We thank you, Oklahoma City Zoo supporters, for all you do! Tuesday, July 17, 2012, marks the twenty-second anniversary of the 1/8 of a cent dedicated sales tax being passed by Oklahoma City citizens for the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, and to celebrate, the Zoo is offering free admission to all on Tuesday, July 17.

Passed by Oklahoma City citizens in 1990, the sales tax has made numerous capitol improvements possible at the Zoo including Great EscApe, Cat Forest/Lion Overlook, the main entrance facility, the Canopy Food Court, Oklahoma Trails, the Children’s Zoo and the Elephant Habitat. Moving forward the sales tax will help fund a new animal hospital slated to open in 2014.

“We are extremely grateful to the citizens of Oklahoma City for their ongoing dedication to the Zoo. The significant support we receive from the community enables the Zoo to continue to grow and strive for excellence in our mission of conservation, education, research and recreation; while becoming a world class attraction that Oklahomans are proud to call their zoo.” said Dwight Scott, Executive Director/CEO.

Take advantage of the free admission and make plans to visit the Zoo on Sales Tax Appreciation Day, Tuesday, July 17. Group reservations are not required. Regular prices apply for all rides and attractions.

Visit Oklahoma’s #1 attraction and one of the top three zoos in the country as named in the 2012 10Besties Readers’ Choice Travel Awards. The Oklahoma City Zoo is a proud member of Oklahoma City’s Adventure District located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children ages three-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free.

Now through August 26, the Zoo is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Morning Zoo Rise. Guests can take advantage of our late Saturdays through September 1, and stay and play until 8 p.m. All guests must leave grounds at closing. Become a Zoo fan at http://www.facebook.com/okczoobg or follow us on Twitter @okczoo. To learn more about these and other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.com.

• Opinion: End all chimp research. (Stillwater)
• Activist wants home for seized dogs, cats. (Sand Springs)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

The show marks its 20th anniversary at 6 p.m. Sunday on ABC. (Read more about TV on the NewsOK Television Blog!)

And in honor of their anniversary, show officials calculated all the animal winners during the past 20 years. Dogs finished first with cats close behind. But there are all kinds of other animals that have won. (Who knew whales could be funny? And who knew that a praying mantis would win not once but twice?)

• 1 ANT
• 3 BEARS
• 22 BIRDS
• 1 BULL
• 1 CAMEL
• 34 CATS
• 1 CHIMP
• 1 DEER
• 136 DOGS
• 1 ELK
• 1 FERRET
• 1 FISH
• 1 FLY
• 1 FROG
• 4 GIRAFFES
• 4 GOATS
• 1 GORILLA
• 1 GUINEA PIG
• 3 HAMSTERS
• 4 HORSES
• 1 KANGAROO
• 1 LIZARD
• 2 LLAMAS
• 5 MONKEYS
• 2 MICE
• 1 ORANGUTAN
• 1 OSTRICH
• 2 PRAYING MANTIS
• 5 RACOONS
• 1 RAM
• 1 RAT
• 1 RHINO
• 1 SEA LION
• 1 SPIDER
• 1 SNAKES
• 9 SQUIRRELS
• 1 TARANTULA
• 1 TOAD
• 2 WHALES

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Baby chimpanzee Zoe to get first look at public. (Oklahoma City, video below)
• Chains take wag out of dog’s tail. (Oklahoma City)
• Pet Tales: Dog found after family prays. (Oklahoma City)
• Dove release honors victims. (Chickasha)
• Purina products joining the battle to defeat breast cancer. (nationwide)

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

• Make your pet a video star in NewsOK.com contest.
• Bug Fest has creepy-crawlie stars. (Norman)
• Mailed jailed in doe shooting. (Vermont)
• Equine dentist law has teeth. (statewide)
• State park just made horse sense. (Wagoner)
• Zoo welcomes baby elephant. (California)
• Condor suffers from gunshot. (California)
• Oil soaks pelican, Australian beach. (Saturday, page 7a)
• Don’t make impulse bunny buy. (statewide)
• Oklahoma City Zoo exhibit revives dinosaurs.

Staff Writer Carrie Coppernoll

A cute little English chimpanzee who was abandoned by his mom got his own seat and maybe the cutest passport ever for a flight to his new home.

Bili, the 3-month-old Bonobo chimp, had to be hand-reared after his mom abandoned him. He was taken recently by his new keepers to the Frankfurt Zoo in Germany to live with a mother chimp who has been trained to foster abandoned babies.

Bonobo chimps are endangered. They are found only in the Congo, and less than 10,000 are believed to survive in the wild.

No report what other passengers thought of the chimp on the plane, but I’m guessing he was less annoying than your average screaming child. Not to mention cuter.

- Staff Writer Bryan Dean

Seems a 3-year-old chimpanzee has learned to help her keeper nurse two young male white tiger cubs in Florida. If there is anything cuter than tiger cubs, it is a chimp nursing tiger cubs. Enjoy.

 - Staff Writer Bryan Dean