BY ELLIE WEBER & NELSON O. GUTIERREZ<\/p>\n
Bundled up in a winter jacket, a toddler leans up against a glass, completely awestruck. His tiny face can barely be seen through his hood and scarf, but his eyes tell the whole story. Before him, with only inches of protective glass, stands a lion on his hind legs roaring at the small visitor. <\/span><\/p>\n This was a toddler\u2019s first trip to the Peoria Zoo. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cSome may think of the Zoo as only a warm-weather attraction,\u201d said the head of the Peoria Zoological Society Jennifer Swanson. \u201cBut we\u2019re here all year long, only closed for five days out of the year.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n Many of the zoo\u2019s inhabitants, including the colobus monkeys and red river hogs, face a change of scenery as the seasons pass, moving into heated day-rooms in the winter that can still be observed by visitors. A surprising group of animals, however, are able to stay out and enjoy the snow. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cLions and zebras can stay out until it\u2019s zero degrees outside,\u201d said zoo attendant Paige Matuszyk. \u201cThe lions have a heated rock in their enclosure. The tigers can stay out below zero and don\u2019t need a rock or anything. They absolutely love the cold.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n When the cold weather sets in, the zoo is not usually an attraction that comes to mind when thinking of places to visit. However, some guests prefer to visit when the cold sets in. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe weather can never keep us away,\u201d says zoo member and visitor Maggie McCullough. \u201cIt may be a bit chilly, but the paths are clear and the sun is shining. The animals come right up to you because there aren\u2019t many visitors around. We love it like this.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n With fewer visitors, the maintenance crew and zoological society take advantage of the down time by planning changes to make for the next season. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe zoo has a master plan of improvements and refreshers to happen within the next few years,\u201d Swanson said. \u201cWe will be able to use the winter to decide what phases to go with next, and how to allocate those funds. It takes a bit of planning to choose what will go into action this spring.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond improvements to the zoo itself, the winter will also be spent with community outreach programs and education. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe want the word of the zoo to spread as far as possible, but we also can\u2019t forget that we\u2019re here for the animals first,\u201d Swanson said. \u201cWe bring animals out to schools who may not be able to make a field trip during the cold months. We still host classes and invite groups to spend the day amongst our strategically placed zoo buildings.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n These educational sessions can be a pull for the zoo, and keep people coming through their doors. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve been to a few classes and everyone in the family enjoys them,\u201d said McCullough. \u201cIt\u2019s not just the kids who learn; my husband and I always know something more than we walked in with!\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n The Peoria Zoo has plenty to see and do, even during the times most visitors would least expect. They even have several fundraising events happening throughout the season to keep people coming back. Their next events are donation days happening through November 26 through the remainder of the month, where visitors can donate any amount in lieu of admission. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n