Zoo throws welcome party for new South America area resident
July 14, 2010
WHO: Greenville Zoo
WHAT: The Greenville Zoo will throw a welcome party for its newest resident, a 4-year-old white-nosed coatimundi named Sid.
WHERE: Greenville Zoo – South America Area
WHEN: Thursday, July 15 – 11 a.m.
MORE INFO: Coatimundis or coatis are South American relatives to the raccoon, sharing the similar ringed tail. The coatis, however, are different in that they have a smaller stature and sport a very long snout. Their long nose is rich in sensory receptors, so they have an extremely heightened sense of smell which they use to find foods like fruits, vegetables, insects, eggs and small mammals.
Coatis have strong limbs to climb and dig, and when not searching for food on the ground, prefer to sleep or rest in elevated places and niches. Ranging from southern Arizona all the way to Argentina, coatis are threatened by the destruction of their rain forest home. Greenville Zoo’s coatimundi exhibit can be found in the South America area.
About the Greenville Zoo
Groundbreaking of the Greenville Zoo began nearly 50 years ago in Cleveland Park and opened to the public with mostly indigenous animals including bears, deer, bobcat, foxes, ducks and prairie dogs. Today, the Greenville Zoo is rated one of the best tourist attractions in South Carolina, attracting over 270,000 people annually to its 14-acre facility filled with wildlife from around the world including giraffe, monkeys, giant tortoises and elephants.
The Greenville Zoo is open seven days a week, except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. The zoo’s hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the gates close at 5 p.m. For more information about the Greenville Zoo, visit www.greenvillezoo.com or become a fan on Facebook.
