Asheboro, N.C. – (Feb. 24, 2021) - The North Carolina Zoo will live stream Better on Ice, An Ice Challenge Virtual Event Sat., on Feb. 27 in celebration of International Polar Bear Day. Tune in from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on the Zoo’s Facebook page and watch as award-winning ice carvers compete with dueling chainsaws to carve animal ice sculptures in record time. The event is presented by North Carolina Zoo, North Carolina Zoo Society, Ice Occasions, and Pepsi Bottling Ventures.
The North Carolina Zoo is among an elite group of 40 zoos, aquariums, and museums that are Arctic Ambassador Centers (AAC) through a partnership with Polar Bears International (PBI). PBI is the leading polar bear conservation group in the world that works to conserve polar bears. The Zoo recently welcomed a new male polar bear named Payton as a breeding partner for female Anana.
Discover how you can help from the comfort of your home! Donate $50 or more online to the Zoo’s animal conservation fund on Sat. Feb. 27 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at North Carolina Zoo Society website and enter to win a polar bear paw print painting and Pepsi products for a year! All proceeds benefit the North Carolina Zoo Society.
Polar bears, which are native to North America, are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. There are an estimated 22,000-31,000 in the wild and polar bear numbers are projected to decline by 30% by 2050.
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About the North Carolina Zoo
At the North Carolina Zoo, we celebrate nature. As the world’s largest natural habitat Zoo, we inspire a lifelong curiosity about animals for the hundreds of thousands of people who visit our Zoo each year. Our dedicated team of experts provides exceptional, compassionate care for the more than 1,600 animals and 52,000 plants that call our Park home. We also lead efforts locally and globally to protect wildlife and wild places because we believe nature’s diversity is critical for our collective future. The North Carolina Zoo invites all our guests to witness the majesty of the wild in the heart of North Carolina and welcomes everyone to join in our mission to protect nature’s diversity. Visit NCZoo.org to begin your life-changing journey.
About the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR) is the state agency with a vision to be the leader in using the state’s natural and cultural resources to build the social, cultural, educational, and economic future of North Carolina. NCDNCR’s mission is to improve the quality of life in our state by creating opportunities to experience excellence in the arts, history, libraries, and nature in North Carolina by stimulating learning, inspiring creativity, preserving the state’s history, conserving the state’s natural heritage, encouraging recreation and cultural tourism, and promoting economic development.
NCDNCR includes 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums, and Jennette’s Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office, and the Office of State Archaeology, along with the Division of Land and Water Stewardship. For more information, please call 919- 807-7300 or visit www.ncdcr.gov.