Overview
Want to spend your birthday with lions and tigers and bears? (Oh my!) For the second year in a row, the folks at Taronga Zoo have got you covered. In 2016, as part of their centenary celebrations, the zoo offered $1 entry tickets to visitors on their birthday so that they could enjoy their special day with friends on two legs and on four. And being the champs that they are, they're doing the same thing in 2017.
"We had so many people choose to celebrate their birthday with us last year that we decided to extend the offer for another year," said Taronga CEO Cameron Kerr. "It's our way of saying thank you to the amazing public that continues to support our wildlife conservation work."
Animal lovers can register for a $1 voucher to use on their birthday via the zoo's website. Be warned though: you may be expected to share your cake with the monkeys*. You'll also receive a special birthday badge as a souvenir.
Last year, more than 50,000 people registered to spend their anniversary of their birth with the cutest critters imaginable, so regardless of which date you were born on, you'll likely have plenty of human company too. And your dollar entry fee will also give Taronga a gift, with proceeds going towards the not-for-profit zoo's wildlife conservation work to protect 10 critical species from Australia and Sumatra, including the Asian Elephant, the Corroboree Frog and the Pangolin.
*just kidding. Please don't feed the monkeys cake.
By Tom Clift and Sarah Ward.