Franklin Park Zoo is marking April school vacation week with a slate of family-friendly programs tied to Ape Awareness Month, highlighting the plight of critically endangered western lowland gorillas and ongoing conservation efforts.
From April 18 through April 25, the zoo will host “APE-ril School Vacation Week,” featuring daily educational activities, crafts, and keeper talks designed to engage visitors of all ages. The programming aims to raise awareness about gorilla conservation while offering interactive experiences throughout the zoo’s Tropical Forest pavilion and beyond.
Special events during the week include bubble-making stations and bubble machines on April 21 and 23, as well as appearances by Big Joe the Storyteller, who will perform on April 21 and 24 from noon to 1 p.m. and on April 23 from 1 to 2 p.m.
Zoo officials say the event also underscores their broader conservation mission. Through its involvement in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ SAFE program, Zoo New England supports efforts to protect Cross River gorillas in Nigeria. Visitors can also take part in the zoo’s “Gorillas on the Line” initiative by recycling old cell phones and electronics, helping to reduce demand for coltan mining, which threatens gorilla habitats.
Franklin Park Zoo will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends during vacation week. More information is available at franklinparkzoo.org.
