Fun Friday: Wild Time at Hemker Zoo [VIDEO]

FREEPORT -- This week in Fun Friday, we head out to Hemker Park and Zoo, which has been family-owned and operating for almost 40 years.

"We offer animals from all over the world," says Heidi Roering, who grew up working on her family's zoo.

Roering says the zoo has grown immensely since opening in 1978 and now features over 300 animals -- including Marcelo, a 10-month-old giraffe they brought in earlier this summer.

"We're very excited to have him and he's very excited to be here," Roering says. "He's acclimated very well in his two months here and loves to meet new people -- he's been a fan favorite."

Hemker Zoo has two events coming up in the fall: "Fall Zoo Fest" on September 12th and "Boo at the Zoo" on October 10th.

What you need to know:
WHERE: 26715 County Road 39 in Freeport.
OPEN: Seven days a week, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. through October 31st.
COST: Under $10 per person.