Amarillo Zoo hosting event for Endangered Species Day on Saturday

Jordan Gipson, Amarillo Globe-News
·2 min read

The Amarillo Zoo is celebrating Endangered Species Day with an event on Saturday, May 21, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

This event is taking place to emphasize the importance of endangered species and to educate the public on how they can help animals that have a low population in the wild, not only locally, but with animals across the globe, and how that affects the more common animals.

"Come out to the zoo to learn more about endangered species, how we can help, and how if we do lose these animals, how could it affect us as humans," said Dylan Long, Visitors Service Specialist at the Amarillo Zoo.

A variety of animals can be seen at the Amarillo Zoo, including these Ring-tailed Lemurs seen in a file photo.
A variety of animals can be seen at the Amarillo Zoo, including these Ring-tailed Lemurs seen in a file photo.

There will be a series of three different events. At 11 a.m., attendees can meet some of the zoo's animal ambassadors. At 1 p.m., a Bengal tiger chat will go over how at risk these tigers are, some of the causes of their endangerment, and what can be done to help. At 3 p.m., the highlighted species will be the black-footed ferret; at this event, the handlers will show the ferret and what it eats.

"We are one of the few zoos in North America that does have a black-footed ferret. There are only 300 of them left in the wild, so it's a pretty big deal," said Sierra Murray, Education Coordinator of the Amarillo Zoo.

The zoo has a variety of different species that staff are wanting to highlight, ranging from a Bengal Tiger to a Bactrian camel.

Savannah the Bengal tiger strolls around during the International Cat Day celebration at the Amarillo Zoo. At 1 p.m. Saturday, a chat about Bengal tigers will go over how at risk these tigers are, some of the causes of their endangerment, and what can be done to help.
Savannah the Bengal tiger strolls around during the International Cat Day celebration at the Amarillo Zoo. At 1 p.m. Saturday, a chat about Bengal tigers will go over how at risk these tigers are, some of the causes of their endangerment, and what can be done to help.

"We're hoping to see this become an annual thing, to recognize the endangered species and learn about the things we can do to help," Murray said.

People of all ages can attend Saturday's event. General admission applies at the gates. There will also be tiger headbands that will be sold for $1, which includes a tiger face paint.

Three black-handed spider monkeys look over a leafy treat near the entrance of the Amarillo Zoo.
Three black-handed spider monkeys look over a leafy treat near the entrance of the Amarillo Zoo.

The Amarillo Zoo is located at 700 Comanchero Trail, near Thompson Memorial Park and is open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information about the zoo, visit https://zoo.amarillo.gov/ or their Facebook page, or call (806) 381-7911.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo Zoo hosting Endangered Species Day celebration