Utah's Hogle Zoo is celebrating "American Zoo Day", which is observed every year on July 1 to mark the day the country's first zoo opened to the public in Philadelphia in 1874.
American Zoo Day is all about celebrating the importance of modern zoos and the education and conservation role they play in the community.
Utah's Hogle Zoo is also welcoming active service members, veterans and their immediate families with FREE admission on Saturday, July 1, 2023.
Morgan learned more about the upcoming day while talking with Maggie McGrath at the Rocky Shores exhibit.
Maggie introduced us to two zoo residents, bald eagles Marie and Nemo. Both birds are from Alaska and were taken in by the Alaskan Raptor Center after being injured.
Their injuries required slight wing amputations, so they're unable to fly and can't survive in their natural habitat.
Maggie also told us a few fun facts about eagles. Their wings are long and broad and effective for soaring.
Males can have a wingspan of six feet, and females can have a wingspan of eight feet.
Bald eagles were listed as an endangered species in the 1970s, due to a pesticide.
Through a collaborative conservation effort, they have been delisted!
If people want to visit Marie and Nemo at American Zoo Day, they can buy tickets at hoglezoo.org to get $2 off admission.
And be sure to follow Utah's Hogle Zoo on Instagram and Facebook to see daily schedules, including keeper chats, animal demonstrations and upcoming events.
