THE BRONX ZOO JOINS THE MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
Thanksgiving will get a little wilder this year as, for the first time ever, the Bronx Zoo will be a part of the iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with a special float celebrating our 125th year!
Meet the Animals
The official Bronx Zoo parade float will celebrate some of our beloved animal and their natural biomes. We're working to protect all these species in the wild, and you can see all of them during your next visit to the Bronx Zoo.
Biome
Russian boreal forest
Species Represented
Amur tiger
Biome
Russian boreal forest
In the Wild
We are a leader in both tiger conservation and tiger science. We save tigers in 8 of the 10 countries in which they remain—more than any other organization. We protect thousands of square miles of tiger habitat from illegal poachers and traffickers of tigers and their prey.
Biome
African savanna
Species Represented
Giraffe
Common Ostrich
Grevy's Zebra
Von Der Decken's Hornbill
Biome
African savanna
In the Wild
Africa’s savannas are home to some of the most spectacular and iconic animals on the planet. We are working with local partners to protect the wildlife and wild places of Madagascar, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Biome
African rainforest
Species Represented
Western Lowland Gorilla
Okapi
African Gray Parrot
Biome
African rainforest
In the Wild
We work with partners, governments, and local communities to manage 18 protected areas Central Africa, covering more than 80,000 square miles. We protect areas that are home to more than half of the world's total remaining gorilla population.
In the Zoo
You’ll find our gorillas and okapis in Congo Gorilla Forest and our African gray parrots in World of Birds.
Visit the Zoo
Creating an Iconic Float
The Bronx Zoo’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float contains elements inspired by the classic architecture of two beloved and familiar Bronx Zoo locations:
Rainey Memorial Gate
Sculpted by Paul Manship, “Rainey Gate” (as we often call it these days) first opened to the public in 1934, allowing visitors to access the Bronx Zoo from Fordham Road. The gates are entirely sculpted in bronze. Some of the animals featured in the gates were well-known and beloved zoo residents, including Sultan the lion, Buster the Galapagos tortoise, and Jimmy the shoebill stork.
Zoo Center
In 1908, Zoo Center, designed by architecture firm Heins and LaFarge, opened to the public. The interior tile work was done by Rafael Guasavino, the famed architect and tile manufacturer who also used his signature overlapping tile method for the ceilings at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Terminal in New York City. Southern white rhinos, Komodo dragons and Aldabra tortoises are among the residents of this iconic building.
Visit the Bronx Zoo
Come celebrate 125 years of the Bronx Zoo with us. Explore more than 265 acres of hardwood forest and meet over 11,000 amazing animals.
What’s Happening at the Zoo
Pumpkin Nights
Pumpkin Nights, the nighttime family Halloween spectacular, is returning to the Bronx Zoo on select evenings this fall with MORE live pumpkin carving, MORE Wildlife Theater, MORE games and MORE fun than ever before.
Learn More
Boo at the Zoo
Our beloved family-friendly fall festival returns to the Bronx Zoo on Thursdays through Sundays from September 28 through October 27.
Learn More
Holiday Lights
Join us on select dates from November 22, 2024 through January 5, 2025 for a family holiday festival at the Bronx Zoo. During the evenings, the park comes to life with holiday cheer as immersive light displays, custom-designed animal lanterns, and animated light shows sparkle across the zoo.
Learn More
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