For immediate release
Contact: Gina Stiles, 904-757-4463, ext. 210

Jacksonville Zoo Extends Weekend Hours

JACKSONVILLE, FL – March 8, 2007 – Zoo officials announced today that visitors can enjoy the animals and gardens at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens an extra hour every Saturday, Sunday, and on holidays through Labor Day.  The extended hours include Spring Break, March 16 through March 23; Memorial Day, May 28; the week including Independence Day, July 2 through July 6; and end Labor Day, September 3.  The change coincides with the revised daylight savings schedule, which started a little earlier this year. 

“Jacksonville Zoo is pleased to extend its hours so that guests can spend more time exploring the Zoo and Gardens,” said Dennis Pate, executive director of Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “Spring is the Zoo’s busiest time of the year, and there’s a lot to see and do,” he concluded.

During these extended hours, guests will have the opportunity to do even more at the Zoo!  This spring for the first time in the history of the Zoo visitors can take a ride on a camel at the camel ride exhibit through May 2007. The annual opening of the Splash Ground at Play Park will be on Thursday, March 15.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment.  Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 2,000 rare and exotic animals and over 1,500 unique plant species. The Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Located on Jacksonville’s north side two miles off I-95, the Zoo is open year-round, 7 days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. For more information on the Zoo, log on to www.jacksonvillezoo.org.

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