FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                             June 26, 2009

JULY HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO  

CONTACTS:  Tara Henson (405) 425-0219 or (405) 919-9038, cell, thenson@okczoo.com

                  Candice Rennels (405) 425-0298 or (405) 412-6172, cell, crennels@okczoo.com

NOW–OCTOBER:  ANIMAL FEEDS

Watch and learn about some of the Zoo’s scaled, feathered and furry friends during regularly scheduled animal feedings taking place now through October! See the schedule below. All feedings are weather permitting.

SATURDAYS:

• 10:30 a.m. Spectacled Bear (Wild Dog Drive)
• 11:00 a.m. Sam Moore Aviary
• 1:30 p.m. Andean Condor (across from picnic pavilions)
• 1:30 p.m. Great EscApe
• 2:00 p.m. Pygmy Hippopotamus
• 2:30 p.m. Bats (Oklahoma Trails Nocturnal Barn)
• 3:00 p.m. Grizzly Bears (Oklahoma Trails)
• 3:30 p.m. Upper Aquarium (Noble Aquatic Center)
• 4:00 p.m. Alligators (Oklahoma Trails)

SUNDAYS:

• 10:30 a.m. Giraffe
• 11:00 a.m. Butterfly Garden (lakeside)
• 11:30 a.m. Galapagos Tortoise (Island Life)
• 1:30 p.m. Andean Condor (across from picnic pavilions)
• 1:30 p.m. Great EscApe
• 2:00 p.m. Pygmy Hippopotamus
• 2:30 p.m. Bats (Oklahoma Trails Nocturnal Barn)
• 3:00 p.m. Grizzly Bears (Oklahoma Trails)
• 3:30 p.m. Lower Aquarium (Noble Aquatic Center)

TUESDAYS:

• 11:00 a.m. Alligators (Oklahoma Trails)

NOW–SEPTEMBER:  SATURDAYS EQUAL MORE TIME TO PLAY AND DISCOVER!

Stay late and play on Saturdays! The Zoo will remain open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays though September with exhibit buildings closing at 7:45 p.m.

NOW–AUGUST 31:  OBI AND ZOO SUMMER PARTNERSHIP

Feel good. Give blood. Visit the Zoo–for free! The Oklahoma Blood Institute (OBI) and the Oklahoma City Zoo are teaming up for a good cause. When you donate blood at any OBI drive between June 1 and August 31, you will receive two free adult admission tickets to the Zoo, an OBI T-shirt, health screenings and Members for Life Points. For more information, visit www.obi.org.

JULY:             WILD TUESDAYS STORY TIME SAFARIS

Hey kids! Hop into a great time at the Oklahoma City Zoo every Tuesday in July. Children ages 11 and under will enjoy hearing fascinating stories from volunteers with The Junior League of Oklahoma City, get to meet a zoo keeper, participate in a craft project and receive a free juice drink. Story times take place at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. in the Judy Memorial Garden located across from the Pachyderm Building. This event is free with regular admission.

JULY:             WAY BACK WEDNESDAYS

Flash back in time this summer with the Zoo’s Way Back Wednesdays! Every Wednesday in July and August, Zoo guests of all ages will receive admission for only $.75! Dig other great deals on Wednesdays including $.75 regular hotdogs, $.75 small fountain drinks and $.75 small popcorns! These far out prices apply on Wednesdays only and are not valid with any other discounts.

JULY:              BEHIND THE SCENES:  AN ENRICHING EXPERIENCE

Be an animal keeper for a day and discover first-hand how the Zoo cares for its animal collection. Enroll in our Behind the Scenes:  An Enriching Experience program and meet the faces of conservation by working with Zoo keepers from various areas. See how we safely work with animals to keep them active and healthy! These experiences take place every Tuesday in July from 8:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and participants must be 14 or older.  The cost per day is $100 for ZooFriends members and $120 for non-members, and advanced registration is required.  Participants may choose one of two options (one option per date):

• Option A: Herpetarium, Sea Lions, Aquaticus, Children’s Zoo area and Birds
• Option B:  Pachyderm, Cat Forest, Antelope, Great EscApe and Giraffe

For information or to register, please contact the Zoo’s Education Department at (405) 425-0218.

JULY 1           MORNING ZOO RISE

Wake up with the Zoo and beat the summer heat. From July 1 through August 16, the Zoo will open at 8 a.m. daily. Take advantage of the early hours and go wild!

JULY 4           INDEPENDENCE DAY

See our “spots” and “stripes” this Independence Day! The Zoo will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with exhibit buildings closing at 7:45 p.m.

JULY 13 – AUGUST 23: CAPTURE THE WILD PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

Each summer, the Oklahoma Zoological Society hosts the "Capture the Wild Zoo Photography Contest" and requests photos of mammals, landscapes, reptiles, birds and more from the Zoo. Photos are categorized and judged in both youth and adult divisions, with a separately judged contest for Zoo employee entries. A reception will be held at the Zoo's Rosser Conservation Education Building on Sunday, August 23 at 2 p.m. with an awards ceremony following at 2:30 p.m. After the contest, several of the photos, including the year's winners, comprise the annual OZS ZooFriends calendar. The full-color calendar is one of the benefits of ZooFriends membership and sells in the Zoo gift shop to help support special projects and needs at the Zoo. For more information about the contest and to view the categories, visit http://www.zoofriends.com

JULY 17         SALES TAX APPRECIATION / FREE DAY AT THE ZOO

The Zoo is celebrating Sales Tax Appreciation Day and offering all guests free admission! July 17 marks the 19th anniversary since Oklahoma City citizens passed a 1/8 of a cent sales tax to support the Zoo. Thanks to the support of this sales tax, the Zoo has been able to complete major projects including Great EscApe, Cat Forest /Lion Overlook and Oklahoma Trails. Plus, future exhibits such as the new Children’s Zoo, opening in spring 2010, and Expedition Asia opening in 2011, are being made possible with support from sales tax funds. Thank you Oklahomans for all you ZOO!

JULY 18         CAMP WITH THE KEEPERS

Night owls and animal lovers can go wild on Saturday, July 18 during Camp with the Keepers! From 7 p.m. on July 18 to 9 a.m. on July 19, Zoo keepers will lead animal presentations and night hikes, then roll out your sleeping bag and camp in a Rosser Conservation Education Center classroom! A light evening  snack will be provided, and all proceeds benefit the Zoo’s conservation efforts. The cost is $22 per person for ZooFriends members and $25 per person for non-members. Campers must be over the age of four and accompanied by an adult. Pre-registration is required one week in advance. To enroll, visit www.okczoo.recware.com or call (405) 425-0218.

JULY 25         ANIMAL AUTHORS EXPO

Book it to the Zoo on Saturday, July 25 and meet local fiction and non-fiction authors of animal books at     the Animal Authors Expo. Authors will be selling and autographing their books from 9 a.m. to noon in the Zoo’s Global Plaza. This event is free with paid Zoo admission.

JULY 31         SCHOOL CHOICE DAY

On Friday, July 31 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., journey to the Zoo for the School Choice Fair. Sponsored by the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs and the Americans for Prosperity Foundation in association with the Friedman Foundation for Educational Choice, more than 100 area private, charter, magnet and home school groups have been invited to set up booths to display information about their schools. Free child Zoo admission will be available for the first 300 children accompanied by parents. For more information, visit http://www.ocpathink.org/events/school-choice-fair/. Come and join us for a fun day at the Zoo!

Happening next month…

• Way Back Wednesdays: Wednesdays in August
• Capture the Wild Photography Contest: Entries due by August 14, Reception August 23
• OBI Summer Partnership: Through August 31

Plan a wild staycation this summer and visit the Oklahoma City Zoo, the state’s #1 attraction and one of the top three family friendly zoos in the nation–the wild is calling! Located at the crossroads of I-35 and I-44 in the heart of Oklahoma City’s Adventure District, the Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with buildings closing at 4:45 p.m. April through September, the Zoo will remain open until 8 p.m. on Saturdays only. Admission is $7 for adults and $4 for children ages three to 11 and seniors ages 65 and older. Children two and under are admitted free. For more information on Zoo happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.com.

-okczoo-