Zoo gives free access to gingers for World Orangutan Day

Ginger-haired people will be able to get up close to the animals at Twycross zoo, near Nuneaton on Friday 19th August for FREE.

The Zoo has said:

In honour of our red haired ape friends, and to coincide with World Orangutan Day we are letting everyone who has red hair into Twycross Zoo FREE on Friday 19th August.

…We will be letting anyone with red hair in for free – male, female, adult, child, strawberry blonde, auburn, fiery red, natural or dyed – it doesn’t matter. As long as you have red hair you can enjoy a free day out at Twycross Zoo! Our staff in the ticket booths will be issued with our special Twycross Zoo red headed colour scale too just to make sure!

The Facts:

• 0.6% of the population are ginger
• Twycross Zoo have four Bornean Orangutans
• Free access to the Zoo if you’ve got Ginger hair
• Four red-headed primates Batu, Kibriah, Maliku and Molly are waiting to see you at the Zoo.

The promotion has caused controversy with local residents slamming the marketing campaign

Katie Little:

“I’m not offended! There are many things in the world that make me upset and this is not one of them! Gingers rule.”

David Wright:

“On one level it’s a clear case of discrimination against people who do not have red hair and is therefore illegal. On the other hand they are equating people with red hair to orang-utans and is discriminatory. Take your pick.”

Vivienne Mills:

“If it was really about promoting orangutans, why not simply open up the zoo free to everyone?”

Lloyd Slater:

“Slightly offensive and discriminative.”

Alisha Bevan:

“I can’t figure out if this is good or insulting.”

Mahta Riyazati:

“I can’t believe their PR team actually went for this.”

Alison Reid:

“Extremely offensive.”