Night of The Cats – adults only

On Wednesday 11.9.2024 we will celebrate the Night of the Cats – only amongst adults! This is an anticipated extra night to raise funds for the pallas’s cat conservation work in the wild. Event tickets will get you into the Zoo from 4 pm, the Zoo will close at 10 pm. Last admission is one hour before closing time. The event is only open to over 18s, so be prepared to show ID on arrival.

For details of the whole family Night of the Cats event, visit the separate event page.

Tickets

Tickets are valid for the specific evening only and cannot be exchanged or returned. Tickets for all of the Night of the Cats events are only available online and cannot be bought on the spot. For every ticket sold for the Night of the Cats and for every visit made with an annual pass, 1 € will be donated to pallas’s cat conservation.

Tickets are valid for the specific evening only and cannot be exchanged or returned. The Night of the Cats adults only event is only open to persons over 18 years of age. Tickets for the event are only available online and cannot be purchased on site. For every ticket sold for Night of the Cats and for every visit made with an annual pass, 1 € will be donated to pallas’s cat conservation.

During the event, access to Korkeasaari Zoo is only possible with an event ticket purchased for that day or a valid Korkeasaari Zoo annual pass**. The adults only event is only open to persons over 18 years of age. Please note, however, that during the event no new annual passes will be sold and no online annual passes will be activated.

Ticket sales for the event have begun in our online shop. Shop language is Finnish.

* Student and senior tickets
Student tickets are sold to full-time students who can present a valid student card with a photo. Of international cards, only an ISIC student card is accepted.

Senior citizen tickets are sold to people over 65 years old, who can present an ID document as well as to persons with full pension pursuant to Kela.

** To ensure the comfort and safety of the event, we reserve the right to restrict admission of non-event tickets (e.g. annual passes, gift tickets).

Conservation of the pallas’s cat

The bushy tailed inhabitant of Central Asia is at risk of habitat loss and poaching. Though the natural population is hard to estimate due to the species solitary nature, it is known to be declining. Donate to conservation!

In previous years the funds collected in the event have been donated towards the conservation of Amur tigers and leopards. The political climate and sanctions against Russia prevent funds being directed to conservation measures in Russia. Conservation work in the Amur area continues with funds from previous years.

Programme

Experience the Zoo on a darkening autumn evening, magnificently illuminated. A ticket for the event will get you into the Zoo from 4 pm, last admission is at 9 pm. The Zoo closes at 10 pm.

Expert lectures (in Finnish)
Sperm race – Does size matter, and the size of what?
Ulla Tuomainen, Zoo Curator, talks about mating and reproduction in the animal world. One lecture can accommodate a maximum of 70 participants.
Bear Castle at 6 pm and 8 pm, duration approx. 30 min.

Endangered big cats – Why are big cats endangered and how can they be protected?
Hanna-Maija Lahtinen, curator at the Zoo, will explain the reasons for endangerment and how to protect them. One lecture can accommodate max. 70 participants.
Bear Castle at 5 pm and 7 pm, duration approx. 30 min.

The Pallas’s Cat’s Drink Bar
Enjoy the signature drinks of the pallas’s cat and tiger created by Son of a Punch cocktail waiters and support conservation work at the same time. For every drink, 5 € is donated to pallas’s cat conservation.
On the porch of Restaurant Pukki from 6 pm to 10 pm. Limited number of drinks available.

Animal Kingdom’s Family Jewels
Which animal chooses its mate based on sperm size? Why on earth does a kangaroo need many vaginas? And which bird has the largest reproductive organ? Come and discover the wide range of animal sexes! On this curated route, you’re sure to learn something new.
The route is open throughout the event. Route is in Finnish.

Flowers and bindings
Put together your own flower arrangement with gardeners from Korkeasaari.
Bear Castle from 6 pm to 9 pm

Glitter make-up
A glitter artist will create shimmering glitter make-up and glitter beards for visitors of the Night of the Cats.
Bear Castle from 6 pm to 9 pm

Wheel of Fortune
Spin the wheel of fortune and support pallas’s cat conservation at the same time. All proceeds go towards pallas’s cat’s conservation. The prizes for the Wheel of Fortune are donated by Fazer, every spin wins a prize.
Bear Castle from 6 pm to 9 pm – One spin 3 €, four spins 10 €

Cats’ enrichments
Discover the different enrichments for the cats of Korkeasaari with guides at the Cat Valley.
Cat Valley from 4:30 pm to 9:30 pm

Light shows
The light circus Spektri conjures up a magical light show as the evening fades.
Laivaranta at 8:30 pm and 9:30 pm, duration of the show approx. 15 min.

Dinosaurs at twilight
Experience the dinosaurs of Korkeasaari on an autumn evening, magnificently illuminated.
The exhibition is open during the whole event.

Animal feedings
4:30 pm Red panda
5:00 pm Lynx / Amur leopard cat / Raven and Steller’s sea eagle
5:30 pm Snow leopard / Bearded vulture/ Barbary macaque
6:00 pm Camel / Przewalski’s wild horse
6:30 pm Asiatic lion / European wildcat / Bear
7:30 pm Amur leopard / Pallas’s cat
8:30 pm Amur tiger/ Amur leopard

Food & drink

Not only animals, but also humans eat well. In addition to the familiar restaurants, there will be street food stalls and kiosks in the area.

Souveniers

The Korkeasaari Zoo shop at the Ferry harbour and the container shop next to the Borealia House sell cat-themed top deals and products to support the pallas’s cat conservation.

Etiquette for the evenings

The safety of our customers is our top priority, but we will also need your help to make the visit pleasant for everyone. Please, take note of the following instructions.

Tickets
You can purchase a ticket for the event only in our online shop. Print out your ticket or download the PDF for offline use at home, as mobile connections can be limited. A screenshot will not work as your ticket. Ticket permits entry only once. We recommend our visitors to arrive well before the light starts to fade.

Safety in the Cat Valley
Access to the Cat Valley may be restricted and foot traffic may be diverted to be one way if needed due to safety concerns.

Evening hours
As daylight fades, only the lit routes marked on the map are available. Some of the species will retire earlier than others and due to this some areas will be closed off from the public. The animals have excellent vision even in dark conditions so don’t use bright lights or flash photography. Please don’t knock on the enclosures, feed or otherwise disturb the animals in any way.

Any issues during the event
First aid can be found at the ticket sales points. The ticket sales phone number +358 50 352 5989 works as Korkeasaari Zoo’s own emergency number. Lost and found items are listed at eOmistaja Löytö, you can check for your items there.