Dublin Zoo has announced that Wild Lights will return once again to offer visitors a magical and immersive experience during winter nights with an exciting new theme – ‘The Magic of Life'
With as many as one million plant and animal species now threatened with extinction, this year Wild Lights will be highlighting the importance of biodiversity through colourful lanterns. Following a magical journey through Dublin Zoo, guests will get the opportunity to see breath taking lanterns showcasing some of the most fascinating plant and animal communities and ecosystems on our planet.
To ensure Wild Lights can operate without impacting on the national energy supply during the upcoming winter, this years’ Wild Lights event will be taken off the energy grid and will be powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), derived from 100% renewable raw materials.
Visitors will travel along a one-way trail past illuminated woodland scenes before encountering wondrous pollinators including giant bees and beehives. They will then witness some of nature’s most fascinating transformations, such as the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly as well as the skilled co-operation of an ant colony and some of the most minute creatures of our world, blown up to gigantic scale.
From the abundance and diversity of life in the treetops of our rainforests to diving underwater to witness sea creatures and mesmerising coral, guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the Magic of Life and the role they can play themselves to help protect our planet.
Speaking about Wild Lights, Dr Christoph Schwitzer, Director of Dublin Zoo, said: “The team at Dublin Zoo is thrilled to announce that Wild Lights will celebrate The Magic of Life this year. The award-winning event will highlight the importance of the world’s plant and animal kingdoms, something that is at the heart of everything we do here. We are excited to welcome all visitors this winter to enjoy the magical journey with us and we hope this year’s theme will inspire a passion for nature and a willingness to help.”
Opening details
Wild Lights will open to the public on Friday, 28th October until Monday, 9th January 2023.
Throughout November, Wild Lights will be open every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evening from 5 – 9pm. From 1st December until 9th January, the experience will be open seven days a week from 5 – 9pm (excluding Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day).
Tickets
Admission to Wild Lights will be €23 for adults and €19 for children. Annual pass holders can avail of a special rate of €21 for adults and €17 for children.
Children under the age of three go free but will still need a pre-booked ticket. Students and OAP tickets are available for €20.
Powering Wild Lights
Dublin Zoo has made a significant investment to ensure the 2022 Wild Lights event can run without impacting the national energy grid during the upcoming winter. To ensure Wild Lights has no impact on energy supply, it will be taken off the grid and powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) derived from 100% renewable raw materials. Hydrotreated vegetable oil is synthesised from waste fats and vegetable oil. It is a biofuel which, compared to other fuels, eliminates up to 90% of greenhouse gas emissions. Other steps taken to reduce energy consumption include LED lights and shortening the daily running time of the event by an hour.
Tickets go on sale via www.DublinZoo.ie
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