ZOOS GO BLUE. Your Trip to Zoo Atlanta! Sunday, April 6

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Blake Reed
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1 ZOOS GO BLUE Your Trip to Zoo Atlanta! Sunday, April 6

2 Autism Awareness Day at Zoo Atlanta! Going to the Zoo can be a lot of fun. Here are some things you can do to prepare for your exciting trip and make your day a success! We can t wait to see you at the Zoo!

3 Visit the Website Before You Go Before visiting the Zoo, you may want to go on the website and look at the map. This will help you decide what animals you d like to see and create a plan for the day. You can also look at pictures of the animals and listen to the noises they make, so that you can be more comfortable with them when you visit. Questions? Please or call: [email protected], Autism2 If you re on your computer, click here:

4 Arriving at the Zoo There are lots of families at the Zoo. You might have to wait in a line. Stay calm and be patient. Fun is just ahead! Watch out for cars and don t wander off! Holding hands is a good idea. When you receive a map of the zoo, you can look on the back to see animal feeding or special show times.

5 Zoo Rules and Safety How To Prevent Getting Lost 1. Have a safety plan. 2. All kids should have an identification label and emergency contact information on them. 3. Always make sure you can see your group. What To Do If You Get Lost 1. Stay calm. 2. Ask a zoo employee or security guard for help. Security guard/ zoo employee above Zoo Rules 1. Do NOT feed or throw anything at the animals. 2. Stay on the paths. Do NOT go into or step on the bamboo. 3. Keep your pets at home. 4. No roller skates, skate boards, or bicycles. 5. Keep your shoes and shirt on at all times. 6. No glass, balloons, straws, or lids.

6 Sights, Sounds, and Smells of the Zoo Sights Sounds Smells You may see birds wandering around. They won t hurt you, but they don t like to be touched. Sometimes you have to look closely to see the animals in their homes. Watch out for the prickly bushes along the side of the path. You may hear animals making noises like roaring, chirping, or squawking; Don t worry - this is just how they talk to each other. You may hear carts driving, music playing, or people talking on radios. If you don t like a noise, it s okay to cover your ears. You may smell the animals or food. Some of the food will smell good, like popcorn. Some of the animals might not smell very nice. It s okay to ask to move away from a smell you don t like. There are places where you can push buttons to hear recorded animal sounds.

7 Flamingos and Parakeets Flamingos When you enter the zoo, the first animals you will see are the flamingos. They can be smelly or loud. There is usually a crowd, so stay with your group. Watch out for the step down on your way to see the flamingos. Parakeets There is a parakeet house where you can go inside with the birds. There will be plastic chains in the doorway that are fun to walk through. The parakeets are very friendly, and fly all around you, and are constantly chirping and singing. You can buy a food stick to feed to the birds; but if you are sensitive to nuts, you may want to avoid them.

8 African Plains In the African Plains you will see many animals: lions, elephants, giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and ostriches. Remember to stay behind the railings and do not lean over them. There is usually more than one place to see the each animal. The elephants are smelly. If you don t like the smell, just ask to move away. If you would like to try to feed the giraffes, you have to buy a special ticket.

9 African Rain Forest Inside the Living Treehouse, you will see lemurs and birds; you will walk through fun cloth strips in the doorway to get inside. The lemurs are jumpy and fun to watch, but sometimes they can be really loud. Make sure to look for the buttons to push and explore at the treehouse exit. There is an indoor and an outdoor gorilla viewing area. While you are watching the gorillas indoors, you can sit down on the seats in front of the glass. The indoor viewing area is often crowded.

10 Asian Forest The panda exhibit can be crowded; you can get a stamp on your hand. The red pandas and the tigers can be hard to find. The komodo dragon area is a nice, shaded place with benches to rest. The otters are playful and fun to watch, but they can be smelly. Orangutans are active and fun to watch!

11 Naked Mole Rats and the Reptile House Naked Mole Rats Reptile House To get in, you may crawl through a tunnel; though they may be crowded. The animals don t like when you tap on the glass! It is quiet inside. There is a playground, with tunnels. It will most likely be crowded there. It is dark in the Reptile House. It is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. You will see bugs, frogs, lizards and snakes. The animals don t like when you tap on the glass! It is musty and humid inside. They have a really cool coin roll, so bring loose change (lots of pennies).

12 Rides and Activities You might even see volunteers with animals you can pet! You will have a lot of fun meeting these animals, but listen closely and follow instructions. The Train You may have to wait in a line to get on. The train goes seven miles per a hour. The train can be crowded and bumpy. The tunnels are dark and have bright flashing lights. Carousel Petting Zoo You can pick what pretend animal you want to ride on. Animals may walk up to you; Stay calm they are friendly. Some animals move up and down, Some stay still, or you can ride on a bench. Some animals are kind of high, so you could have trouble getting on. Animals behind the fence are resting; let them rest. You can brush and pet the animals. You should wash your hands after visiting the petting zoo.

13 Kid Zone The Kangaroos can be jumpy and smelly. The birds and vultures may have dead animals, but don t worry - it s just their food. Page 13

14 Food and Restrooms If you get hungry, you can eat lunch at the Wild Planet Café. There are a lot of different things to eat here. If it s busy, you may have to wait in line a little bit. Other snack shacks may be open too. You can also bring your own lunch or snacks to eat. There are lots of picnic areas and tables where you can eat lunch. But remember, do not share any food with the animals! It is not healthy for them. Restrooms are marked on the map: At the entrance Between the African Plains and Rainforest At the Wild Planet Café By the train and carousel

15 Quiet Zone When you visit the Zoo there will be a lot of different sounds, sights, smells, tastes and feelings that you will experience. If you start to feel overwhelmed, that s okay. There is a special Quiet Zone where you can go to calm down. Look on the map or ask a Zoo employee to help you find a Quiet Zone. Inside it will be darker and very quiet. You can take a break here and relax.

16 Enjoy Your Visit to the Zoo! We hope you and your family have a wonderful visit to Zoo Atlanta. We are so excited to have you come and see us! Remember that this is a fun place. You should be comfortable and enjoy yourself with your friends and family. If you ever have a problem or feel anxious or frustrated, just let someone know. They will be happy to help!

17 Autism Awareness Day at Zoo Atlanta! We can t wait to see you at We re WILD about you!

Notes for parents, teachers and other caregivers

Wild Dolphin Cruise Notes for parents, teachers and other caregivers If children have sensory or behavioral challenges, you may want to be aware of the following considerations, and prepare accordingly: