SAN ANTONIO — San Antonio Independent School District students will get the chance to see and learn about wildlife at the zoo at no cost thanks to a generous donation from a prominent family in the city.
The Alvarez family — owners of the company that sells and markets products like Shiner beer — donated $1 million to give 3,000 second graders enrolled in Title I schools a free field trip to the San Antonio Zoo’s new gorilla exhibit that opened this month, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The family is known for its philanthropic efforts throughout the city.
Title I schools are schools with a majority of low-income students enrolled, and these students will be able to attend field trips to the zoo at no cost.
The zoo recently welcomed seven Western Lowland gorillas to its Congo Falls exhibit. The two-acre exhibit features the largest gorilla tower in the world and a 30-foot waterfall.
The gorillas, who are from Zoo Atlanta, the Houston Zoo and the Dallas Zoo, have been getting acclimated to their new home. It’s the first time in over 30 years that the San Antonio Zoo has housed gorillas.
According to the Express-News, students will learn about gorillas’ habitats and life cycles during their visits to the zoo.