The Popcorn Park Zoo
The zoo is a small 7-acre zoo located in Forked River, New Jersey, within Lacey Township. Traveling to the popcorn zoo and spending some time here is also about supporting this great organization. We always drop a few more dollars to them while we are here. They do accept donations. Since I am one of the many animal lovers in the world, I support an organization like this. I have to tell you that my love of animals and wildlife has led me to create a large donation section below. I can’t help myself. Please donate even a tiny amount if you can.
We have personally met the management and think this is a unique place run in a top-notch fashion. You should visit this location, and although it is a photography site, this is one I think you should bring the family, especially the kids. Enjoy animal photography and give them some love while you are there.
If you know anyone who wants to adopt an animal, please refer them to the Popcorn Zoo. Please visit their adoption page here>> I would like to consider adopting an animal. They have shelters in Newark, Tinton Falls, and Forked River.
The Associated Humane Society states the zoo is “a sanctuary for abandoned, injured, ill, exploited, abused or elderly wildlife, exotic and farm animals, and birds.” The zoo has programs to educate visitors about animals and their environments and offers hundreds of rescued dogs and cats for adoption. You can visit the popcorn zoo and take some great photos there.
The Popcorn Zoo was established in 1977 to provide a refuge for sick, elderly, abandoned, abused, or injured wildlife that could no longer survive in its natural habitat. As time went on, we expanded to include exotic and domestic animals. All our residents once faced these circumstances, exploitation and illegal ownership. Over 200 animals and birds live in spacious surroundings in the heart of the scenic Pine Barrens.
PLACES TO DONATE TO SUPPORT THE POPCORN ZOO
Vested Interest Fund – Donate Here: Vests for Police Dogs. The Vested Interest Fund is a special fund that provides bullet-resistant vests at no cost to every working K-9 in New Jersey. The fund was established in memory of Solo, a three-year-old German Shepherd with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office who died in the line of duty on June 5, 1998.
If you would like your donation to be in honor or memory of a loved one, human or canine, the Society will send out an acknowledgment card to the individual or family. Once you have donated, please send them an email with a “Vested Interest Card” in the subject line.
On behalf of all working K-9s in New Jersey, thank you for contributing to the Vested Interest Fund.
Would you like to make a real difference in the life of an animal that once knew suffering and pain, or faced an uncertain future? You can! Through sponsoring one of the residents at Popcorn Park through the Wildlife Club, you can make that difference.
The Popcorn Park Wildlife Club is a unique sponsorship program designed to help support the residents of the refuge. Through a monthly donation, you will help provide all that is needed for that particular animal’s well-being, and in return, you will receive regular updates from your sponsored animal!
Find complete details about sponsoring a Popcorn Park resident in the Wildlife Club here. Whether you select a tiger or a parrot, you will make a real difference to a very special rescued animal.
There are several other programs to donate to thought the popcorn zoo – Please visit the page here.
POPCORN ZOO PHOTOGRAPHY
Doing photography at the Popcorn Zoo – Are you looking for a fun and unique place to take the kids to in New Jersey while you do photography? Look no further than Popcorn Zoo! This attraction features over 30 species of animals.
The Popcorn Zoo is a great place to learn about different animals, as there are educational signs throughout the zoo. Kids will love seeing all the other animals, and they’ll be sure to have a blast feeding them popcorn!
One of the best things about the Popcorn Zoo is that it’s a great place to take photos. There are many exciting animals and plants to photograph, and the staff is always willing to help you get the perfect shot. Whether you’re a professional photographer or just someone who enjoys taking pictures, the Popcorn Zoo is worth a visit.
PHOTOGRAPHY INFORMATION
THE POPCORN ZOO PHOTOGRAPHY AT A GLANCE
Lens: Wide Angle, and bring your zoom lens to get up close.
Gear List at a Glance: Circular polarizing filter, neutral density filter, wide-angle lens, zoom lens, tripod.
When to Go: Weekdays are best when it is slightly off-season. The Popcorn Zoo is a tourist spot, so be prepared for people, but it doesn’t get too crowded. Remember, this is also a Milky Way dark sky area, so you might want to plan your trip around a new moon or the week before during Milky Way week.
This is a small zoo. You can walk around for an hour or two, taking animal photographs. There is some running water in the front of the park by the turtles, so bring a small tripod for this shot, but you don’t have to carry it around the whole park. It’s best to go on a bright, sunny day so the colors of the animals stand out, but a cloudy day will have to do if that’s when you go. Generally, on a sunny day here, you can set your ISO to 100 and shoot in shutter priority at 1/500th of a second. Don’t forget the white balance of sun, shade, or clouds as you move through the park. We always use a circular polarizing filter to pop out the puffy white clouds, take the silver glare off the water, and saturate the colors just right. Bring your neutral density filter if you want to get a shot of the turtles with the milky water flow.
SHUTTER PRIORITY
If you have moving subjects, you will want to shoot in shutter priority to ensure your shutter speed is high enough to have your subject in sharp focus. Approximately 1/250th of a second is appropriate for people walking by, and adjust your ISO accordingly. If they run fast, increase your shutter speed to about 1/500th of a second. A fast bird flying by would be shot at about 1/1000th of a second. If it’s a bright sunny day, go as high as 1/1200th of a second. Remember, the higher your shutter speed, the less light comes into the camera. It should not be an issue outside during daytime hours. For More Details, see our Shutter Priority Page.
MANUAL MODE
You have moving waters here. You can do your long-exposure running and milky water shots. You will have to use a tripod for this effect. Your settings will vary depending on the lighting and your neutral density filter. You will shoot in manual mode for the milky waters. ISO is always 100 or as low as your camera will allow. The aperture is f/22. Your shutter speed will be the only variable depending on the light. Roll your shutter speed until your meter reads zero. (In the center) Use your shutter release or 2-second timer to prevent camera movement when exposed. You will want at least a 2-second exposure for milky water. If you don’t have a neutral density filter, you may not get more than 1/15th of a second in the daytime. We highly suggest you do not go anywhere without one. It makes all the difference between lifeless images and outstanding, dynamic images.
APERTURE PRIORITY
Aperture Priority is often used to blur the background of your images and control your depth of field (how much from the subject to the background is in focus). For more information on this, see our Aperture page
ISO
The higher you set it, the more light comes in when exposing an image. The higher the number, the more digital noise, so if possible, stay below 800. If you need to go higher to get the shot, you can use Topaz Denoise to filter out the digital noise later.
HOTELS:
Do you want us to send our photography and ghost-hunting friends to your hotel for their photography or ghost-hunting trip? Put your hotel information here. We will put pictures of your hotel, the website link, the phone number, and your information on your hotel.
Hotel Information:
Clarion Hotel & Conference Center – $125.00 and up
815 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ, 08755, US
Phone: (732) 341-2400 Fax: (732) 341-6469
100% Smoke-Free
ZOO INFORMATION:
1 Humane Way, Forked River, NJ 08731
(609) 693-1900
Website: http://www.ahscares.org/default.asp
Hours: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 7 days a week
Holidays: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Admission:
Adults – $5.00, tax included
Seniors and Children under 12 – $4.00, tax included
Children under 3 – Free!
School or other groups taking tours – $2.00 per person, including tax
Free with Wildlife Club, Share-A-Pet, or Zoological Society membership card
Refreshments: Cold drinks, ice cream, popcorn and peanuts are available
Facilities: Picnic area
Pets: Not allowed in the Zoo for safety reasons
Wheelchair Accessibility: Popcorn Park Refuge’s sandy terrain is not conducive to standard handicap wheelchairs or strollers. A beach-terrain wheelchair is available upon request.
Feeding of animals: Feeding animals in the Zoo is not allowed because the animals require specialized diets; however, air-popped popcorn may be purchased to feed free-roaming birds and some of the farm animals.
Camping
Cedar Creek Campground
1052 Atlantic City Blvd. (RT 9)
Bayville, NJ 08721
From $44.00 offseason, non-hook up.
http://www.cedarcreeknj.com/
FOOD AT THE ZOO:
Refreshments: Cold drinks, ice cream, popcorn, and peanuts are available.
Facilities: Picnic area
NEARBY DINING:
Colonial Diner – The closest dining to the zoo. Bring some snacks since it is several miles away.
429 Lacey Rd # B
Forked River, NJ 08731
