The Zoo Continues to “Bring the Zoo to You” with “Wild for the Planet” – A Virtual Celebration from Earth Day (April 22) to Endangered Species Day (May 15); with Behind-The-Scenes Animal Videos, Animal Draw-Alongs, Animal Puppet Video Series, and Curated Content by Animal Experts; Plus “Beastly Ball” Event Goes Virtual For the First-Time Ever, On May 15
April 22, 2020 (Los Angeles, CA) — Every spring, the L.A. Zoo’s annual “Wild for the Planet” celebrates all things animal, natural, and sustainable from Earth Day on April 22 to Endangered Species Day on May 15. Throughout this year’s virtual “Wild for the Planet” festivities, the L.A. Zoo is providing an array of activities accessible to anyone seeking engaging and educational animal-related content while at home. Carefully curated by the L.A. Zoo team, this online resource brings together animal videos, nature-related at-home crafts, exclusive animal coloring books available for download, and more.
“Wild for the Planet” culminates in the Virtual Beastly Ball, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s annual fundraising gala, taking place live on Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m. on LAZoo.org.
Endangered Species Draw-Alongs With Brian Kesinger
The L.A. Zoo has partnered with veteran Walt Disney Animation and Marvel comic artist Brian Kesinger on a series of Facebook Live animal draw-alongs spotlighting endangered species that the Los Angeles Zoo has brought back from the brink of extinction. Taking place on four consecutive Saturdays at 1 p.m., these engaging Facebook Live tutorials show viewers how to draw the California condor (April 18), the mountain yellow-legged frog (April 25), peninsular pronghorn (May 2), and the western lowland gorilla (May 9). Join live on Facebook or catch up with archived episodes on the L.A. Zoo YouTube channel.
Save-The-Date! Beastly Ball Annual Fundraiser Goes Virtual on May 15
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s annual “Beastly Ball” has been the Zoo’s signature star-studded fundraising event for decades. This year, due to COVID-19, it will be a virtual event taking place on Endangered Species Day, May 15, 2020 at 6 p.m. The Virtual Beastly Ball will include special virtual animal experiences, celebrity guest appearances, and exciting silent and live auction opportunities. Free for all to attend.
L.A. Zoo Virtual Zoom Backgrounds
Get a little wild in your next Zoom meeting with L.A. Zoo’s new virtual backgrounds, with new ones released every Wednesday from April 22 – May 1. Use them to show your support for animal conservation and for preserving our planet. Available now on the L.A. Zoo’s Facebook (/lazoo) and Twitter (@lazoo) pages.
L.A. ZOO-m Animal Chats with Swazzle Puppet Studio – A New Video Series
Kids can join Swazzle’s environmental superhero Ricky Raccoon as he virtually visits his animal puppet friends and uncovers wild facts about creatures large and small in this new online original video series, created exclusively for the L.A. Zoo. Episode 1, “Yellow-Faced Bumblebee” will debut on Friday, April 24 on the L.A. Zoo’s Wild for the Planet page.
Animal Conservation Videos
Whether at the Zoo or in the field, the L.A. Zoo works to save species every day. From the release of hundreds of endangered tadpoles to studying giraffe conservation, the L.A. Zoo’s original video programming highlights just some of the many inspiring conservation stories, plus original animal content posted regularly from inside the zoo. Available to watch now on the Wild for the Planet page.
Content and Crafts
The Los Angeles Zoo encourages everyone to take actions to support wildlife and sustainability for the good of the planet we all share. Check out the Wild for the Planet page for unique animal stories written by our expert staff and tips for conservation actions at home. Plus, Earth Day crafts where kids can learn how to “Create a Zoo Habitat”, make a “Paper Roll Bird Feeder”, and build a “Solitary Bee House.” All three crafts are available to download now on the Wild for the Planet page.
L.A. ZOO
The landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing 1.8 million visitors each year, is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous professional standards for animal welfare and has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife.
GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION (GLAZA)
The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 55,000 member households representing more than 210,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo’s popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles.