by Christine Chagaris
| Have you ever seen a polar bear open a holiday gift? Or, for that matter, a cow or a bunch of mountain goats do the same? Would you believe that all of this could be found in an oasis of green on the Upper East Side?Well, it is possible at the Central Park and Tisch Children Zoos’ “Presents to the Animals” event, now in its eighth year delighting kids and adults alike. This is a holiday event that children of all ages and parents/caregivers can share together and enjoy equally.“It’s amazing how kids and parents are transfixed by watching the animals open their gifts. |  | | It’s funny how human-like the animals can be when they are opening the presents, and how visitors really notice that. Also, this event seems to reinforce the spirit of giving, which adults and kids really seem to appreciate,” says Kate McIntyre, the Central Park Zoo’s manager of communications.
Indeed, the spirit of holiday joy and giving among young and older was in full evidence at this event on a recent sunny Sunday. Animals ranging from snow monkeys, polar bears, red pandas to the animals at the zoo’s Tisch Children’s Zoo (mountain goats, a cow, alpacas, bunnies and pigs) got gifts, which consist of holiday-inspired boxes filled with the animals’ edible delicacies of choice. Originally, the polar bears were the only lucky gift recipients when this event first started. However, in due time the holiday cheer soon spread to the other zoo residents. It is just plain fun to watch the animals approach their “loot”, some with caution, and some with good old plain, unbridled enthusiasm. | | The gifts to the polar bears are a highlight of this event. The bears, Gus and Ida, are crowd pleasers and this crowd was very eager indeed to see these furry behemoths open their presents. Everyone seemed to genuinely share in the excitement when, after the zookeepers safely deposited the giant, circular-shaped holiday boxes filled with edible gifts (consisting of trout, apples, salmon and red meat) in the bears’ enclosure (along with some whipped cream along the rocks’ edge and on the tops of the boxes for further bear enticement), the lumbering giants approached and at first, gave the boxes tentative looks. |  | | Then, much like a child filled with glee at opening a gift, Ida, Gus’s female counterpart, took the lead and began to playfully pounce on and claw at the box. She eventually partook of its contents to the delight of the crowd watching through the protective glass above. Gus, on the other hand, was a bit more cautious in his approach, but he, too, eventually enjoyed his holiday bounty. | | Just the exposure to new and unique animals, aside from the holiday merriment, seemed to spark lots of discussion among kids and adults. This was evident at the next stop for holiday gifts, the red panda enclosure.This animal closely resembles and is related to the raccoon (despite its panda moniker), and this fact was not lost on the zoo’s young visitors, who would openly comment on this observation to their adult counterparts who seemed equally intrigued. Of course, the main attractions here were the brightly wrapped boxes, filled with bamboo for this animal to enjoy as its holiday offering. |  | | It was on to the Tisch Children’s Zoo afterward, as animals ranging from goats, a cow, alpacas, bunnies and pigs received their gifts, filled with everything from vegetables to hay. And, let us not forget those denizens of the rain forest, who also received their edible treats.
“Presents to the Animals” fosters much positive interaction between adults and kids, as they can each relate their enjoyment at seeing the animals in action and, of course, opening their special gifts. The Central Park Zoo also offers many other activities for parents/caregivers and kids, among them Animal Jamboree, Storytime with the Animals, Keeping up with the Keepers, For the Birds and Snooze at the Zoo. Registration in advance is required for these programs. For more information, call Miriam at (212) 439-6583 or email mhernandez@wcs.org to register. “Presents to the Animals” runs December 9th and 10th, 16th and 17th. Adult admission is $8, $4 for senior citizens, $3 for children 3 to 12 and free for children under 3. The entry fee includes admission to the Tisch Children’s Zoo. Zoo hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. |
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