NATURE | Animal social

The wildly popular Dr. Dolittle Day at the Henson Robinson Zoo is Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Activities are ongoing throughout the day, including the ever popular turtle races, as well as animal programs and special enrichment treats for the animals. Vendors will also be on hand throughout the zoo. This year, the zoo welcomes Springfield Poets and Writers and Prairie Art Alliance for a presentation of art and poems inspired by the facility’s animals. A poetry reading and artist talk begins at 1 p.m. at the stage and seating located in the south-center of the park. Poems and paintings can also be viewed at each animal exhibit. Henson Robinson Zoo houses creatures from five continents of the world.