Dutch astronaut André Kuipers will be in direct contact with Amsterdam's Artis zoo on 5 April.

Kuipers, who is currently on board the International Space Station, is a big fan of the zoo and managed to persuade the US and EU space agencies NASA and ESA to grant permission for an in-flight call. Artis said on Monday that permission for such a call is only rarely granted.

Amsterdam Mayor Eberhard van der Laan will ask Kuipers a question during the call, as will Artis' Professor Erik de Jong, several schoolchildren and a member of the zoo.

In 2007, the Dutch astronaut attended the official opening of the new Artis planetarium.

(gsh/imm)

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