New Zoo in Green Bay, Wisconsin

While the best zoo experience in Wisconsin is still the Milwaukee Public Zoo, Northeast Wisconsin holds a great alternative for those in the area who just can’t get down to Milwaukee. The Northeast Wisconsin Zoo (or NEW Zoo) is a smaller, more economical version of the zoo in Milwaukee with a focus on the distinct ecosystem of northern Wisconsin. Located about eight miles north of Green Bay off of highway 41, the zoo provides a relatively inexpensive ($4 adults, $12 family) way to see animals from around the world while learning about the destruction of habitats for many of the animals. The zoo is open during the summer months (from April through October) from 9am until 5pm, with free admittance to the zoo from June through August on Wednesdays, 4pm to 8pm.

The zoo features several great permanent exhibits, including the Wisconsin Northern Trails exhibit, the Petting Zoo, and the Africa and Australia continental exhibits. The Wisconsin Northern Trails exhibit shows the birds, wildlife, and plant life of Wisconsin’s northern woods. The petting zoo, like at many zoos, is a great place for kids and a fun place to pet and feed small animals. Unlike other zoos, however, it is not as crowded much of the time and zoo goers can get more time in petting the animals. The Africa exhibit includes a large habitat for the African lion, which is an interesting animal to watch in its habitat. The Australian exhibit features wallabies and emus in large habitats to show them in their natural state. The recently opened giraffe exhibit allows patrons to feed and pet giraffes and the usual fare of educational materials on the natural habitat and behavior of giraffes. The exhibit portions of the NEW Zoo are interesting and change often enough to keep repeat attendees coming.

The educational mission of the NEW Zoo provides students and the community a strong outlet for their interest in zoology and nature. The NEW Zoological Society, which does fundraising and support for the zoo, plans events such as the Easter Eggstravaganza and Halloween and Christmas events for families to participate. The Zoo is one of the most heavily traveled areas for school field trips and day care groups and provides enough hands on experiences for children of all ages to become interested in wildlife. The Zoo staff also encourages interested high schoolers and college students to participate in job shadowing and internships to learn more about jobs dealing with animals and zoo operations. For more information on coming exhibits and visitor’s information, people can visit www.thenewzoo.com.