STAY CONNECTED

**CALENDAR ADVISORY**

April 19, 2012

New warthogs and rare Visayan warty pigs to debut May 5

Gigi Allianic, Rebecca Whitham
206.548.2550 | woodlandparkzoopr@zoo.org

Critically endangered Visayan warty pigs and African warthogs will make their public debut on May 5 at Woodland Park Zoo. “Pigs, Warts and All” programs and a limited supply of free piggy banks for kids will be offered opening weekend, May 5-6. Shown in photos are a warthog at Indianapolis Zoo and warty pig at Oregon Zoo

Credits: Warthog - Siri-Mauri Giles/Courtesy Indianapolis Zoo. Visayan warty pig - Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

WHAT

Get ready for “Pigs, Warts and All” when African warthogs and Visayan (vih-SIGH-uhn) warty pigs make their debut on May 5 at Woodland Park Zoo. Get ready to see the mighty fine swine rooting, dusting and wallowing!

The arrival of the new pig species, presented by U.S. Bank and The Seattle Times, marks the first time that wild pigs will join the zoo’s extensive collection of animal ambassadors.

During opening weekend, May 5-6, free piggy banks will be given at the ZooStores to the first 500 kids (age 12 and under) each day. Also during opening weekend, keeper talks will be presented at the pigs’ exhibits and special pig-themed programming for young kids will be offered in Zoomazium.

The critically endangered Visayan warty pigs boast prominent head tufts that resemble the hairdos of punk rockers. The pigs will make their home in a broadleaf tropical forest landscape that evokes the species’ fragile habitat in central Philippines.

Warthogs, the wild pigs of the African savanna, earned their name from the large facial warts on each side of their tusks and jumped to fame when the character warthog Pumbaa endeared itself to fans of Disney’s “The Lion King.” The warthogs’ exhibit will take visitors to the moist and arid savannas of East Africa and is a part of the 4.5-acre, award-winning African Savanna that offers sweeping views dotted with giraffe, hippos, patas monkeys and lions. 

WHEN 

Opening weekend: Saturday-Sunday, May 5-6

Woodland Park Zoo opens 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. daily beginning May 1

 “Pigs, Warts and All” programs:

Visayan Warty Pigs Smart Cart: Cute, Clever, Critically Endangered – 10:00 a.m.-noon
Creature Feature – 10:30 a.m., Zoomazium
Visayan Warty Pig Keeper Talk – 11:00 a.m.
Warthog Keeper Talk – 11:30 a.m. (Saturday only)
Shake, Rattle & Roar – 11:30 a.m., Zoomazium
Nature Exchange Trading – 1:00-4:00 p.m., Zoomazium
Puppet Show – 4:30 p.m., Zoomazium

WHERE

Enter Woodland Park Zoo through the West Entrance at Phinney Ave. N. between N. 55^th & N. 56^th Sts. or through the South Entrance at N. 50^th St. & Fremont Ave. N.

INFO

The pigs’ exhibits and opening day programs are free with zoo admission. Admission May 1-September 30: Adult (13-64) id="mce_marker"7.75; Child (3-12) id="mce_marker"1.50; Toddler (0-2) Free. Active and retired U.S. military and their families, seniors and people with physical disabilities receive an admission discount. Zoo members receive free zoo admission year round. Parking: $5.25.

For more information or to become a zoo member, visit www.zoo.org. Or call 206.548.2500 or 548.2599 (TTY).

Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, award-winning Woodland Park Zoo is famed for pioneering naturalistic exhibits and setting international standards for zoos in animal care, conservation and education programs. Woodland Park Zoo is helping to save animals and their habitats in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. By inspiring people to care and act, Woodland Park Zoo is making a difference in our planet’s future. For more information, visit www.zoo.org.

### 

Woodland Park Zoo saves animals and their habitats through conservation leadership and engaging experiences, inspiring people to learn, care and act.