Rosamond Gifford Zoo Celebrates Planet Earth with Novelis Party for the Planet and more

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is celebrating Planet Earth by offering ways the public can learn about, and protect, wildlife and the environment with two events – Earth Day on Friday, April 21, and Novelis Party for the Planet on Saturday, April 22.

Bottle and Can Retrieval Center will facilitate a bottle and can drive to benefit the zoo for the occasion! Bring returnable bottles and cans to the zoo between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Earth Day, April 22 and follow the signs to the drop-off location in the zoo parking lot. You may also bring returnables to Bottle and Can Retrieval Center locations anytime -- just indicate they are for the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

Here is a summary of the zoo’s Celebrate Planet Earth programming:

EARTH DAY - Friday, April 2 - This year’s Earth Day theme is Clean Up, Create and Connect.

Clean Up: Join community volunteers in helping spruce up the zoo grounds! Sign up to help with weeding, raking, mulching and trash pickup around the zoo starting at 9 a.m. Friday.  To sign up, please email Heidi Strong at [email protected].

Create: Create better habitats for wildlife by doing a cleanup in your own neighborhood, planting wildflowers or a tree – and share your efforts by posting and tagging the Rosamond Gifford Zoo.

Connect: Share your photos of what you did to improve your local habitat via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #syracusezoo and #CelebratePlanetEarth for a chance to win a special prize!

NOVELIS PARTY FOR THE PLANET - Saturday, April 22

Come to the zoo for this fun and educational conservation celebration highlighting environmental projects happening in CNY and around the world. Make the rounds to exhibitors like Novelis, Greening USA, Bartlett Tree Experts, and OCCRA. There will be keeper chats featuring zoo animals, garden tours, and more.

Exhibitor tables will be open – 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Visitors will receive a free seedling from Bartlett Tree Experts while supplies last. The event is free for members and with paid zoo admission.

Schedule of Events:

11:00 a.m.         Asian Elephant/Twins Keeper Chat | Helga Beck Asian Elephant Preserve

11:30 a.m.         Outreach (Decomposers Talk)

Noon                Red Wolf Keeper Chat | Wildlife Trail

1:00 p.m.           Seahorse Nursery | U.S.S. Antiquities Cave

1:30 p.m.           Pollinator Garden Chat – Men’s & Women’s Garden Club of Syracuse

2:00 p.m.           Asian Elephant/Twins Keeper Chat | Helga Beck Asian Elephant Preserve

3:00 p.m.           Golden Lion Tamarin Keeper Chat | Social Animals Building

Schedule subject to change.