Celebrate World Snake Day At Brookfield Zoo

BROOKFIELD, IL — Snake lovers can slither their way to Brookfield Zoo on Monday, July 16, to celebrate World Snake Day. The zoo said activities for the entire family will be taking place between 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Brookfield Zoo is home to more than 100 snakes ranging in size from a few inches to almost 16 feet in length. According to the zoo, animal care staff aims to shine a positive spotlight on snakes and educate zoogoers about their importance, especially to those who may not be fans of these reptiles or have ophidiophobia, which is the fear of snakes.

“We should care about all of nature, not just the cute and cuddly. Snakes, many of which are endangered, provide essential rodent control throughout the world,” Andy Snider, curator of herps and aquatics for the Chicago Zoological Society, which manages Brookfield Zoo, said in a release.

This event encourages guests to confront their fears and come face to face with many different species of snakes. During the event, there will be Zoo Chats, where guests can get up close to and even touch several snake species. At 10:30 a.m., guests will have the opportunity to view the zoo’s largest snake resident—a reticulated python—being weighed and measured outside of Reptiles and Birds.

Guests can also venture over to The Swamp at 11:30 a.m. to see and learn about recently hatched/born gray-banded kingsnake and Jamaican boa babies, the zoo said. Then, just outside the entrance to Hamill Family Play Zoo, guests can meet Atticus, a Burmese python, at noon.

To remember their zoo visit on World Snake Day, guests can have a photo taken with Millie, a costumed character massasauga rattlesnake. A snake parade will commence at 1:45 p.m. outside of Hamill Family Play Zoo. Afterwards, guests can help decorate pillowcases—the preferred mode used to transport the snakes.

Photo provided by Brookfield Zoo.