In anticipation of its new Panda Trek exhibit beginning in August, the San Diego Zoo has selected a “Chinese Celebration” theme for its annual nighttime zoo, offering extended summer hours through Sept. 5. “It’s hard to say what will be the most popular,” said Jenny Mehlow, senior public relations representative, “but for years, the front plaza has stayed crowded with our Hula-Hoop contest. The Surfin’ Safari Bush Band will be playing a medley of music for ‘Dancin’ through the Decades’ that will have participants and spectators dancing to a montage of 30 songs from different eras.” Along with the nighttime zoo comes a new lineup of entertainment, including several acrobatic performances. For a traditional Chinese acrobat experience, the Golden Lion Chinese Acrobats are a coed group who catapult through rings, stand and balance on tall stacks of chairs (and each other), lie on their backs while twirling ceramic pots and square tables on their feet, and perform balancing tricks with yo-yo like apparatuses. Hailing from the Hebei Province of China, these young contortionists wear the lucky Chinese colors of red and gold, and perform daily during “Tales of the Mandarin Forest” at 2 and 5 p.m. A North Chinese leopard, listed as an endangered species, made its zoo debut in time for the summer celebration. The Panda Trek exhibit will incorporate the zoo’s three giant pandas, as well as Sichuan Takin, a half-goat, half-antelope species considered a Chinese national treasure, that will be surrounded by six varieties of bamboo and other indigenous Chinese plants. A venomous Mangshan pitviper (snake) will also be camouflaging itself into the bamboo forests. “By extending operating hours, the zoo is able to take advantage of all the summer sunlight hours,” said Mehlow. “It also gives guests the chance to see animals later in the evening when they often demonstrate different behaviors — the lions roar and the cats become more active.” Special signage marks the nighttime zoo entertainment, including the Jasmine and Jade Jumpers, acrobats jumping on a large trampoline and cascading off of walls to emulate “The Princess and the Frog;” Power and Air, acrobats who balance, extend and hang from a suspended hoop; Monkey King Stiltwalkers, a trio of stiltwalkers parading through the Zoo for ideal photo opportunities; Dr. Zoolittle Explores Asia, a lecture teaching audiences about the giant panda; and Steam Powered Giraffe Robot Band, musical robots performing pantomime sketches and improvised comedy. Every evening between 8 and 8:30 p.m., the Front Street Finale concludes the nighttime zoo by bringing together every acrobat, stilt walker, musician, trampoline jumper and greeter for a final performance. This carnival procession gives each group a final bow in the spotlight and every guest a festive sendoff. To kick off Panda Trek, the Zoo will celebrate the second birthday of their panda Yun Zi on Aug. 5 with an ice cake filled with frozen treats for Yun Zi to de-ice. For more information, visit www.sandiegozoo.org/nighttime- zoo.
