Feed giraffes and soar through the skies at Binder Park Zoo

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan — Binder Park Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Michigan and offers plenty of space for people and animals to romp around.

“Binder Park Zoo has 1,000 acres of land,” said Allie Stoddard, Binder Park Zoo marketing manager. “170 acres of that is developed zoo land. We pride ourselves on giving our animals as much space as possible and recreating their habitats as they would find in the wild.”

At Binder Park Zoo there are lots of animals from all over the world to see.

“Our savannah exhibit is an 18-hectare habitat,” explained Stoddard. “Many species of animals live there, such as giraffes, zebras, ostriches, Addra gazelles and many others.”

The giraffes are a favorite of many park visitors.

“One of the coolest things that makes Binder Park unique is that you can hand-feed the giraffe all day long,” Stoddard said.

Grabbing lettuce is nothing new for these giraffes.

Their 45 centimetre long tongues and their wisdom help them in this.

“We have two of the oldest giraffes in the county: CeCe and Rukiya,” Stoddard explained. “CeCe is 27 years old and Rukiya is 26 years old.”

Binder Park Zoo is home to numerous animals from North America, many of which were rescued by the zoo.

“Our bald eagles were rescued,” Stoddard said. “They were both injured in the wild and deemed non-releasable, so they were able to come here. Our Mexican gray wolves are part of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife program where they can be crossbred with wild counterparts, and we work closely with them. Our bears were orphaned in the wild and also came here in 2012.”

Most people think of animals when they visit a zoo, but there are many other attractions.

Skylark Ridge is the largest structure of its kind in Michigan.

“It’s a three-story ropes course with a zip line,” Stoddard explained. “It’s made up of 45 ropes course elements and five zip lines. You’re secured with a sling and a harness and you can go in any direction you want. You can choose your own path, so if you want to go on the zip lines five or six times, you can go as many times as you want.”

If you’re planning on a quick trip to the zoo, now is the time!

“July is a great month to visit Binder Park Zoo because we are introducing Wild Wednesdays,” said Stoddard. “We will be open until 8 p.m. every Wednesday in July. We will also have live entertainment every night.”

This is a new way to visit the zoo and listen to music.

The opening hours of the Binder Park Zoo and further information about Wild Wednesdays can be found on its website.