Hogle Zoo turns on the lights for Christmas

Hogle Zoo will be transformed into a wonderland of holiday lights Saturday when the third annual ZooLights! begins.

With a flip of the switch by Santa Claus, Utah's largest animated light display will premiere for this year's holiday season.

ZooLights!, which kicks off Saturday at 5 p.m., features more than 1 million lights and nearly 200 colorfully lighted animal sculptures, most of which are animated and also handmade.

Ever see a bear meet a skunk? There's an animated display that shows that strange encounter. There's also an aquarium-oriented display, a New Year's Eve countdown light, a peacock, Santa Claus and gingerbread figures.

According to Holly Braithwaite, zoo spokesperson, this year's holiday lighting display will be very similar to last year's.

However, she said the locations of some of the displays will be different throughout the zoo.

"We will have more decorative ornaments in the Beastro area and the food/concession stands for people to enjoy," she said. "We will also have new menu items in the concession areas. And then, of course, we have the snow leopard cub and three tiger cubs in Asian Highlands, which are extremely active this time of year and in this climate. It will be a really great time watching those cubs interact at times of the day where they are typically very active." There will be some warming stations throughout the zoo to cope with the nighttime cold. The hours will be Sunday through Thursday, 5-8 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 5-9 p.m. The zoo will be closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Admission prices for ZooLights! are $6 for adults ($5 for zoo members), $4 for children and seniors ($3 for members), and kids 2 and under are free.

For more information, go to: www.hoglezoo.org.

e-mail: lynn@desnews.com