This post was written by Shaunna Prentis over at Modern Mama North Burnaby.
Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My!!
Last week I was invited by Jelly Marketing to attend a social media event at the Greater Vancouver Zoo to launch their new website Zoo 3.0 !! Needless to say, the boys and I were very excited!
When we arrived we headed over to the picnic area for some snacks and to learn all about the new website Zoo 3.0.
The new website features YouZoo: an all-access e-learning portal complete with rare footage and facts about the Zoo’s featured animals: Macaw, Grizzly Bear, Hippopotamus, Siberian Tiger, Oregon Spotted Frog, Muskox. Look for the signs at each of these enclosures and scan your smartphone to go behind the scenes with each animal! The site is also very interactive where guests have the ability to post tweets and Instagram pictures to the zoo’s website. Darian Kovacs from Jelly Marketing explained that the website was actually designed with children in mind. All in all it looks like they have done a fantastic job to make the website experience more educational and engaging.
Some interesting facts we learnt while we were there:
- The Greater Vancouver Zoo has over 500 animals (140 species) on 120 acres
- All parrots at the zoo are former pets, 85% of the zoos reptiles were either pets or rescued
- The zoo currently has “endangered species” and species which are already “extinct in the wild” on site
- Greater Vancouver Zoo is involved in a few conservation efforts such as the Oregon spotted frog Recovery Project and cell phone recycling
It is quite a long walk around the property so come prepared. I would recommend a wagon or stroller so your little ones can sit. You can also rent a Quadra cycle ($18 / hour) or you can ride the miniature train ($5) to get around a bit quicker and see the animals. We chose to spend the $5 for the train which the boys loved !
All in all, it was a fun, and educational day and we will definitely be returning.
Learn more about the Greater Vancouver Zoo here on their website, facebook or twitter.