Discounts and Special Activities February 29-March 1

ROYAL OAK, Mich., February 20, 2008 – Leap Day comes but once every four years, so the Detroit Zoo is offering $4 admission for all on Friday, February 29, in celebration of the special day and 2008 Year of the Frog.  The offer is available only with a printable coupon, which can be found on the Zoo’s Web site, www.detroitzoo.org.

The Year of the Frog celebration continues the following day with a Leap Day Party on Saturday, March 1, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Activities will include family entertainment, a leap frog game area, frog mask making, and storytelling at the Ford Education Center.   Musical performances by the children’s entertainment group Gemini will be held at noon and 2 p.m. in the Ford Education Center Theater.  All activities and shows are free with regular Zoo admission.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to hear amphibian curator talks at the award-winning National Amphibian Conservation Center (NACC), a state-of-the-art facility situated on a two-acre wetland village called Amphibiville.  The NACC features a spectacular diversity of amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders, newts and caecilians.  The Wall Street Journal once dubbed the attraction “Disneyland for toads.”

Afterwards, visitors can hop till they drop at Zoofari Market for amphibian-themed gifts.  Local artist Gretchen Kramp’s “Kiss a Frog” ceramic tile is available exclusively at Zoofari Market for $19.99, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Amphibian Ark, an international partnership to ensure the global survival of endangered amphibians.  Other gifts include a frog plush backpack, leap frog puzzle, frog pencils, a frog foam visor and tree frog plush toys.

Year of the Frog is a global public awareness campaign to focus attention on endangered amphibians and the critical work being done by zoos and aquariums to save them.  The Detroit Zoological Society is supporting the worldwide initiative with special events, fundraising activities, educational opportunities and community outreach efforts throughout the year.

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 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October.  Regular 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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