The Natural Science Center in Greensboro blew me away! Where else can you enjoy hundreds of fun science exhibits, a world-class small size zoo, amazing rocks, a dinosaur gallery and a thrilling 3D Theater? The center is open daily and admission is $8 adults, $7 children and seniors (Omnisphere movie tickets are $6 extra). TIP! I paid half price with my SC Riverbanks Zoo membership.

The Animal Discovery Zoological Park, is open 10AM - 4PM (12:30 PM on Sundays) and features Bengal tigers, spunky meerkats, acrobatic gibbons, loud howler monkeys, Nile crocodiles, maned wolves, wallabies and the usual farm animals. I have to admit it is quite a competitor to the NC Zoo.

Here are the zoo highlights!

They’ll make an offer you can refuse…
Meerkat live in mobs (also called clans or gangs) of 30 individuals, dominated by a pair of male and female. The mob is highly organized, with members acting as sentry, hunters, babysitters and teachers.

Usually, the alpha pair reserves the right to mate and normally kills any young not its own…

They usually kick out the mothers, and thus, with the help of roving males, new meerkat groups are formed.

The meerkat uses its tail to balance when standing upright.

The black patches around the eyes help deflect the sun’s glare and their crescent-shaped ears close when digging to keep sand out.

Like cats, meerkats have frontal eyes featuring binocular vision, a large peripheral range, and depth perception.

Now you see me, now you don’t!
Gibbons are rare, small, slender, and long-armed tree-dwelling apes.

Masters of brachiating they can swing between tree branches up to 50 feet apart!

Family first! Gibbons are one of the few mammals that mate for long lasting pair bonds.

The young stay with mom and dad for up to 6 years.

Gibbons are arboreal, spending most of their lives in trees.

Because they are so dexterous while moving in the trees, almost no predators can catch them.

Due to rapid deforestation, gibbons are an endangered species.

Catch me if you can…
Tigers are masters at solitary hunting. Their 3.25 inch retractable claws help them silently stalk and get a strong grip on prey, as well as climb and mark trees with ease.
Tigers are excellent swimmers and love frolicking in the water! A water hole is a drinking source, a place to catch prey and to cool off.

Unlike humans, a tiger can make and hear sounds below 20 hertz, in infra-sound.

The lower the pitch of the sound, the farther the sound can travel. A tiger’s roar can be heard 2 miles away through thick forests, buildings and even mountains!

Tigers are the most endangered mammals on Earth. Today there are more tigers living in captivity than in the wild. The Caspian, Bali and Javan tigers are now extinct.

Petting zoo fun!
From snakes to rats, from sheep to goats kids love to get a close look at all creatures that roam around our houses and farms.

Brush, brush, brush the sheep…

Shock and awe! Weird, funny, and ferocious reptiles…
She has a face only a mother could love! The two headed yellow belly slider came to the center when she was just a hatchling. Now at 8 years old she’s still the Natural Science Center’s reptile primadona!

From the dawn of dinosaurs come the giant turtles!

I know what you did last summer…
The Nile crocodile lives in tropical Africa in salty or brackish water. It grows up to 20 feet long and weigh over 1,000 pounds.

Unlike the alligator, it has a narrow snout with many protruding teeth.

The opportunistic crocodile eats anything that ventures too close to the water’s edge.

The crocodile does not hibernate during the cooler African rainy season. Currently it is listed as threaten or endangered.

Walk on the wild side in Greensboro, North Carolina!

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