Rolling up their sleeves and getting stuck in for conservation is nothing new to the staff and volunteers at Zoos SA but it is when their sleeves are rolled up for a tattoo!

Some of Zoos SA’s plucky staff and volunteers ‘got inked for conservation’ today showing their allegiance and passion for Zoos SA’s purpose to ‘save species from extinction’ with tattoos depicting one of the 26 conservation programs that the charity supports. The Get Inked day also kicked off Zoos SA’s Black and White Weekend which this year extends to Giving Tuesday on 29 November 2022.

“I decided to get a Red-tailed Black Cockatoo tattoo,” said Zoos SA CE, Elaine Bensted.  “We are serious about our work so we thought why not say it in a permanent way? With so many species, like the threatened Red-tailed Black Cockatoo now facing extinction, it’s crucial to get the message out there about the work we are doing and how people can support us. Over the next few days as we roll out great Black and White Weekend deals we hope that people will snap up our great offers, get their Christmas shopping wrapped up, or treat themselves – all for a good cause!

“This year we’ve got membership offers, buy-one-get-one-free entry tickets, and discounts on animal experiences, our retail products, ZooCation and Cameos plus some tasty deals from our corporate partners.

“Andy Paris is a favourite tattooist of Kat, one of our keepers, and it was her idea to do a tattoo fundraiser to help support our conservation work. Andy and fellow artist Sparkles Tattoo have kindly agreed to share their talents with us with half of the proceeds going towards our conservation work,” finished Elaine.

Andy Paris and Sparkles Tattoo are Adelaide-based artists and said, “it is great to be able to give back to the zoo and contribute to the organisation’s vital conservation project” .

“We’re both animal fans and it’s fantastic to be here today at the zoo after visiting a lot as a kid. Thanks to Kat for thinking up such a great idea and getting us involved!”

Black and White Weekend Deals can be found here. 

The 26 national and international Conservation Priorities and partners that Zoos SA supports are:

1. Pygmy Bluetongue lizard
2. Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby
3. Mallee Emu-wren
4. Warru (Black-footed Rock-wallaby)
5. South Eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
6. Plains Wanderer
7. Kangaroo Island Dunnart
8. Western Swamp Tortoise
9. Orange-bellied Parrot
10. Tasmanian Devil
11. Przewalski horse
12. Mainland Tammar Wallaby
13. Brush-tailed Bettong (Marna Bangarra and rewilding)
14. Monarto Mint Bush (conserving Monarto’s Threatened Flora and Woodland Birds)
15. Solomon Giant Tree Frog (Tetapare)
16. Orangutan (Wildlife Asia)
17. Chimpanzee (Tacugama)
18. Cheetah (CCF)
19. African Painted Dog (Painted Dog Conservation Inc.)
20. Southern White Rhino (SAN Parks Hon Rangers)
21. Zebra (Sera)
22. Giant Panda (China Wildlife Conservation Association)
23. Lemur – (Wild Welfare)
24. Giraffe – (Giraffe Conservation Foundation)
25. Komodo Dragon – (Komodo Survival Program)
26. Ball Python – (Traffic)

For full details of the Black and White Weekend Deals head to zoossa.com.au/blackwhiteweekend/.