The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
Address: 3777 Nolensville Road Pricing: Adults & Teens $13; Seniors $11; Children 3-12 $8 Phone: (615) 833-1534 Hours: Oct. 16-March 14, 9 a.m. -4 p.m.; March 15-Oct.15, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. How To Get There:
The Nashville Zoo can be accessed from either I-65 or I-24 at the Harding Place Exit.
Parking:Free
Visit Website
The Nashville Zoo: a hop on the wild side
Published: Jul 6, 2009
Things are hopping at the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere. Really.
In connection with the Year of the Frog in 2008, the zoo opened six new frog exhibits in its Unseen New World habitat, helping to raise awareness of the plight facing endangered amphibians today.
In addition to the golden frog and Puerto Rican crested toad, guests can view nearly 75 species of reptiles, amphibians, insects, mammals and birds native to three different regions including North America, Central and South America and the West Indies.
But the New World habitat is just one of the zoo's popular stops. Kids can get into the swing of things at the Jungle Gym playground, with more than 66,000 square feet of sliding, swinging, climbing, crawling and exploring. The newly renovated play area features a dancing fountain, animal sculptures and swings.
At Critter Encounters, also geared for the younger visitors, guests can pet, feed and interact with most of the animals in the area, including camels, goats, alpacas and donkeys.
Definitely not for petting is the African Crested Porcupine, found in its own habitat near the Bamboo Trail. If you’re lucky, you might catch them taking a mid-afternoon dip in the pool.
At the Gibbon Islands at the Zoo's Entry Village, you can meet Bahari and Muppet, two siamongs living together in the landscaped hills of the swinging primate exhibit. While you're there, look for the pair of white-cheeked gibbons swinging through the trees.
Look for clouded leopards, red pandas, red pandas, ring-tailed lemurs, Schmidt’s guenons, cassowaries and rhinoceros hornbills while strolling down the Bamboo Trail. For a history lesson, visit the Grassmere Historic Farm and tour the historic home that dates back to the early 1800s. The farm and barnyard are home to a Percheron draft horse, a steer, a cow and chicken coop.
The zoo offers families year-round fun with monthly events and family-friendly shows. Guests can also interact with the zoo keepers and the inhabitants.
Information on upcoming events is posted on the zoo website.
- by Emily Moore, Nashville Reporter for HelloMetro
(Click to leave a message)
|
Click Images To Enlarge
The white-cheeked gibbons can be seen in the Gibbons Island habitat. Photo by Pete Meenen, courtesy of the Nashville Zoo.
Don't miss the giraffes on your Nashville Zoo visit. Photo by Byron Jorjorian, courtesy, the Nashville Zoo.
Look for the clouded leopard while walking along the Bamboo Trail. Photo by David Gilbert, courtesy, the Nashville Zoo.
The recently renovated 66,000-square-foot Jungle Gym is a favorite among the Zoo's younger guests. Photo by Jim Bartoo, courtesy the Nashville Zoo.
|
