Cincinnati Zoo is Bringing the Zoo to You!
Home Safari Facebook Lives start today.
CINCINNATI, OH (March 16, 2020) – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden closed to the public yesterday to do its part to curb the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). During the closure, the Zoo plans to offer Home Safari Facebook Lives seven days a week!
“We’re bringing the Zoo to people who are stuck at home,” said Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard. “This Zoo is so important to the community and not being able to visit will create a void that we’re trying to fill. The goal with the daily live sessions is to provide fun and educational content to people who are stuck at home.”
The Home Safaris will start today at 3 p.m. EST. The first one will feature the world’s most famous hippo, Fiona. To watch live, just visit the Zoo’s Facebook page at 3pm. The Zoo will also post the safaris on its website and on YouTube so everyone can view.
“We announced the safaris on Facebook yesterday, and the response was phenomenal. That post has reached more than 18 million people and has been shared 283,000 times,” said Maynard. “I’m not a social media expert, but I’m pretty sure those numbers are off the charts.”
The Zoo also picked up 400,000 new Facebook followers after it announced the lives. It plans to bring the Zoo into peoples’ homes via its other social channels throughout the day as long as it remains closed.
“As a non-profit organization, the Zoo relies on ticket sales, zoo visits, memberships and donations to operate. Being closed will have a significant impact on its overall operating budget. Please consider donating to our emergency operating fund to assist us with the care of our animals and team members. Your support now is more critical than ever,” said Maynard.
Other ways to support the Zoo during this difficult period is to purchase or renew existing memberships, ADOPT animals or send a personalized Cameo message from Fiona to someone you love!
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The world-famous Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is committed to inspiring visitors to care about wildlife and wild places. It was voted the #1 Best Zoo in a USA TODAY reader poll and has also received rave reviews from Child Magazine, Parents Magazine, USA Today and TripAdvisor. Over 1.8 million people visit the Zoo’s award-winning habitats, and more than 500 animal and 3000 plant species annually. The Zoo, an accredited member of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) for almost 30 years, is internationally known for its success in the protection and propagation of endangered animals and plants and engages in research and conservation projectsworldwide. Known as the #GreenestZooInAmerica, the Zoo is doing its part to conserve natural resources that are critical to saving wildlife and its habitats and is committed to greening its daily operations and reducing its impact on the environment with rain gardens, recycled building materials, solar panels and more. The Cincinnati Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.