LA Zoo's Reindeer Romp Features Live Reindeer, Holiday Crafts, Keeper Talks, Photo Ops

The L.A. Zoo presents the only opportunity in Los Angeles to see a herd of live reindeer at its Reindeer Romp holiday celebration, which debuts Friday, November 17, 2017, and runs through Sunday, January 7, 2018 (except Christmas Day), 10 am to 4 pm. Guests are invited to make the most of the holiday season with a full day of fun and adventure at the Zoo, an especially beautiful and enriching place to spend quality time with kids and extended family during the holidays.

The season is highlighted by a rare chance to visit with reindeer in their charming "Reindeer Village" habitat also featuring fun reindeer facts and holiday photo ops daily. Weekend activities include make-your-own antler crafts, reindeer keeper talks at 11 am and 2 pm and a rotating schedule of animals unwrapping "gifts" of their own. Visits with Santa Claus in a whimsical North Pole setting (for a nominal fee) take place on weekend days, November 18 through December 17, 11 am to 3 pm, with a variety of photo packages available. For a great value, all Reindeer Romp activities, except Santa photos, are free with paid Zoo admission. Also included with paid Zoo admission are daily close-up "Animals & You" encounters, intriguing shows, talks and guided experiences, training demonstrations and more.

The landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing nearly 1.8 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered, as well as a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. Its responsibility toward wildlife conservation not only encompasses safeguarding the animals in its care but also actively participating in the preservation of some of the world's most critically endangered species and their habitats. Its many conservation successes include having led the charge in saving California condors from extinction and restoring populations of these critically endangered animals to their native habitats. The Zoo's lush grounds on 113 acres feature Rainforest of the Americas, an extraordinary collection of endangered and exotic mammals, reptiles, fish and amphibians living in spaces that exemplify their natural habitat in the rainforest biosphere; Chimpanzees of Mahale Mountains, home to one of the largest troops of chimpanzees in the United States; Red Ape Rain Forest, where visitors can walk among orangutans; the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles); Elephants of Asia; Campo Gorilla Reserve; and one of the largest flocks of flamingos in any zoo in the world. Among other highlights are an extraordinary, hands-on Hippo Encounter and face-to-face Giraffe Feedings; the Winnick Family Children's Zoo and Muriel's Ranch animal contact area; the Tom Mankiewicz Conservation Carousel; a variety of daily opportunities to learn more about animals, including close-up visits, special feedings and intriguing talks; and much more. The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 60,000 member households representing more than 240,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo's popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles.

Zoo admission, which includes all Reindeer Romp activities except Santa photos, is $21 for general admission (ages 13 to 61); $18 for seniors (ages 62+), and $16 for children (ages 2 to 12). No ticket is required for children under age two. Admission for Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association members is free.

The Los Angeles Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Free parking is available. For additional information, contact (323) 644-4200 or visit www.lazoo.org/reindeerromp.

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