Los Angeles Zoo and Aquarium of the Pacific Announce Family-Friendly Events to Support the Environment

April 23, 2019

For the past 20 years, members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) have celebrated our planet with annual Party for the Planet® events. This year, with support from the Disney Conservation Fund, members will be helping their communities “spring into action” with opportunities for families to volunteer to improve our planet. From Earth Day (April 22) to World Oceans Day (June 8), families can participate in a weekend festival, trash clean-up, bioblitzes, habitat restoration, and native planting activities.

April 27 and 28, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.: Earth Day Festival at Aquarium of the Pacific. Activities include: E-waste recycling, tips to protect the planet, and an opportunity to learn how to be a community scientist by documenting organisms spotted during Explorer Time: Harbor Critters shows in the Marine Life Theater at 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m..

April 27 and 28, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.: City Nature Challenge and Spring Fling at L.A. Zoo. This event highlights conservation and sustainable living in celebration of Earth Day. Activities include: recording biodiversity using iNaturalist, live entertainment, crafts, special animal feedings, an Earth Expo, educational activities, photo ops, and more.

April 28, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.: Los Cerritos Wetlands BioBlitz. Become a community scientist with the Aquarium using iNaturalist to record animal and plant biodiversity in our wetlands, home to endangered species.

May 4, 9 a.m.–11 a.m.: Griffith Park Restoration. At 4,310 acres, Griffith Park is four times the size of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and nearly five times the size of New York’s Central Park. Participants will be restoring trails and habitat—from trash removal to planting native plants. Advance registration required. Space limited.

June 1, 10 a.m.–12 p.m.: Los Cerritos Wetlands Restoration. Join Aquarium staff and the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority in restoring this vital habitat at the mouth of the San Gabriel River.

June 4 or 5, 8 a.m.–6 p.m.: During this one-day adventure on Santa Cruz Island with the L.A. Zoo, participants will help conservation organization Channel Island Restoration restore crucial island habitat. Suitable for ages 13 and older. Advance registration and deposit required. Space limited.

June 8, 9 a.m.–5 p.m.: Party for the Planet will wrap up with a World Ocean Day Celebration at the Aquarium highlighting ocean conservation and inspiring us all to work toward a better future for our planet.

For more information about Aquarium of the Pacific events, visit aquariumofpacific.org/events. For more information about L.A. Zoo events, visit lazoo.org/partyfortheplanet. All events require advance registration and space is limited. For more information about Party for the Planet, visit www.aza.org/party-for-the-planet.

In addition to events happening in Los Angeles, signature events will also happen in five other cities across the country: Brevard, Fla., Chicago, Ill., New York City, N.Y., Philadelphia, Pa., and San Francisco, Calif.

In total, over 120 AZA members will be hosting Spring Into Action events during the 48 days.

“AZA-accredited facilities are experts at connecting families to nature. Party for the Planet™ offers families the perfect opportunity to visit their local AZA-accredited facility, celebrate Earth’s biodiversity, and learn how they can take action to make a difference,” said AZA President and CEO Dan Ashe. “AZA-accredited facilities are working to help save species worldwide and inspire the next generation of conservations to action. We are so grateful to the Disney Conservation Fund for helping AZA members make an even bigger impact this year with their grant support. The events our members have planned are inspiring and impactful, and I encourage families everywhere to find their local event and get involved!”

ABOUT THE AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

The nonprofit Aquarium of the Pacific is a community gathering place where diverse cultures and the arts are celebrated and where important challenges facing our planet are explored by scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders in search of sustainable solutions. The Aquarium is dedicated to conserving and building nature and nature’s services by building the interactions between and among peoples. Beyond its animal exhibits, the Aquarium offers educational programs for people of all ages, from hands-on activities to lectures by leading scientists. Field trips for schoolchildren are offered at a heavily discounted rate from $7 to $8.50 per student. The Aquarium offers memberships with unlimited FREE admission for 12 months, VIP Entrance, and other special benefits.

ABOUT GREATER LOS ANGELES ZOO ASSOCIATION

The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 55,000 member households representing more than 210,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo’s popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest membership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles.

ABOUT LOS ANGELES ZOO

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the landmark Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, drawing more than 1.8 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,400 animals representing 270 different species, 58 of which are endangered. Its lush grounds on 133 acres feature a botanical collection comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. The Zoo is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways.

ABOUT AZA

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, animal welfare, education, science, and recreation. AZA is the accrediting body for the top zoos and aquariums in the United States and eight other countries. Look for the AZA accreditation logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in saving species and your link to helping animals all over the world. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.