ROYAL OAK, Mich., April 23, 2007 – In recognition of Hairstyle Appreciation Day on April 30, the Detroit Zoological Society offers an educational perspective on Zoo animals with distinctive, one-of-a-kind “do’s.” 

• The Mane Event.  The male lion’s lustrous mane isn’t just for show; it’s used for protection from the teeth and claws of predators.  The lion is sure to wake with “bed head” though, considering it can sleep up to 22 hours a day. 

• Copy That.  The zebra’s black and white stripe pattern extends all the way into its mane.  But don’t look for zebras with identical hairdos; no two zebras have the same stripe pattern.

• Standing on End.  Unlike a domesticated horse, the Przewlaski’s horse has a mane that stands straight up.  Also known as the Asian wild horse, this equine species was once extinct in the wild; however, thanks to captive-breeding programs in North America and Europe, it is being reintroduced. 

• Goldilocks.  The macaroni penguin has yellow feathers called plumes coming from its head.  The penguin chick is hatched covered in fluffy down feathers, which it fledges in exchange for its sleek adult feathers.  The golden plumage does not appear until the penguin is around one year old.

• Fowl Hair Day.  The Detroit Zoo’s gray-crowned cranes, crested screamers and peacocks also feature plumes on the tops of their heads.  The gray-crowned crane’s yellow feathers create a crown, while the crested screamer’s plumes poke out of the back of its head like a cowlick.  While only the male peacock sports a colorful train of feathers, both the male and female have crested heads.

• Bald is Beautiful.  The bald eagle is not actually bald.  The name comes from the word “balde,” which means white, referring to the white feathers on the eagle’s head and tail. 

The Detroit Zoological Society is a non-profit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo.  Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic exhibits, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of Ten Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak.  The Detroit Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October – with extended hours until 8 p.m. Wednesdays during July and August – and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March.  Admission is $11.00 for adults 13 to 61, $9.00 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7.00 for children ages 2 to 12; children under 2 are free.  For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.  The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March, and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056.

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