Auckland City Council

Media release

25 November 2008

Celebrate tiger cubs’ first Christmas at the Zoo

Auckland Zoo’s annual ASB Christmas at the Zoo on Sunday, 7 December is a double celebration this year with the joy of the tiger cubs’ first Christmas adding to the magical fun-filled evening.

Hosted by Matt Gibb and Dayna Vawdrey from TV2’s Studio 2, this festive celebration will feature entertainment at the band rotunda, including award-winning children's entertainer Joanie Bartels. The Zoolus band will play all your Christmas favourites, and there’ll animal encounters throughout the night and the chance to win great prizes.

Along with man-of-the-moment Santa, there will be a “tiger-family” of characters- Molek and her three cubs, six-month-old Jalur, Berani and Cinta. The zoo is crossing their paws the real-life cubs will make an appearance during the festivities, but this depends on mum Molek.

Kids can have their photo taken with Santa, get their face painted and enjoy fun slides, bouncy castles and the roving characters including Christmas fairies, the Cadbury Magical Elf and friends, and a larger-than-life pukeko. Older kids and grown-ups are also catered for with a special Christmas market - selling a selection of zoo and eco products along with popular present vouchers for adopt an animal, Zoom tours and Friends of the Zoo.

Along with all the fun of a Christmas celebration, the event will also raise money for International Year of the Frog through purchases of an ASB Kashin Dollar.

“We want to celebrate the festive season and in particular the tiger cubs’ first Christmas. With fewer than 300 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild, their births were a huge milestone for the zoo and tiger conservation internationally. Money raised at the event will help their fellow four-legged friends – frogs”, says Auckland Zoo marketing and development manager, Alistair Kirk.

ASB Christmas at the Zoo is proudly supported by Cadbury and NewstalkZB.

ASB Christmas at the Zoo:

• Sunday, 7 December 5.30pm – 8.30pm
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• rain date Monday, 8 December
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• tickets available from Auckland Zoo – phone (09) 360 3805 or Ticketmaster– www.ticketmaster.co.nzor phone (09) 970 9700. Normal Zoo admission prices apply
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• limited number of free tickets to Friends of the Zoo members. Phone (09) 360 3805.
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