- YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THAT IF YOU VISIT A ZOO
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ANIMALS.
BUT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO HAS ADDED FEATURES
THAT GIVE IT BIG APPEAL FOR LITTLE KIDS
OLDER KIDS EVEN THE TWEENS WHO ARE SUPER HARD TO IMPRESS.
COME WITH ME TO THE LARGEST WALKING
NATURAL HABITAT ZOO IN THE WORLD.
[BRIGHT POP MUSIC]
- THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO IS AMAZING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND IT'S UNLIKE ANY ZOO
YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.
IT IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST NATURAL HABITAT ZOO
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO COME HERE
YOU CAN SEE ON THE NORTH AMERICAN SIDE
POLAR BEARS AND COUGARS AND GRIZZLY BEARS AND OTTERS
AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER REALLY FUN, INCREDIBLE CREATURES.
ON THE AFRICAN SIDE, YOU CAN LOOK OVER BIG VISTAS
AND SEE OUR ELEPHANTS, YOU CAN SEE OUR RHINOS.
WE HAVE AN AVIARY HERE, THE AVIARY HERE
IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INDOOR AVIARIES
THAT YOU WILL EVER EXPERIENCE.
YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ENTERED THE TROPICS
WHEN YOU GO IN THERE, THE BIG PLANTS
ARE COVERING OVER THE WALKWAYS YOU FEEL LIKE
YOU'RE ENTERING IN ALL TO THESE NEAT PLACES
AND ALL AROUND YOU ARE FREE FLIGHTED BIRDS.
- [DEBORAH] VISITORS WITH LITTLE ONES
WILL ESPECIALLY ENJOY THE AFRICA SIDE
WHERE YOU'LL FIND KID ZONE.
- [PAT] KID ZONE IS A FABULOUS PLACE
WHERE PARENTS CAN ACTUALLY SIT DOWN
TURN THEIR KIDS LOOSE AND THEY CAN MAKE MUD PIES
SPLASH IN THE WATER, GET FACE TO FACE
WITH SPECIAL ANIMALS THAT OUR IN
OUR EDUCATION AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
AND THERE'S LOTS OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS
THAT CAN HAPPEN THERE AS WELL.
- [DEBORAH] KID ZONE RESULTED FROM ZOO STAFFERS
ASKING THEMSELVES HOW CAN WE ENHANCE THIS EXPERIENCE
FOR ALL OF OUR VISITORS AND IT WAS THIS KIND OF THINKING
THAT BROUGHT ABOUT ANOTHER RECENT ATTRACTION.
[ELECTRONIC MUSIC]
- THIS IS THE AIR HIKE, THIS IS OUR NEW ROPES COURSE
AT THE NC ZOO IT TESTS PEOPLE'S LIMITS, PUSHES THEM.
TESTS THEIR FEAR OF HEIGHTS, THERE'S SOME CHALLENGING
UN-CHALLENGING EVENTS UP HERE.
WE'VE GOT OUR PLANK WALK RIGHT UP HERE
WE'VE GOT OUR COMMANDO CRAWL, MONKEY FIST.
WE'VE GOT A SURFBOARD THAT GOES UP IN THE AIR.
WE'VE GOT OUR SLIDE TO NOWHERE AND WE HAVE OUR ZIPLINE.
- WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO
EXPECT TO DO SOME WALKING, THEY SAY IF YOU DECIDED
TO COVER THE ENTIRE ZOO AND ALL THE EXHIBITS IN A DAY
YOU'D PROBABLY WALK ABOUT FIVE MILES.
YOU'VE GOT NORTH AMERICA WHERE KID ZONE IS
YOU'VE GOT AFRICA WITH LOTS OF GREAT ANIMAL EXHIBITS
AND SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE IS JUNCTION PLAZA
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GONNA FIND YOUR AIR HIKE
A 4D THEATER, THE CAROUSEL PLUS TICKETS
TO GET ON THE BRAND NEW ZOOFARI.
[UPBEAT TRIBAL MUSIC]
- [PAT] WE WANTED TO TAKE OUR GUESTS INTO THE WORLD
THAT WE AS STAFF GET TO EXPERIENCE.
SO WE CREATED ZOOFARI WHERE WE ACTUALLY PUT YOU ON
A ZOOFARI BUS AND LITERALLY TAKE YOU OUT AMONG
THE ANIMALS IN THE AFRICA PLAINS EXHIBIT.
WE AREN'T PUTTING YOU ON A NORMAL RIDE
WHERE THE ANIMALS ARE TUCKED AWAY IN OTHER PLACES
YOU'RE GOING RIGHT IN AMONG THEM.
- IT HAS 90 ANTELOPE, SOME WHITE RHINOS
AND SOME BIRDS ON IT.
SO RIGHT HERE WE HAVE TWO OF OUR GAZELLE SPECIES
AND THIS IS GREAT THAT THEY'RE SIDE BY SIDE.
MOST OF OUR MALES ARE YOUNG RIGHT NOW
SO THEY'RE VERY PLAYFUL,
ESPECIALLY WITH THIS GREAT WEATHER
HERE TODAY WHERE THE COLD FRONT'S COMING THROUGH
THEY'RE FEELING FRISKY.
IT'S ABOUT 45 TO 50 MINUTES ON THE BUS WHEN YOU'RE RIDING
YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SEE ALL OF OUR ANTELOPE
OUR RHINOS, OUR OSTRICH,
HOPEFULLY YOU'RE GONNA GET TO SEE
THEM UP AND INTERACTING WITH EACH OTHER.
I THINK THE VISITORS ENJOY IT QUITE A BIT
WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR A LONG TIME
TO FIND A WAY TO GET THESE ANIMALS CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC
SO THIS IS EASIER TO BRING THE PUBLIC CLOSER TO THEM.
- [DEBORAH] AND BRINGING THE PUBLIC CLOSER
IS JUST ONE OF THE ZOO'S CORE VALUES
THAT MAKES IT NOT ONLY AN ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION
BUT A POWERFUL PARTNER IN ANIMAL CONSERVATION WORLDWIDE.
- [PAT] NORTH CAROLINA ZOO HAS GOT PRINCIPLE CORE VALUES.
EDUCATION, GUEST EXPERIENCE AND CONSERVATION
IS ANOTHER MAJOR CORE VALUE, WE HAVE CONSERVATION STAFF
THAT'S DOING RESEARCH, THEY'RE ACTUALLY OVER IN AFRICA
THEY'RE WORKING GLOBALLY WITH PARTNERS
TO SAVE ANIMALS FROM EXTINCTION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING HERE LOCALLY.
- SO COME ON TO ASHEBORO AND GO WILD
AT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO.
FOR NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND, I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.
THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO IS LOCATED IN ASHEBORO
AND THEY'RE OPEN FROM 9AM TO 4PM OR 5PM EVERY DAY
OF THE YEAR EXCEPT CHRISTMAS DAY.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE ZOO
AT 800-488-0444 OR VISIT THEM ONLINE AT NCZOO.ORG.