Wild for the Planet ft. Big Bunny

April 18–20, 2025
(Friday, Saturday, and Sunday)
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

All programming is free with paid daytime admission and for GLAZA members.

Join the celebration of our precious planet and its rich biodiversity, featuring fun and inspiring activities, entertainment, and presentations focused on conservation, sustainability, and community. For extra springtime fun, cuddly long-eared friend Big Bunny will be available for professional photos over the holiday weekend (for an additional fee).

Event Programming 

(10 a.m. to 4 p.m. unless otherwise noted) 

• Animal care: Did you know that accredited zoos like ours are uniquely qualified to lend scientific expertise that’s vital to global efforts to save wildlife? It’s true! Through the daily care of animals, our staff develop knowledge and skills in areas such as animal biology, behavior, nutrition, and genetics that are invaluable to efforts to safeguard species in the wild. Learn more at animal care presentations at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Schedule to come soon. 
• Green Inspiration: Discover what you can do to defend natural resources and promote biodiversity at our Earth Expo, featuring some of our favorite conservation and community organizations. Visit the Planting for Pollinators Station and Upcycling Inspiration Lab for fun, no-waste activities; find out what you can do to protect and support local birds; and more. 
  • Friday’s Earth Expo partners: 
    • CicLAvia 
    • Friends of California Condors Wild and Free 
    • Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk 
    • National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 
    • Pasadena Audubon Society 
    • Saving Wildlife International 
    • SEEDS (Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability) at Moorpark College 
    • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement 
  • Saturday’s Earth Expo partners: 
    • Arroyos & Foothills Conservancy 
    • CicLAvia 
    • Friends of California Condors Wild and Free 
    • Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk 
    • Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project 
    • National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 
    • Orangutan Conservancy 
    • Pasadena Audubon Society 
    • San Dimas Canyon Nature Center 
    • Saving Wildlife International 
    • SEEDS at Moorpark College 
    • Shift Our Ways Collective 
    • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement 
  • Sunday’s Earth Expo partners: 
    • CicLAvia 
    • Friends of California Condors Wild and Free 
    • Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk 
    • Malibu Creek Ecosystem Restoration Project 
    • National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area 
    • Orangutan Conservancy 
    • Saving Wildlife International 
    • SEEDS at Moorpark College 
    • U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Office of Law Enforcement 
• Honey Tasting (10 a.m. to 3 p.m., $4 per person): Hosted by the Los Angeles County Beekeepers Association, tastings include samples of five different types of all-natural honey—sage, orange blossom, wildflower, buckwheat, and avocado. 
• Photos with Big Bunny (for an additional fee, no personal photos please)—View the photo package price sheet.
• Los Angeles Public Library story time (Friday only, 12 and 2 p.m.): LAPL librarians will share beloved Earth Day-themed children’s books, while their Outreach Van will be on hand with library card sign-ups and books available to take home and return to your local branch. 
• Grumpy Monkey story time with Suzanne and Max Lang (Saturday only, 12 and 2 p.m.): The creators of Grumpy Monkey—New York Times best-selling author Suzanne Lang and award-winning illustrator and animator Max Lang—will present not one but two tales featuring everyone’s favorite silly simian. In Grumpy Monkey Play All Day, our hero discovers if it’s possible to have too much fun in one day, while in Grumpy Monkey Mom for a Day, caring for a youngster helps him understand and appreciate parents and their unconditional love. 
• Performances by 3^rd Rock Hip Hop (11 a.m. and 1 p.m.): Kids and their parents are invited to sing and dance while gaining awareness and understanding of the importance of sustaining the environment. 3^rd Rock Hip Hop’s engaging sets include audience participation and meet-and-greets with Earth Mascots “3rd Rock” and his sister “Lil Rock.” 
• Education Stations: 
  • Great Apes—What makes the great apes so, well, great? Discover how these apes are similar to and different from other primates. Through a series of games and activities, explore topics like opposable thumbs, extraordinary intelligence, and evolutionary history while gaining a deeper understanding of our closest relatives in the animal kingdom.  
  • Wildlife Corridors—When an ecosystem is divided by roads or other human development, it can lead to landscape fragmentation. Through a demonstration of the perils of a fragmented ecosystem on a miniature scale, you’ll discover how wildlife corridors help connect habitats and create routes for animals to access resources and each other.  
• ECO-CELL Sweepstakes: Donate your unwanted handheld electronics at the Zoo to help save gorillas and enter to win a Family Membership. To enter, bring devices and/or accessories and fill out an entry form (one per device, up to five per person) at the ECO-CELL booth inside the Zoo or at the Membership window at the Zoo entrance during Wild for the Planet (Apr. 18–20). Proceeds from recycling through our partner ECO-CELL go to wildlife conservation nonprofits like Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) Center, which works to safeguard the critically endangered Grauer’s gorilla. Before your visit, check out our easy donation tip sheet to learn what devices are accepted and how to prep them. See official sweepstakes rules.

Upper-Level Member Preview 

LAZA members at the Family Deluxe level and above have the opportunity to experience Wild for the Planet before the Zoo opens to the public, with exclusive activities, animal presentations, free carousel rides, and more. To upgrade your support in order to attend, please email us at membership@lazoo.org.   

April 19 (Saturday)
8–10 a.m.
Advance registration for this event is required for attendance. Eligible member households will receive an email with details and a link to RSVP. Guest passes will not be honored for this event, which is for Family Deluxe members and higher. Thank you for your GLAZA membership support!  

Everyday Actions for the Earth 

Your interest in the Zoo and Wild for the Planet shows that you care about wildlife and the environment. Thank you! We ask that you continue this commitment in your daily life by: 

• Conserving water and energy
• Choosing to reduce, reuse, and recycle instead of throwing things away
• Buying sustainable products 

To explore other easy, everyday Earth-friendly choices, visit our Actions You Can Take. When we all work together to reduce consumption and waste, we can help wildlife thrive by keeping their native habitats safe and healthy.