Guests can “Party for the Planet!” during the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Earth Day celebration on Saturday and Sunday, April 24-25, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Environmental and animal conservation experts will have booths set up for visitors to learn and collect valuable information on how to preserve our earth and its wildlife for future generations. Guests can also enjoy live entertainment, animal encounters, animal enrichment, visits from Jazoo, the Zoo’s friendly lion mascot, and a children’s activity area that will include eco-friendly crafts, a bounce house, a giant inflatable slide and prize drawings. An activity schedule is posted on the Zoo’s Web site at www.jacksonvillezoo.org. This event is sponsored by JM Family Enterprises, Inc. and Southeast Toyota Distributors, LLC.

“It is important to us as a company to support initiatives in our community that raise awareness about the environment and conservation,” said Bob Moore, vice president and general manager of vehicle processing for Southeast Toyota. “We have been a proud partner of the Jacksonville Zoo for years and are excited to be part of this educational Earth Day celebration.”

Special admission offer: guests can get $2 off regular admission when they bring in a minimum of 5 pounds of paper or any electronic waste (items that are powered by batteries or electricity) to recycle. This discount cannot be combined with any other discount or offer and is only available April 24 and 25, 2010.

The Party for the Planet celebration is an annual event sponsored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Zoos from all over the country that are members of the AZA participate. For more information about conservation and how you can help, visit www.jacksonvillezoo.org or www.aza.org.

In conjunction with Party for the Planet, the Zoo will also have its inaugural Walk for the Planet, a non-competitive two mile family fun walk, to benefit Zoo conservation efforts. Walk for the Planet will occur Saturday, April 24, at 7:30 a.m. It is open to walkers of all ages and is stroller and handicap friendly. Each registered walker will receive a free commemorative t-shirt, entrance into the Walk for the Planet post-party and admission into the Zoo.

Walkers can register online at http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/index.php/events/event_details/earth_day_celebration_-_party_for_the_planet for the following fees:
Non-Members:
Zoo Members:
$25 for adult
$20 for adult
$15 for child (ages 3-12)
$10 for child (ages 3-12)
$50 for a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children and $10 for each additional child)
$40 for a family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children and $10 for each additional child)

Children 2 and under are free, but they do not receive t-shirts or participant bibs. All proceeds benefit the conservation efforts of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, a non-profit organization.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. The Zoo is open until 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.