FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Binder Park Zoo
Contact: Leslie Walsh
Manager of Marketing & Development
Email: lwalsh@binderparkzoo.org
269-441-9012
September 20, 2021, Battle Creek, MI: The much-anticipated Zoorassic Park will open to the public this Thursday, September 23. After many months of renovation to the space they will inhabit, a herd of colorful, life-size dinosaur replicas will be on their marks at the zoo! Triceratops, spinosaurus, tyrannosaurus rex, stegosaurus and other strange and fascinating species stand ready to thrill zoo-goers. Paleontologists-in-training can dig for ancient fossils and velociraptor remains in several areas of Zoorassic Park. Other hands-on experiences include oversized puzzles that reveal unusual facts about dinosaurs and intrepid young explorers can climb on a prehistoric snake called titanoboa or pose with a trio of attacking allosauruses, too.
Why dinosaurs? Because they are mysterious and scary and utterly fascinating. Some were tiny and some were enormous – the weighed anywhere from three grams up to 90 tons! They were most unusual too; some had horns, flaps, frills, crescents, beaks and feathers. They flew in the air, roamed the land and swam in the water. They lived everywhere on earth (including Michigan!) between 165 and 177 million years ago and they existed for a long time. Dinosaurs were successful and adaptable and the story of how they lived and became extinct can tie the timeless fascination of that story to the message of modern day conservation. Binder Park Zoo’s mission to Connect. Inspire. Conserve. Connect people to nature. Inspire them to conserve.The zoo’s vision of turning apathy into empathy and compassion into action will serve as the baseline for learning opportunities through future programming in Zoorassic Park.
“Zoorassic Park becomes a natural place for hands-on activities, STEAM-based education programs and public events, it will spark imagination and deliver the message of conservation with a prehistoric point of view,” said Leslie Walsh, Manager of Marketing & Development, “and we’ll be launching fresh new programs centered around the theme of dinosaurs for families, students and educators too. Our goal is for Zoorassic Park to continue to evolve, change and continue to excite!”
Binder Park Zoo gratefully acknowledges generous support for the Zoorassic Park project from Lowe’s 100 Hometowns, Calhoun County Visitors Bureau, the Larry Inman Estate, Lowe’s of Battle Creek 0069 and River Town Painting & Construction.
Binder Park Zoo is open daily 10:00am-4:00pm through October 24. Regular admission to the zoo will include free entry to Zoorassic Park. Visit www.binderparkzoo.org for more information about planning your next zoo visit. Go wild. Go often.
