Event Calendar | John Ball Zoo
Open Today: 9 AM – 6 PM | Grand Rapids Lantern Festival: 7:30 PM – 11:30PM
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JOHN BALL ZOO

EVENTS AT JBZ

There’s always something happening at John Ball Zoo! Daily Animal Programs include animal trainings, animal feedings, and animals receiving enrichment. We strive to keep the schedule current but it may change due to unforeseen events.
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May 2024

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WILDLIFE EXPLORATION DAY | MI WILDLIFE DAY

WILDLIFE EXPLORATION DAY | MI WILDLIFE DAY
SATURDAY, MAY 25 | 9AM - 6PM
Get your tickets
map coming soon

Members | Free

Non-Members | General Admission

Anna, Elsa and friends will be helping John Ball Zoo give Michigan’s native turtles and songbirds the recognition they deserve! Catch animal activities, interactive wildlife stations, and entertainment throughout the day.

Anna & Elsa
Cinderella 2
Mary Poppins 2
Belle

Anna, Elsa, Cinderella, Belle & Mary Poppins
*Please note, character rotations occur throughout the day; due to breaks specific character meetings are not guaranteed.

EVENT DETAILS

Chimp Feeding | 9:15AM
Character Meet & Greets | 10AM-3PM
Anna, Elsa, Cinderella, Belle & Mary Poppins
Penguin Feeding | 10:30AM
Story Time with Circle Theatre | 11AM
Bubble Performer by Embodied Arts | 11:30AM-1:30PM
Creature Feature | 11:30AM & 12:30PM
Pygmy Hippo Keeper Chat | 2PM
Penguin Feeding | 3PM
Ambassador Pavilion Program | 4PM

Become a Wildlife Explorer! 
Welcome to our Wildlife Exploration Days! Once a month join John Ball Zoo for a unique opportunity to celebrate Earth’s biodiversity and learn how to take action to make a difference. 
When you arrive, grab your Wildlife Explorer Passport. With your passport in hand, make your way to our Exploration Stations where you can learn more about animals, engage with interactive activities, and collect a badge for your passport. Each badge collected is an opportunity to enter to win prizes! Attend all of our Wildlife Exploration Days to complete your passport.
BOOTHS

MSU Extension – Michigan Clean Boats, Clean Waters
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute

EVENT PARTNERS

Attending events at John Ball Zoo makes for an unforgettable experience where your money also supports wildlife conservation around the world and right here in West Michigan.

INTERESTED IN SPONSORING THIS EVENT?
CONTACT US
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GRAND RAPIDS LANTERN FESTIVAL

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2024 EVENT CALENDAR
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JBZ Upcoming Events

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1300 W. Fulton St,
Grand Rapids, MI 49504

2024 Season | Mar 22 - Nov 24

Office Hours | Mon – Fri, 9am – 4pm

616.336.4300

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Great Lakes Rare Turtles

Great Lakes Conservation
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About

Turtles are in trouble around the world and locally. The Great Lakes Rare Turtle Program addresses on threats that are existential and widespread for Blanding’s, Spotted, Wood, and Box Turtles. The John Ball Zoo is working wth partners to study head starting as a conservation tool, protecting nesting habitat for Wood Turtles from raccoons, and researching the distribution and status of Spotted Turtles in Southwest Michigan. The zoo partners with local community scientists to indentify road crossings that pose a threat to Blanding’s and other species of turtles.

Partners
Michigan Natural Features Inventory
Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Grand Valley State University
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Poweshiek Skipperling

Oarisma powesheik

Facts
Habitat

Grassland, Wetlands (inland)

Threat Range

Critically Endangered

Conservation
Region

Extant (resident) - Canada (Manitoba); United States (Wisconsin, Michigan), Possibly Extinct - United States (South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa), Extinct - United States (Indiana, Illinois)

Screenshot 2023-02-15 at 10.34.14 AM

Mitchell's Satyr

Great Lakes Conservation
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About

The prairie fens of southern Michigan are a stronghold for the Endangered Mitchell’s Satyr butterfly. We are working with Michigan State University, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Michigan Natural Features Inventory, and the Kalamazoo Nature Center to develp to propagate this rare butterfly. Offspring reared in the program may be used to supplement wild Mitchell’s Satyr populations.

Partners
Michigan Natural Features Inventory
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
Kalamazoo Nature Center
The Nature Conservancy
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Freshwater Mussels

Great Lakes Conservation
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About

Freshwater Mussels are one of the most fastenating groups of animals. Unfortunately they are also one of the most imperiled groups on animals with more than 70% of North American species listed as Threatened or Endangered. Our own Grand River is home to an impressive 32 different species, 19 of which are listed. The John Ball Zoo is working with scientists at Grand Valley State University to evaluate Grand River Mussel populations. During the 2023 field season, the team documented over 1,000 individuals from 27 different species. This includes the Endangered Snuffbox Mussel.

Partners
Grand Valley State University

Habitat Hero

Community Science
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About

The Habitat Hero program is focused on creating better urban pollinator habitat by giving away native plants to west Michigan community members. By giving away native trees, shrubs and wildflowers, we are inviting community members to provide crucial nectar sources for pollinators as well as become more involved in pollinator conservation in their own yards and gardens.

Partners
Roosevelt Park Neighborhood Association
West Grand Neighborhood Organization
Creston Neighborhood Association
Neighbors of Belknap Lookout
Eastown Community Association
John Ball Area Neighbors/South West Area Neighbors
Garfield Park Neighborhood Association
Plaster Creek Stewards
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Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring

Community Science
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About

American Kestrels are one of North America’s most abundant raptors, but their populations have been steadily declining since the mid 1960’s. This year we have begun participating in the American Kestrel Partnership, run by the Peregrine Fund, to monitor local kestrel nest boxes and help better understand Kestrel population trends and biology.

Partners
American Kestrel Partnership
Kent County Parks
Ada Township
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Grand River Sucker Monitoring

Community Science
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About

Suckers are a very important, and often overlooked, group of migratory fish that inhabit the Grand River. Every spring they migrate upriver from Lake Michigan to spawn in tributaries of the Grand River. We are joining a project started by the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago to determine how changes in temperature and flow of the streams impact the spawning behavior of the suckers.

Partners
LGROW
GRPM
GVSU
Shedd Aquarium
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Turtle Road Mortality Surveys

Community Science
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About

One of the major threats to turtle populations is mortality associated with roads and vehicles. We have a team of trained volunteers who survey predetermined road crossing sites and report the number of turtles they find at these locations. We plan to use the data to assist in conservation decision-making regarding roads and turtles in west Michigan.

Partners
GVSU

Michigan Butterfly Network

Community Science
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get involved
About

As part of our pollinator conservation work, we want to understand how native butterfly populations are changing over time. By training community members to use the Michigan Butterfly Network monitoring protocol, we are offering passionate people the opportunity to help contribute to our understanding of butterfly populations in west Michigan.

Partners
Kalamazoo Nature Center
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Bat Surveys

Community Science
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About

West Michigan is home to several species of rare and threatened species of bats. This summer we will have a group of volunteers collecting bat occurrence data by driving predetermined routes and using special recorders and software to identify bat species. The data will be submitted to the North American Bat Monitoring Project as part of their ongoing analysis of bat abundance and occupancy across North America.

Partners
North American Bat Monitoring Program
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Massasauga Rattlesnake

Great Lakes Conservation
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About

The Massasauga is Michigan’s only venomous snake and plays an important role in the ecosystem. Unfortunately, these snakes are declining in numbers and are listed as Threatened. The John Ball Zoo helps to educate the public on the plight of the Massasauga and helps conservation biologists study them in the field. Currently, we are assisting Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, Grand Valley State University, and Sarett Nature Center develop new technologies to monitor this secretive snake species.

Partners
Sarrett Nature Center
United States Fish and Wildlife Service
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City Nature Challenge

Community Science
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About

The City Nature Challenge is one of the world’s largest annual community science events. Started by iNaturalist in 2016 as a friendly competition between the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco, this bioblitz has grown into a global phenomenon with over 500 cities participating. Taking place over the last weekend in April each year, the City Nature Challenge is all about getting outside and documenting the biodiversity in and around our communities while building and strengthening relationships with other people who are passionate about conserving local species. The West Michigan City Nature Challenge is Michigan’s only City Nature Challenge event, and encompasses Allegan, Barry, Kent and Ottawa Counties. We are excited to partner with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and many other local organizations to engage our communities in four days of exploring our biodiverse outdoor spaces.

Partners
Michigan Vernal Pool Partnership
MiDNR
Blandford Nature Center
Pierce Cedar Creek Institute
Calvin Ecosystem Preserve
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Michigan Area

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Freshwater Mussels

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Habitat Hero

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Kestrel Nest Box Monitoring

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Grand River Sucker Monitoring

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Turtle Road Mortality Surveys

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Michigan Butterfly Network

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Bat Surveys

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Massasauga Rattlesnake

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City Nature Challenge

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