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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
Happy belated 15th birthday to Viktor, our Amur tiger! 🐯
Last week, this big birthday boy celebrated with a carcass feast and plenty of well-deserved attention. 🍖
Come wish him a happy birthday on your next visit!
Photos: Volunteer photographer Anthony Lazzari
#HappyBirthday #Viktor #AmurTiger #DenverZooConservationAlliance
Winnie has a mini! We’re delighted to share that a healthy southern tamandua pup was born in the early morning hours of Monday, September 7 to parents Winnie and Santiago! 🧡
Though this little one arrived nearly a month ahead of schedule, it was born fully developed and at a healthy weight. Winnie showed good maternal instincts, but nursing didn’t come quite as naturally to mom and baby at first. Our Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams stepped in with around-the-clock bottle feedings while working with Winnie and her pup to help them navigate nursing.
Thanks to the trusting relationship Winnie has built with her care team and years of voluntary training, she’s comfortable choosing to participate in her own care. That trust and training became especially valuable over the last few weeks, allowing our teams to assist with helping the pup figure out how to nurse from Winnie.
We`re happy to share that the pup is now nursing regularly from Winnie while our team continues to provide supplemental feedings and closely monitor their progress. Winnie has been patient and attentive throughout, spending nearly all of her time with her pup in their nest box. This little arrival is especially meaningful for Winnie, who lost her first pup last year. Seeing her care for this little one has been incredibly exciting and rewarding for our dedicated teams.
As Animal Ambassadors, Winnie, Santiago and their new pup live behind the scenes with the rest of our ambassadors. The pup will continue growing alongside Winnie in their cozy nest box until it is ready to latch onto the base of Winnie’s tail to come out and explore with mom as they would naturally do in the wild. As the pup develops, our teams will be able to determine its sex.
While this little one is staying out of the spotlight for now, there may be a chance to meet them in the coming months as they get older! In the meantime, say hi to this perfect pup in our latest Baby Bulletin, presented by @intermountain.
Boo at the Zoo is here and there`s no better way to enjoy it than by getting your steps in along the way! 🦇🎃
The Step Into Something Wild Steps Challenge, presented by @kaiserpermanenteco turns your Zoo visit into a healthy, animal-inspired adventure. Start at Predator Ridge, follow the signs, track your progress, and submit your steps to see where you stand with the rest of the pack! 🐾
Grab your costumes, lace up your shoes, and take on the challenge while exploring fall décor, creepy-crawly Animal Ambassadors, mysterious cryptid characters, and all the magic that Boo at the Zoo has to offer. 🍂👣
Move your body, follow your curiosity, and let wildlife lead the way!
👟 Get Boo at the Zoo tickets at denverzoo.org and learn more about the Steps Challenge here: https://denverzoo.org/kp-steps-challenge/
#StepsChallenge #BooAtTheZoo #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether
Happy #InternationalRaccoonAppreciationDay from our two favorite girls, Pecan and Cashew! 🦝
These leucistic beauties were rescued from a home in Boulder and are now living their absolute best lives at Harmony Hill. 🐾
#Pecan #Cashew #DenverZooConservationAlliance #Raccoon
