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Donated Christmas trees get a second life at the zoo

Laura Baisas

created: Dec. 27, 2025, 2 p.m. | updated: Jan. 6, 2026, 1:22 p.m.

Since 1978, the Cape May County Park & Zoo in Middle Township, New Jersey, has solicited donations of undecorated Christmas trees from the community and unsold trees from nearby businesses. Why Christmas trees? Regis the red kangaroo plays with a Christmas treeThe Christmas trees also provide the animals with enrichment. For the primates, the keepers will sometimes hide bits of food within the donated Christmas trees for them to find. Goats also love Christmas trees, so reach out to local farms and see if they are taking donations as well.

2 weeks, 3 days ago: Popular Science