FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
     Laurey Peat
     Laurey Peat + Assoc.
     214/871.8787

Visit the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas, for Memorial Day Weekend Activities

Tyler - Wednesday, May 26, 2004 - What could be more exiting than feeding a giraffe or watching an alligator feast on its lunch? Visit the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler this Memorial Day weekend for activities and fun for all ages. The zoo will conduct several events throughout the weekend to celebrate the upcoming holiday.

Bring out the family and friends to experience nature firsthand. The events scheduled run Friday through Monday with most activities occurring on Saturday and Sunday. The events begin at 11:00 a.m. on Friday with the macaw and rhino informal meet-the-keeper interactions. Saturday and Sunday showcase the main attractions.

Beginning at 11:00 a.m. both days, zoo visitors can witness and partake in giraffe feedings. At 1:30 p.m., the otter presentation will take place, followed by the elephant Meet-the-Keeper at 2:00 p.m. The Native Raptor Free Flight show is at 2:30 p.m. and the events will conclude with an alligator feeding by the keepers of their favorite treats at 3:00p.m. All events are scheduled for Sunday except the alligator feeding. The last Meet-the-Keeper to wrap up the Memorial Day activities will be with the rhinos on Monday at 2:00 p.m.

With its park-like setting of 85 beautifully landscaped acres in the piney woods of East Texas, the Caldwell Zoo is home to over 2,000 animals, some of which are endangered or threatened species. New to the animal family of the Caldwell Zoo are the wildebeests, which came to the zoo from Busch Gardens in Tampa, Fla.

Over the last 50 years, the Caldwell Zoo has delighted millions of visitors. The zoo began as the backyard menagerie of Tyler business leader D.K. Caldwell. Today, true to Caldwell's vision and under the caring guidance of his nephew, Executive Director Hayes Caldwell, the Caldwell Zoo has become one of the finest small zoos in the country, with 2,000 animals representing 250 different species. A regional destination, the zoo attracts thousands of visitors each year and has been recognized as one of the top zoos in the South.

The Caldwell Zoo is open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., April 1 through September 30, and from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., October 1 through March 31. The zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.