The Arkansas Zoological Foundation and the City of Little Rock Host Sculpture Dedication

LITTLE ROCK (June 26, 2019) – The Arkansas Zoological Foundation and Little Rock City will collaborate to host a celebration to dedicate  a new sculpture  to be placed on Zoo Drive.  This private, invitation-only event will take place on Wednesday, June 26, 2019, at 6pm.  The new artwork, depicting a pride of lions, will be permanently placed in the roundabout at Fair Park and Zoo Drive just to the west of the Little Rock Zoo’s main entrance.  

The sculpture is erected in honor of the late Mike Blakely, former director of the Little Rock Zoo.   Mr. Blakely served as Zoo Director for seventeen years and was the director immediately before the current director, Susan Altrui.    It has been said of Blakely that he took over the Zoo at a critical point in its history and helped build it into a world-class institution.   Blakely has further been described as a “fun and amazing human being.”  It is for these reasons and many more that this artwork has been created in his honor.   The City of Little Rock and the Arkansas Zoological Foundation are proud to highlight the memory of such a contributor to the success of the Zoo and the City of Little Rock. 

To learn more about the new sculpture and the dedication ceremony, please contact llwilliams@littlerock.gov

About the Zoo

The Little Rock Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.  Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you and a better future for all living things.  With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation and your link to helping animals in their native habitats.  For more information, visit www.aza.org.