Sunwise Stampede

Elephants are doing it, hippos are doing it, tortoises are doing it, and so should you! Protect yourself from the sun!

About this Website

The Sunwise Stampede website offers fun activities that teach children how animals protect themselves from the sun’s harmful rays, and how children can do the same. Have your child click on Kid’s Corner to play our web games, go on a search for sunwise animals at the zoo, or work on activity sheets. We also provide tips for protecting your family from the sun when you visit the zoo.

Why is Sun Protection Important?

Visitors tend to stay at zoos for several hours and are in the sun for long periods of time. While paying close attention to the zoo animals, visitors often are unaware of the skin damage the sun may be causing. Therefore, you need to take precautions to protect yourself and your family from the sun when visiting the zoo. The sun’s harmful rays put children especially at risk, so Sunwise Stampede promotes simple strategies for children and their parents to limit sun exposure.

What is Sunwise Stampede?

Sunwise Stampede is a non-profit sun safety program for zoo visitors that focuses on children and their caregivers. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded researchers at the Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University to develop the program. The program is administered by the San Diego State University Foundation.