Two-day Celebration Features Numerous Activities and State Chili Cook-off Championship


LITTLE ROCK (April 11, 2006) - The Little Rock Zoo will celebrate Earth Day one week early this Friday and Saturday, April 14 and 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Zoo’s Earth Day celebration will offer fun educational activities for children and adults of all ages. There will be live animal Creature Features at the Civitan Amphitheatre throughout the day, including several Bird of Prey shows. The 9th Annual Zoo Photo Contest sponsored by Bedford Camera and the Outdoor Photographers Club will take place in the Civitan Pavilion where visitors can view contest entries. Also, the 5th Annual Earth Day Chili Cook-off and Arkansas State Championship featuring dozens of chili teams will take place at the Zoo lawn behind the Civitan Pavilion. Zoo visitors may purchase cups to sample chili entries.

In addition to the above activities, numerous conservation organizations will have exhibits on display throughout the Zoo including the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality, Arkansas Forestry Commission, Arkansas Game and Fish, Central Arkansas Water, Little Rock Solid Waste, Little Rock Public Works, Riddles Elephant Sanctuary, the Museum of Discovery, Partners for Pinnacle, Toltec State Park, U. S. Geological Survey, the Bale Chevrolet Flex Fuel Tahoe, American Association of Zoo Keepers, and the Little Rock Zoo Explorer Post. Zoo docents with live animals will also be stationed throughout the Zoo to greet visitors.

The Little Rock Zoo celebrates Earth Day to raise awareness of conservation. As an accredited Zoo of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA), the Zoo is an active partner in promoting conservation. The Little Rock Zoo’s conservation fund supports several national and international wildlife conservation efforts including the Cheetah Conservation Fund, International Elephant Foundation, and the Maned Wolf Species Survival Plan Research Fund.

Following Earth Day celebrations Saturday, the Zoo will reopen at 7 p.m. for Zoovies with the movie Shark Tale. Cost is $4.00 per person for non-members and $3.00 per person for members. All proceeds benefit the Little Rock Zoo.

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information, visit www.aza.org.