OCTOBER 1-31            
HAUNT THE ZOO TICKETS ON SALE
Get your tickets to the state's biggest Halloween event now. The Zoo will be selling tickets in advance for the 25th annual Haunt the Zoo for Halloween throughout the month of October. The cost is $6 per child for tickets purchased in advance and $7 per child when purchased during the event. Adults 18 and older are admitted free. Drop by any metro Kohl's store or Children's Hospital Gift Shop and pick up a coupon for $1 off Haunt the Zoo admission (while supplies last). Haunt the Zoo runs Sunday, October 26 through Friday, October 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly (rain or shine).

OCTOBER 1-12            
ANNUAL PUMPKIN DRIVE
We're wild about pumpkins! Presented by Griffin & Reed Cosmetic Dentistry, bring a pumpkin bigger than your head to the Zoo from October 1 through 12 and receive free admission. The gobs of donated gourds will be used to help decorate Haunt the Zoo for Halloween. One pumpkin per person, please.

OCTOBER 4                 
VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT
Looking for a little adventure in your life? Consider volunteering at the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden. If you are at least 18, interested in nature and want to help people discover the wild world of animals and plants, then the Zoo needs you. Recruitment for Animal Area and Horticulture volunteers will take place on Saturday, October 4 during an open house at noon in the Rosser Conservation Education Center.  Individuals interested in learning more about volunteering or wanting to apply should attend. The Education Center is located at the east end of the Zoo's parking lot. For more information, call (405) 425-027

OCTOBER 5                 
PISTOL PETE'S 85TH BIRTHDAY AT THE ZOO
Celebrate Pistol Pete's 85th birthday at the Zoo on Sunday, October 5. Bring a pumpkin bigger than your head to the party and receive Zoo admission for free. Plus, the first 200 guests to arrive wearing Oklahoma State University school colors will enjoy cake with Pistol Pete at 2 p.m. in the Zoo's Global Plaza (while supplies last). For more information, visit www.orangeconnection.org.

OCTOBER 6                 
GORILLA GOLF
Esc"ape" from a mundane Monday and hit the greens to support the sixth annual Gorilla Golf Tournament! Join the Zoo's chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers on Monday, October 6 as they host their annual "fun"draiser at Trosper Golf Course (2301 Southeast 29th Street) and help save our endangered friends. Registration for this four-person scramble begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m. Entry fee is $100 per person and includes range balls, green fees, cart rentals and lunch. All proceeds from this event will benefit The Tayna Gorilla Reserve, located in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa. Pre-registration is required to play in the Gorilla Golf Tournament. For more information, contact Debi Mangrum at (405) 425-0259.

OCTOBER 11                                  
GORILLA MINI GOLF
Is the big green not your thing? Join the Zoo for Gorilla Mini Golf on Saturday, October 11. Bring the whole "troop" to putt-putt "fore" conservation from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Celebration Station (I-40 and Meridian). The cost is $7 per person and includes a game of miniature golf and club rental. All ages are welcome. For more information, contact Debi Mangrum at (405) 425-0259. 

OCTOBER 17                                  
PUMPKIN CHOMP N' STOMP
Halloween means tasty treats for animals at the Oklahoma City Zoo. On Friday, October 17, some of the animals will feast on pumpkins and other treats during the Zoo's Pumpkin Chomp n' Stomp. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., selected residents will be given palate pleasing treats prepared for them by their caretakers as part of the Zoo's enrichment program which is designed to stimulate natural behaviors in the animals such as foraging and play. Pick up a schedule of feedings from a turnstile attendant as you enter the Zoo on October 17.

OCTOBER 18                                  
GARDEN GALA
Ready to celebrate the fall gardening season? The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden will host its annual Garden Gala and plant sale on Saturday, October 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy this botanical event showcasing gardening and nature. Plus, a wide variety of plants including spring flowering bulbs, assorted trees and tropical plants will be available for purchase. Event activities are free with Zoo admission.     

OCTOBER 26-31                             
25TH ANNUAL HAUNT THE ZOO FOR HALLOWEEN
For twenty-five years we have proven true, for trick-or-treating fun-it's Haunt the Zoo! Presented by the Children's Hospital Volunteers and Kohl's Cares for Kids, the 25^th annual Haunt the Zoo for Halloween runs Sunday, October 26 through Friday, October 31 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. nightly (rain or shine). Haunt the Zoo is a hauntingly good time for the whole family. Children will stop at festive fantasy-themed booths to collect tasty treats from volunteers. Admission per child is $6 for pre-purchased tickets, or $7 for tickets purchased at the gate during the event. Accompanying adults, 18 years of age or older, are admitted free. Drop by any metro Kohl's store or Children's Hospital Gift Shop and pick up a coupon for $1 off Haunt the Zoo admission (while supplies last). Admission includes an official treat bag. Other sponsors include (as of September 24): Allegiance Credit Union, AT&T Pioneers, OK 1st Chapter, Banfield, The Pet Hospital, Bank of Oklahoma, Brown's Bakery, Cher A. Bumps and Associates Inc., Chick-fil-A, Cricket Wireless, Cox Communications, Delaware North Company, Eskridge Honda, First Security Bank, Fred & Mary Eddy Jones Foundation, Frito-Lay, Great Plains Coca Cola, Great Plains Dr Pepper, Griffin & Reed Cosmetic Dentistry, Magic 104.1 KMGL/92.5 KOMA/Frito-Lay, McDonald's/No Boundaries, OKDHS Child Support, Wal-Mart and ZooFriends/Target.

COMING UP IN NOVEMBER:

• November 26: Free Day at the Zoo. Admission is free for everyone!
• November 27: Thanksgiving Day- the Zoo is closed.

Golf, gourds, gardening, and gobs of candy-October brings all this and more to the Oklahoma City Zoo! Discover Oklahoma's #1 attraction and one of the top three family friendly zoos in the nation. The Zoo is located in the heart of Oklahoma City's Adventure District at the I-35 and I-44 junction. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with exhibit buildings closing at dusk. Zoo admission is $7 for adults, $4 for children ages three-11 and seniors age 65 and over. Children two and under are free. For more information about this and upcoming Zoo happenings, visit okczoo.com or call (405) 424-3344.