On Saturday, April 24, from 10:00am-2:00pm, the ABQ BioPark will celebrate with a Party for the Planet at the Zoo, Aquarium, Botanic Garden and Tingley Beach. Earth Day is celebrated on one day a year, but visitors to the ABQ BioPark will learn how they can protect animals and plants every day with simple actions that are family-friendly and budget conscious. All activities are included free with regular admission.

Aquarium activities will focus on choosing planet-friendly seafood and protection of aquatic environments here in New Mexico. Botanic Garden activities center on seeds but also feature a juried chalk art competition as well as farming demonstrations and cultural displays at the Heritage Farm exhibit. Tingley Beach activities highlight the Rio Grande with a visit from the BioVan and include hands-on opportunities to learn fun ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Zoo activities feature endangered animals, a special guest speaker and an adobe-making station.

Earth Day Schedule of Events:
9:30am – Sidewalk Chalk Art Competition in the Aquarium/Botanic Garden plaza. Open to the public; chalk is provided. Judging takes place at 11:00am, and prizes will be awarded.

10:00am-2:00pm – Children’s Seed Festival at the Botanic Garden. Set in the Children’s Fantasy Garden, the story of a seed is revealed through hands-on activity stations. Children can play games, create seed art and plant a mystery seed to take home and grow.

12:00pm – Protecting Africa’s Primates: Rescue, Rehabilitation and Reintroduction. Special guest, Doug Cress, from the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance (PASA) will speak about his experiences caring for orphaned gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and other endangered primates. He will discuss his organization’s remarkable efforts to halt the trafficking, bushmeat slaughter and deforestation that threaten wild primates.

Earth Day activities at the Botanic Garden’s Heritage Farm exhibit include:
10:00am -- 2 :00pm--Beekeeping and Backyard Chicken demonstrations
10:00am -- 2:00pm--Colcha and Quilting exhibitions
11:00am -- Sheep shearing demonstration
12:00-2:00pm -- Live bluegrass music by Atomic Grass band
12:00-2:00pm -- Ferrier at work
______________________________________________________________________________

The Albuquerque Biological Park is an accessible facility and a division of the City of Albuquerque’s Cultural Services Department. The Zoo is located at 903 Tenth St. SW; the Aquarium and Botanic Garden are located at 2601 Central Ave. NW. Tingley Beach is located at 1800 Tingley Dr. SW. For assistance in visiting, please call 311 (Relay NM or 711), preferably with three days advance notice. Hours are 9:00am to 5:00pm daily. Same day combo admission is $12.00 for adults and $5.00 for seniors 65 and older and children 3-12.

New Mexico BioPark Society membership confers free general admission to all BioPark facilities and discounts to many special events. Find out more about becoming a BioPark Society member at www.nmbioparksociety.org.

The BioPark is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Look for the AZA 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. With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.

The Rio Grande Botanic Garden is a member of the American Public Garden Association, an organization founded in 1940 that has emerged as the premiere association for public gardens. Today, APGA’s 500 member institutions are located throughout North America and beyond. The APGA serves and strengthens its member gardens by supporting and promoting their work, value and achievements in horticultural display, education, research and plant conservation.
 
For more information, please call (505) 764-6214.