LITTLE ROCK, Ark — Valentine’s Day is fast approaching and the Little Rock Zoo is one place where people can spend time with a loved one or purge unpleasant love memories all while supporting a great cause – the Zoo!
Come to the Zoo this Valentine’s Day at 11 a.m. for an UnValentine moment where guests can purchase broken hearts to be thrown into the lions den.
From now until 9:30 a.m. on Valentine’s Day, guests can purchase the broken hearts for an online donation of $10 or on-site donation of the same to the Little Rock Zoo’s Enrichment Program. Guests will then join Zoo staff at the Big Cats exhibit where, after a short address to the crowd from staff, the zoo’s lion pride: Bakari, Anara, and Saphira, will all be released to devour all the broken hearts and bad memories!
The public will witness the dramatic and hopefully cathartic end to their broken hearts and the lions will enjoy their enrichment surprise. In addition to giving an outlet to those who aren’t feeling the love on Valentine’s Day, the good-humored fun has a purpose, supporting the Zoo’s vital Enrichment Program.
Enrichment is a way to engage animals in their own care by stimulating them mentally and physically. Since zoo animals do not experience the same challenges as their counterparts in the wild, enrichment simulates the hunt for food, defense of territories, and seeking of shelter so they receive the proactive brain and body exercise.