Sleep was definitely not a part of this slumber party. Lions roared, alligators growled and monkeys bellowed throughout the night as four families camped out during a sleepover at the Honolulu Zoo. Families share wild
night at Honolulu ZooBy Nancy Arcayna
narcayna@starbulletin.comThe campsite was set up on the lawn area, adjacent to the tiger's cage. Judy Weitz was with her three children. "My husband isn't much of a camper and I feel like I have to do this," she said as she propped up her tent with ease.
Kids from each family helped their parents by pounding in tent stakes and rolling out sleeping bags. Extra pillows offered the comfort of home.
My husband brought the bare necessities: a tent, a blanket to sleep on and a flashlight -- definitely not my idea of ideal accommodations. After we set up, I checked to make sure our tent was sealed. Thoughts of creepy crawlers invading our home for the night filled my mind -- cockroaches, centipedes, mice or, worse, any animal that might escape from its cage.
The McNultys were there to celebrate their daughter Megan's birthday. "She's been bugging us to do this. Normally we camp out at Waimanalo Beach," Terrance McNulty said.
"It's great to not have any responsibility except to keep your children from being eaten," Peggy McNulty said.
"Daddy paid extra to have the peacocks attack, so look out," she told her children, knowing of Terrance's plans: He couldn't wait for the campfire to begin so he could announce the tigers had escaped.
Pizza Hut delivered our dinner, so we weren't exactly roughing it.
Norie Bloom and Hayden Yates were behind-the-scenes tour leaders, handing out flashlights with infrared lenses for the night tour along with warnings to not shine light directly on the sleeping animals.
The purpose of the tour is to get a glimpse of the animals that normally sleep by day. We began the tour in the African Savannah with a visit to the hippo den. Yates fed the 4,000-pound creatures some apples, their favorite treat."I've never seen anything like this," Peggy McNulty said as the hippos came up close to the glass window and opened their large mouths to get their snacks.
Toads lined the walking path, so we needed to watch our steps. Six-year-old Shelby Wietz wasn't worried about toads. "I don't want to step in any poop," she explained.
At our next stop, night zookeeper Dave Stephenson was at the hyenas' home, getting ready for feeding time. "The animals get cranky if they are bored, so we make them different toys to keep them interested," Bloom said as she showed us a giant bone attached to a string.
Before heading off to the tents, we made our own s'mores by a makeshift campfire. This was a real treat for any kid at heart. Yates told two colorful stories that had the small children rolling with laughter. My 5-year-old son enjoyed the experience and was fast asleep as soon as he lay down in the tent.
I, like many of the other adults, shifted about trying to get comfortable. A trek to the restroom in the middle of the night left me wide awake. The howling monkeys and cool crisp night air made it hard to go back to sleep.
Morning came and everyone had made it. An array of fruits, muffins and croissants was served at breakfast.
Where: Honolulu Zoo Snooze in the Zoo
When: 5:30 p.m. Saturday to 9 a.m. Sunday
Cost: $35, ages 5 and up; $10 ages 3 to 4; under 2 is free. $5 discount for Honolulu Zoological Society members.
Call: 926-3191
"Early in the morning is a funny experience," said Ken Longenecker, who was on his second overnight visit. "They (zoo animals) get really randy and are doing things you normally wouldn't see them do during the day. Screams are heard from everywhere. I guess the people that live around here must have to get used to it."
His reason for returning?
"It was so fun the first time around," he said.After breakfast, we embarked on another adventure. We walked into the tortoises' home and got to mingle with the creatures. We were able to pet and say hello to Jaws, a tortoise who is more than 80 years old and weighs 600 pounds. She stretched her neck out and seemed to enjoy the attention.
And when enough was enough, Jaws retreated into her shell.
"Did you see that? It almost took my fingers off," Tammy Castleforte said jokingly.
"Yes, I thought I'd have to drag you out of there," Longenecker said.
The children got to feed the koi and small turtles in the lagoon surrounding the lemurs.
"The monkeys are kept in by the killer koi," Steve Goodwin joked. "If they try to escape, they will snap their arms off."
Later on the tour, Goodwin teased his wife Jodi for talking dirty to the apes as she called out, "Hey big boy," to Rusty the orangutan, right after Yates explained that Rusty enjoyed female voices and his favorite pastime was reading "Victoria's Secret."
The children found other simple pleasures.
"I like putting them (peacock feathers) in my hair," 7-year-old Hannah Goodwin said, while the boys enjoyed running about and climbing on the giraffe sculpture or exploring the garden area.
>> "Boo at the Zoo": Live entertainment, game booths, face and tattoo painting and karaoke contest for keiki. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. tomorrow at the Honolulu Zoo. Free. Other zoo programs
>> Junior Zookeeper: Children can learn about zoo careers from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $35; $30 HZS members.
>> Moonlight Tours: Evening safari to observe animals that normally sleep during the day. At 6 p.m. Nov. 6 and 30; 6:30 p.m. Nov. 3 and Dec. 1. Costs $10; $8 for HZS members.
>> Keiki Zookeeper: Go behind the scenes with a zookeeper and meet the animals. For children ages 6 to 10. Sessions run 1 to 4 p.m. with mammals Nov. 3; birds Nov. 10; reptiles Nov.17; and conservation Nov. 24. Cost: $35 per class or $120 for all four sessions. HZS members get a $5 discount.
>> Behind the Scenes: Shadow a zookeeper and ask questions before the zoo gates open. The tour is followed by a continental breakfast, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. Nov. 18 and Dec. 8. Cost: $20; $15 HZS members.
I was beat and ready to take a nap as we left the campsite. The howling animals and lumpy grounds did not make for a restful night's sleep. But in the end, everyone agreed it was a lot of fun and they would return, with the kids able to enjoy the camping experience in a safe, contained area. And the parents also got to enjoy an outdoorsy activity without really having to rough it.
Click for online
calendars and events.
