Bristol Zoo Gardens celebrates Darwin’s birthday with beards all round!
Press release
January 21, 2009
Bristol Zoo Gardens is throwing its doors open for free on Darwin’s birthday next month - to anyone with a beard.
On Thursday, February 12, free entry to the Zoo will be given to anyone with a beard – real or fake. More creative visitors could make their own beards to wear on the day!
Visitors can see some of the Zoo’s bearded inhabitants – such as the DeBrazza monkeys, the bearded dragon lizards, or Samuel and Duana the Zoo’s resident agile gibbons.
The unusual event is being held to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin who was born on February 12, 1809.
Darwin was a British scientist who laid the foundations of the theory of evolution and transformed the way we think about the natural world. He is also known for his trademark long, grey beard.
He challenged the thinking of his day because his observations and studies - that every living thing is related - placed humans firmly within the rest of the natural world.
Simon Garrett, Head of Learning at Bristol Zoo Gardens, said: “Darwin is now a household name and, over the last 150 years, his ideas have revolutionised our understanding of nature and our place within it. Bristol Zoo’s ‘beard day’ is a fun way of commemorating Darwin’s life and work while allowing visitors to find out more about his theories.”
From February 12, visitors to the Zoo will also be able to take part in the Zoo’s Darwin-themed trail, ‘Be a Darwin Detective’. It will ask visitors to find six primate species at the Zoo establish what type of primate they are and complete a primate family tree on the trail card. They can then log on to the Zoo website at home to check their answers and have the chance of winning a prize.
Other Darwin-themed activities will take place throughout the year (details will be added to the Zoo website).
Charles Robert Darwin was born in Shrewsbury and died on April 19, 1882 and was buried in Westminster Abbey. This year is also the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s famous book, On The Origin of Species.
The ‘beard day’ offer only applies to visitors who arrive at the Zoo wearing a beard before 12noon on Thursday, February 12. It does not apply to schools or organised groups.
For more information about Bristol Zoo Gardens and the ‘beard day’ terms and conditions, visit the website at www.bristolzoo.org.uk or phone 0117 974 7300.
ENDS
For more information contact Bristol Zoo Press Office:
Lucy Parkinson, T: 0117 974 7306, E: lparkinson [at] bristolzoo [dot] org [dot] uk
Jessica Macmillan, T: 0117 974 7309, E: jmacmillan [at] bristolzoo [dot] org [dot] uk
Notes to editors
Bristol Zoo Gardens
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is open from 9am every day except Christmas Day.
• The Zoo is an Education and Conservation Charity and relies on the income from visitors to support its work. The Zoo is involved with over one hundred co-ordinated breeding programmes for threatened wildlife species.
• It employs 140 full and part-time staff to care for the animals and run a successful visitor attraction to support its conservation and education work.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens supports – through finance and skill sharing - over 10 projects in the UK and abroad that conserve and protect some of the world’s most endangered species.
• Bristol Zoo Gardens is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums. BIAZA represents more than 90 member collections and promotes the values of good zoos and aquariums.
