TYLER, Texas — An endangered species received a late Christmas present thanks to the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler.
Caldwell Zoo's Curator of mammals Scotty Stainback said the zoo started their first 'Lights for Lions' campaign by asking East Texans to donate their broken and outdated Christmas lights instead of throwing them away,
"They placed a bin at the zoo and people came through with more than 14,000 pounds of string lights," Stainback said. "The lights were taken to a local recycling center and the pay off is $344."
Stainback said this year‘s collection was so successful that they plan to make it an annual event.
The money received from the 'Lights for Lions' campaign is send as a donation to a lion conservation program in Africa called Lion Guardians.
Since 2006, the Lion Guardians have conserved lions and preserved cultures by finding and enacting long-term solutions for people and lions to coexist.
For more information about the Lion Guardians conservation program, visit their website.