Butterfly Jungle Opens Saturday at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

  The San Diego Zoo Safari Park has added thousands of animals to its collection this week, and all of them are gorgeous-butterflies! Butterfly Jungle opens on Saturday, March 24, and runs through Sunday, April 15, 2012.

     As part of Butterfly Jungle, the Safari Park has transformed the walk-through aviary of Hidden Jungle into a temporary home for 30 species of beautiful and exotic butterflies. In the aviary, thousands of delicate and colorful insects surround guests, fluttering lightly through the warm air to find flowers to feed on.

     "Butterfly Jungle heralds the start of spring at the Safari Park," said Michael Mace, the Safari Park's curator of birds. "It's one of the most popular events we hold all year."

     The delicate creatures not only enchant guests but make ecological sense. They come to the Safari Park in the pupae stage from Asia, Africa, and Central and South America. Mace has been to some of the butterfly farms in Central America and met with the farmers.
     "If they weren't harvesting butterflies, many of these farmers would clear cut their land and plant crops or raise cattle," Mace said. "Instead, when they harvest butterflies, they leave the land in its pristine state."

     People headed for Butterfly Jungle should wear bright-colored clothing to increase the chances of butterflies landing on their clothes or hats. When the insects do land, guests should enjoy the close encounter, but don't touch. And don't forget to pick up a timed Butterfly Jungle ticket! New this year, guests can use identification cards in the exhibit that will help them determine the names of many of the species.

     Butterfly Jungle is included with admission to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.