If you’re looking to start off your Halloween celebrations a week early, then think about checking out your local zoo. Boo at the Zoo parties take place all across the country, and we’ve highlighted a few of them. They might be intended for kids, but whatever; we’re heading out to show off our Jon Gosselin and Lady Gaga costumes anyway.

· San Francisco Zoo
San Diego isn’t doing anything for the season, so we’ve made our way up to San Francisco for their Boo at the Zoo shindig. Things run this weekend on October 24 and 25 from 10am to 4pm. Kids will receive a dollar off their admission for attending in costume, but adults get no discount for arriving dressed up—and will probably be made fun of by the animals. Make sure you don’t wear rubber masks, because apparently they scare the animals—they probably don’t like those tiger Ed Hardy shirts either.


You’ll make your way around the zoo checking out the lions, tigers, and bears while stopping along the way to fill your bags with treats. Make sure you visit the pumpkin "chomp 'n stomp" stops where the critters get to enjoy their own snacks for the season. The Halloween stuff is included with your $15 daily admission. ]]> kjb 2009-10-23T15:23:11-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/23/75556/252

On your next road trip to one of the country’s national parks you may want to consider taking the Prius rather than the minivan. Scientists have revealed their findings from a recent study, and apparently bears love minivans and SUVs.

In an article published in this month’s Journal of Mammalogy we learn that black bears within Yosemite National Park prefer to steal some human snacks from the insides of larger cars. Researchers looked at data between 2001 and 2007 to see if there were any connections between over 900 car break-ins caused by black bears at the park. Almost half of the vehicles that were broken into were either minivans or SUVs. ]]> kjb 2009-10-23T08:46:38-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/10/21/15359/997

What do you do after you've built a 140-acre aquatic-themed luxury resort in the Bahamas and filled it up with over 50,000 marine animals tucked away in various lagoons and displays? If you're the Atlantis resort on Paradise Island, you launch an array of different packages that guests can purchase to interact with everything from mantas to sea lions. These programs are on top of the resort's older offerings, which include the chance to interact with dolphins rescued after Katrina created havoc in the Caribbean.

The new "Snorkel With The Mantas" program starts at $79/person and gives guests the opportunity to swim in waters filled with giant manta rays. Up to eight guests go into the reef at a time, splashing alongside the 10-foot wingspan rays. To round out the experience there are also zebra sharks, jacks, snappers, and schools upon schools of shiny tropical fish. Participants looking for something a little more playful can sign up for the new Sea Lion Interaction, which involves pretty much what you'd expect from the name.]]> Omri 2009-10-21T16:00:23-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/9/28/14233/2476

Last week, American Airlines and Sherpa Pet Group gave away two trips (one to Miami and the other to San Francisco) to pet owners who schlepped out to a PETCO store in New York with their suitcases packed, and ready to go. The stunt was timed to promote Sherpa’s new Guaranteed On Board™ pet-travel program. Which sounds fancy in name, but is really just a way to make sure crazy pet parents do their homework before bringing an overweight Fluffy to the airport in a non-compliant purse. Say, one from Juicy Couture.

We’ve all received rental cars that had a less than stellar appearance, especially when it comes to the car’s interior. Besides the many lovely odors, stains are the rule rather than the exception. Above all, our favorite is when former drivers have decided to install some type of foodstuff into the upholstery. Thankfully, despite all our rental car troubles, we’ve never received a car with a living critter inside. However, that’s exactly what a Florida woman found when she rented a car from Enterprise Rent-A-Car.

Last week a college student hopped into her rental ride, and immediately hopped right back out. There was a red rat snake just hanging out on the dashboard of the car, and at over a yard in length, it was not a welcome surprise. Luckily, the snake wasn’t poisonous, and the rental car company sent out an animal trapper to capture the stowaway. ]]> kjb 2009-09-15T12:23:53-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/17/75455/8186

People are sick and tired of birds screwing things up not only at New York-LaGuardia, but also at the Eugene, Oregon airport, and they are going to do something about it. Instead of nets or supersonic noisemakers, airport officials are evicting the foul fowl. After all, it’s the airport’s land now, so if you don’t pay the rent you’re out at the end of the month.

The airport is considering filling in a couple of ponds around the runways. The thought is, that without a place to call home, the troublemaker birds will pack up and get the hell out of town. They can’t just call the local dirt dude though, they are requesting permission from the US Army Corps of Engineers and the State Department of Lands—who knew you had to get so much permission? ]]> kjb 2009-08-17T10:24:36-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/8/13/211123/237

For those planning to splish splash with their flippy floppies this weekend in Santa Cruz, the plans have changed. Apparently Shark Week just doesn't want to end, but instead of it being in high definition, it’s being played out for real off the coast of the Golden State.

This week, a hungry shark proceeded to nom nom nom on a porpoise. The poor porpoise washed ashore, and researchers are trying to figure out what kind of finned critter exactly was responsible for the attack. Obviously with beach visitors spotting sharks off shore, people are being kept out of the water. ]]> kjb 2009-08-14T08:59:34-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/