Experience African Giants this Saturday at the North Carolina Zoo

ASHEBORO, NC – The North Carolina Zoo will host an “African Giants” extravaganza this Saturday, August 20. The special event will take place from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will feature entertainment, keeper talks and all sorts of fun - centered around the gigantic animals of Africa - for the entire family.

Zoo favorite, Healing Force, will perform from 10:30 a.m. until 1:45 p.m. in the Africa Plaza.  Simultaneously, the Winston Salem Youth Flute Ensemble will perform at 10:30 a.m. Face painting will occur all day, as well as an exhibit by the North Carolina Transportation Museum.

The Giraffe Acacia Station will offer Giraffe Education, crafts and FREE Giraffe feeding deck from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The complimentary feeding deck access is a very exclusive opportunity for Zoo guests to get up close and personal with graceful animals.

Other fun experiences include:

• The Watani Loop will feature Bowling for Rhinos, a rhino education station and a rhino ring toss game.
• Watani Plaza will feature an elephant education station, crafts and keeper talks at 11 a.m. and again at 2 p.m. 
• Pokemon Go enthusiasts will find lures that will be set throughout Africa for the duration of the event.

The North Carolina Zoo, the home of nearly 2000 animals, cordially invites you to experience and learn about the giants of Africa this weekend.                                                                                

About the North Carolina Zoo

The North Carolina Zoo provides an experience like no other zoo anywhere. With five miles of exhibits, nearly 2,000 animals and 52,000 plants it is the largest natural habitat zoo in the world and an international leader in wildlife conservation.

Find yourself surrounded by some of Africa’s giants including elephants, rhinos, and giraffes; share the love of gorillas with Mosuba and his six-member troop; polar bears Nikita and Anana takr polar plunges every day at the Rocky Coast Exhibit; or join in the fun at the mud café in the Kidzone.

Located in center of the state in Asheboro, it is convenient to visit from anywhere in North Carolina. The North Carolina Zoo welcomes nearly 750,000 guests each year. Plan your adventure at www.nczoo.org.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 

The North Carolina Zoo is an agency of 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. Led by Secretary Susan Kluttz, 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 N.C.  Zoo, the nation's first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the State Archives, the 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.

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