Frogtastic holiday fun at Auckland Zoo

Auckland City Council Media release

7 April 2008

Frogtastic holiday fun at Auckland Zoo

Leap into the zoo these school holidays, 19 April to 4 May, for a frog-filled fun day out and support International Year of the Frog.

Auckland Zoo knows "it's not easy being green" and has enlisted Princess Lily, Prince Archey and Cadbury Freddo Frog to create some frogabulous fun for zoo goers. Kids can test their frog skills by hopping along the frog footprints into the zoo and playing leapfrog and hopscotch - with great prizes to be won!

Prince Archey, frog prince and frog expert, is on a mission, and needs help during the two free daily interactive shows (10.45am and 11.45am) in the Grasslands Theatre. Enjoy all the fun of an old time pantomime as Cadbury Freddo Frog, Princess Lily and Prince Archey demonstrate why frogs are such amazing amphibians - especially our own New Zealand native frogs.

Kidzone transforms into Frog Central for the holidays. There'll be a daily frog talk (1pm), where zookeepers will share their love of frogs and give kids the chance to see frogs up close. Kids will also have the chance to unleash their inner frog by making a wearable frog mask.

Everyone can help frogs by purchasing an ASB Kashin Dollar. Each dollar goes to the Amphibian Ark Year of the Frog campaign to support the plight of frogs around the world and in New Zealand. Along with helping frogs, each dollar comes with a cool treat, and the chance to win some jumbo sized prizes, including the grand prize - a $500 Leapfrog prize pack from iQ Toys. There will also be daily prize packs to be won, courtesy of iQ Toys, and other great spot prizes.

"Frogs are toadily cool and we want to get zoo goers jumping with joy, croaking their praises and raising money to help them," says Auckland Zoo events coordinator, Jackie Sanders.

"After thriving for over 360 million years, a third of the world's 6300 amphibian species are now threatened with extinction. Frogs play a vital role in our ecosystem, benefit agriculture and minimise the spread of diseases, including malaria," says Ms Sanders.

ENDS

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