World Tree Kangaroo Day
Thank you to everyone who celebrated World Tree Kangaroo Day with us! Guests enjoyed keeper talks, presentations, scavenger hunts, Tree 'Roo Olympics, and a virtual tree kangaroo experience. Special thanks to Lindsey Dank for didgeridoo performances, City of Gainesville's Urban Forestry Division for the tree giveaway, and Fabulous Faces for face painting. We appreciate LifeSouth's Bloodmobile, Alachua County Library's Bookmobile, and treats from Kona Ice and Mayflower Food Truck. A big shoutout to Visit Gainesville, Alachua County, for sponsoring this event!
Overview
It’s a bear! It’s a monkey! No…it’s a tree kangaroo! You heard right. The Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo is home to the Matschie’s tree kangaroo, an endangered species native to a small area of Papua New Guinea.
Bring the whole family out to the Zoo on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. to see these rare, majestic animals and learn how you can help them in the wild.
Keeper Talk and Presentation Schedule
- 9:45 a.m. Tree Kangaroo Training Demonstration
- 10:15 a.m. Lemur Keeper Talk
- 10:45 a.m. Marcus & Todd Puppet Show
- 11:15 a.m. Gibbon Keeper Talk
- 11:45 a.m. Eastern Indigo Snake Keeper Talk
- 12:30 p.m. Zoo and Tree Roos Presentation - Speakers: Kathy Russell and Jade Woodling
- 1:30 p.m. Tree kangaroo Keeper Talk
- 2:00 p.m. Kookaburra Keeper Talk
Date:
May 18, 2024.
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Quiet hours for those with sensory sensitivities will be from 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
(no music or presentations on a microphone) Sensory kits by KultureCity are available
for checkout at the ticket window during the event.
Admission:
Tickets are only available at the gate the day of event. All credit cards, cash, checks and Apple/Samsung Pay are accepted.
$10 - adults
$6 - children ages 4-12, Seniors (60+), Active Military and Veterans, Teachers, Police,
Firefighters, First Responders, EMT/EMS, Healthcare Workers (all with valid ID), UF
students and staff with current Gator1 ID
$3 - Electronics Benefits Transfer recipients
(up to 4 total tickets with card, any combination of adults/children)
Free - Children (3 and under), SF Students, Staff, and Retirees (with current SFID), and
Zoo Members
Where:
Santa Fe College Teaching Zoo
3000 NW 83rd St.
Gainesville, FL 32606
This event is funded in part by Visit Gainesville, Alachua County.
More information about Matschie's tree kangaroos, conservation programs, and community partnerships
Take a journey into the cloud forests of Papua New Guinea and explore the world of the Matschie’s tree kangaroo. Learn how Dr. Lisa Dabek, founder of the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, and researchers are learning about the life of tree kangaroos and how supporting local coffee farmers can help save an endangered species.
Tree Kangaroo Species Survival Plan and Conservation Program
It’s our last Tree Kangaroo Tuesday. Thank you for joining us all month long as we explored the lives of these amazing animals. Check out this video to find out how organizations accredited by The Association of Zoos and Aquariums are making a difference for tree kangaroos in human care and in the wild!
Community, Conservation, and Coffee
Learn how coffee farmers in Papua New Guinea partnered with the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program to create 180,000 acres of preserved land to protect Matschie's tree kangaroos.