Saving Wildlife Together

Here’s a paws-itively delightful update: We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of four new additions to Benson’s Predator Ridge! 🦁 

Following a 115-day pregnancy, African lion Araali gave birth to four feisty cubs on Wednesday, August 13, after laboring for nearly 18 hours. Mom and babies are bonding well behind-the-scenes, where they will remain for at least six weeks pending vaccinations and neo-natal examinations. This time allows Araali and her cubs to adjust to each other before introductions begin with the other females in our pride. Araali was born at DZCA in 2020 and Usiku, the proud dad, arrived in 2016 from Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, Kansas. Due to their compatible genetics—and Usiku’s notably mild demeanor—the pair was recommended for breeding last year through @zoos_aquariums’ African Lion Species Survival Plan. Introductions earlier this year were successful and the pair’s litter now represents four generations of African lions at DZCA, starting with great-grandma Neliah, grandma Kamara, mom Araali and now, the new cubs.

Want more cub cuteness? You can watch Araali and her little ones via a livestream in Pahali ya Simba (the indoor Predator Ridge viewing area), an additional screen placed in Pahali ya Mwana (our maternity yard), and shared online for lion fans around the world to enjoy.   

Stay tuned on our social channels for the link to Araali’s Cub Cam, and join us in celebrating this exciting win for conservation! You can learn more about our newest additions here by visiting our website!
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Baby Bulletin presented by @intermountain.

Happy International Armadillo Day!

Here at DZCA, we’re lucky to have three amazing armadillos in our Animal Ambassadors team: Dillon, our nine-banded armadillo, and Willow and Chaco, our three-banded armadillos.

Fun fact: three-banded armadillos are the only armadillo species that can roll up into a complete ball, tucking in their head, tail, and legs to create a perfect armored sphere! 🏐 This clever defense keeps them safe from predators in the wild.

You might spot Dillon, Willow, or Chaco during special animal encounters around campus, so keep your eyes peeled next time you visit!

#InternationalArmadilloDay #DenverZooConservationAlliance #AnimalAmbassadors #Armadillo #WildlifeConservation

Have you seen more precious painters? 🎨💛

In honor of August is for Antelope Month, we`re featuring Chicken and Biscuit—our adorable red-flanked duiker duo—who recently joined their care team for voluntary art enrichment. This tiny masterpiece will be up for grabs during the Flock Party silent auction on September 6!

Speaking of the soirée of the summer...this year we’re adding exciting new elements to the festivities, including live animal paintings during the event! You’ll be able to bid on these creations as they’re made, along with hundreds of other one-of-a-kind works from our animal artists and unique experiences.

The best part? All proceeds benefit our beloved animal family and support our wildlife conservation work in Colorado and around the world.

Get ready to party with a purpose! Learn more and get tickets by visiting the link in our bio.

Photo Credit: Animal Care Specialist Justine M.