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Top Picks and
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Zoo Location |
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The Zoo is located at 402
Zoo Circle, Lufkin, Texas 75904. On the north Loop 287,
exit north on Martin Luther King and turn left
immediately onto Zoo Circle. Parking is available along
the street or the parking lots in Ellen Trout Park.
Buses are requested to park in the Expo Center parking
lot. Call 936-633-0399 for more information.
Click here for a map.
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Our Mission
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To cultivate an appreciation of the
natural world and to provide environmental education and wildlife
conservation for the
benefit and enjoyment
of
the citizens. |
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 New
Crane and Duiker Exhibit – 2009
The Lufkin Rotary Club, in support of the Zoo, is responsible for a
new exhibit at the Zoo. Rotarians provided funding and worked
alongside Zoo staff in the construction of this habitat. This new
exhibit is home to a pair of West African Crowned Cranes and a pair
of Bay Duikers. It provides these animals a larger living space,
allows them to be displayed in a geographically correct region of
the zoo (Africa) and it
 provides
them additional behind the scenes space for use when needed for
seclusion, rearing of young, or other needs. Duikers are small, shy
and secretive antelope; they have been provided places to feel
secure through landscaping. This includes grasses and other plants
along with natural wood shelter where they may feel safe and hidden
while still being visible to Zoo guests.
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 The
2009 Zoo Boo was a great success. Hundreds of children and
their parents toured the zoo in colorful costumes. There was
lots to see and do and many volunteers were dressed for the
occasion. Zoo Boo is an annual event. Be sure and join
us next year.
Click here
for a slide show. |
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 Students
participating in the Ellen Trout Zoo's "Escape to Africa" Zoo Safari
program concluded their week of learning and excitement on Friday
with a unique animal enrichment activity.
The incoming fifth and sixth grade students spent some time each day
constructing a giraffe, affectionately named "Jim-Bob" by the
program participants, from cardboard.
"Because the giraffe is going in the lion habitat, we have to make
it from materials that aren't harmful to the lions," said Alissa
Boothe, seasonal education assistant for Ellen Trout Zoo.
With the help of Boothe they put bits of meat in the body of the
fake giraffe, and assembled it in the lion habitat.
Then everyone moved to the safety of the viewing area and watched as
Mashaka, a 3-year-old African lion, made his way into the habitat
and attacked the cardboard giraffe. Read about it in the
Lufkin Daily News. |
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Sounds of children laughing and a
train whistling joined the smells of cooking meat and the waves of 100
degree heat at the Ellen Trout Park on Saturday. The Fourth of July
celebration started off slow as the Texas sun kept many indoors for much
of the day, but with sunset came growing crowds of people as vendors saw
their lines increase and chairs fill up just before the firework
extravaganza.
"We were lacking a little during the day, but I think that is just
because of all this heat," said Lufkin Parks and Recreation
Superintendent Mike Akridge. "But I've been here 32 years, and I'm
confident that people will turn out once it cools off a little."
Akridge's prediction was spot on, as people filed into the park later in
the day to grab a spot to watch the fireworks show. However, those who
braved the heat were able to enjoy live music all day, as well as
various activities and vending booths. Read more about it in the
Lufkin Daily News. Watch the
video of the fireworks display from start to finish! |
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 A
bouncing baby boy Masai Giraffe was found healthy and dry at 8 a.m.,
July 1. He had been born sometime during the night. Emi Lane is
being a good mother, as is to be expected with her track record.
On
July 2, the calf received a "well baby" check in the early
morning hours to beat the heat. The hand-on exam by Dr. Nance
confirmed the sex as male and that the calf is healthy and doing
well on mother's milk. He's about 6'4" tall and weighed in
during the exam at 65.5kg (about 144 pounds).
We have a
short video by Celia Falzone and the still photo is by
Samantha Miller, Ellen Trout Zoo.
The
calf will be on exhibit with mom and other giraffes this
weekend.
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New!
Videos shot by Ellen Trout Zoo personnel
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 Ninety-degree
temps and lots of roaming peacocks couldn't keep Brookshire Brothers'
employees from working at the Ellen Trout Zoo Friday afternoon for the
fifth annual "Zoo Work Day."
Once a year a group of volunteers gets together from Brookshires and
devotes a day to making much-needed repairs and improvements to various
parts of the zoo. This year's group tackled 23 projects in the
sweltering heat — and they all did it with a smile. Read more
about it in the
Lufkin Daily News. Watch the
video in High Definition! |
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Official site of
the Ellen Trout Zoo. This is a City of Lufkin website and as such is
subject to our
Security/Privacy policy and
disclaimer and our
links policy.
Site design and streaming video by
Bill Cameron
Consulting. For additional information
about the City of Lufkin, email
info@cityoflufkin.com. For information or
comments on the website, email the
webmaster. |
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