At Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA), we believe that every animal—no matter its size, species or age—deserves the highest standard of care. Our Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams’ recent work with Vader, a 10-year-old emperor scorpion, is a testament to this philosophy. Thanks to collaborative care, innovative treatment methods, and the dedication of our expert teams, Vader has made a full recovery. She continues to thrive at DZCA, well beyond the typical lifespan of her species.
Meet Vader: Small Ambassador, Big Impact
Vader, an emperor scorpion who has called DZCA home for 10 years, is a beloved member of our Animal Ambassador program. For over a decade, she has inspired guests of all ages, showcasing the important role scorpions play in healthy ecosystems and helping dispel common misconceptions about these fascinating arachnids. One of the coolest facts about Vader, like all scorpions, is that she glows under ultraviolet (UV) light thanks to a special compound in her exoskeleton. Scientists are still exploring why scorpions fluoresce, but theories include camouflage, communication, and sun protection.
In human care, emperor scorpions typically live between five and eight years. But thanks to the specialized care she receives at DZCA, Vader is thriving well beyond that average life expectancy at 10 years old.
CollaborativeCare
A few months ago, Vader’s Animal Care team noticed her abdomen was swollen. As a geriatric scorpion, Vader needed special attention to determine the root cause of her condition. Our Veterinary team anesthetized Vader in our state-of-the-art Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital for a full physical exam and hemolymph (blood) collection.
Through blood chemistry and culture testing and collaborating with our colleagues at the Butterfly Pavilion, we confirmed that Vader had a bacterial infection in her bloodstream. This condition is known as septicemia which can be life-threatening for invertebrates like scorpions.
Transformative Treatment
After being diagnosed, Vader received topical antibiotics daily for two weeks, a custom enema, and detailed husbandry adjustments by her animal care specialists. To reduce handling stress, our team even designed innovative, low-stress restraints to administer her treatments safely and effectively.
Clinical Veterinarian, Dr. Spencer Kehoe, DVM, DZCAM, reflected on this innovative care:
“Vader’s case was unique and transformative, and you’d be hard pressed to find examples of other scorpions receiving that level of care and support. We innovated low-stress restraint methods and tools to allow daily administration of treatments, which we look forward to sharing with other institutions. We hope this helps advance treatment options for scorpions elsewhere and in the future. I think her case highlights how DZCA as an organization values all creatures great and small, and we are willing to provide whatever is needed to maximize the welfare of the animals under our care. It also highlights the “village” that came together to help Vader, from her animal care specialists & veterinary team at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, to the keepers at Butterfly Pavilion.”
Vader’s story is a great reminder of the compassion and innovation that drives everything we do at DZCA. We’re proud to invest in the highest quality care for all animals, regardless of their size or species. Whether it’s an emperor scorpion or a French angelfish receiving a CT scan, our dedicated Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams work together to ensure every animal receives expert, compassionate care tailored to their unique needs.
There is one thing that unites Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) staff and volunteers, and that is a passion for wildlife conservation. Our mission to Inspire Communities to Save Wildlife for Future Generations drives us to connect with those working to save species where they live, from breeding and releasing boreal toads in our local Rocky Mountain region to partnering with the grassroots NGO Forum Konservasi Leuser in Indonesia. Since 2018, DZCA has partnered with Kea Conservation Trust (KCT) by providing grant funding to support several important projects aimed at improving conservation outcomes for this endangered parrot species only found on the South Island of New Zealand.
One thing about being passionate about a species that lives across the world is that it is costly in terms of time, money, and carbon to participate in field conservation projects to support them. While I was lucky enough to visit New Zealand to help capture and band kea as part of the lead testing program in 2020, it is not practical to send DZCA staff to New Zealand regularly. Fortunately, while in New Zealand the connections I made led to conversations about how I could keep helping with kea conservation from across the world, and the Kea Database Project was born.
Fast forward several years, our database entries were complete and KCT had a new partnership to explore. The curious kea are notorious for causing damage to property as they investigate the buildings in their range, and KCT gets regular complaints about destructive behavior from property owners. Besides the damage, kea can be injured or ingest toxic materials like lead from old roofing nails, causing illness or even leading to death.
KCT has tried using motion-detection strobe light machines to deter kea from properties, but it was unclear if these were making any difference in kea behavior. For this naturally curious species, something novel like a strobe light might even attract kea! Field researchers had the idea to set up cameras to monitor the activities of kea at these properties. DZCA supplied a small grant to cover the cost of several new motion activated strobe lights equipped with an alarm sound, and cameras were deployed at several sites with and without a strobe light present to provide a control group. But researchers found that the cameras came back with thousands of files that needed to be reviewed in order to find any useful information. Many of the photos and videos were taken when the cameras were activated by the wind, people on the property, or other non-kea activities.
DZCA staff were happy to jump in again to take care of the tedious desk work so that field staff in New Zealand could spend their valuable time out in the field with kea. I recruited a new team of conservation-oriented Animal Care Specialists to create a coding system for analyzing the videos and photos, and we dove into the storage drive. Over the course of 25 work hours added up over 6 months our team coded over 27,500 pieces of media. Our spreadsheet allows field researchers to quickly find and view the videos and photos that are worth viewing to compile preliminary information to share with property owners, and we hope that when we add more data points there will be enough evidence to determine whether strobe lights are effective tools for deterring kea from damaging property. Since it’s been the winter and slow season down under in New Zealand, we’re currently waiting on more media to be available for analysis so we can jump in again once the cheeky groups of juvenile kea begin their antics in the villages of the Southern Alps.
Our partnership with the Kea Conservation Trust demonstrates that impactful conservation can happen from anywhere. While fieldwork in New Zealand is crucial, our behind-the-scenes efforts from Colorado are making a real difference for kea. We look forward to continuing this collaboration and supporting the conservation of this endangered species!
At Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA), conservation is at the core of everything we do. While some of our dedicated teams work directly in the field, we recognize that meaningful conservation extends far beyond those efforts. Whether in the field, at the Zoo, or in everyday actions, there are countless ways to support wildlife and habitat conservation. Angela Yang, Senior Advisor for Global Conservation, and Katie Glatfelter, Animal Care Specialist for Primates, share how making a global impact doesn’t always require traveling—sometimes, it can start from home with a simple question: “What do you need?”
The Shift in Conservation
Thirteen years ago, Rainforest Alliance produced an entertaining video called “Follow the Frog” that follows an average person who, driven by his passion to do more for the environment, takes all the wrong actions including leading a failed revolution in Nicaragua. Eventually, the campaign leads the viewer back to more tangible and rational measures based on consumer behavior. Trust us, this video is three minutes well-spent.
More than ever, this message resonates today as conservationists strive to decolonize our approaches and recognize, as well as prioritize, Indigenous knowledge and locally led conservation and community-based efforts. It is no longer acceptable, nor necessary, for those of us from the Global North to “parachute in” to save wildlife but rather support the work of local actors and organizations working with their own communities. Instead of capacity-building, we now use terms such as capacity-strengthening or better yet, capacity-sharing. Because knowledge-sharing goes both ways.
DZCA’s Conservation Strategy
In that vein, when the Field Conservation department revised our strategy in 2022, we focused building alliances with strong local organizations that are protecting species based on DZCA’s criteria. As of 2025, we have eight exciting partnerships around the world featuring species from grey crowned cranes to Asian elephants. And as we grow our trusted relationships, we are intentionally seeking opportunities for DZCA staff to engage at the intersection of partner needs and our expertise and interest.
One of these opportunities happened with our partner in Laos, Association Anoulak. Through our former small grants program, Katie Glatfelter, one of DZCA’s Primate Animal Care Specialists, reached out and we discussed our partners. Katie has a strong background in animal care and has also worked with wildlife in South Africa, Namibia, Mongolia and the Galapagos Islands. While studying for her Masters degree, one of Katie’s professors shared that what conservation organizations and projects need the most help with are not what one would expect.
Often when people want to get involved with field conservation, their first thought is to travel to the location of the project and help directly in the field. Katie learned throughout her experiences that this is not always what is needed, and that often the best way to get involved is to simply ask “what do you need?”
She took this approach with Dr. Camille Coudrat of Association Anoulak and discovered that Camille didn’t need her to go to Laos. She needed Katie to create some education tools for an upcoming training for emerging Lao conservationists to learn more about conserving their local, threatened wildlife. So, Katie, with illustrative support from former Animal Care Specialist Brittany Merlo, created a beautiful a series of species factsheets in English that were also translated into Laos and used in a successful two-week pilot training course, that we’ll be supporting again in 2025.
This wonderful “alliance” showed that getting involved with international field conservation is easy and you can make a difference without leaving home. In this win-win story, Katie proudly contributed to an important cause in a simple way that will make a difference for both people and wildlife. As we continue expanding our partnerships, we’re excited to create more opportunities for staff—and passionate conservationists everywhere—to make a real impact.
A glimpse into Katie’s adventures! The first photo shows Katie with a camera trap she set up to track pangolins in Namibia. In the second, she’s working at DZCA with Oz, a white-faced saki. And in the last, she’s searching for invasive snails on Santa Cruz Island.
Reticulated giraffe BB gave birth to a healthy male calf on Friday, March 7 after a three-and-a-half-hour labor. Delivery went smoothly, according to Maura Davis, Curator of Large Mammals: “Teams have been watching cameras throughout the night during BB’s birth window to check for signs of labor. Little feet were seen at approximately 4 a.m. Friday morning. The calf was on the ground at 6 a.m. and standing and nursing shortly thereafter! BB did a great job.”
This adorable baby boy is the first offspring for both four-year-old BB and four-year-old Jasiri, who joined DZCA in 2022 from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Lee Richardson Zoo, respectively.
This pregnancy was part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Giraffe Species Survival Program (SSP), which works to ensure the long-term survival of this Endangered species. The birth of this calf is a significant step in giraffe conservation efforts, helping to maintain a genetically healthy population in human care.
Our Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams have done an incredible job supporting BB on her journey as a first-time mom! Throughout her pregnancy, BB voluntarily participated in her own care, showcasing the strong bonds she has built with our teams. Now, she’s thriving in her new role as a mom, and we’re excited to see her bond with her baby and for our teams to form new connections with her not-so-little one.
Bonding Behind the Scenes
Our Animal Care Specialists report that BB and her calf are thriving behind the scenes in their cozy indoor habitat. New mom BB is showing excellent maternal instincts, and her baby is already very curious about the world.
Jordan Baur, Lead Animal Care Specialist, Hoofstock, shares, “We are over the moon about the newest addition to our giraffe herd. It’s been eight years since Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance welcomed a giraffe calf, and this little one is already following in Dobby’s “hoof”steps and stealing our hearts. BB is an incredible mom, and the calf seems to be just as friendly and curious as his parents. We are so excited to watch this calf grow and become an ambassador for his species.”
For now, BB and her baby will remain in their indoor habitat as they bond and adjust to their surroundings. In the coming weeks, they’ll be introduced to dad Jasiri and ‘uncle’ Dobby before making their public debut. To give them time to acclimate, the indoor giraffe habitat is temporarily closed to guests.
Through the Denver Zoo Women in Conservation Fund, we’ve had the privilege of supporting six passionate women making a lasting impact on their communities and ecosystems.
From protecting Javan gibbons and Sumatran rhinos to advocating for sea turtle conservation and dugong habitat restoration, these inspiring leaders are breaking barriers, uplifting communities, and creating a brighter future for wildlife. Their work highlights the power of women in conservation and the importance of diverse voices in protecting our planet.
Join us in celebrating these extraordinary women and their contributions! Learn more about the Women in Conservation Fund recipients and their impactful work below.
Chantira Saifimar | Indonesia
Chantira Saifimar is a dedicated sea turtle researcher in Indonesia working to protect Endangered turtle populations from poaching and habitat loss. With support from our Women in Conservation Fund, she launched educational campaigns in local schools, mapped critical nesting sites, and empowered her community to take action.
Chantira’s efforts are ensuring a safer future for sea turtles and fostering environmental stewardship among future generations.
Alia Firdamayant | Indonesia
Alia Firdamayant is a dedicated researcher working to protect the Endangered dugong in Indonesia. With support from our Women in Conservation Fund, Alia conducted critical research on Senayang Island, mapping 82 hectares of vital seagrass habitat—an essential food source for dugongs. She also engaged local communities to raise awareness and inspire conservation efforts.
For Alia, success isn’t just about protecting wildlife—it’s about empowering communities and fostering human development alongside environmental stewardship. By amplifying the voices of women in conservation, she’s paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Alifi Nisya | Indonesia
Alifi Nisya is a passionate conservationist working to protect the Leuser Ecosystem—the last place on Earth where Sumatran rhinos, elephants, tigers, and orangutans coexist.
As a Program Manager for Forum Konservasi Leuser (FKL) in Indonesia, Alifi is dedicated to combating poaching, illegal logging, and habitat destruction. With support from our Women in Conservation Fund, she has strengthened her leadership skills, expanded her global conservation network, and joined the prestigious Emerging Wildlife Conservation Leaders (EWCL) program—where she collaborated on international conservation strategies.
Alifi is proof that women’s leadership is essential in conservation. By empowering women, we gain new perspectives, stronger community trust, and innovative solutions that create lasting impact. She hopes to continue inspiring more women to step into leadership roles and drive change in their communities.
Rahayu Oktaviani | Indonesia
Rahayu Oktaviani is a passionate conservationist dedicated to protecting the Critically Endangered Javan gibbon in Indonesia. As the co-founder and director of Kiara Orangutan Ecosystem Aara, Rahayu works tirelessly in Gunung Halimun Salak National Park—one of the last remaining habitats for these rare primates.
With support from our Women in Conservation Fund, she has expanded efforts in conservation education, community engagement, and long-term behavioral research. Through her leadership, the program has provided research scholarships for Indonesian students to study Javan gibbons in the wild, mentored young conservationists to become advocates for Indonesia’s wildlife, supported local educators to spread awareness in remote schools, and strengthened monitoring efforts by equipping field teams with essential supplies.
For Rahayu, success means seeing women step into leadership roles, students become passionate conservationists, and communities embrace the protection of their natural heritage. She believes that when women are empowered, they become some of the strongest advocates for conservation.
A Collective Impact
We are honored to support these extraordinary women and learn from their expertise. Their collective impact on biodiversity benefits us all, demonstrating that when women are empowered in conservation, entire ecosystems and communities thrive.
In 2024, Berani, the beloved 32-year-old Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutan, was diagnosed with kidney disease. Sadly, his condition has progressed to end-stage kidney failure, meaning his kidney function has declined to the point that the organs can no longer function on their own. Kidney disease is common in great apes, and our dedicated Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams are closely monitoring him. The average life expectancy for Sumatran orangutans in human care ranges from 30 to 50 years old.
Berani voluntarily participates in aspects of his healthcare and treatment, a testament to the incredible trust he has in our teams and the strong bonds they have formed over the years. As part of that trust and care, he takes part in voluntary blood draws, allowing our teams to monitor his kidney values. Over the past few months, our teams have noticed a fluctuation in Berani’s values and behavior, prompting them to adjust his medication as necessary.
Currently, he is stable and behaving normally. While Berani’s teams monitor his wellbeing daily, he continues to eat well, engage with his care team, and positively interact with enrichment and the rest of our orangutans. Just last week on February 15, Berani celebrated his 32nd birthday with his mate Eirina and daughters Cerah and Siska. He enjoyed trying new fruits as part of an innovative gorge enrichment experience, a monthly event our teams have implemented to enhance our orangutans’ well-being.
Berani moved to Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance in 2017 from Audobon Nature Insitute on an Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan breeding recommendation. While he quickly became a beloved member of DZCA, he also became an international sensation who shocked the world with his remarkable caregiving instincts and caring personality. When Cerah’s mom and Berani’s mate, Nias, unexpectedly passed away in 2020 , Berani stepped in to care for Cerah—a behavior rarely seen in male orangutans. Since then, Berani has been an incredibly loving dad and it’s been amazing to watch Cerah grow under his watchful eye. Their bond remains strong, and while Cerah has naturally become more independent, she still often enjoys snuggling and spending time with dad. We anticipate that Berani’s upcoming passing could be a difficult adjustment for Cerah. Our teams are preparing to support her and the rest of the orangutans through this transition.
Although his condition is stable for now, our teams estimate Berani has a few more months before his condition worsens. Every decision regarding Berani’s care will be made with his best interest in mind.
As we prepare for the difficult road ahead, our teams are ensuring Berani’s final chapter is filled with comfort, dignity, and love.
For updates on Berani and our other orangutans, please be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
Born September 2024 to first-time parents Adeliade and Cricket, this little one is still spending most of its time safely tucked inside mom’s pouch. Like all marsupials, red-necked wallabies are born extremely underdeveloped, about the size of a jellybean. Immediately after birth, the joey instinctively travels from the birth canal up into mom’s pouch, where it continues growing in a warm, protected environment. The joey develops in the pouch for about six months and is fully independent after nine months.
Milestone Moments
Our Animal Care Specialists are closely monitoring Adelaide and her joey and are thrilled to report that both are doing well. Lately, they’ve noticed the baby peeking out of the pouch more frequently—a sign that it’s getting curious about the world beyond its cozy hideaway!
Over the next few months, this joey will reach new milestones including peeking out of the pouch, taking short trips outside and eventually becoming fully independent and graduating from the pouch for good.
Say G’Day at Wallaby Way!
Weather permitting, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this adorable new arrival during your next visit to Wallaby Way in Down Under. Down Under opened May 2024 and our newest multi-species habitat has quickly become a guest favorite.
Thanks to generous community support, we received more than $1.5 million for the construction of Down Under as part of our “Into the Great Wild Open” campaign. This campaign supports all the great work we do, including access and education, animal care and new animal habitats and field conservation and sustainability efforts. For more information, to support our mission or to purchase tickets, visit DenverZoo.org.
For updates on the newest member of the mob, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.
In 2024, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) was honored to announce the recipients of the 2023 DZCA Women in Conservation Fund and Indigenous Bighorn Fellowship.
The Women in Conservation Fund provides support to women working in the field of conservation and who are creating solutions that benefit both wildlife and communities. Each received $5,000 that they can apply to supporting their work including: professional support, network building, learning exchanges, visibility and community building. DZCA’s Indigenous Bighorn Fellowship, a multi-entity collaboration, aims to break down educational and vocational barriers for Native conservationists.
We are humbled to not only be able to support the work of these extraordinary women, but to be able to learn from their expertise and knowledge. We also recognize that together, their collective impact on biodiversity benefits all of us.
Read on to learn more about these women and be sure to stay tuned as we share their stories.
Chantira Saifimar (Indonesia)
With a background in Environmental Geography, and a team member at the Batum Serendit Philosophy Center, Chantira’s work focuses on protecting sea turtle habitat. With increase pressures facing these turtles and their habitat, Chantira’s increasing her efforts to focus on stronger relationships and partnerships with local communities to collectively seek sustainable solutions to protecting these species through education and workshops.
Nesha Inchida (Indonesia)
Nesha Ichida is a marine conservation scientist working as a program manager for an Indonesian NGO called Thrive Conservation. Ichida has been primarily focused on shark and ray research and conservation, marine protected area management, and community-based conservation initiatives in eastern Indonesia. She is also Co-founder and advisor to a youth-driven NGO focusing on marine debris issues called Divers Clean Action.
Alia Firdamayanti (Indonesia)
Alia is a forestry engineer with a primary focus on preserving the key tree species in the lowland tropical forests. She is also focused on protecting the Dugong dugon, a marine mammal in the same family as manatees. Alia’s goal is to fill research gaps related to the Dugong dugon and its mangrove habitat in order to develop long term strategies for its survival.
Fanny Cornejo (Peru)
Fanny is a Peruvian biologist and anthropologist working to save and protect Peru’s Yellow Tailed Monkey. She is Director of Yunkawasi, an organization focused on sustainable development and biodiversity conservation. Fanny was also a recipient of the Emerging Conservation Award from the Indianapolis Prize.
Alifi Nisya (Indonesia)
Alifi is a Project Leader for Forum Konservasi Leuser, an Indonesia based NGO that focuses on the conservation of the Leuser Ecosystem in Aceh Province. Through this work, Alifi has also channeled her passion and efforts towards the Asian Elephant and seeking innovative solutions to mitigating human elephant conflict in East Leuser by creating early warning system through the use ofbioacoustics.
Rahayu Oktaviani (Indonesia)
Rahayu is a conservationist that has been focusing her work onresearching the behavior and ecology of the wild Javan gibbons in the Citalahab Forest, Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, West Java, Indonesia. To make the research accessible beyond the circles of scientists, she started translating her work into language that is easily understood by the general public through conservation education initiatives. These efforts led her to start her own local conservation NGO called KIARA, which is committed to integrating human dimensions into conservation efforts through a holistic approachof scientific research, education, and community engagement.
Jamie Begay (Indigenous Bighorn Fellowship)
While Jamie is not a receipt of the 2023 Women in Conservation Fund, she is the inaugural fellow of the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance Indigenous Bighorn Fellowship. Jamie Begay is a former field technician for the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife (NNDFW) and an alumna of Diné College, the first tribally controlled and accredited institution of higher education in the United States. Jamie is currently pursuing graduate studies at Colorado State University where she is researching disease transmission from domestic sheep to bighorn sheep. Through her work, Jamie is reshaping Native conservation and emerging as a powerful leader, particularly for Native women in the field
Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn for more conservation stories and highlights.
Collaborating for Coral: What is the Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project?
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums Florida Reef Tract Rescue Project (FRTRP) is a network of AZA-accredited facilities dedicated to rescuing, housing, and propagating corals affected by stony coral tissue loss disease.This project unites more than 20 zoos and aquariums, managing over 19 coral rescue holding facilities across the country.
While researchers and scientists work tirelessly to find a cure, landlocked facilities like Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance (DZCA) play a critical role in safeguarding over 2,000 rescued corals, ensuring their survival for future restoration efforts.
What is Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease?
Florida’s coral reef is experiencing a multi-year outbreak of this disease that has impacted nearly 90% of Florida’s reef (over 109,700 acres). Unlike typical outbreaks, this disease spreads rapidly across vast areas, causing high mortality rates and affecting numerous coral species.
Stony coral tissue loss disease is transmitted through direct contact and water circulation, making containment a significant challenge. Researchers are still investigating its exact cause, but collaborative efforts like the FRTRP are vital to mitigating its impact.
(Land) Locked In: Coral Conservation in the Rockies
In January 2025, after a rigorous three-year application and preparation process, DZCA was thrilled to officially join the FRTRP. We welcomed 30 coral colonies from 10 different species, all rescued from Florida’s impacted reef systems.
Our corals are housed in a custom-built rescue coral holding facility within Tropical Discovery and will be cared for by our dedicated Animal Care Specialists who have over 30 years of aquatic expertise. This custom-built environment includes advanced systems designed to mimic natural ocean conditions, such as:
Wi-Fi-Connected Lighting: Syncs with real-time weather patterns in Florida, allowing our corals to experience the same light cycles as their wild counterparts.
Precision Water Quality Controls: Ensures optimal temperature, salinity, and nutrient levels for coral health.
Protecting Coral, Preserving the Future
The goal is to safeguard these corals for up to three years, giving researchers time to secure their native habitats and find a cure for stony coral tissue loss disease. Eventually, these resilient corals may be reintroduced to the wild, helping restore Florida’s reef ecosystems.
Wondering what you can do? No matter where you live, you can make a difference for coral reefs. Here are a few changes you can implement to support coral and our oceans:
Reduce Water Usage: Less runoff means fewer pollutants entering waterways.
Recycle & Reduce Waste: Prevent plastic and debris from reaching marine environments.
Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen: Choose sunscreens free from harmful chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate, which can damage coral reefs.
Support Conservation Organizations: All visits, memberships and donations to DZCA support our wildlife conservation efforts in Colorado and worldwide.
For updates on this project, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn. Together, we can protect coral reefs and the countless species that depend on them.
Map above shows a one-directional pathway through the zoo as a result of this closure.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is undergoing a significant upgrade to our Hoofstock habitats while also executing a full replacement of our water main—a $3.2 million project supported by the City of Denver. As a result, some pathways are currently closed, which will impact your visit.
As part of required water main project pathway closures, the North Parkway from Samburu Grille to Primate Panorama will be closed through March 5. Some pathways around Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance’s campus will be rerouted, and guest access to the following facilities and animal habitats will be limited:
Zoo Gardens
Wildlife Plaza
Animal Hospital
Sheep Mountain
Monkey Island
Bear Mountain
Additionally, DZCA will be closed on select dates to facilitate this work: Full Zoo closures are on February 24, 25, 26, and March 3, 4, 5.
We appreciate your patience and support as we complete these essential upgrades.
Why This Project Matters
Every two minutes, a water main breaks in the U.S., spilling more than 6 billion gallons of fresh drinking water every day—enough to fill over 9,000 swimming pools. These failures waste resources, disrupt businesses, and create challenges for communities.
To ensure a sustainable and reliable water system, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is replacing a 50+-year-old water main, thanks to $3.2 million in funding from the City and County of Denver. This project will prevent future leaks, improve efficiency, and support our conservation efforts.
While this work is underway, we’re also using this time to complete additional improvements, including:
Removing Zoo Lights displays
Upgrading pathways
Enhancing the guest experience
We thank our community for their patience and support as we continue to invest in a stronger, more sustainable future for DZCA.
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