The Chattanooga Zoo will celebrate its 80th birthday with a party Saturday, Aug. 5, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the zoo, 301 N. Holtzclaw Ave.
Party activities will include a crafts station where visitors can make party hats and birthday cards, cupcakes from the Cupcake Kitchen for the first 200 guests to arrive, animal ambassador meet-and-greets and animal-enrichment programs. A limited-edition 80th birthday T-shirt will be sold for $19.95.
This event is free with the purchase of regular zoo admission of $9.95 adults, $7.95 ages 65 and older, $6.95 children ages 3-12. Admission is free for Chattanooga Zoo members.
The birthday party will give visitors a chance to see new animal acquisitions to the zoo. These include two sand cats from the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center in Rosamond, Calif., and three tomistomas from the San Antonio Zoo. Commonly known as "false gharial," the tomistoma is a freshwater crocodilian native of areas of Malaysia, Sarawak, Indonesia and Thailand.
For more information on the party or new animals in the zoo: www.chattzoo.org/events/family-events.