Salisbury Zoo offers unique experiences for ‘families with special needs’

SALSIBURY, Md. – Dozens of people in Salisbury gathered for a first ever sensory-inclusive experience at the zoo on Tuesday.

According to the Salisbury Zoo education curator Leonora Dillon they teamed up with Salisbury University students to find new ways to provide new sensory materials for families with special needs. Dillon believes this will help them explore the zoo and get to know the many animals a little better.

According to members at Salisbury Zoo, SU students have offered things like new maps, which will identify zoo exhibits that could affect children with light, sound and smell sensitivities.

“We wanted to try and find ways that we could make a day at the zoo be any day versus having to have a special night, so we had a discussion and I said do you think that a class you’re offering can do some research and help us out?” Dillon.

Members said the zoo will continue to work with SU students in the future to find more ways to cater to families with special needs.