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Push On At Pgh. Zoo To Reach 1 Million Visitors

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Dec 3, 2008 9:01 pm US/Eastern

Push On At Pgh. Zoo To Reach 1 Million Visitors

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The push is on at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, where they're hoping to attract more than a million visitors in 2008, for the second year in a row.

Zoo officials have their work cut out for them.

Last year the zoo welcomed its one millionth visitor on December 7, with the record-breaking achievement due mostly to the opening of the new Water's Edge polar bear exhibit.

This year, as of December 3, the zoo was still about 12,000 visitors short of breaking the mark again, with just 28 days to go to achieve their goal.

"We hope the community despite the chill in the air will have an opportunity to come out and help us make one million visitors at the Pittsburgh Zoo this year," said Dr. Barbara Baker, the zoo's CEO, at a news conference to announce efforts to push the zoo over one million visitors.

The zoo will offer special incentives to attract visitors between now and the end of the year, with the information to be posted on their website.

There is also an incentive to become the one-millionth person through the gates: the lucky visitor will receive a lifetime membership to the zoo, and a $500 gift certificate to the zoo gift shop.

Baker attributes this year's high attendance to a baby boom, including a the births of six baby beavers, a tiger cub in May and the arrival of baby elephants Zuri and Angelina in July. Appropriately, Zuri and her mother, Moja, participated in the news conference, helping to hoist a banner with the phrase "Countdown to a million" printed on it.

Baker says achieving one million visitors for a second year in a row is about more than making revenue for the zoo.

"Reaching one million visitors supports us in many ways," Baker told reporters. "One, it shows the community support for the zoo, but it also helps us become one of the top 10 zoos in the country, which we're very proud of."

The zoo will track their progress toward the one million visitor goal on their website.

More:  Pittsburgh Zoo's Website |  KDKA.com/PittsburghZoo


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