There was a big win for wild animals and conservationists at the Rose Parade in Pasadena on Monday.
The San Diego Wildlife Alliance brought home the top trophy for most beautiful float. Titled "It Began With a Roar," the 55 foot creation displayed in Pasadena represented more than a century of conservation and education work done by the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park.
It featured replicas of some of the most popular animals including Karen the 32-year-old orangutan that survived open heart surgery, and Chinook the orphaned polar bear.
“I like this polar bear because it’s fluffy and also I really just like polar bears," said Violet Anderson, 8, at the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park on Tuesday. She was with her family who came from Chicago for the chance to be entertained and educated.
"I like how there are a ton of animals, and you get the experience of being around animals you probably wouldn’t see even if you looked really hard," she said.
The San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park provide a classroom to the world. Together with in-person visits and online programs, they reach a billion people annually in 150 countries.
That means much of the international audience that tuned in to the Rose Parade was exposed to the source of learning opportunities in the new year. The float was made with everything from golden bamboo to eucalyptus leaves, moss and seaweed.
“The world is changing. (I might have) read a book in the past," said Marco Wendt, a San Diego Wildlife Alliance Ambassador. "It’s a little different now with tactile displays and all sorts of ways for kids to be integrated and involved in conservation. Around every corner that’s in the (Safari) park and the zoo is an adventure."
