By The Milwaukee County Zoo
Out of all the land animals, elephants are among the most fascinating and intriguing of species. On Saturday, September 15, the Zoo invites visitors to to participate in fun and educational activities designed to spread awareness and highlight the conservation efforts for these majestic, endangered animals.
Activities take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Highlights include:
* Elephant Barn: Enter the world of the Zoo’s two African elephants, Ruth and Brittany, for an up-close view of their daily activities and care while touring the elephant barn. (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
* Act Like An Elephant: Pretend you’re an elephant for the day as you create elephant feet to feel what it’s like to walk like an elephant! Also, get your temporary elephant tattoo to show off, in support of these animals.
* Enrichment Activities: Elephants at our Zoo participate in enrichment activities, allowing them to exhibit the same behaviors they would in the wild. Watch Ruth and Brittany interact with a giant box with treats inside (10:30 a.m.) and an enormous ice cube, filled with their favorite fruit and vegetable treats (2 p.m.).
* Elephant Art and Artifacts: Touch elephant-related artifacts like a real tusk and tail. Some of the enrichment opportunities offered to Ruth and Brittany involve creating paintings with a brush held with their trunks. Today, visitors will have the chance to purchase these unique works of art.
* Curious Questions: Visitors are encouraged to ask questions of our elephant zookeepers, such as, “How do get an animal that weighs 8,000 pounds to move from the indoor exhibit to the outdoor yard?”
* Big Behaviors: Hear and see how the elephants are trained as they display different behaviors through a special training session with zookeepers. (1:30 p.m.)
* Show Your Support: Wear your elephant ears from the day’s activities and receive a free ride on the Penzeys Spices Carousel.
* Save the Species: Learn more about elephants in the wild and their habitats and how our Zoo contributes to elephant conservation projects throughout the world.
Proceeds from Elephant Appreciation Day will benefit the International Elephant Foundation.
All activities for this special event are included in regular Zoo admission.
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Comments welcome.
Posted on September 10, 2012