ONE-YEAR CHECK-UP FOR KASI THE CHEETAH

Busch Gardens Tampa’s Famous Cheetah Cub Visits the Animal Care Center for His First Annual Exam

TAMPA, Fla. (April 19, 2012) – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s famous cheetah cub, Kasi, visited the park’s new Animal Care Center today for his one-year check-up.

The 90-minute routine procedure included cleaning Kasi’s teeth, taking X-rays and using an endoscope to check out and take biopsies along his digestive tract. Kasi was under anesthetic during the procedure, and by early afternoon was awake and resuming his normal afternoon activities in his bedroom at the Cheetah Run habitat.

Kasi turned one year old in February, and recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of his relationship with his puppy pal, Mtani the yellow lab. During Kasi’s check-up, Mtani and her handlers watched from the guest side of the Animal Care Center’s Examination Room viewing window.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s Baby Cheetah and Puppy Pal Celebrate First Anniversary Together

Young Cat and Yellow Lab Made Their Public Debut on April 16, 2011

This week, Busch Gardens Tampa is celebrating a milestone anniversary for a very special relationship. Monday, April 16 marked the one-year anniversary of the first time park guests got to see an 8-week-old male cheetah cub and a 16-week-old female yellow Labrador puppy start to strike up a friendship that the park’s animal experts expect to last a lifetime.

The pair – later named Kasi and Mtani by park fans via a Facebook poll – spent only supervised play times together at first. Now, a year later, they live together full time at the park’s Cheetah Run habitat and even travel together to schools, events and television studios, helping the park’s education team teach the public about the plight of cheetahs in the wild and the importance of Busch Gardens’ conservation efforts.

Park guest can see Kasi and Mtani daily at Cheetah Run, where they spend a portion of each day playing together on the habitat, training with their keepers and exercising with the habitat’s lure system, designed to encourage the animals to do what cheetahs (and Mtani, too!) do best: run and chase.

Although this is Busch Gardens’ first cub-and-puppy combo, it is not uncommon in the zoological community for a single cheetah to be raised with a canine companion. “Male cheetahs are social and often live together in coalitions,” said Tim Smith, a zoo manager who works with the cheetah team daily. “This social bond will be a very similar relationship, and they will be together for life.”

Cheetahs are included on both the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) list of vulnerable species as well as on the US Endangered Species Act list of threatened species. Only approximately 12,400 cheetahs remain in the wild.

Busch Gardens supports the conservation of and education about cheetahs through the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund, which has donated nearly $100,000 to cheetah efforts in Africa since 2005 and also helps fund conservation programs for white rhinos, marine animals and many other species around the world.

BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY HEATS UP WITH LATIN ARTISTS AND TRADITIONAL CUISINE DURING VIVA LA MÚSICA

TAMPA, Fla. (April 10, 2012) – Join the fiesta at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay every Sunday, April 15 through May 6, during Viva la Música. Viva la Música features food, drink, music and fun for the entire family, bringing together live salsa and merengue performances from award-winning Latin artists, authentic arts and crafts, and regional Latin cuisine.

Florida’s oldest restaurant, The Columbia, will be serving two signature items from its award-winning Spanish/Cuban menu: The Original “1905” Salad and Paella de Pollo. Local favorite La Teresita, whose authentic cuisine and great prices attract fans nationwide, will offer a selection of its traditional Latin fare. You’ll also enjoy authentic dishes by Busch Gardens’ culinary team, including ropa vieja, papas and empanadas.

Viva la Música begins at 12 p.m. each Sunday, and the concerts start at 3 p.m. on Gwazi Field:

    April 15                Victor Manuelle

    April 22                Grupo Mania

    April 29                Dyland & Lenny

    May 6           Jerry Rivera           

Guests can reserve the best seat in house for their favorite acts with the Viva la Música VIP Ticket. The VIP ticket is $25.99 and includes a meal (entrée and any one item from a selection of side salads, side dishes or desserts, plus a regular-sized non-alcoholic beverage) at any Viva La Música food sampling area or Busch Gardens restaurant*, plus reserved seating at center stage. Reserved seating can also be purchased separately for $19.99. VIP tickets and reserved seating are available for sale online at BuschGardens.com and in-park at the Adventure Outpost store, located near the front gate. * Meal Certificate is valid at all restaurant locations except the full-service Crown Colony Restaurant.
Can’t decide which performance to attend? With a 2012 Fun Card, you can “pay for a day, play all year” and catch them all! The 2012 Busch Gardens Fun Card is valid from the date of purchase through Dec. 31, 2012 and is available at the Busch Gardens’ front gate, online at BuschGardens.com or by calling (888) 800-5447.

Viva la Música also takes the stage Saturdays at SeaWorld, visit SeaWorld.com for more information.

Busch Gardens Welcomes New Baby Aardvark

 Tampa, Fla. (March 30, 2012) – Busch Gardens welcomed its newest resident earlier this week: an adorable aardvark born Monday, March 26. The healthy baby weighs about 4.8 pounds and is expected to grow to more than 120 lbs. within its first year.

It is currently living behind the scenes at Jambo Junction – located in the Nairobi area of the park – and is receiving care from members of the animal care team. The baby will join mom “Izzy” and dad “Friz” in the upcoming weeks and will be an Animal Ambassador for the park, along with its older brother “Zawadi,” who will be a year old on April 10.

There are fewer than 40 aardvarks in zoos in North America. They are solitary by nature, and aardvark births are not common.

Stay tuned to Busch Gardens’ Facebook and Blog to find out when this healthy baby aardvark will make his public debut at Jambo Junction for guests to see. For further details, visit www.buschgardens.com

Busch Gardens' Cheetahs Run Tropicana Field for New "Saving A Species" Documentary

Animals from Busch Gardens’ Newest Habitat Filmed Running Across the St. Pete Stadium for New Conservation Program

Tampa, Fla. (March 5, 2012) – On Friday, March 9, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (SEA)will broadcast the most recent installment of its Saving a Species series, which features some of Busch Gardens Tampa’s most popular new residents – the cheetahs – and St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field.

With the stadium closed to outside visitors and the turf marked for the St. Petersburg Bowl football game, the cheetahs were encouraged to run the length of the field, chasing a lure system identical to the one in their Cheetah Run habitat. The cats’ efforts were captured by high-definition and slow-motion cameras.

“ Even though we have this awesome habitat at Busch Gardens, a 100-yard football field will give us the opportunity to showcase what that speed looks like on a field that people can relate to ,” said Tim Smith, a Busch Gardens assistant curator who works with the cheetahs daily.

Saving A Species: Cheetah
From its breathtaking speed to its beauty and vulnerability, the cheetah’s story will bring you face to face with their fragile existence. We’ll introduce you to people around the globe who are working on behalf of this imperiled predator and explain how you can help keep cheetahs from disappearing forever.

The 25-minute program is available to teachers and broadcasters free of charge. It will be broadcast without commercials from 10:45 to 11:30 a.m. (first 15-minutes are color bars) on Friday, March 9. Satellite coordinates, copyright information and web-quality preview segments are available at ShamuTV.com. In the coming months, the site will also be adding educational materials to complement the episode – including instructional videos, activity descriptions and teacher’s guides – for elementary and middle school teachers.

Shamu TV’s Saving a Species

Shamu TV’s Saving a Species series features amazing animal stories close to home and around the world.  With a focus on wildlife and wild places, this Emmy award-winning series enables viewers to trek alongside Busch Gardens and SeaWorld animal experts to visit exotic, remote locations and experience some of our planet’s most extraordinary species.  Viewers will also witness how people – scientists, zoological experts, community members, educators and children – are working together to protect these species and the places they call home.

Airing via satellite, Shamu TV is broadcast by local educational cable channels, ITV and PBS stations throughout the United States.  Shamu TV has received a Daytime Emmy Award for best Children/Family/Youth special and eight regional Emmy awards for Outstanding Achievement/Children’s Programming, as well as four Telly awards in the Educational Programming category.

Start a New Family Tradition With Christmas Town, Coming to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

Tampa, Fla. (March 1, 2012) – Busch Gardens Tampa is getting ready to launch the biggest Christmas celebration ever! Christmas Town will transform the park into a nighttime holiday wonderland of wintery surprises and all things Christmas, filling guests’ senses with seasonal sights, sounds and flavors, and creating a beautiful new tradition for Tampa’s families.

For the first time in the park’s 53-year history, visitors to Christmas Town will experience all-new evening attractions, shows and shopping every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night, Nov. 30 through Dec. 23. Guests can look forward to special entertainment, live music, festive treats, holiday shopping and thousands and thousands of twinkling Christmas lights around every turn.

“When Christmas Town opens in November, it will be the beginning of a unique holiday tradition for Tampa Bay area,” says Jim Dean, Busch Gardens Tampa’s park president. “We are creating a season-long celebration for family and friends unlike any other event our guests have ever seen – the kind of Christmas fun only Busch Gardens can provide.”

Similar to the park’s popular Halloween event, Christmas Town will be a separate-ticketed night event, and regular daytime Busch Gardens admission is not required or included. Discounts will be available for annual pass members, and families with children ages 3 to 9 will enjoy special ticket prices for their youngest members.

The new event will also offer some magnificent new opportunities for groups looking to book a unique holiday party.  For additional information please call Busch Gardens’ Group Sales team at 813-987-5523.

For park news, updates, photos, “Like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Facebook.

Busch Gardens Launches Pinterest Account

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is releasing a new way for fans to connect with the park via its new Pinterest account. Pinterest, known as the world’s fastest growing web site ever, is a photo and video sharing social website and virtual pinboard where users “pin” or bookmark images and videos of interest to them onto categorized boards they’ve created.

Follow the park’s Pinterest page for boards dedicated to adorable baby animal photos, park and special event news, and suggestions for giving gifts of adventure. Fans and followers are also encouraged to “pin” photos and videos of their own adventures in the park onto their boards (using #BuschGardensTampa in the description), and Busch Gardens will “repin” them onto its “From Our Guests’ View” board.

DIVE INTO SPRING AT BUSCH GARDENS’ WATERPARK, OPENING MARCH 10

TAMPA, Fla. – Adventure Island kicks off another season of fun in the sun on Saturday, March 10. It’s time again to splash in the wave pool, amble down the Rambling Bayou, race down speed slides including Everglides and Riptide or just kick back on the beach amidst a tropical Key West setting,

Best reason to come again and again this year?  The valuable Adventure Island Weekday Pass allows you to play weekdays all season long at a valuable price. And extended hours return all summer long.

BEST OFFERS:
        The best value to visit all season long is the Adventure Island Weekday Pass.

    * Play Weekdays All Season long. Enjoy unlimited weekday access to Adventure Island during the 2012 season with no blackout dates.
    * Valid Mondays through Fridays, March 12 through Sept. 3, 2012
    * Purchase at AdventureIsland.com, 1-888-800-5447 or at Adventure Island or Busch Gardens front gates.
    * The Adventure Island Weekday Pass is $49.99 for adults and $45.99 for children.


For the best deal on a single-day ticket, buy online at AdventureIsland.com and save $5.

EXTENDED HOURS ALL SUMMER LONG
Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. June 11 through Aug. 12, ALL SUMMER LONG -- not just during Island Nights. That’s more time to enjoy the thrills, water attractions and family fun offered at Adventure Island.

And Island Nights returns as well, offering the perfect excuse to stay late this summer. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights from 5 to 9 p.m., June 14 to Aug. 11, it’s a vacation from the everyday with music, inspiring cuisine and family-friendly beach activities in addition to all the thrilling slides, tube rides and water-drenched fun of Adventure Island.

CABANAS: To make the most of your Adventure Island visit, rent a cabana for a shaded, exclusive spot for your family and friends to gather throughout the day. Each cabana includes four chaise lounges, a locker, a mini-fridge with assorted drinks and four souvenir towels. Daily rental prices range from $99.99 to $189.99, based on the time of year.

From the moment guests enter Adventure Island, they are immersed in a Key West-themed paradise. The 30-acre water park features thrilling slides and tube rides including Riptide, Wahoo Run, Key West Rapids, Runaway Rapids, Everglides, Calypso Coaster, Aruba Tuba, Caribbean Corkscrew, Water Moccasin and Gulf Scream. Guests can also kick back on the beach or in the 17,000-square-foot wave pool, play on professional sand volleyball courts, breeze through the tropical gift shop or let the current sweep them through a half-mile of lush landscapes and tropical waterfalls on the Rambling Bayou.

Visit AdventureIsland.com for daily operating hours. Single-day admission tickets for Adventure Island are $44.99 for adults and $40.99 for children. Children ages 2 and younger are free, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. All prices are per person, plus tax. Park hours are subject to change. Visit www.adventureisland.com for more information.

Bret Michaels Meets Busch Gardens' Own "Hair Rocker," Harry the Sloth, at Bands, Brew & BBQ

BRET MICHAELS MEETS BUSCH GARDENS’ OWN “HAIR ROCKER,” HARRY THE SLOTH

TAMPA, Fla. (February 20, 2012) – Just minutes before taking the stage at Busch Gardens’ Bands, Brew & BBQ festival on Sunday, Feb. 19, former Poison frontman and reality TV star Bret Michaels met the most popular – and hairiest – of Busch Gardens’ Animal Ambassadors team, Harry the sloth.

Thanks to its thick, shaggy hair, the sloth has an unusual, symbiotic relationship with algae, which grows on its coat and aids in camouflaging the sloth as it hangs from tree branches.

The Busch Gardens’ zoo educators also brought a young southern ground hornbill named Tufts to meet Michaels and his band backstage.

Michaels’ 2010 album, Custom Built, rose to the top of Billboard’s Hard Rock list at #1 and his current “Get Your Rock On” tour is selling out venues across the country. He also took the reality television world by storm in the past few years on VH1’s “Rock of Love,” the 2010
docu-series “Bret Michaels: Life As I Know It” and as the winning contestant on the third season of Donald Trump’s NBC hit, “Celebrity Apprentice.”

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay combines world-class thrill rides, live entertainment and one of North America’s largest zoos in an unforgettable adventure for the whole family. This year, the park’s smokin’ hot Bands, Brew & BBQ festival fills every weekend, February 11 – March 4, with unlimited sampling of more than 80 specialty and craft beers, saucy barbeque from some of the bay area’s most popular restaurants and live concerts with the biggest names in classic rock, including 38 Special on Feb. 26 and REO Speedwagon on March 4.

Visit BuschGardens.com for details.

FIRST GIRAFFE BABY OF 2012 BORN ON BUSCH GARDENS’ SERENGETI PLAIN

Tampa park welcomes another baby giraffe that will become part of the herd by spring

TAMPA, Fla. (February 3, 2012) – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby female reticulated giraffe on Monday, January 27, 2011. At 6 foot, 2 inches tall and weighing approximately 176 pounds, the newborn is the calf of father, Jafari and mother, Cupid. This is Jafari’s second calf, and cupid’s fifth.

This new addition brings the park’s reticulated giraffe population to 19. Exactly one month to the day before this most recent birth, another female in the herd, Tesa, gave birth to Jafari’s first calf, which was also female.

The new mother and baby are currently in an area out of guest view so they can be closely monitored by zoo staff to ensure the baby is nursing and growing properly. The duo will join the other animals on the Serengeti Plain in about three months.

A reticulated giraffe’s gestation period is approximately 15 months, and the new baby will nurse for about one year. This birth is part of a successful long-term breeding program at Busch Gardens. The term “reticulated” refers to the giraffe’s net-like pattern of spots.

Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain is a naturalistic habitat featuring a diverse population of free-roaming African animals including giraffe, zebra, white rhinoceros, eland antelope and several other species of hoof stock and birds.

You can view these amazing animals from the Serengeti Express, the Skyride or on a Serengeti Safari, an open-truck tour during which you can hand-feed reticulated giraffes and get up-close with the other animals on the plain.

For more information, contact Busch Gardens’ Public Relations department at (813) 987-5090 or visit www.buschgardens.com

TREAT YOUR VALENTINE TO A UNIQUE “AFRICAN NIGHTLIFE” ADVENTURE ON FEBRUARY 14

Busch Gardens’ Special Valentine-Themed Serengeti Night Safari Showcases The Nighttime Behaviors of Animals

TAMPA, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2012) — Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the ultimate “date night” – a  romantic adventure under the stars, complete with unforgettable African animal encounters and delicious treats on Busch Gardens Serengeti Night Safari.

 WHAT:   Valentine’s Day Serengeti Night Safari
Venture through Edge of Africa to witness the active nighttime behaviors of hippos, lions and hyenas, lit only by moonlight and handheld lanterns. Then, on the Serengeti Plain, use night-vision monoculars and special filtered lighting to view free-roaming herds of giraffes, zebra, rhinos and other intriguing African animals. After your amazing animal adventure, cozy up around a roaring bonfire to hear colorful tales of African folklore.

DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 14, 6:30-9 p.m.

FOOD/DRINKS: This nighttime experience begins and ends in the exclusive Safari Club. You will enjoy savory appetizers and adult beverages before the excursion, and a special nightcap completes the evening with champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

PRICE: The cost is $60 per person, plus tax. Park admission is not required or included.

RESERVATIONS: Call 1-888-800-5447 or visit BuschGardens.com. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to participate.

ALL-NEW EPIC ICE SHOW PREMIERES AT BUSCH GARDENS IN THE MOROCCAN PALACE THEATRE

Busch Gardens’ Biggest Ice Show to Date Takes the Ice on 2-2-12

TAMPA (February 1, 2012) — For more than five decades, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay has set the industry’s standard for delivering unforgettable entertainment experiences, with Broadway-style stage spectaculars like KaTonga: Musical Tales From the Jungle and innovative ice shows like World Rhythms on Ice. Iceploration builds on that tradition and introduces audiences to the next generation of ice shows.

Starting February 2, a cast of 20 brings to life an all-new adventure filled with world-class skaters, more than 75 original costumes, amazing aerial performances, master puppetry and live animal stars, with shows daily in the Moroccan Palace.

“The grand scale of this show sets a new standard of entertainment that further solidifies Busch Gardens as one of Florida’s premier theme parks,” said Busch Gardens Park President Jim Dean. “Iceploration reintroduces the ice show to our most loyal fans while bringing together the things Busch Gardens stage productions do best: world-class entertainment with top-notch skaters, amazing costumes, original music, larger-than-life puppets and even animal stars.”

Iceploration inspires audiences to “explore the world” on a 30-minute journey to the four corners of the earth. This multi-sensory story, told through theatrical skating and an all-new original score, is the collaboration of an award-winning creative team with Broadway credentials, including Tony Award-winning costume designer Gregg Barnes (The Drowsy Chaperone, Best Costume Design Tony winner 2007; Legally Blonde the Musical, Best Costume Design Tony nominee 2007).

The 30-minute show opens with Austin, a digitally savvy preteen, who believes that technology has made his generation more connected to the world than ever before. But his grandfather – and old-world explorer – argues that the boy is more disconnected than he realizes, and takes him on an adventure around the globe. Through their travels they visit the African Serengeti, Great Barrier Reef, the Arctic and the Amazon rainforest.

The adventure unfolds as they arrive in the African Serengeti. Here, larger-than-life puppets and spectacular set design bring elephants and other awe-inspiring animals to life at a watering hole. Solo and chorus skating performances accompanied by acrobatics tell an anecdote of an agile cheetah stalking graceful gazelles and meerkats.

Austin and Grandpa then dive into the Great Barrier Reef to explore the harmony of life on the ocean floor. An amazing black light transition and never-before-seen helium-filled puppets immerse the audience in the wonders of the sea, filled with parrotfish and lionfish, sea urchins, turtles and a moray eel.

In the Arctic, majestic skaters become striking snow flurries as a winter storm threatens the travelers. Austin and Grandpa witness even more beauty as they encounter the Aurora Borealis phenomenon, represented with theatrical lighting and projections. Then, they share the stage with amazing live animal stars, including a Siberian lynx and a sled of Siberian huskies as they continue to traverse the tundra.

Austin and Grandpa wrap up their adventure around the globe immersed in the lush, tropical Amazon Rainforest. Squirrel monkeys, sun conures and colorful macaws fill the air as playful frogs and a graceful dragonfly skate into the grand finale: a new signature song called “Meet the World.”

Iceploration performances are included with any daily park admission or annual Pass. For more information, visit BuschGardens.com

If you’re not already a fan, “like” Busch Gardens Tampa Bay at facebook.com or check out the park’s blog at BuschGardensTampaBlog.com to get insider updates on Iceploration and all of the park’s happenings.

Animal Care Becomes Part of the Guest Experience at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

New State-of-the-Art Facility Educates Guests, Offers One-Of-A-Kind Access To Park’s World-Class Animal Care

TAMPA, Fla. (Jan. 12, 2012) – Busch Gardens welcomes guests to closely observe and even take part in the animal care experience when the Tampa park opens its new Animal Care Center on Jan. 23, 2012. From nutrition to treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of Busch Gardens’ animal care will be conducted in guest view in this new state-of-the-art facility.

“We are proud of the care we provide our animals,” said Mike Boos, vice president of zoological operations. “We welcome the opportunity to share our level of care with our guests, and to continue our mission of connecting guests to animals and the natural world. No other zoological facility can offer the unique, up-close experience that this new facility will provide.”

The major guest components of the new facility include a nutrition center, treatment rooms, a clinical lab and an interactive diagnostic activity. The nutrition center will feature a kitchen similar in set-up to a cooking show on television. Educators will lead demonstrations several times a day on the planning and preparation of animal diets.  Guests will even have the chance to assist in preparing and doling out the range of food the park provides its animals, from fruits and vegetables to crickets and mealworms. Nutrition demonstrations will take place during scheduled times each day.

The treatment center will allow guests to watch as Busch Gardens’ skilled vets do preventative checkups, treatments and surgeries on animals. Guests will be able to see into the rooms through glass walls, and audio capabilities will allow guests to talk to vets working behind the glass. Cameras placed over the exam table will show unique vantage points to guests who can watch on monitors. During treatments and surgeries, zoo educators will also be on hand to talk about what’s taking place. Since it is a working center, procedures will vary daily, and will not take place during all scheduled park hours due to field work, office work and other projects requiring the vets’ time and attention.  Daily schedules will be subject to change.

In the clinical lab, staff will perform tests on samples collected from the animals, such as blood, urine, and feces, using the same types of laboratory equipment used in human hospitals and veterinary clinics.  A camera connected to the laboratory’s microscope will allow guests to see exactly what the staff who are looking under the microscope see.  

Guests can also participate in a diagnostic exercise by scanning an interactive activity card at several stations as they follow an animal from diagnosis to treatment to blood and lab work to a final outcome.

In addition to the guest views, the new facility will also include animal recovery and holding rooms and vet offices. The new, nearly 16,000 square-foot facility replaced the rhino exhibit in the Nairobi area of the park. The park’s former animal care center was located behind the scenes.

HOLIDAY BABY WILL BE NEWEST ADDITION TO BUSCH GARDENS’ SERENGETI PLAIN

Tampa park welcomes a baby giraffe
that will become part of the herd by spring

TAMPA, Fla. (December 29, 2011) – Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a new baby female reticulated giraffe on Tuesday, December 27, 2011. At 5 foot, 7 inches tall and weighing approximately 127 pounds, the newborn is the calf of father, Jafari and mother, Tesa, who has previously given birth to four other calves at Busch Gardens.

This new addition brings the park’s reticulated giraffe population to 18. The term “reticulated” refers to the giraffe’s net-like pattern of spots.

Mother and baby are currently in an area out of guest view so they can be closely monitored by zoo staff to ensure the baby is nursing and growing properly. The duo will join the other animals on the Serengeti Plain in about three months.

A giraffe’s gestation period is approximately 15 months, and the new baby will nurse for about one year. This birth is part of a successful long-term breeding program at Busch Gardens.     

Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain is a naturalistic habitat featuring a diverse population of free-roaming African animals including giraffe, zebra, white rhinoceros, eland antelope and several other species of hoof stock and birds.

You can view these amazing animals from the Serengeti Express, the Skyride or on a Serengeti Safari, an open-truck tour during which you can hand-feed reticulated giraffes and get up-close with the other animals on the plain.

For more information, contact Busch Gardens’ Public Relations department at (813) 987-5090 or visit www.buschgardens.com

Busch Gardens Cheetah Visits Local Schools for Great American Teach In

TAMPA, Fla. – Busch Gardens’ cheetah cub Kasi and his puppy pal Mtani helped their keepers connect with kids about cheetah conservation and wildlife preservation during a series of classroom visits on Thursday, Nov. 17, during The Great American Teach-In. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s famous cheetah/puppy duo teach-In tour included stops at Heritage Elementary in New Tampa, Wilson Middle School in South Tampa, Quail Hollow Elementary in Wesley Chapel (pictured) and Schwarzkopf Elementary in Lutz.

BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY EXTENDS IN-PARK APP TO ANDROID

Interactive Application Puts the Park in Your Hands!

Tampa, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2011) – Over the summer, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay put the park in guests’ hands with the launch of its first-ever interactive iPhone application. In response to popular demand, the free app is now available in the Android Market as well.
The Busch Gardens app utilizes GPS technology to guide guests through the park. The free app is designed to make guests’ experience even better by giving them park details at their fingertips and helping them get the most out of their day.

The interactive map shows guests where they are located in the park and allows them to highlight the quickest real-time route to their next destination by clicking the “Take Me There” button on any destination page. Whether the destination is a restaurant, show, roller coaster or animal habitat, the app provides information on its location, menu, restrictions, wait times and more. Guests can also search for the nearest restrooms, lockers and ATMs.

It’s as easy as searching the word “Cheetah” to find a path to the new Cheetah Run habitat. Along the way guests are able to uncover fun facts about our animals. They can also connect to social media sites to share photos with friends and keep up with Busch Gardens’ Facebook and Twitter feeds.

New Busch Gardens App Features:

    * Interactive real-time map
    * Updated ride wait times and height requirements
    * Detailed information pages for all major shows, rides, animal habitats and restaurants
    * Important contact information to make reservations or schedule tours
    * Ways for guests to connect to social media sites
    * General park information and operating hours
    * Live local weather and forecast updates

To download the free app, search the keyword “Busch Gardens” in the Android Market and iTunes App Store.

We want to know what you think about the app! If you have any comments or suggestions, please email our digital team at BGTdigital@BuschGardens.com. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Win a Prize Every Day During SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment’s “25 Days of Giveaways”

-- Online Consumer Promotion Culminates with $25,000 Grand Prize --

Orlando, Fla. (Dec. 1, 2011) -- This December 1 - 25, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (SEA) is celebrating the spirit of giving with an online consumer promotion that will feature 25 different prizes.

During the “25 Days of Giveaways,” a different prize will be awarded every day, culminating with a $25,000 giveaway on Christmas Day. Entrants can win behind-the scenes animal adventures at SeaWorld and Busch Gardens including a Serengeti Safari ride with animal expert Jack Hanna; a day of relaxation for four at Discovery Cove in Orlando; a set of Panama Jack beach bicycles; a home and garden makeover from Costa Farms; VIP tickets to a Tampa Bay Buccaneers home game; VIP tickets to a high-profile concert in San Diego (artist TBD); and seats to the “Live On Letterman” concert series held in New York City.

The ten parks are partnering with valued SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment Corporate Sponsors such as Pepsi, CBS, Jack Hanna, Southwest Airlines, Panama Jack, Fathead and Costa Farms for prizes.

To enter, participants must fill out the online entry form at www.seaworldpromotions.com, www.seaworld.com or www.buschgardens.com. There is a limit of one online entry per valid e-mail address. The consumer promotion officially begins December 1 at 9 a.m. EST and concludes December 25 at 5 p.m. EST.

Baby Boom Continues on Busch Gardens’ Serengeti Plain with the Birth of Baby Grevy’s Zebra

TAMPA (Nov. 9, 2011) — A new Grevy’s zebra was born on Busch Gardens’ 65-acre Serengeti Plain on Friday, November 4.  Within an hour after its birth, the female foal was running with the rest of the herd and nursing from its mother.

Just last week, Busch Gardens announced two other additions, a male Cape buffalo, and female Sable antelope.

The buffalo was born to mother Semara on Sept. 21. At the time of his birth, the calf weighed approximately 45 lbs. The playful and explorative youngster now weights 75 lbs. Once full grown, Cape buffalos can weigh up to 2,000 lbs. The Sable Antelope female took her first steps within a few minutes of birth. Though Sable Antelopes are shaky at first, newborns can run fast enough to keep up with the herd within 3-5 days.

Busch Gardens’ guests can view all of the new babies from Rhino Rally, the Skyride or Serengeti Express train ride. For an even closer look, the Serengeti Safari offers guests an open-bed truck tour Serengeti Plain, with opportunities to get up-close to antelope and rhinos and hand-feed giraffes.

For details, visit www.buschgardens.com

OPERATION ONE VOICE RELAY RUN FINISHES AT BUSCH GARDENS TAMPA BAY’S CHEETAH HUNT PLAZA

Annual Run Supports Families of Fallen and Wounded Special Operations Forces Soldiers

TAMPA, Fla. (November 8, 2011) – For the seventh consecutive year, a team of 25 military personnel, police, firefighters and community leaders will complete a four-day, 550-mile benefit relay run from Duluth, Ga. to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay on Friday, Nov. 11, to raise awareness for and remember the families of fallen and wounded Special Operations Forces soldiers. Runners will cross the finish line around in Cheetah Hunt Plaza around 11 a.m. Friday, and this year’s run will honor Staff Sgt. Robert James Miller and his family.

The Special Operations Forces Run is led by Lieutenant Bill Stevens of the Duluth Police Department and founder of the Georgia-based charity, Operation One Voice. The non-profit organization, managed by public safety professionals and community leaders, supports children and families of fallen and wounded Special Operations Forces soldiers.

Operation One Voice honors the contributions of Special Operations Forces soldiers, which include Army Rangers, Green Berets, Spec Op Aviators, Navy Seals, Air Force Special Operations pilots, para-rescue and Marine Force Recon.

        What:    Special Operations Forces Run

        When:    11:00 a.m. Friday, November 11, 2011

Where:   Cheetah Hunt Plaza, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay

For additional media information, contact the Busch Gardens Public Relations department at (813) 987-5090, or visit www.buschgardens.com

Busch Gardens’ Welcomes Two New Babies On the Serengeti Plain

TAMPA (Nov. 2, 2011) — Busch Gardens’ newest addition, a female Cape buffalo, was born to mother Semara on Sept. 21. Cape buffalos are extremely social; members of the same group will stay in direct contact with each other and will often sleep with their heads resting on one another.

At the time of his birth, the calf weighed approximately 45 lbs. The playful and explorative youngster now weights 75 lbs. Once full grown, Cape buffalos can weigh up to 2,000 lbs.

Two days earlier, the park’s Sable Antelope herd welcomed the third new baby of the month, a female who took her first steps within a few minutes of birth. Though Sable Antelopes are shaky at first, newborns can run fast enough to keep up with the herd within 3-5 days.

Busch Gardens’ guests can view all of the new babies from Rhino Rally, the Skyride or Serengeti Express train ride. For an even closer look, the Serengeti Safari offers guests and open-bed truck tour of the 65-acre Serengeti Plain, with opportunities to get up-close to antelope and rhinos and hand-feed giraffes.

For details, visit www.buschgardens.com