Rudy the Black Rhino ASMR 🦏
Sound up to hear some sweet slurps from Rudy the Critically Endangered black rhino! 🦏
Check out his prehensile upper lip in action which is a special adaptation that helps him pull food into this mouth.
Groucho the Asian Elephant Turns 55! 🐘
Happy Birthday, Groucho! 🎉🐘
The eldest member of our Endangered Asian elephant herd turned 55 earlier this year, and his team made sure to celebrate in style! Groucho enjoyed a special day filled with birthday enrichment, including a “cake” made of hay, bananas, apples, oranges and topped with an extra sweet treat for the day, marshmallow fluff.
Thanks to the exceptional care he receives at Toyota Elephant Passage, Groucho is thriving well beyond the average life expectancy for male Asian elephants. This milestone is a true testament to the dedication of our Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine teams. Groucho continues to inspire us all with his wisdom, resilience, and grace, and as the incredible leader of our bachelor herd, he sets the tone for the younger bulls with his calm and patient demeanor.
We’re grateful for every moment with this amazing elephant and look forward to another year of health and happiness. Join us in wishing Groucho a very happy birthday! 🐘🎂
🦨 Campbell, a year-and-a-half-old striped skunk, is making incredible progress in his harness training with the help of our Animal Ambassador team. This clever critter, who joined us from Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, is learning to walk on a leash, giving him the choice to explore outdoor paths safely while enriching his day with new sights, smells, and sounds.
Harness training is a part of our commitment to providing our animals with choice, control, and plenty of enrichment. From learning the training basics of “station” and “target” to mastering his harness setup, Campbell’s training journey is a testament to his intelligence and adaptability.
🌟 Keep an eye out for Campbell on the Zoo paths this summer!
#DenverZoo #AnimalAmbassador #StripedSkunk #Enrichment #AnimalTraining
Denver Broncos CB Pat Surtain II Visits DZCA! 🏈🧡💙
We had the pleasure of hosting Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II and his family for a special behind-the-scenes visit at the Zoo! During their visit, they met a few of our animals up close, heard about the specialized care they receive and learned more about our conservation efforts in Colorado and around the world. 🦒🦁
As the Broncos gear up for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs, we’re wishing Pat and the entire team the best of luck! Go, Broncos! 🧡💙 #BroncosCountry #DenverZoo
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance 2024 Wrapped 💚
What a WILD year it’s been! From momentous milestones like our brand refresh, to the opening of our new Down Under habitat and the arrival of new animal additions, we’re thrilled to have shared these special moments with you. To help ring in 2025, we’ve compiled some of our favorite memories from 2024!
Happy New Year! 💚
At Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, we’ve launched our first-ever Orangutan Gorge Event, inspired by the natural fruiting seasons in their native habitats. In the wild, orangutans experience cycles of scarcity and abundance, gorging on native fruits during fruiting seasons. To simulate this, our orangutans will enjoy monthly gorge events featuring 40 pounds of native fruits like jackfruit, coconut, passion fruit, papaya, guava, and more!
This unique enrichment not only stimulates their natural behaviors but also gives them the chance to explore new flavors and textures, just as they would in the wild. It's an exciting experiment to see what they love, what they’re curious about, and how they interact with these novel treats!
#DenverZoo #OrangutanEnrichment #SavingWildlifeTogether #Orangutans #Conservation
Sooper Foods Spotlight: Spotted Hyena
Caring for our spotted hyenas means balancing nutrition, creative feeding techniques, and plenty of enrichment! In this Sooper Foods Spotlight, presented by King Soopers, we are learning about how our animal care specialists ensure these remarkable carnivores stay happy and healthy.
From ground meats tailored to each of their needs to massive bones hung or buried in their habitat, hyenas are specially adapted to extract nutrients from even the hardest to digest meals. Ngozi, Tavi, and Kelele also enjoy treats like bananas and sweet potatoes, showing off how hyenas are some of the best scavengers and hunters in the animal kingdom!
Check out the full story on our Youtube: https://youtu.be/pD6CTT-p1SE
#SpottedHyena #ZooNutrition #Wildlife #Conservation #DenverZoo
Ever wonder what it takes to feed over 2,500 animals at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance? In this Sooper Foods Spotlight, presented by King Soopers, meet our incredible Nutrition Team. They start their day at 6 a.m., carefully prepping customized diets for everything from fruit bats to lions. 🦁🦇
During weekly trips to King Soopers, they source fresh, seasonal items and reduce waste by buying smaller quantities of produce with specific animal’s needs in mind. Whether it’s chopping veggies, growing browse, or sourcing high quality meat, every meal is tailored to keep our animals happy, healthy, and thriving.
🐾 It's a true team effort—our Animal Health and Animal Care teams work closely to ensure every bite meets the unique dietary needs of our animals, even pivoting to find creative and enriching solutions for picky eaters like our primates and carnivores.
Shoutout to our Nutrition Team for their dedication to animal care and conservation.
#SooperFoodsSpotlight #KingSoopers #ZooNutrition #AnimalCare #DenverZoo #SavingWildlifeTogether
Jake the Asian Elephant Interacts with Enrichment 🐘
New enrichment ✅
A little leg razzle dazzle ✅✅
One happy, enriched elephant ✅ ✅ ✅
Jake, one of our Endangered Asian elephants, recently enjoyed some brand-new hose enrichment! While this elephant car wash is undeniably adorable for us, it’s also one of the many ways our expert animal care specialists help keep Jake mentally and physically stimulated! 🐘
At Genesee Park, in partnership with Denver Mountain Parks, we have accomplished a groundbreaking conservation effort: the world’s first reintroduction of native dung beetles to a landscape with bison. While bison were reintroduced here over 100 years ago, we now know it takes an entire community of species to create a thriving ecosystem.
These tiny recyclers help break down bison dung, pulling nutrients underground where they fuel plant growth and improve soil health. Among the stars of this initiative are two species of "rollers" and the rainbow scarab—a dazzling beetle which will become part of a breeding program for future restoration projects.
By bringing back these small but mighty recyclers, we’re paving the way for healthier soil and more resilient landscapes. 🌱
Cover photo by: Animal Care Specialist, Troy B.
#WorldSoilDay #Conservation #DungBeetles #SoilHealth #Bison #EcosystemRestoration
Happy World Wildlife Conservation Day from DZCA! 💚
This World Wildlife Conservation Day, we reflect on our 128-year journey and our continued mission to Inspire Communities to Save Wildlife for Future Generations.
At Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, we're committed to delivering exceptional care for our 2,500+ animals while expanding our conservation impact locally and globally. Saving wildlife takes all of us, and together, we can create a future where wildlife thrives. Join us in #SavingWildlifeTogether, today and every day! 💚 #DenverZooConservationAlliance #WorldWildlifeConservationDay
Make an Elephant-Sized Difference This Giving Tuesday! 🐘
This #GivingTuesday, YOU can make an elephant-sized impact for our animal family! 🐘
Your donation supports DZCA’s groundbreaking animal care efforts, like our Asian elephant plasma program and research, helping both our beloved bachelors and their entire Endangered species. ❤️
Donate any amount TODAY for a chance to win a one-night stay at The Crawford Hotel! Donate now: https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Denverzoo
