Kids Win Behind-the-Scenes Opportunity with Amphibians and Reptiles

ROYAL OAK, Mich., June 18, 2008 – Montana Long, 7, of Dearborn Heights and Liam Hall, 8, of Plymouth have won an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with keepers at the Detroit Zoo in the Detroit Zoological Society and Fox 2’s ZOOKEEPERS Sweepstakes.

On Saturday, June 21, the winners will get up-close-and-personal with the amphibians at the National Amphibian Conservation Center and the reptiles at the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles.  The “honorary” ZOOKEEPERS will feed a Japanese giant salamander and prepare treats for various other amphibian species, which includes catching crickets to place in each habitat.  The kids will then have the opportunity to meet and mingle with snakes, lizards and baby tortoises.

Parents can click on the ZOOKEEPERS icon at www.MyFOXDetroit.com through July 8 and register kids ages 6-12 for their chance to become an honorary zookeeper.  Six more winners will be selected at random to receive an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience with a keeper at the Detroit Zoo. 

In addition, kids ages 2-12 can download an official certificate, redeemable for a ZOOKEEPERS lanyard at the Zoo.  The lanyard contains coupons for a free child’s ZOOKEEPERS tee-shirt (while supplies last), small soft drink and one-way ride on the Tauber Family Railroad. 

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 (open at 9:30 a.m. Memorial Day through Labor Day) – 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 for adults 13 to 61, $9 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $7 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. year-round and provides educational programming with interpretive staff support from the Huron-Clinton Metroparks.  For more information, call (313) 852-4056. 
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