BIG BUNNY'S SPRING FLING Comes to the LA Zoo, 4/3-5

Big Bunny is back for 2015 at the Los Angeles Zoo's BIG BUNNY'S SPRING FLING, celebrating the season with three days of "EGG-citing" activities on Friday, April 3, Saturday, April 4, and Sun-day, April 5, 2015, from 10 am to 4 pm.

Fun for youngsters includes photos with "Big Bunny" as well as the opportunity to pet real bunnies, face painting, musical entertainment, bunny-ear crafts, and costumed characters. Adding to the scene is a "Big Bunny's EGG-cellent Adventure" search for four exotic egg-laying animals, including a magnificent tree frog, which has the largest poison gland of any Australian amphibian; a short-nosed echidna, a mammal with no teeth; a Madagascar radiated tortoise, which is primarily an herbivore but occasionally eats small animals to supplement its diet; and an oropendola, which inhabits a hanging nest. "Adventurers" are guided by clues to discover these animals, whose eggs come in all shapes and sizes. Best of all, a special treat pro-vided by 99 Cents Only Stores awaits youngsters at each stop. Rounding out the activities is an "EGG-ucation Station" with scent containers to give inquisitive guests a chance to see what it's like to have a bunny's sense of smell. All activities are free with paid Zoo admission, except "Big Bunny" photos which are available for a nominal fee.

As an added bonus, visitors to the L.A. Zoo every day through June 30 will receive a Shutterfly promo card good for a free, easy-to-make 8x10" hard cover photo book to use to capture their ad-ventures. The promo card, courtesy of Shutterfly, is available at the admissions window when pur-chasing tickets or at the membership entrance. Limit one per household.

The landmark LOS ANGELES ZOO AND BOTANICAL GARDENS, drawing 1.6 million visitors each year, is home to a diverse collection of 1,100 animals representing 250 different species, many of which are rare or endangered. Its lush grounds on 113 acres feature a botanical collec-tion comprising over 800 different plant species with approximately 7,000 individual plants. Ac-credited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), whose members meet rigorous profes-sional standards for animal welfare, the Zoo has achieved renown as an international leader in the preservation of endangered species and a conservation center for the care and study of wildlife. Among its most popular habitats are the LAIR (Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, and Reptiles), Elephants of Asia, Campo Gorilla Reserve and Rainforest of the Americas. The private, non-profit Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), which has supported the Zoo in partnership with the City of Los Angeles for more than five decades and provides funding for and operates seven essential Zoo departments, has 65,000 member households representing more than 240,000 adults and children. As evidence of the Zoo's popularity, GLAZA attracts one of the largest mem-bership bases of any cultural organization in Los Angeles.

Programming subject to change. Zoo admission is $19 for general admission (ages 13 to 61); $16 for seniors (ages 62+), and $14 for children (ages 2 to 12). No ticket is required for children under 2. Admission for Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association members is free. The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventu-ra (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90027. Free parking is available. For additional information, contact (323) 644-4200 or visit www.lazoo.org.