Popcorn Park Zoo (Forked river, New Jersey)
We went to the Pop Corn Zoo this Saturday. It was a cloudy afternoon and it was drizzling in intervals. This was my daughter's first visit to the zoo. From a child's point of view Popcorn Zoo is an ideal place for entertainment and at the same time learn the values of compassion and care.
This zoo is a hidden gem near Toms River and I never knew this place existed until a few months back. I found about it when my neighbor, Debbie mentioned it to me in a casual conversation.
The zoo costs about $5 per adult and this goes to support the animals. The animals in the zoo are generally not those that have been born in captivity as with most zoos, instead they are rescue animals (which have either been abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused or elderly animals).
Popcorn Park Zoo has everything ranging from peacocks, bears, goats, tigers, monkeys, donkeys, turtles and even a camel. You can buy popcorn to feed the animals which is an interesting novelty. Me and my daughter were delighted to feed the animals and birds. Gia made an effort to feed the deer with her hands and loved the experience.
For the first time I realized how expressive a donkey can be. While all other animals quietly waited to be fed, the donkey tapped the fence hard with his feet making all possible effort to grab our attention. It would stop only when fed. Another amazing thing we noticed was that the deer’s cage was right in front of the tiger’s. We jokingly said that it was not fair for either of them.
The first scene on entering the zoo made our trip worthwhile. We all would agree that he sight of peacock dancing is magnificent. Truly a memorable experience ! The last time I saw peacocks dance was in Vrindavan.
As a kid myself, I have fond memories of visiting zoo with my parents. We would go with a group of friends and relatives making the trip a sort of picnic. The kids hung out together and had great fun admiring all the animals. It used to be a potluck and our moms would cook yummy meals. The mouth-watering aloo poories, bhel-puri, sandwiches, fried rice, bread rolls were a treat for our little tummies.
All in all, our Popcorn Park Zoo visit was a great day out for the family. And so, I am planning to back again. This time probably with a group of friends and their kids.
