLIMY AT ALL.
>> NO, REPTILES ARE NOT.
IF IT WAS AN AMPHIBIAN LIKE YOUR FROG AND TOADS AND SALAMANDERS,
THEY'RE A LITTLE MORE SLIMY.
BUT THE REPTILES ARE NOT.
>> Deborah: NOW, HOW DO YOU FEEL HAVING THIS BOA CONSTRICTOR
AROUND YOUR WAIST?
IT'S A LOVELY BELT.
>> YEP.
HE -- ACTUALLY, HE CONSTRICTS HIS FOOD TO SUFFOCATE
IT TO EAT IT.
YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, PUT IT NICELY.
SO HE -- HE'S NOT VENOMOUS OR ANYTHING.
THE CONSTRICTING ACTUALLY HELPS THEM PREY ON THEIR PREY.
SO HE DOES THAT.
HE'S NOT REALLY DOING ME TOO TIGHT RIGHT NOW
WITH THE CONSTRICTING.
HE'S JUST HOLDING ON WITH ALL THESE STRONG MUSCLES HE'S GOT
THROUGHOUT HIS BODY LIKE HE WOULD A TREE.
THEY CAN'T EVEN HEAR.
THEY FEEL VIBRATIONS, AND THEY CAN SEE, LIKE, INFRARED, HEAT,
TO LOCATE THEIR PREY.
>> Deborah: DO YOU THINK HE'S DIGGING THE MUSIC TONIGHT?
>> OH, DEFINITELY.
WE'VE GOT SOME AWESOME BANDS OUT HERE.
>> Deborah: THIS ZOO GROOVES EVENT FEATURED LIVE MUSIC
BY BROTHERS PEARL.
AND SINCE NORMAL CONCESSIONS ARE CLOSED IN THE EVENING, THE
SUPPORT OF LOCAL VENDORS TO HELP KEEP VISITORS REFRESHED.
>> SO WE'RE FOUR SAINTS BREWING COMPANY BASED OUT OF ASHEBORO,
NORTH CAROLINA, RIGHT HERE.
WE'VE GOT THREE BEERS TODAY.
WE HAVE OMIE, WHICH IS OUR BLONDE ALE, POTTER'S CLAY, WHICH
IS OUR AMBER, AND THEN YOU ASKED FOR IT IS A SESSION IPA.
WE LOVE COMING TO THE ZOO.
WE LOVE SUPPORTING THEM.
WE'VE DONE THE ZOO-TO-DO THE PAST THREE YEARS,
DONATED EVENTS TO THEM.
IT'S GREAT TO BE PARTNERED WITH THE LARGEST ZOO IN NORTH AMERICA
THAT'S RIGHT IN OUR BACKYARD.
SO YOU CAN'T SAY NO.
>> Deborah: FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.