QUEENS — Slither into the new year.
The Queens Zoo is celebrating the 2013 Lunar New Year with a snake "meet-and-greet" on Feb. 9 and 10.
Families will have the opportunity to view a boa constrictor and a black rat snake as part of the Wildlife Conservation Society's "year of the snake" event from noon to 4 p.m. on both dates.
The weekend at the Queens Zoo will also feature a variety of activities in the Discovery Center, a children's activity room in the zoo, including snake- and new-year-themed craft time and snake-themed storytelling by zoo education staff.
Story time is at 1 p.m., 2:15 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day, and will be followed by a meeting with one of the snakes. Zoo staff will discuss fun facts about snakes, and about the meaning of the Chinese zodiac.
Admission to the zoo is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors 65 and older, $5 for kids 3-12 and free for children under 3. The first 100 children each day will receive a surprise gift.
