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Summer is here and the fun in the sun has begun! As the temperatures rise and the days get hot, we keep cool however we can—a dip in the pool, frozen treats and plenty of shade. Our wild and wonderful animals are no different, except they rely on our care to beat the heat.
As the heat rises in Colorado, the challenges for our Animal Care team who look after 2,500+ animals continue to grow. Our staff is working hard at finding new ways to keep our animals cool during the hottest months of the year. Air-conditioned indoor spaces are available to cool off, but unsurprisingly, our wild animals do want to be outside—and we want that for them!
From fans and misters to ice machines and blood popsicles, our Animal Care Specialists are dedicated to coming up with creative ways to keep our residents comfortable in the heat of the summer while also providing fun and beneficial enrichment.
Check out these three unique ways our Animal Care Specialists help keep our animals extra cool and comfortable all season long!
Blood Popsicle, Anyone?
Our Animal Care Specialists love coming up with creative ways to keep our tigers cool in the summer heat, including making meat and blood popsicles!
Popsicles made of frozen blood and meat may not sound appetizing to us, but our big cats sure do love them, especially because they provide mental stimulation. A donation of $100 can provide our tiger with her favorite “bloodsicles.” Sounds delicious…at least if you’re ChloJo!
Rub-A-Dub-Dub, Three Hyenas in a Tub!
Who’s up for a cold plunge? Our spotted hyenas, Ngozi, Kelele and Tavi are—and don’t forget the bubbles! Treat our hyena pack to a sudsy spa day with a nice, cold bubble bath to clean up and cool off. Bubble baths also serve as enrichment, as hyenas like to hide things in water and come back to them later. Our Animal Care staff hides fun items for the pack to find and ups the challenge level by making the items hard to see. Whenever the suds come out, the pack gets extra excited to play! For just $48/month you can provide tubs of bubs for our spotted pack of three. If you’re a big fan of bubble baths, we’ve got some well-pampered hyenas who totally agree.
Throw Shade at Our Flamingos
Because wild animals want to be outside as much as possible, shade is the gold standard for keeping animals cool when the summer sun is hot. While our Horticulture team continues integrating trees into new and current habitat designs, some of our habitats require unique shade solutions, like a custom shade sail. These shade sails require concrete caissons, structural steel for poles, the shade material and installation. Installing custom sails is a big-ticket item at $65,000 a pop, but every little bit helps! Keep our flock fabulous and donate any amount today.
As a non-profit organization, your donations continue to provide world-class care for all our animals, including keeping them extra cool and comfortable all season long.
Follow Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn for updates on our incredible animals!
@DenverZoo in the Wild
March 3 was #WorldWildlifeDay, a celebration of the incredible species we share this planet with and a reminder of the work it takes to protect them. 🌎🐾
At Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, our mission is to connect our community with wildlife from around the world, right here in your hometown. From lions, tigers and bears to brilliant birds, ocean wonders, and jungle giants, every visit is a chance to learn how we can create a better future for wildlife.
Join us in celebrating and discover how you can help protect species near and far.
#DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether
✨Glowing Wild tickets are on sale NOW! ✨
You`re invited to celebrate wildlife in a whole new light this spring at Glowing Wild! Each illuminated scene is inspired by habitats from across the globe, while motion-activated lanterns bring the event to life. Walk through radiant reefs, indulge in new interactive experiences and marvel at 175 new larger-than-life lanterns.
Tickets are on sale now—but hurry, the most popular weekends and time slots sell out fast! Visit the link in our bio to learn more and get your tickets!
There are a few new pinniped pals making waves at DZCA! We`re excited to welcome three special guests from @hoglezoo for a temporary stay while their habitat undergoes updates.
Male sea lion Maverick and two sister seals Mira and Nika joined us last week and are settling in to their temporary new home swimmingly. Fourteen-year-old Maverick can be a little shy at first, but when he warms up, he can be very curious. Mira and Nika are 22-year-old sisters. Mira is the braver of the two seals and she often is the first to investigate new enrichment and surroundings, while Nika is more reserved and takes a lot of cues from her sister.
If Maverick`s name sounds familiar, that`s because it is! During construction of our sea lion habitat, DZCA`s Maverick spent about two years at Hogle Zoo, living alongside their Maverick. The two became fast friends in Utah and are already happily reacquainted here in Denver!
These three are expected to stay with us for a few weeks, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to return the care and collaboration Hogle Zoo offered over the last few years. Be sure to keep an eye out during your next visit—you might spot a familiar face and meet a few new ones along the way! 🦭
Did you know Toyota Elephant Passage is one of the largest and most complex elephant habitats in North America? 🐘
Spanning 10 acres with more than two miles of interconnected trails, TEP was designed specifically to care for and study bull elephants. It features pools for swimming, mud wallows, scratching trees, and a 20-ton elephant bridge. It’s also home to a greater one-horned rhino, gibbons, otters, cats, reptiles and more.
We think it’s one of the best zoo exhibits in the country.
Help us prove it! Vote for Toyota Elephant Passage in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards!
Link in bio.
