L.A. Zoo continues to “Bring the Zoo to You” with "Wild for the Planet", a virtual celebration from Earth Day to Endangered Species Day with behind-the-scenes animal videos, animal draw-alongs, animal puppet video series, and curated content by animal experts.
Every spring, the L.A. Zoo’s annual “Wild for the Planet” celebrates all things animal, natural, and sustainable from Earth Day on April 22 to Endangered Species Day on May 15. Throughout this year’s virtual “Wild for the Planet” festivities,
the L.A. Zoo is providing an array of activities accessible to anyone seeking engaging and educational animal-related content while at home. Carefully curated by the L.A. Zoo team, this online resource brings together animal videos, nature-related at-home crafts, exclusive animal coloring books available for download, and more.
The L.A. Zoo has partnered with veteran Walt Disney Animation and Marvel comic artist Brian Kesinger on a series of Facebook Live animal draw-alongs spotlighting endangered species that the Los Angeles Zoo has brought back from the brink of extinction. Taking place on four consecutive Saturdays at 1 p.m., these engaging Facebook Live tutorials show viewers how to draw the California condor (April 18), the mountain yellow-legged frog (April 25), peninsular pronghorn (May 2), and the western lowland gorilla (May 9). Join live on Facebook or catch up with archived episodes on the L.A. Zoo YouTube channel.
Beastly Ball Annual Fundraiser Goes Virtual on May 15
The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s annual “Beastly Ball” has been the Zoo’s signature star-studded fundraising event for decades. This year, due to COVID-19, it will be a virtual event taking place on Endangered Species Day, May 15, 2020 at 6 p.m. The Virtual Beastly Ball will include special virtual animal experiences, celebrity guest appearances, and exciting silent and live auction opportunities. Free for all to attend. Visit beastlyball.lazoo.org for more details and regular updates.
L.A. Zoo Virtual Zoom Backgrounds
Get a little wild in your next Zoom meeting with L.A. Zoo’s new virtual backgrounds, with new ones released every Wednesday from April 22 through May 1. Use them to show your support for animal conservation and for preserving our planet. Available now on the L.A. Zoo’s Facebook (/lazoo) and Twitter (@lazoo) pages; or click the link here.
L.A. ZOO-m Animal Chats with Swazzle Puppet Studio - A New Video Series
Kids can join Swazzle’s environmental superhero Ricky Raccoon as he virtually visits his animal puppet friends and uncovers wild facts about creatures large and small in this new online original video series, created exclusively for the L.A. Zoo. Episode 1, “Yellow-Faced Bumblebee” will debut on Friday, April 24 on the L.A. Zoo’s Wild for the Planet page.
Animal Conservation Videos
Whether at the Zoo or in the field, the L.A. Zoo works to save species every day. From the release of hundreds of endangered tadpoles to studying giraffe conservation, the L.A. Zoo's original video programming highlights just some of the many inspiring conservation stories, plus original animal content posted regularly from inside the zoo. Available to watch now on the Wild for the Planet page.
Content and Crafts
The Los Angeles Zoo encourages everyone to take actions to support wildlife and sustainability for the good of the planet we all share. Check out the Wild for the Planet page for unique animal stories written by expert staff and tips for conservation actions at home. Plus, Earth Day crafts where kids can learn how to "Create a Zoo Habitat", make a "Paper Roll Bird Feeder", and build a "Solitary Bee House." All three crafts are available to download now on the Wild for the Planet page.
