The San Diego Zoo is bringing its animals to patients at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital through an all-access television channel.
The San Diego Zoo teamed up with the Phoenix Zoo and the Phoenix Children’s Hospital to introduce San Diego Zoo Kids, a closed circuit television channel that offers entertaining and educational programming centered around the creatures of the San Diego Zoo.
The channel, available in 79 children’s hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses across 26 states and four foreign countries, will now be available in every patient room at Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
The program will show patients up-close views of various animals in the zoo, including the zoo’s world famous Panda Cam. Patients will also get to learn about new animals through short videos hosted by San Diego Zoo Global ambassador Rick Schwartz.
“San Diego Zoo Kids has the ability to bring the zoo to young patients who don’t have the opportunity to visit,” said Douglas G. Myers, president and CEO of San Diego Zoo Global. “The stories we tell through this channel not only entertain children and their families during what can be a stressful time, but hopefully inspire a new generation to appreciate wildlife and their natural habitats.”
Phoenix Children’s Hospital held an event to announce the collaboration and invited Phoenix Zoo staff, and some furry animals, to come to the hospital and meet face to face with some of the patients. Children also got a sneak peek of some San Diego Zoo Kids content.
In attendance was a prairie dog, kinkajou, giant Flemish rabbit and some armadillos.
