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Zoo Knoxville hosting pop-up "Craft Bear" night with special beer to benefit endangered tortoises

Next Thursday, the zoo will hold a family-friendly event featuring an IPA made with ingredients harvested from the zoo!

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Zoo Knoxville is putting on a special event next Thursday that will feature a refreshing adult beverage made with a special ingredient harvested at the zoo.

The zoo is putting on a special pop-up "Craft Bear" night on Thursday, November 19 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. The evening will showcase a special limited release Imperial Pale Ale made with a prickly pear harvested from Zoo Knoxville's cactuses.

The beer, called "Heroes in a Half Shell (Tortoise Power)," will be available at the Pretentious Beer Co. Taproom in the Old City starting Friday, November 13. 

Pretentious Beer Co. is donation a portion of all sales to help the Radiated Tortoise SAFE program. Zoo Knoxville is one of the founding partners of the initiative, which supports conservation efforts to save the endangered reptiles from extinction.

"The radiated tortoise is suffering a catastrophic decline in the wild due to over collection by the black market pet trade in Southeast Asia, as well as habitat destruction," Zoo Knoxville said. "In the beginning of this century it was estimated that 12 million radiated tortoises roamed southwestern Madagascar; now that number has drastically reduced to 3 million tortoises. At this rate, radiated tortoises will be extinct in the wild within the next 15-20 years without our help."

The Craft Bear event will let guests explore the zoo with plenty of social distancing space. Wine, other beer selections and non-alcoholic drinks will also be available for purchase.

General admission will be required for anyone 4 and up, and parking is $5 per vehicle. Annual passholders and Circle of Friends members will get free entry and parking.  

Tickets may be purchased online in advance at zooknoxville.org or at the front gate.

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