NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sue Engelhart, Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary
941-350-4735, sueengelhart5@gmail.com
Kay Rosaire, Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary
bigcathabitat@yahoo.com
RICKY THE CHIMP ‘APES’ JON STEWART ON BOOK COVER
Trained by Pam Rosaire Zoppe and a regular at Big Cat Habitat’s educational
animal demonstrations, Ricky mimics ‘The Daily Show’ anchorman on his
newly-released ‘Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race.’
Ricky will sign copies of the book at Big Cat Habitat’s season
grand opening Wednesday, Nov. 24
SARASOTA, Fla., Nov. 8, 2010 – Sarasota’s own Ricky, the chimpanzee with film, television and magazine credits a starlet would covet, now is featured with his old friend Jon Stewart, anchor of “The Daily Show,” on the cover of Stewart’s new book.
“Earth (The Book): A Visitor’s Guide to the Human Race” was released Sept. 21 by Grand Central Publishing and is on the New York Times Best-Sellers List. Ricky will sign copies of the book at the season grand opening of the Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary on Wednesday, Nov. 24, during the 1:30 p.m. performance. Gates open at 12:30 p.m.
Ricky, raised by Pam Rosaire Zoppe and a regular participant at the Big Cat Habitat’s educational animal demonstrations, is shown sitting next to Stewart perfectly imitating the anchorman’s posture and sober, yet earnest, stare from behind the news desk. Both are framed by a gigantic photo of the Earth from space in the background.
The Emmy Award-winning Stewart first worked with the banana-reward-earning Ricky on a photo shoot for Vanity Fair several years ago. “Ricky remembered Jon right away and made a big fuss over him,” Rosaire Zoppe said. “They were really happy to see each other.”
While Ricky’s credits include no Emmy awards (where are the animal rights activists now?), he has worked in numerous film, television and magazine shoots, including MTV, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair.
Big Cat Habitat will also be open Friday through Sunday, Nov. 26 to Nov. 28, with self-guided tours and a petting zoo starting at 12:30 p.m. and an educational animal demonstration featuring the big cats and other animals starting at 1:30 p.m. The tours and demonstrations will continue throughout season on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 12:30 p.m. Admission donations are $12 for adults and $7 for children. No donation is asked of active members of the military. More information is available at www.BigCatHabitat.org or by calling 941-371-6377.
About Big Cat Habitat:
Big Cat Habitat and Gulf Coast Sanctuary is a nonprofit safe haven for big cats, bears and other animals in need. The sanctuary was founded by Kay Rosaire, who has 30 years of experience working with, and caring for, exotic animals and who began rescuing big cats in 1987. Big Cat Habitat provides education to the public to foster appreciation for the animals and to impart the importance of habitat preservation. More information is available at www.BigCatHabitat.org or by calling 941-371-6377.
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