Photo Gallery | Riverbanks Zoo offers poo to gardeners

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia is offering lucky gardeners a chance to put in orders for its famed poo produced by elephants, giraffes and zebras.

Zoo spokeswoman Susan O'Cain says one cubic yard of the manure will be available for $43 a load. The manure sells out quickly, and each order is limited to two loads.

According to officials, the 1,500 pounds of dung produced by zoo animals each day was a very expensive problem for zookeepers. Officials say before offering the manure to the public, the Zoo was spending a total of $13,000 a year to get the waste carried off sight, and dumped in a landfill.

For those interested in small amounts, pint-size and two-gallon buckets are placed at zoo entrances throughout the year.

O'Cain says the poop will be available for pickup on Friday, March 23. Orders may be placed through www.riverbanks.org .

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