Woodland Park Zoo grizzly bears bring wedding crashing to a whole new level on Saturday, June 7

Seattle, WA, 2014-6-6 — /Travel PR News/ — Event focuses on the survival of bears, wolves and other native wildlife

WHAT: Move over Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn…grizzly bears Keema and Denali will bring wedding crashing to a whole new level when they ransack a backyard wedding reception (with no human guests, of course) complete with décor and leftovers such as a ceremony arbor, a three-tiered wedding cake, watermelon fruit baskets, an ice sculpture and wrapped gifts. The grizzlies will remind us what happens when food and garbage aren’t stored properly in bear country.

The press will be given access to the roof overlooking the bear exhibit for the wedding demonstration at 11:00 a.m.-noon.

The wedding reception scenario is a part of Woodland Park Zoo’s Bear Affair: Living Northwest Conservation presented by Brown Bear Car Wash. The event focuses on bears, wolves, raptors and other Pacific Northwest wildlife. Zoo staff and conservation experts will be on hand to help zoo-goers become more bear aware, including tips on how to help keep these animals safe from humans and what humans can do to peacefully co-exist. Conservation and community partners include Western Wildlife Outreach, Vital Ground, Wolf Haven, and National Parks Conservation Association. Karelian bear dogs return to demonstrate how the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife partner dogs play an essential role in training nuisance bears and cougars to avoid human contact. Boy Scout Troop 638 shares safety camping tips, and kids can make a butterfly garden marker and take home sunflower seeds for planting.

The demonstration will be streaming live at www.zoo.org/bearaffair.

WHO: The zoo’s grizzlies are 20-year-old brothers, Keema and Denali. Currently weighing 750 pounds apiece, the bears arrived at the zoo in 1994 from Washington State University, which maintains a small collection to conduct a long-term study on bear nutrition.

WHEN: Backyard wedding reception: Saturday, June 7, 11:00 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Bear Affair: Living Northwest Conservation presented by Brown Bear
Car Wash: Saturday, June 7, 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

WHERE: The grizzly bear exhibit in Woodland Park Zoo’s award-winning Northern Trail. Enter through West Entrance on Phinney Ave. N. between N. 55th & N. 56th Sts. Proceed to the exhibit’s viewing shelter

INFO: Approximately 25,000-30,000 black bears exist in Washington and biologists believe there may be as few as 10 individual grizzly bears in the North Cascades and 50-70 in the Selkirk Ecosystem of northeast Washington.

Bear Affair is free with zoo admission or membership. Summer hours: 9:30 a.m.-6:00 p.m. daily. For more information or to become a zoo member, visit www.zoo.org or call 206.548.2500 or 548.2599 (TTY)

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For immediate release
Media contact: Gigi Allianic, Caileigh Robertson
206.548.2550 | Gigi cell: 206.707.1648