I often talk about the "gems" in our community.  These are the places and organizations that deserve our support; either for charity or simply to make sure that they survive and thrive.

Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek is certainly one of those.  Whether you have never been there, never taken your kids, or have visited and want to go back, check out the Zoo's press release of the things we have to look forward to in their 40th season:

Handout- Getty Images
Handout- Getty Images
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Binder Park Zoo Prepares to Open for its 40th Anniversary Season on April 16th!

 BATTLE CREEK, MI  April 6, 2015: It’s always a sure sign that spring is just around the corner, and that we’ve made it through the worst of Michigan’s winter weather, when Binder Park Zoo starts preparing for their opening day; just over a week away on April 16th! This year marks a special year for the Zoo - a 40th Anniversary season!

 

There are lots of great reasons to visit Binder Park Zoo this season—like hand-feeding a giraffe*, stopping by to say hello to the three American black bears to see how much they’ve grown over the winter, and helping the Zoo celebrate 40 years of wildlife conservation!

 

“Forty years is a great accomplishment,” states Diane Thompson, Zoo President & CEO. “Binder Park Zoo began as a small children’s petting zoo and has grown into a major cultural attraction thanks to a Double the Zoo campaign in 1999 that brought Wild Africa to the Park. We intend to continue this momentum to drive the Zoo forward into the next century and to take care of what has been entrusted to us.”

 

Since 1999, the Zoo has brought in other new exhibits and attractions like the Smith Snow Leopard Encounter, the Binda Conservation Carousel, the Smith Wildlife Discovery Theater, the new Aldabra giant tortoise exhibit, and most recently, the new American black bear exhibit, but the African lion exhibit, slated for 2016, will be the first exhibit of this magnitude since Wild Africa opened. Construction has begun on the new tented camp and the Joe and Clara Stewart Zamani School set to line the 18-acre Wild Africa savanna. The tented camp will be available for rent late this summer. The Zoo will also be making an announcement later this spring with information about a 40th Anniversary celebration.  For more detailed information on the capital Campaign and its progress, visit www.binderparkzoo.org/lions.

 

In addition to all of the other great reasons to visit Binder Park Zoo this year, there is also a great line-up of events including some new ones! Tour De Zoo; a new biking event through the Zoo will take place on August 20th and a new Nature Art fair on August 29th & 30th will highlight our animal artists, as well as bring in nature artists and vendors from around the state. For a complete line up of events and details, visit www.binderparkzoo.org/events.

 

And what Zoo visit would be complete without the addition of one of Binder Park Zoo’s many education programs!  There are a variety of summer programs to choose from ranging from family programs to week-long camps for just the kids! A complete list is available including online registration at www.binderparkzoo.org/education.  Mark your calendars and don’t miss opening day on April 16th at Binder Park Zoo!  Get more event information by visiting www.binderparkzoo.org.

 

*Temperatures must reach at least 60 degrees for giraffes to be on exhibit.

 

About Binder Park Zoo

Over 7,000,000 people have visited Binder Park Zoo and an additional 500,000 have been served through outreach programs since was established in 1975.  It is located outside of Battle Creek, Michigan, on 433 acres of natural forests and wetlands.  In the past 37 years, the Zoo has grown to be one of the leading cultural attractions in the region.  It was created on the model of an entrepreneurial self-supporting nonprofit organization, and is managed by a zoological society board of directors to "nurture empathy, understanding, and conservation of nature."  In the last twenty years a conservation education center, a 40-acre natural wetlands exhibit, the 50-acre Wild Africa exhibit, and Conservation Carousel have been added to the original 80-acre zoo.  Binder Park Zoo serves over 60,000 people annually in 30 different types of formal education programs and is heavily involved in conservation of wildlife and natural habitats on five continents.  In cooperation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and others, Binder Park Zoo is actively working to conserve a wide array of endangered species both at the Zoo and worldwide.

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