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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
Our orangutan family is growing! 🧡
We`re excited to announce that Hesty, our fabulous-haired Sumatran orangutan, is pregnant with her first child and due late May! This is an exciting milestone for the Critically Endangered species and an extra special moment for us as Hesty was born at DZCA in 2010 and is now becoming a mom herself.
Our dedicated Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams have been closely monitoring Hesty’s pregnancy, which was confirmed in February through ultrasound and human pregnancy tests. Hesty is now late in her second trimester and doing well as she prepares for motherhood.
The baby’s father, 18-year-old Jaya, will also be a first-time parent. Jaya has called DZCA home since 2019 after arriving from Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. He and Hesty have spent time together over the past couple of years as part of an AZA Species Survival Plan breeding recommendation to support the future of this species.
While there are always risks with first-time pregnancies, our expert teams are carefully preparing for Hesty’s birthing window and are ready to provide support if needed. Hesty required brief assist-rearing as an infant before reuniting with her mother, so our teams are planning for every possibility to give both mom and baby the best start.
Stay tuned for updates as we get closer to welcoming Hesty’s baby later this spring!
📷: Animal Care Specialists @christa.love and Kelly H.
🍴✨ Make the most of your Glowing Wild evening with a Food + Drink Passport! ✨🍴
Get more bang for your buck with the Food + Drink Passport featuring three food items and three drinks (non-alcoholic options available) to enjoy as you explore our brilliant evening experience.
Stop by Samburu Grille, Scratch, and Café Costa along your journey and turn your night into a full adventure of lights, flavors, and fun.
Save $5 when you buy online ahead of time. Just add your Food + Drink Passport at ticket checkout! Visit the link in our bio to learn more.
Glowing Wild presented by @tianyuartsculture
#DenverZooConservationAlliance #DenverEvents #EveningEvents #DateNightDenver #SavingWildlifeTogether
Going to the Zoo on a random Tuesday >>>
For the best experience during spring break, we recommend carpooling and visiting later in the afternoon when attendance typically begins to ease. Be sure to check denverzoo.org for the latest updates and additional tips to help you make the most of your visit.
We can’t wait to see you soon!
