ATLANTA - June 20, 2007 - Zoo Atlanta President and CEO Dennis Kelly, joined by Mickey Brown, Executive Vice-President Customer Service Organization for Georgia Power, hosted a vine-cutting ceremony this morning to mark the opening of Kalahari Connections, Zoo Atlanta’s new warthog and meerkat exhibits.
The warthog portion of the exhibit will house two warthogs, Vern and Shirley. They are a mating pair, but are currently too young to reproduce. Warthogs, although not currently endangered, represent an important part of the African eco-system and are indigenous to East, South and Central Africa.
The meerkat portion of the exhibit will consist of an entire meerkat family of nine, called a “mob.” The mob includes five males; Big Flinch, Prince, Rusty, Copper and Blaze and four females; Scurry, Sniff, Ruby and Scarlett. This species is indigenous to southern Africa and recently caught the attention of viewers around the country in the Animal Planet series Meerkat Manor.
Kalahari Connections was made possible through the support of Georgia Power. The company has supported Zoo Atlanta’s education and conservation efforts over the last 20 years.
“Georgia Power’s generous gift has allowed Zoo Atlanta to further strengthen our animal collection, which will help us continue our mission to increase awareness of conservation efforts around the world,” said Dennis Kelly, Zoo Atlanta President and CEO.
"Our partnering with Zoo Atlanta to bring the warthog and meerkat habitats to the zoo has been an exciting journey and a huge success," said Mickey Brown, who also serves as the Chairman of the Board of Zoo Atlanta’s Board of Directors. "Georgia Power's support of these exhibits goes hand-in-hand with our company's mission to focus on education and the environment. The addition of these new habitats will enhance the zoo's ability to attract visitors, thereby helping Zoo Atlanta become a world-class facility to benefit the metro Atlanta area."
The new exhibits are part of the Zoo’s African Plains section, one of the country’s premier naturalistic environments for multiple species. The African Plains simulate the terrain of the African savanna, which includes the Kalahari region, and features elephants, giraffe, black rhino, waterbuck, bongo, yellow-backed duiker, Thomson’s gazelle and zebra.
Along with these new species, Zoo Atlanta is also adding two new costumed characters, Savannah the Warthog and Kala the Meerkat. The mascots’ names were chosen through a contest with The Atlanta Journal Constitution. Thirteen-year-old Katie Cassidy of Fayetteville, Georgia suggested the winning names. She will receive an exclusive family package to Zoo Atlanta that will include a special behind-the-scenes animal feeding.
The newest costume characters, Kala and Savannah, will be out for guests to meet beginning Friday through Sunday. They will be part of a variety of activities celebrating the opening of Kalahari Connections. Visitors to Zoo Atlanta’s website can catch details of the dramas, surprises and strange activities of the soon-to-be residents of Kalahari Connections in a sensationalized new blog, written by fictional gossip columnist Constance Babbleon from Plains Tattle magazine. The blog will be updated weekly on Wednesdays and may be viewed by visiting zooatlanta.org.
About Zoo Atlanta
An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Zoo Atlanta inspires public value and protection of wildlife by providing an educational, engaging family experience, committing to critical conservation projects and applying world-class dedication to the stewardship of animals living in naturalistic habitats. One of only four zoos in the U.S. exhibiting giant pandas, Zoo Atlanta recently welcomed the birth of its first cub, Mei Lan. Other highlights include a preeminent great ape collection, featuring a rare set of mother-reared gorilla twins, a world-renowned herpetology department, and Wild Like Me, an innovative play space sponsored by Turner Broadcasting Systems, Inc. Zoo Atlanta is open daily with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. For more information, call 404.624.WILD or visit zooatlanta.org.
About Georgia Power
Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility, serving customers in 155 of 159 counties. Georgia Power’s rates are well below the national average and it serves 2.3 million customers. For more information visit www.southerncompany.com/gapower.