Roger Williams Park Zoo: More Than You Think!

Melissa and I were out doing something fun this past weekend. So many of our adventures start with waking up early and seeing something on TV that looks like it may be fun, and this past Sunday was no different. We headed out to Roger Williams Park Zoo - not only for the incredible display of animals but also for the newest exhibit, Flutterby. This is an unbelievable gathering of colorful butterflies all housed in a large building that resembles a greenhouse.

Flutterby is the newest incarnation of special attractions that RWPZ is putting on this summer. If you’ve ever been to the Zoo for the Dinosaur exhibit then you’ll know exactly how spectacular the Zoo staff can make things look. We must have taken 75 or so pictures just in the butterfly exhibit. I never realized that I’d enjoy myself as much as I did. You’re totally immersed in the world of these butterflies. I even managed to save a Buckeye Butterfly that was stuck to the exhaust vent from a certain doom. As amazing as the pictures are, being there in person is even more amazing.

The main portion of the Zoo has been under a $35 million dollar upgrade over several years. Go to http://www.thenewzoo.org/ to find out about all of the incredible upgrades they’ll be making. Some of the most significant changes will be the new world-class polar bear exhibit that will be nine times bigger than the old one. Personally I can’t wait to see how this turns out. They’ve put a pair of bald eagles in the area where the polar bear exhibit used to be housed. According to a Zoo employee, the eagles were rescued after being found in the wild with injuries that left them unable to fly.

Another huge change is the elephant paddock that is under a total transformation. The concept behind all of the renovations is to bring the animals and the visitors closer together. It’s going to be amazing and we’ve already seen examples of how they execute this with the giraffes. The giraffes just happen to be Melissa’s favorite so we always spend a little extra time there. You really get up close and personal with them while they eat. The big three would be giraffes, elephants and surprisingly camels. But I think once the polar bears come back she’ll fall in love with them too. I think anyone within 50 miles should make it a point to get to Roger Williams Park Zoo this summer and more so once they finish all of the exhibits. Now through September 1st.