Nature lovers are being given the chance to ‘meet’ a lifelike mountain gorilla to mark the end of a ground-breaking summer programme at the Eden Project this summer.

Earth Story has given visitors the chance to hear about the plants and animals on the brink of being lost forever, and be inspired by people and projects from around the world that are working to save them.

The competition, being run through Eden’s Facebook page, will give one lucky winner a ‘meet and greet’ experience with Gerald the animatronic gorilla, the star of Earth Story, next Saturday, August 31.

The prize also includes two family tickets to Eden, enabling the winner’s family and friends to join in the fun.

To take part in the competition, entrants need to visit Eden’s official Facebook page and comment on the competition post, stating who they would take with them on this exciting experience.

The winner of the competition will be greeted by Gerald’s keeper and be taken to the Eden Base Camp before Eden opens to the public. They will also be treated to ice cream and will be able to enjoy a full day at the attraction.

Emma Evans, the Eden Project’s marketing director, said: “Our incredible lifelike gorilla has proven to be a big hit with our visitors this summer and has been an iconic symbol of the important messages of biodiversity and extinction that are fundamental to Earth Story.

“It’s been wonderful to see adults and children alike be captivated by his appearances and listening to the important messages from his story.

“We wanted to celebrate the success of Earth Story and what better way to do that than give one of our lucky visitors an opportunity they will never forget.”

As Eden’s summer programme enters its final week, it is the last chance for visitors to marvel at the Cabinets of Consequence, a showcase of the intricate web of life that connects us all, and come face to face with a giant armadillo in the Lost Giants Safari, a virtual reality zone.

Families can also discover the forgotten animals that roamed freely around the landscapes in the past – and find out about some that are making a comeback.

Children can enjoy clambering through the tunnels and nets of the Mini-Beast Mansion, allowing visitors to see the world from a new perspective.

There is even the chance to take on the Beach Clean Up challenge to uncover what might be lurking in the sand, follow a trail to discover weird and wonderful plants and animals from across the globe, and join the Eden storytellers for a trip to a very unusual library.

Eden’s Earth Story summer event ends on Tuesday, September 3.