SEATTLE - Woodland Park Zoo's newest exhibit, African wild dog, opens Friday, June 28! To celebrate these rare and fascinating carnivores, the zoo will kick off a statewide Zoo Safari Sweepstakes, July 1 through July 31, 2002. Washington residents only may enter to win at any participating Wendy's restaurants or at Woodland Park Zoo. For more contest information and a complete list of the rules, visit the zoo’s Web site at www.zoo.org.

Fabulous prizes include a one-year lease of a Land Rover Freelander, courtesy of Land Rover Seattle/Eastside, a zoo overnight adventure for 15 guests, a family zoo membership and more! For more contest information and a complete list of the rules, visit the zoo’s Web site at www.zoo.org.

This marks the first time the award-winning zoo, internationally renowned for its state-of-the art, naturalistic wildlife exhibits and conservation education, is exhibiting African wild dogs. The endangered species is very rare both in the wild and in zoos. Less than two percent of the nation’s zoos exhibit this canid.

Evocative of an eastern or southern African floodplain-riverbank habitat, the 5,000-square-foot habitat transports you to a corner of the world where the dogs live in the wild. The lowest elevations of the exhibit feature a seasonal stream and pools, and a large termite mound. You can view the pack of dogs from vantage points situated across the streambed, through a window to a heated, underground den, or from a sheltered overlook offering views to the lion exhibit.

Under the direction of Woodland Park Zoo’s project team, the African wild dog team includes: designer Patrick Janikowski Architects, P.S. (Seattle); general contractor PCL Construction Services, Inc. (Bellevue, Wash.); artificial exhibitry Turnstone Construction, Inc. (Seattle). Major funding for the $1.5 million exhibit was provided by the True Family, with partial funding by the D.V. & Ida McEachern Charitable Trust.

African wild dogs are one of earth’s most endangered predators. Less than 6,000 dogs remain in the wild. Once widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, their range has been reduced to just a few isolated populations in protected enclaves in east and southern Africa. These pack-living canids, sometimes called painted dogs, painted wolves, and Cape hunting dogs, live in a highly developed social structure. The pack functions as a “family” where reproduction and nurturing of young take place.

The permanent African wild dog exhibit can be viewed during regular zoo hours, 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, during the summer. Viewing time is subject to change. For more information, visit the zoo’s mini-site dedicated to the species at www.zoo.org. Enjoy an exhibit overview with a 360-degree view from inside the exhibit, a slideshow of the construction of the exhibit and E-mail postcards. Call 206.684.4800 for other information.

As one of the best family values in the Puget Sound region, admission ranges from free for toddlers to $9.50 for adults; King County residents receive an admission discount and zoo members receive free zoo admission year-round.