Flushing, N.Y. – The stars and stripes will be waving, firework displays will be bursting and the smell of barbecue will be in the air on Independence Day this year. While all this is happening, WCS’ Queens Zoo, where all animals are native to the Americas, will be the perfect place to visit this holiday weekend.

All exhibits at the Queens Zoo are completely outdoors. The wildlife and exhibits here share the wild heritage of the American continents with visitors from around the globe, making it a great place to visit and celebrate our country and its natural history.

 
Zoo-goers will have a perfectly patriotic experience as they enjoy seeing a variety of animals native to the United States, including burly bison, playful puma, and enormous elk.  There are also beautiful birds in the zoo’s domed aviary that can be spotted in many parts of the country, including bobwhite quail, and marsh dwellers such as trumpeter swans and cranes.
 
One exhibit that is a must-see on the Fourth of July is that of the American bald eagle, America’s symbol of freedom. The zoo is home to two magnificent bald eagles, Mel and Claire. The pair spends much of their time perching on trees and logs within their exhibit, which is a natural interpretation of their habitat in the wild. These beautiful birds are a conservation success story. Once an endangered species, the bald eagle’s population has bounced back, mostly because of new federal protection laws, knocking down their status to a less critical “threatened.”
 
After visiting the animals, visitors can take a break inside the Discovery Center. Here, families can learn more about American animals through storybooks, games, and crafts. Zoo educators will be there to answer questions about all of the animals that live at the zoo, making this Fourth of July weekend an exciting and educational one.


Contact:
Barbara Russo
212-439-6527, brusso@wcs.org


The WCS Queens Zoo – Open every day of the year. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors 65 and older, $6 for kids 3-12, free for children under 3. Zoo hours are 10am to 5pm weekdays, and 10am – 5:30pm weekends, April through October, and 10am – 4:30pm daily, November through April.  The Queens Zoo is located at 53-51 111th Street in Flushing Meadow’s Corona Park in Queens. For further information, call 718-271-1500 or visit www.queenszoo.com  .


The Wildlife Conservation Society
saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.  


Special Note to the Media: If you would like to guide your readers or viewers to a web link where they can make donations in support of helping save wildlife and wild places, please direct them to: www.wcs.org/donation <http://www.wcs.org/donation> . undefined