Wild Adventures
Program Info For All Hikes:
- Cost is free but preregistration is required for all participants
- Registration through Eventbrite
- If registration is full, you can join the waitlist by emailing betsy.roznik@nczoo.org. Please include the program name, date, and number of participants. We will contact you if space becomes available.
- Registration does not include admission to the Zoo
- Meeting location and driving directions will be provided in the registration confirmation email
- Each hike is limited to 15 participants
- Minimum age requirement is 8 years
- Minors between the ages of 8 -17 years must be accompanied by an adult.
Birding 101: Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve
Date: January 26, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
This hike will provide tips for those who want to start birding and discover what’s around them. Topics will include field guides, binoculars, birding apps, and much more! We will meet at the Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve, approximately 20 miles south of Asheboro. This preserve protects the largest remaining known stand of old-growth Piedmont longleaf pine in North Carolina. This property is not generally open to the public, so this is a special opportunity to learn more about the land and wildlife that the Zoo protects. We welcome beginners and anyone wanting to learn more about bird watching to join us. We’ll cover approximately 2 miles of uneven terrain. Please note that most of this hike will take place through the forest and not along a developed trail. Binoculars will be provided, but please bring your own if you have a pair.
Great Backyard Bird Count Hike at Africa Lake
Date: February 18, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m.- 10:30 a.m.
Participate in a worldwide bird count right here at the Zoo! Observations during this bird walk around the Africa Lake will be submitted to the Great Backyard Bird Count. Learn how to identify some of our common winter species, and how you can continue to participate at home. This area of the Zoo has great bird diversity, so we will be on the lookout for shore and water birds, raptors, woodpeckers, and other common winter birds. This birding opportunity is open to all experience levels.
Great Backyard Bird Count Hike at Nichols Preserve
Date: February 20, 2023
Time: 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Become a citizen scientist and participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count! Learn how to identify some of our common winter species, and how you can continue to participate at home. This bird walk will take place on the Nichols Longleaf Pine Preserve, one of the Zoo’s off-site nature preserves (20 miles south Asheboro) that is not normally open to the public. This property contains the largest remaining known stand of old-growth Piedmont longleaf pine in North Carolina and is home to a diversity of endemic and common bird species. This birding opportunity is open to all experience levels.