Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

May 29, 2012 - Jacksonville, Fl -

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating the 31st birthday of Quito, a silverback gorilla, on Saturday, June 2, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be an information booth at the Great Ape Exhibit with fun facts about Quito, as well as conservation information on gorillas. Guests are invited to come at 10:00 a.m. and sing ‘happy birthday’ to Quito, where he will also be given his birthday cake. Stop by the Great Ape exhibit to sign his birthday card, experience gorilla enrichment and enjoy a visit from Jazoo, the Zoo mascot. There will be keeper chats at 11:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. from Quito’s zoo keepers and chance drawings for paintings done by our gorillas. All proceeds from the paintings will be donated to gorilla conservation.  This event is free with general admission to the Zoo. 

For nearly a century, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experiences in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens now has more than 2,000 rare and exotic animals and 1,000 plants. It has won national acclaim for its South American Range of the Jaguar exhibit and has the largest botanical garden in Northeast Florida. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).  It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. except Christmas day, and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95.  For more information on the Zoo, log on to http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org.