Emporia and area residents spent a Night in the Wild at the David Traylor Zoo Friday evening.
A Night in the Wild is the latest fundraiser supporting the Emporia Friends of the Zoo and their efforts to further the zoo’s mission of conservation and education throughout the community. Over 300 individuals were in attendance for the event which featured both a live and silent auction with hundreds of items up for bid.
When asked her thoughts on the evening, Zoo Director Lisa Keith stated she was “awestruck.”
A Night in the Wild follows the zoo’s virtual auction from earlier this year that took the place of the traditional Roundup Auction due to COVID-19. Keith says A Night in the Wild will not replace the annual roundup auction, however, that doesn’t mean it won’t be returning.
In total, Night in the Wild generated $72,840. The top-selling auction items included a mountain lion sponsorship that brought in $5,000, a lemur sponsorship which garnered $2,800 respectively and a special bison excursion in the Flinthills which contributed $2,000 to the grand total.
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