ith the precarious state of ecosystems throughout the world today, it is difficult to know for certain which threatened species will continue to be around for future generations–and which will have gone the way of the Dodo. But as sobering of a legacy that may be, it is increasingly important to raise awareness of these fading animals early and often to the children of today, whose attitudes and actions as adults may determine the fate of the planet’s biodiversity. So, with that in mind, one zoo is educating its young visitors about the importance of preservation in an imaginative way–with an exhibition of endangered animals constructed out of Legos.

Opened yesterday, the Philadelphia Zoo‘s Lego-made exhibit, called ”Creatures of Habitat: A Gazillion-Piece Animal Adventure,” features the work of world-renowned Lego artist Sean Kenney. According to Kenney, the 34 animals he created for the zoo took him over one year to complete–the largest project he’s undertaken. Included in the exhibit are sculptures of endangered birds, frogs, tamarins, and a polar bear made with 95,000 Lego pieces.