This year marks the 40th anniversary of Broadway Stages. In celebration of our 40th trip around the sun, we are shining the spotlight on the heart of our community – the local businesses and organizations that provide the essential or simply enjoyable goods, services, and experiences that allow us to thrive and delight in this great city we call home. We continue our series on Staten Island and feature the local establishments that line our streets, providing our neighbors, family, and friends a livelihood and rich culture. Join us on our journey and get to know the people and organizations that make our community home. Today, our journey takes us to the wild, wonderfully diverse world of animals at the Staten Island Zoo!

The NYC area offers residents a variety of ways to connect with the natural world. Here at Broadway Stages, we love to tell you about these opportunities, from going birding with the NYC Audubon to learning about local flora and fauna at the Kingsland Wildflowers Green roof to hiking the trails of the Staten Island Greenbelt, and more. Another Staten Island location with a focus on the natural world is the Staten Island Zoo. The zoo is not only a place for you and your family to have a fun day out, but also a place where you can spend time together learning about animals and conservation.

The zoo is home to more than 1,500 animals representing over 300 species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and aquatic creatures. After a fun-filled walk around the zoo, you can take a break from your journey and unwind at the café. And throughout the year, the zoo hosts exciting events, such as the recent Zookeeper Appreciation Day and the Spooktacular event held around Halloween - one of our favorites that we have sponsored for years! The Staten Island Zoo also offers virtual and in-person educational programs to teach children of all ages about the importance of preserving animal and insect populations around the world.

GET INVOLVED

It takes a lot of work to maintain the facility and care for the animals at the Staten Island Zoo and we encourage you to consider lending a hand. The Staten Island Zoo offers several ways for the community to help.

●        Adopt Virtually: You can “adopt” an animal digitally to help provide food, housing, enrichment, training, and medical care for the zoo’s animals, as well as to support education and conservation programs. Adopting is the perfect gift for the animal lover in your life — or for yourself.

●        Donate and/or Volunteer: Consider making a direct financial donation or providing much needed items through purchases on the zoo’s Amazon Wish List. Get firsthand experience and make a difference by volunteering. The zoo has volunteer opportunities for individuals 14 and up.

●        Become a Member: There are various membership levels available (individual and family). Member benefits include free admission for one year; free or discounted admission to more than 100 other zoos; invitations to members-only programs and special events; sneak preview for new exhibits, and more. Become a member today!

MORE INFORMATION

See this silive.com article about the history of the zoo. And we encourage you to follow the zoo on Instagram and Facebook to keep up with their latest news, events, and animal residents.