Washington Park Zoo opens Friday
After seeing a record-breaking amount of visitors during the 2021 season, Washington Park Zoo officials hope to see people continue to visit the Michigan City staple during the 2022 season.
“We had a great season. Last year was our most popular year,” said zoo director Jamie LeBlancHuss, who noted that 115,190 people visited last season, even with the observation tower opening late in May 2021 due to safety concerns and schools still hesitant to visit due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the changing protocols and 6-foot distancing we managed to keep all the animals and the staff COVID-free so it was good.”
Washington Park Zoo in Michigan City opens for the 2022 season on April 1 and will remain open daily to Oct. 31.
“We’re excited about it and we’re hoping for a more normal year than we’ve had the last two years,” said LeBlanc-Huss, who added that there were only 34,771 visitors during the 2020 season, which launched late in June 2020 and saw the zoo open on and off due to measures to mitigate coronavirus.
New to the zoo are twin common marmosets, which were born in February.
“The zoo has an assortment of rescue animals. Most of them are rescues, misplaced pets and similar wildlife that are injured and can’t be released. The other ones are animals that are here for education and programs,” said Leblanc-Huss of La Porte.
“Everybody likes the castle and the tower. One of the most popular things is the parakeet feeding station where you can go in and the birds are in free flight. We’re hoping in the next year to enclose that so we’re fundraising for that. We’d like to make that all season for the birds and the guests.
“Of course the river otters is one of our next most popular things, and everybody loves the wolves.”
Several of Washington Park Zoo’s annual special events, including the popular Boo at the Zoo on Oct. 22, return for the season.
“We have zoo camps starting back up,” LeBlanc-Huss said. Registration starts for them on April 3 for sessions from June 13-16, June 20-23, June 27-30, July 11-14, July 18-21 and July 25-28.
Free admission for mothers and grandmothers with a paid child admission is available on Mother’s Day, May 8, while free admission for fathers and grandfathers with a paid child admission is available on Father’s Day, June 19.
“A new event that we’ve got going on Aug. 27 is Family Zoofest. We’ll have activities. Some sponsors and vendors will be here from the community. It will just be a fun day,” LeBlancHuss said.
“We wanted to add a new community event because everybody is getting back out there and supported us through the last two tough seasons.”
Open since 1928, Washington Park Zoo is spread out over 15 acres and says that it “features over 90 different species of animals native to Australia, Africa, Asia, North America and South America.”
“The zoo’s small enough where everybody can get around and not be too exhausted by the time you’re done,” LeBlanc-Huss said.
“We strive to keep the up close contact. When you go to bigger zoos you might not see a zookeeper. Here our staff works and interacts with the public. You can see and talk to the keepers about how far the animals have come or why they’re here. To me that makes it special.
“We love talking to people from out of town and locals who bring their kids and are now bringing their grandkids. We love to have that feedback and that one-onone encounter and to share what we do.”
Washington Park Zoo is open for spring and fall from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily April 1-May 28 and Sept. 5-Oct 31, respectively, with last entry at 3 p.m.
Extended summer hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Mondays-Fridays and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays May 28-Sept. 4 with last entry one hour before closing.
The zoo shares a parking lot with Washington Park Beach on Lake Michigan and Oasis Splash Park. A separate parking fee for non-sticker holders provides all-day access to all of these areas. Call 219-873-1506 or go to emichigancity.com/322/parking-stickers.