Buffalo Zoo Celebrates “Ape-ril” on Zooper Saturday, April 7, 2012

Go bananas over the Buffalo Zoo’s Western lowland gorilla troop during the Zooper Saturday Ape-ril Event, which is being held on April 7 from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.!

                The event is free with Zoo admission. Highlights of the event include raffles as well as enrichment activities for the Zoo’s gorillas—Koga (the troop’s silverback) and females, Lily, Sidney and baby, Amari. Proceeds from the raffles will benefit the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), which helps to promote gorilla conservation.

                Visitors who donate old cell phones at the front gate during this event will also receive $1 off regular Zoo admission per cell phone. The cell phones will be collected through the Eco-Cell program. Designed to gather unused cell phones for refurbishment and recycling purposes, the program also helps wildlife in the Congo. Columbite-tantalite (coltan), a metallic ore found in the region, is used in cell phones and other electronic devices. Illegal mining for the ore is occurring in protected areas, and miners are overrunning national parks while also hunting the parks’ endangered elephants and gorillas for food. In addition to protecting these animals, the program also benefits the Buffalo Zoo. Eco-Cell pays the Zoo up to $15 per working digital phone, and this money is added to the Zoo’s Cars for Conservation fund, which helps to support conservation projects worldwide.

                The event schedule is as follows:

11:00 a.m.               Gorilla feeding

12:00 p.m.               Enrichment for the gorillas

1:00 p.m.                 Gorilla feeding

1:00 p.m. –             Crafts and raffles

2:45 p.m. (Raffle tickets are 1 for $1 or 3 for $2.)

2:00 p.m.                 Enrichment for the gorillas

2:45 p.m.                 Raffle drawing closes; winners announced

                                (You do not have to be present to win.)

3:00 p.m.                 Gorilla feeding

                For more information about the Zoo’s Ape-ril event, please call (716) 995-6133 or visit www.buffalozoo.org.