WCS’s Bronx Zoo names a Madagascar hissing cockroach ‘Ricky’ and sends the first COCOA-ROACHES of the season

Ricky thanks the zoo on Twitter (@RickyGervais)

Nothing says forever like a cockroach from the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo


Visit www.bronxzoo.com/roach to view the video and place an order


NEW YORK – January 30, 2012 – The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo kicked off the Valentine’s Day season by naming the first Madagascar hissing cockroach of the year after comedian Ricky Gervais and sending him a batch of the 100 percent solid dark chocolate COCOA-ROACHES.

Ricky received his COCOA-ROACHES today and took to Twitter to send his thanks to the zoo for the delicious artisanal hand-painted candies.

The zoo is offering everyone a light-hearted way to make sure your loved one knows your feelings are forever on Valentine’s Day – with a roach in their name and a 100 percent solid dark chocolate COCOA-ROACH.

Last year thousands of hopeless romantics from around the world named real live Madagascar hissing cockroaches at WCS’s Bronx Zoo after their favorite loved one, “ex,” or mother-in-law. The zoo is again offering the opportunity to name a new crop of cockroaches for Valentine’s Day 2012. Each gift comes with a colorful certificate emailed to your loved one announcing that a cockroach has been named in his or her honor.

To make the offer even sweeter, this year you can also purchase a COCOA-ROACH for that special someone – a genuine artisanal 100 percent solid dark chocolate likeness of a Madagascar hissing cockroach – the world’s largest member of the roach family. COCOA-ROACHES are created with precision and artistry by chocolatier Sabrina Berkowitz of The Chocolate Box NYC. Brilliantly crafted to include every detail, each COCOA-ROACH is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Visit www.bronxzoo.com/roach to see the video and place an order. Each name costs $10; COCOA-ROACHES are an additional $15 for one or $25 for a COCOA-ROACH couple. All proceeds will go to help the Wildlife Conservation Society save wildlife and wild places around the world.

The zoo has plenty of roaches to name with thousands of the super-sized bugs on exhibit in Madagascar!—an award-winning habitat for lemurs, crocodiles, and many other species from the African island nation.

Madagascar hissing cockroaches are the world’s largest roach species reaching nearly four-inches long. The namesake hissing noise is emitted as a defense mechanism. Like nearly every roach species, Madagascar hissing cockroaches are not considered pests and rarely enter homes.

COCOA-ROACHES are 100 percent solid chocolate and are NOT chocolate covered roaches. COCOA-ROACHES must be ordered by Monday, February 6, 2012 to ensure delivery for Valentine’s Day. For more information about The Chocolate Box NYC, visit www.thechocolateboxnyc.com. 

Contact:
Max Pulsinelli: (o) 718-220-5182; mpulsinelli@wcs.org
Steve Fairchild: (o) 718-220-5189; sfairchild@wcs.org

The Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adult admission is $16, children (3-12 years old) $12, children under 3 are free, seniors (65+) are $14. Parking is $13 for cars and $16 for buses. The Bronx Zoo is conveniently located off the Bronx River Parkway at Exit 6; by train via the #2 or #5 or by bus via the #9, #12, #19, #22, MetroNorth, or BxM11 Express Bus service (from Manhattan that stops just outside the gate.) To plan your trip, visit www.bronxzoo.com or call 718-367-1010.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide. We do so through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world’s largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on earth.