Online Earth Day virtual activities

Hippos (San Diego Zoo Global)

Online Earth Day virtual activities

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, San Diego Zoo Global is launching a Virtual Earth Day Celebration, where online visitors can participate in fun activities and gain access to educational resources, all while learning ways to better co-exist with nature. Earth Day is celebrated globally on April 22.

To expand global awareness of Earth Day, San Diego Zoo Global is partnering with the Earth Day Network, the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement, working with more than 75,000 partners in more than 190 countries to drive positive action for the planet. Each year, the Earth Day Network – organizer of the original Earth Day – selects an environmental priority to engage people worldwide.

On Earth Day, April 22, online visitors are invited to participate in the Earth Day Network’s EARTHRISE, a global digital mobilization designed to drive actions big and small, giving diverse voices a platform and demanding bold action for people and the planet. Over 24 hours, EARTHRISE will fill the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins and more.

At 11:30 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time April 22, San Diego Zoo Global ambassador Rick Schwartz will participate in EARTHRISE, introducing the dedicated team of researchers and wildlife care specialists at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center. Online viewers can learn about the importance of conserving species and find out more about San Diego Zoo Global’s efforts to save the northern white rhino from the brink of extinction. Visit EarthDay.org.

Immediately after the EARTHRISE online broadcast, at noon, check out the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s Facebook Live feed to ask questions and learn more from the researchers and wildlife care specialists at the Nikita Kahn Rhino Rescue Center. Visit Facebook.com/SDZSafariPark.

During the Zoo’s Virtual Earth Day Celebration through April 22, visitors to SanDiegoZoo.org can discover more about the Earth’s diverse wildlife species through livestreaming cams, videos, activities and more.

Gorilla-themed coloring page: Children of all ages can download a gorilla coloring page at SanDiegoZoo.org and learn about the importance of recycling cellphones to protect gorilla habitats. Coltan is a mineral found in mobile phones and other small electronics. It is mined in areas where endangered gorillas live. By recycling our old cellphones, the coltan can be reused instead of needing to be mined, which helps protect gorilla habitat. Once completed, participants can take a photo of their artwork and submit it to Facebook.com/SDZSafariPark for possible publication.

Earth Day Nature Challenge scavenger hunt: Take pictures or observe nature through a window, in your yard or on a walk. Draw a picture of your yard or neighborhood, observing what you type of nature you see. Do you see the sky, trees, flowers or animals? What do you smell, feel or hear? Download a journal sheet at SanDiegoZoo.org and record your observations. Keep taking notes each day, and notice the changes you record.

For more fun and educational wildlife stories and craft activities, kids of all ages can view the San Diego Zoo Kids YouTube Channel to see entertaining content that is provided by San Diego Zoo Global at children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses around the world.