EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — El Paso Zoo and Botanical Garden’s popular Valentine’s event, “Quit Bugging Me” has officially returned, the City of El Paso said in a press release on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
From now until Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14, participants can name a cockroach, slug, crawler, or cricket after someone who’s been “bugging” them. These small critters then become a snack for the zoo’s animals.
The feature feeding of the Madagascar hissing cockroaches will take place at 2:15 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, Friday, Feb. 14 at the meerkats exhibit. The event will also be live-streamed on El Paso Zoo’s Facebook and Instagram pages.
Those who are interested can submit names of people such as an ex, a boss, a mother-in-law, or anyone else through the El Paso Zoo’s website at https://www.elpasozoo.org/. Names will be displayed anonymously, with only first names being shown.
“The ‘Quit Bugging Me’ event isn’t just about fun—it’s also good for the animals. The zoo regularly provides its residents with enrichment activities to keep them mentally and physically engaged. Madagascar hissing cockroaches are ethically frozen and provided to insectivores under the supervision of the zoo’s veterinary team. Insects like these are a natural part of the animals’ diets, both in captivity and in the wild,” the City said.
The City says donations are encouraged but not required for participation. Donations collected during the event will be managed by the Paso del Norte Community Foundation, which helps fund wildlife conservation efforts, enrichment programs for zoo animals, and professional development for zoo staff.
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