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Tickets to Stone Zoo : Adult: USD 19.95
Senior (62+): USD 17.95
Child (ages 2-12): USD 12.95
Children under 2: Free
Members: Free
A USD 2 Safety and Processing fee applies per ticket.

Address : 149 Pond St, Stoneham, MA 02180

Open Timings : Summer Hours:
(April 1 - September 30)
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Weekdays
9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. Weekends and major holidays
Winter Hours:
(October 1- March 31)
10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. daily

Suggested Hours : 3 Hours

Exhibits : 10

Area : 26 acres

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Stone Zoo, Boston , Boston Overview

Stone Zoo, previously known as Middlesex Fells Zoo, is a 26-acre zoo that houses around 800 animals and birds. It is one of the two major zoos located in Boston and is maintained by the New England Zoo. Stone Zoo boasts of over 87 different species and has an array of exhibits as well as seasonal attractions. A key highlight of this century-old zoo is the African Spurred Tortoise encounter and feeding experience.

Founded in 1905, it is located near the Spot Pond reservoir in Stoneham, Massachusetts, United States. This medium-sized zoo in Boston is known for its striking exhibits that include Caribbean Coast, Himalayan Highlands, Banyard, Yukon Creek, and many more. Stone Zoo has playground and picnic areas where you can bring your own food and eat with kids. Also, The Safari Grill located inside the zoo offers dining options which are kid-friendly. There is a gift shop at the entrance which is a delight for animal lovers and souvenir collectors alike.

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Exhibits at the Zoo

Stone Zoo is a home to many local and exotic animals and birds. These are housed in different habitats and that is what defines these exhibits.

Alfred Huang North American Crane Exhibit:
As the name suggests, the attraction of this exhibit is the crane and it was started to prevent it from extinction. This exhibit houses American Alligator, Barrow's Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Sandhill Crane, Tundra Swan, and Whooping Crane.

Barnyard:
Banyard exhibits the farm animals with the star being Pygmy Zebu which is native to India. Other animals residing here are Guinea Hog, Nigerian Dwarf Goat, and Domestic Chicken.

Caribbean Coast:
Experience the Caribbean Coast with a huge variety it exudes. Flamingo Flats, Bush Dog Exhibits, Calypso Trails, Fiesta Gardens are all part of this experience. Flamingo Flats is a walk-through aviary while the Bush Dog Exhibit is one of its kind in the New England.

Himalayan Highlands:
Surviving in the middle of Boston are the animals from the world’s highest mountain ranges. Yak, Snow Leopard, Markhor, and Black-Necked Crane are a sight to behold.

Mexican Gray Wolf Exhibit:
These wolves are living and thriving here as a part of the Species Survival Plan that Stone Zoo is a part of.

Treasures of the Sierra Madre:
To have a close look at the rogue creatures of the Sierra Madre, this exhibit was commissioned. It houses Cougar, Jaguar, Chacoan Peccary, Coati, Ringtail, Seba’s Short-Tailed Bat, Gila Monster, Pueblan Milk Snake, Red-Tailed Boa, Peregrine Falcon, and Roadrunner.

Treetops and Riverbeds:
This exhibit gives a peek into the lives of Colobus Monkey, White-Cheeked Gibbon, and North American River Otter.

Windows to the Wild:
Black-Handed Spider Monkey, Cotton-Top Tamarin, Red-Rumped Agouti, Linne’s Two-toed Sloth, Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine, Rock Hyrax, African Spurred Tortoise, Barn Owl, Hyacinth Macaw, Inca Tern, Kookaburra, and Rhinoceros Hornbill are the inhabitants of this exhibit.

Yukon Creek:
The animals from the Canadian north woods can be found here. Canada Lynx, Arctic Fox, Black Bear, North American Porcupine, Reindeer, and Bald Eagle are some of the creatures of this exhibit.

Types of Animals and Birds at the Zoo

The Stone Zoo houses a huge variety of local and exotic creatures, animals and birds alike. Some of them are mentioned here.
• African Spurred Tortoise
• American Alligator
• Arctic Fox
• Arizona Blond Tarantula
• Bald Eagle
• Barn Owl
• Barrow's Goldeneye
• Black Bear
• Black-Handed Spider Monkey
• Black-Necked Crane
• Blanding's Turtle
• Blue and Yellow Macaw
• Bush Dog
• California King Snake
• Canada Lynx
• Caribbean Flamingo
• Chacoan Peccary
• Chilean Rose Tarantula
• Coati
• Colobus Monkey
• Corn Snake
• Cotton-Top Tamarin
• Cougar
• Domestic Chicken
• Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
• Eastern Box Turtle
• Gila Monster
• Green and Black Poison Dart Frog
• Green-Winged Macaw
• Guinea Hog
• Hooded Merganser
• Hyacinth Macaw
• Inca Tern
• Jaguar
• Jamaican Iguana
• Kookaburra
• Leopard Gecko
• Linne’s Two-toed Sloth
• Magnificent Tree Frog
• Markhor
• Mexican Gray Wolf
• Nigerian Dwarf Goat
• North American Porcupine
• North American River Otter
• Panamanian Golden Frog
• Peregrine Falcon
• Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine
• Pueblan Milk Snake
• Pygmy Zebu
• Red-Rumped Agouti
• Red-Tailed Boa
• Reindeer
• Rhinoceros Hornbill
• Ringtail
• Roadrunner
• Rock Hyrax
• Rosy Boa
• Sandhill Crane
• Scarlet Ibis
• Scarlet Macaw
• Seba’s Short-Tailed Bat
• Snow Leopard
• Tonkin Bug-eyed Frog
• Tundra Swan
• Vinegaroon
• White-Cheeked Gibbon
• Whooping Crane
• Yak
• Yellow-footed Tortoise

Attractions and Events

If you are visiting the zoo, then check their website for the attraction of the day. There are many seasonal events that take place, including amusement rides. One such attraction is the African Spurred Tortoise Feeding experience. You can book the session online as the feeding takes place thrice a day with 30 minutes session each. There are limited number of persons allowed per session and hence advance booking is a must. The ticket costs $10 per person and it is in addition to the general admission ticket.

Dinner and Shopping

There are many open areas and playgrounds like the Fiesta Gardens where one can have picnic with kids and have food. This Spot Pond adjacent zoo has many dining options to splurge upon.
The Safari Grill:
It offers wraps, sandwiches, burgers, fries, and many other kid-friendly foods.
Weekdays: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Weekends: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Food & Drink station across from Gibbon exhibit:
Weekdays: 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Weekends: 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

The Trading Post Gift Shop:
It is a souvenir shop that also sells snacks and beverages year-round. It is a good stop for animal lovers who can munch while shopping.

History of the Zoo

Stone Zoo, was founded in 1905 by a former Superintendent of the Metropolitan District Commission, Charles Prince, and was known as Middlesex Fells Zoo back then. It started as a small park with collection of local animals that Prince used to love. By 1912, it expanded and added exotic animals as well. With the help of Metropolis Parks Commission, cages were built and feeding and housing the animals became easier. The entry was kept free for all to experience and behold the sight.
It is weird that unlike the popular belief Stone Zoo has no connection in its nomenclature to the place that houses it, Stoneham. Instead, it was renamed in 1969 after Walter D. Stone who became the zoo’s first director in 1959 and carried out some revolutionary changes like creation of an aviary and inclusion of several exotic animals like sea lions, zebras, among others.
The zoo was closed in 1990 due to financial limitations and that led to the formation of Commonwealth Zoological Corporation ,now named Zoo New England, which takes care of the zoo till date.

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