During Valentine鈥檚 Day week, the local zoo introduced a twist to the special holiday.

Instead of sending sentiments of affection to loved-ones this Valentine鈥檚 Day, people are being encouraged to name a cockroach after their ex or anyone else who bugs them.

It鈥檚 a new fundraising campaign, called Cockroaches 4 Conservation, announced on Monday. It will carry through to Family Day next Monday, explained Joshua Banta, the marketing supervisor for the Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove.

For a $5 donation, which will go to the Red Panda Network, people can put any name of their choice on a paper cockroach, that will be displayed at the zoo.

The idea, Banta explained, is to raise money to help red pandas, an endangered species, survive and thrive in the wild.

An incentive to encourage participation in the fundraising campaign is the offer of a rare prize package, he noted.

Everyone who contributes the minimum $5 is automatically entered to win a behind-the-scenes with the zoo鈥檚 鈥渘ewest red panda couple Arun and Paprika. You鈥檒l be the first,鈥� Banta announced.

He explained further, that this is a new coupling within the zoo and is inviting the public out to see them for the first time on the Family Day weekend. The introduction will happen Saturday, Feb. 17, at 9:30 a.m.

鈥淲e are so excited to announce that Arun has received a new red panda partner,鈥� Banta said. 鈥淲e are inviting guests from all over to witness this important introduction as a part of our species survival plan for red pandas, and will hopefully lead to future little red panda cubs 鈥搘e hope.鈥�

The public can see the new couple, get their faces painted, learn and participate in fun animal activities, be the first to see to try the zoo鈥檚 Oasis Kitchen for lunch, interact up close with creatures and critters, and see the newest animals at the Greater Vancouver Zoo 鈥� including a new family of Cheetahs, Banta elaborated.

Meanwhile, the winner of the behind-the-scene prize package will be drawn next Tuesday, Feb. 20.

鈥淵ou can enter as many times as you wish,鈥� Banta said.

Last year, the zoo held a naming contest for two red panda cubs born in captivity at the Aldergrove conservation facility 鈥� the first in B.C.

The twins, Maple and Mei Mei, were born to Arun and his former mate, Sakura, in March 2021, at the

And, stay tuned here for an update on the twins progress鈥�

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