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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
You’re invited to three special animal birthday parties at DZCA! Join us for themed activities, animal adventures, music, photo ops and more as we celebrate our flamingos, Harley and our lion cubs this summer. It’s all part of our 130th celebration, and it’s included with daytime admission. 🦩🐽🦁🎉
🩷 Flamingo Birthday Party | June 13: Celebrate three of our fabulous flamingos whose June hatch days call for a party! Enjoy flamingo walks, music, and interactive experiences that highlight what makes these iconic birds so special.
🖤 Harley`s Birthday Party | July 17: Join Harley, our Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, and other Animal Ambassadors for a day filled with interactive demonstrations, music and up-close experiences that highlight the special role these incredible ambassadors play in connecting people with wildlife.
🧡 Lion Cub Birthday Party | August 13: Help us celebrate our lion cubs` first birthday with Animal Care team talks, lion enrichment, music and memorable moments throughout the day that highlight these incredible cubs.
Plan your visit today! Link in bio.
Dr. Lynn Von Hagen and Sean Ploysa of DZCA have been on the ground in Rwanda and Uganda training field rangers and conservation teams from our partner organizations: the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association and the Kyambura Lion Monitoring Project, and other partners including Queen Elizabeth National Park.
When our partners identified a critical need, we listened. Their field teams are working miles from the nearest hospital, in landscapes shared with buffalo, elephants, and lions, and expressed a need for basic first aid and CPR training.
Over two and a half weeks, across two countries and multiple partner organizations, DZCA trained over 80 individuals in lifesaving skills.
This is what meaningful partnership looks like. Not just sharing resources, but sharing expertise, building trust, and showing up for the people on the front lines of conservation every single day.
@savingrwandawildlife
@queenelizabethnationalpark
#SavingWildlifeTogether #Rwanda #Uganda #DenverZooConservationAlliance #DZCA #FieldConservation #AfricaConservation #CapacitySharing
Now that our Sumatran orangutan baby is here, we need your help choosing the perfect name for him! With a $5 donation per vote, you can choose your favorite from three names—Oka, Rambutan or Jamartin—lovingly chosen by his Animal Care team.
Today we`re featuring the name Oka. This traditional Balinese boy`s name has meanings rooted in family, such as "child" or "heir."
Is our new baby an Oka? Voting is open now through June 29 and your donation goes beyond just choosing a name. It helps provide world-class care for Hesty and her mini and supports conservation efforts for Critically Endangered Sumatran orangutans in the wild. Vote now by visiting the link in our bio.
📸: Animal Care Specialist @christa.love
We’re happy to share that Hesty and her baby boy have been thriving behind the scenes for the last few weeks! First-time mom Hesty is doing an amazing job with motherhood and her baby boy is meeting all his developmental milestones. He has even been introduced to dad Jaya and Hesty’s half-sister, Cerah, who are both showing all the appropriate behaviors for meeting a new baby. 🧡🦧
Now that Hesty and her baby are ready, we’re gearing up for member previews and an official public debut! Members, you’re invited to join us in our Great Apes indoor building June 14–17 from 10:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. for an exclusive sneak peek of Hesty and baby, before the public debut on June 18. Simply present your membership QR code for entry.
Please note that visibility may vary. As she continues to bond with her baby, Hesty will keep her little one close and may choose to spend time in behind-the-scenes spaces. Thank you for your patience and understanding as they acclimate.
📸: Animal Care Specialist Christa K. and Lead Animal Care Specialist Shayla B.
