Kids Appreciation Day - Sunday, July 26th, 2009 • 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

The Gladys Porter Zoo, Valley Regional Medical Center, Church’s Chicken and News Center 23 are inviting all Valley residents and visitors to celebrate their child on National KidsDay by attending the sixth annual Kids Appreciation Day at the Zoo.

Go on an adventure with your child around the Zoo! Every child receives a special passport which takes them on a scavenger hunt around the Zoo where they will visit themed activity stations focusing on health and wellness, safety, animal conservation and enrichment. Once their passport is full they will be eligible to enter a drawing for back-to-school prizes. In honor of Kids Appreciation Day, the Zoo will also give-away goodie bags for the first 1,000 children that complete their passports!

 Kids Appreciation Day also provides local children with the rare opportunity to get up close with marine life at the Zoo’s touch pool. In addition, the Zoo’s animal ambassadors will be greeting visitors and the Brownsville Jaycees will host free face painting. It’s a day full of fun activities for all visitors! 

 Coupons are available at any Rio Grande Valley Church’s Chicken. Each coupon admits one child free with paid adult admission; limit two coupons per family. National KidsDay is a day set aside each year to celebrate and honor America’s children by spending meaningful time with them. For additional information about National KidsDay, visit www.kidsday.net

Gladys Porter Zoo Pizzooria Opening

The Gladys Porter Zoo today announced the opening of its newest eatery, the Pizzooria. The Pizzooria will serve fresh baked pizzas to visitors including pizza by-the-slice and 12-inch specialty pizzas along with other tasty treats. On the menu are creations like the Komodo Dragon’s Delight, Rainforest Paradise Pineapple and Rumble in the Jungle Jalapeño. Additionally, two public restrooms have been re-opened in the area. The Pizzooria is located in Tropical America, between the spider monkeys and macaw canyon. If you would like additional information on the Pizzooria or the Gladys Porter Zoo, please contact the public relations department at (956) 546-7187

Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms – Now Open!

The Gladys Porter Zoo officially opened its newest exhibit, Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms, on Friday, May 1, 2009. Come experience a spectacle of sights, smells and sounds in this new greenhouse exhibit. Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms will feature various species of flowers, plants, butterflies and bugs that visitors can interact with and see up close. The exhibit will be open through July. Admission to Butterflies, Bugs and Blooms is one dollar with regular admission or Zoo membership.

Sea lions return to Gladys Porter Zoo

The Gladys Porter Zoo announced the arrival of two new sea lions into the Zoo’s general collection. Available on public display starting Friday, May 15th, the sea lions arrived in good condition late Thursday afternoon. The 900 and 700 pound male California sea lions were brought to the Zoo from the Washington and Oregon area.

These new sea lions, named Kruger and Junior, are an important addition to the Zoo’s collection. The Zoo’s veterinary staff has reviewed the health of the sea lions and the animals are currently acclimating to their new home. These male sea lions have been labeled a nuisance by wildlife managers in the Northwest because they are reportedly eating more than four percent of the Chinook salmon as they travel up the Columbia River to spawn. Initially the sea lions were slated to be culled but the Gladys Porter Zoo, along with several other institutions across the country, have stepped up to provide homes for these hungry, so-called troublemakers.

California sea lions are found along the West Coast of the United States from California to southern Alaska. They are members of the pinniped order, which includes large marine mammals like seals and walruses. Males can reach lengths of eight feet and weigh an impressive 1000 pounds. Females attain lengths of approximately six feet, and weigh considerably less - up to 250 pounds. The California sea lion population is managed under the Federal Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972. As a result of their protected status, their numbers have increased from 10,000 in the 1950s to an estimated 300,000 in 2006. They are currently not listed as a depleted population under the MMPA, nor are they listed for protection under the Endangered Species Act.