Valley Zoo Development Society

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Valley Zoo Development Society Nonprofit organization supporting the continued development of the beloved Edmonton Valley Zoo.

The Valley Zoo Development Society (VZDS) is a registered charity and not-for-profit started in 1988 to raise funds and promote awareness to ensure the continued development of the Edmonton Valley Zoo and its education and conservation programs. The VZDS acts in partnership with the City of Edmonton to ensure the continued development of the beloved Edmonton Valley Zoo. Owned and operated by the C

ity of Edmonton, the Valley Zoo is home to over 350 animals and more than 100 species. The Valley Zoo has grown significantly since it opened in 1959, as The Storyland Valley Zoo, in its current location in Laurier Park. Once a 5-acre petting zoo, the Valley Zoo is now an educational facility contributing to global biodiversity conservation.

31/07/2026

Sariaka: a Brand Zoo Day 🕷️

Marvel Studios we have your next Spider-Verse superstar. Feel free to give us a call.

29/07/2026

Happy World Tiger Day! Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at some of the work that goes into caring for our 17-year-old Amur tiger, Amba.

As a senior tiger, Amba’s care needs continue to change with age. Her Animal Care team is always looking ahead, finding ways to support her health and make routine care as comfortable and stress-free as possible.

One of the ways that our Zookeepers have been working with her to help prepare for those changes is through voluntary husbandry training. Using positive reinforcement, Amba has been learning to participate in injection training, allowing her to choose to be involved in her own healthcare.

During these sessions, she steps into the squeeze and lies down, allowing her keepers to use a touch cue to prepare the injection site before completing the injection. Throughout the process, she’s rewarded with plenty of well-deserved meatballs.

Like all animal training, it was built one step at a time and relies on the trust Amba has developed with her keepers. The team started with simple touch cues, gradually introducing new sensations before moving on to a capped needle and eventually the injection itself. Each step allowed Amba to become comfortable with the process and participate at her own pace.

This training helps Amba to receive preventative vaccinations that help protect her from diseases big cats can be vulnerable to. It also makes it possible to administer medications that help support aging joints, and lays the groundwork for future procedures like blood draws or fluid therapy if she ever needs them.

This is just one of the many ways our Animal Care team works every day to support Amba as she enjoys her golden years.

There’s a lot that happens behind the scenes that our guests don’t always get to see, and World Tiger Day gives us a fun opportunity to celebrate and share a little bit of that work with you! ❤️🐯

Sometimes you just need to stop and smell the thistles! Wait, that doesn't sound right...
23/07/2026

Sometimes you just need to stop and smell the thistles! Wait, that doesn't sound right...

Happy Zookeeper Appreciation Week! 💚🐸 Over the next few days, we’re excited to share a glimpse into some of the incredib...
20/07/2026

Happy Zookeeper Appreciation Week! 💚🐸
 
Over the next few days, we’re excited to share a glimpse into some of the incredible work our zookeepers make possible every day.
 
While you might know our team for the incredible care they provide to the animals that call the Edmonton Valley Zoo home, their work extends far beyond our gates.

Zookeepers are also conservationists, researchers, problem solvers, and collaborators, working together to protect species through breeding programs, research, and reintroduction efforts.

Swipe through to learn more! ➡️

One example is our award-winning work supporting the recovery of the Northern Leopard Frog, a Species at Risk in western Canada and a critically endangered amphibian in British Columbia.

Since joining the recovery program in 2018, our animal care staff have continued to build their knowledge and find new ways to give these frogs the best possible chance of success.

As part of one of only three active captive breeding programs for endangered amphibians in Canada, our team cares for an assurance population year-round. These frogs serve as a safeguard for the species, helping maintain important genetic diversity and providing a backup population if wild populations ever face a catastrophic loss.

This work also means constantly learning and adapting. Our staff have developed breeding techniques that include capturing and incubating wild egg masses, supporting natural breeding, and utilizing IVF. Thanks to these efforts, the Edmonton Valley Zoo achieved a record number of successful tadpoles bred in a single season.

Conservation is a team effort, and this program brings together zookeepers and teams from across Canada. We’re proud to collaborate with other keepers from the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo and Vancouver Aquarium, sharing knowledge, skills, and experience to support the recovery of this species.

This year, zookeepers Steph and Rachael transported and released 2,135 zoo-raised tadpoles into protected wetlands near Kimberley, British Columbia. The release is the moment we get to see, but it represents months of work, care, and collaboration that have happened behind the scenes.

The annual release is an

You did it again, Edmonton! Zoobrew Vol. 2 is officially SOLD OUT! 🍻 Please note this means there will be no walk-up tic...
18/07/2026

You did it again, Edmonton! Zoobrew Vol. 2 is officially SOLD OUT! 🍻

Please note this means there will be no walk-up tickets or last-minute releases... and no, we unfortunately do not have a secret stash hidden in a keeper office (yes, even if you ask really nicely).

Got your ticket? We’ll see you tonight! If not, no stress, there are still tickets available for Vol. 3 on August 21.

We appreciate the enthusiasm and look forward to celebrating with everyone. See you soon!

17/07/2026

Picture this: you’re a frog enjoying a warm summer breeze on a Friday night. It’s hoppy hour. The pond is sparkling, the sun is setting just right, and you’re looking out from your luxurious waterfront property like you own the place (as far as you’re concerned, you do).

Your calendar is empty. Your rent is zero. Your skincare routine is flawless. Is this because frogs have no concept of any of these things? Perhaps. Who are you to worry about such trivial things?

Suddenly, as if the universe itself loves you (it does), your private chef arrives with a fresh delivery of premium crickets, served pond-side. Exactly how you like them. You don’t know what a Michelin star is, but you’re pretty sure this deserves several.

With dinner complete, you settle back into your evening routine: staring into the distance, contemplating the mysteries of the universe, and immediately forgetting what you were thinking about because you are, in fact, a frog.

And so concludes another perfect evening as one of the greatest creatures on the planet: a being who has mastered the art of luxury living without ever needing to understand what luxury is.

Perhaps that’s the secret.

Life is good. Life is amphibious. Life is exactly as it should be.

🎥: Zookeeper Heather!

Lucy’s checking in to make sure you remembered that it’s World Snake Day today! 🐍
16/07/2026

Lucy’s checking in to make sure you remembered that it’s World Snake Day today! 🐍

15/07/2026

Us too, Wasabi. Us too. 🦭💬
 
Harbour seals were once thought to be some of the quietest pinnipeds, but we now know they have plenty to say! Recent research has shown that they often use underwater vocalizations to communicate with each other, find mates, and establish territory.
 
Wasabi often gets especially chatty when she’s preparing for her annual summer moult. Unlike many mammals that shed their fur gradually, seals undergo a much more dramatic annual moult, replacing their old pelage all at once with a fresh new coat. This helps protect their skin while still allowing them to stay fast and agile in the water.

We couldn't let another week go by without sharing these adorable little faces... happy Wolf Pup Wednesday to all who ce...
15/07/2026

We couldn't let another week go by without sharing these adorable little faces... happy Wolf Pup Wednesday to all who celebrate! 😉

Address

AB

Opening Hours

Friday 16:30 - 21:30
Saturday 16:30 - 21:30
Sunday 16:30 - 21:30

Telephone

+17804966924

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