JACKSONVILLE Fla.—The Force was strong with the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens on Star Wars Day.
May 4 is commonly known as 'Star Wars Day' - May the fourth - and for the event, zoo keepers livened up the park for both visitors and residents. With almost 3000 guests today, a spike in attendance from their typical Wednesday, the Jax's zoo first May the 4th be with Zoo celebration was a success.
The animals received enrichment to keep them occupied and interested, according to zoo keeper Pam Robie. She is the head of the American Association of Zoo Keepers for the Jax Zoo and helped - with her fellow zoo keepers - to set up the decorations.
In addition to the zoo's work with conservation, they also work to make sure the animals are happy and taken care of at the zoo as well. The zoo keepers have names for a lot of the animals, and can recognize them from their peers.
While enrichment is a daily part of the animals' lives at the zoo, May 4 was a little different.
The keepers got creative and incorporated Star Wars-themed elements including chalk art, light sabers and painted baggies for their snacks sporting phrases like "I love Kylo Ren" and "Han shot first."
Zoo-goers got involved too by dressing up as characters from the movies, including Princess Leia and a Stormtrooper, to name two.
The 'momma' tiger at the zoo had a TV near her enclosure and regularly watches TV, according to Robie. On Stay Wars Day, she was caught checking out 'Return of the Jedi' by keeper Tirzah Nichols.
A Mandrill monkey born one year ago on May 4 named "Obi" had a birthday party early in the morning. He's the smallest one in the below video:
At the @jacksonvillezoo for May the 4th! Mandrill Obi turned 1 today. Happy birthday! pic.twitter.com/fr1HTnaTDI
— First Coast News (@FCN2go) May 4, 2016
Tickets for general admission at the zoo are $17.98 for adults, $15.95 for seniors and $12.95 for children 3 to 12. Any child under 2 is free. There are plenty of other options as well, just head here for information.
The next big event for the Jax Zoo? A conservation effort for rhinos in Africa! "Bowling for Rhinos" will be held at Beach Bowl on Beach Boulevard on June 17 and 18. One hundred percent of money raised will go to support the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, the Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia and the Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Check back for more fun photos as First Coast News continues their coverage of this fun-for-all event.
