In honor of #NationalSTEMDay today, we want to highlight one of our very own, Allison Julien, the Zoo’s reproductive biologist.🔬
Allison’s work at the Zoo includes assisted reproductive technologies, including fertility treatments like IVF, which increase reproductive output in our conservation species. Her work is crucial to a variety of our conservation projects, including those with species like the Houston toad and Puerto Rican crested toad.
Through this video, learn a bit more about Allison’s unique STEM career and the path she took to get here. STEM careers can look like lots of different things, and each is a vital piece of the puzzle! 🧩
Every Thanksgiving table has a loud, messy eater … 😅 Send this to yours or tag them below 👀
Bruno is 2!
We still talk about Bruno, our now 2-year-old western lowland gorilla!
Young gorillas still stick close to their moms at this age, so Bruno can usually be found by Gracie's side. But he is also gaining his independence and can often be seen exploring on his own … and keeping his snacks all to himself! 🍿
Western lowland gorillas are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN due to illegal hunting and disease, leading to a diminishing population in the wild. These gorillas also have an extremely low reproductive rate, making population recovery particularly challenging.
The Zoo is proud of our conservation success with our gorilla troop and our ongoing efforts to maintain a healthy and thriving population in managed care that can serve as a hedge against extinction as well as ambassador animals to their counterparts in the wild.
Breaking up your election day feed with a highlight reel of baby Bruce zoomies! 🤗
Nothing better than an extra hour today to “fall back”, sleep in and enjoy maximum coziness! 🍁💤
No tricks, just treats at the Zoo! It’s too gourd to be true 🎃
Watching a baby elephant play the harmonica? Adorable! But this important behavior is more than meets the eye (or ear)! 🎶
Here at the Zoo, our keepers train the baby elephants to “blow their nose” as one of the very first behaviors learned. The use of the harmonica in the training routine helps the elephants practice the act of blowing their nose as they correlate the sound coming from the harmonica with the instruction to “blow” from the keepers. Plus, they’re rewarded with a treat each time!
This behavior is trained early on because it is actually a crucial part of their health care routine. EEHV, or elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus, is the leading cause of death among young Asian elephants, affecting populations both in managed care and in the wild. To help protect our herd, we conduct weekly health testing, including trunk washes and blood draws, to monitor their risk for EEHV. By voluntarily participating in trunk washes, our elephants play a key role in monitoring their health! 👏
During a trunk wash, saline is gently injected into the elephant’s trunk and then, as they are trained to do, the elephant will voluntarily “blow their nose” into the sterile bag. The sample collected will contains sputum (or mucus) that is then tested and analyzed for the presence of EEHV.
Last month, our very own Brazos made history as the first elephant to receive the groundbreaking EEHV1A vaccine without pre-existing antibodies. By participating in this monumental vaccine trial, along with our routine health monitoring, we’re demonstrating our commitment to protecting the health and safety of elephants, both here at the Zoo, and worldwide. ♥️🐘
Go, little lizards, go!🦎
Another year of record-breaking success! 👏 The Fort Worth Zoo has once again proven our leadership in Texas horned lizard conservation by hatching and releasing more of these iconic reptiles than ever before – 301 this year from our facility alone!
We have proudly set the standard for THL conservation since 2011, sharing our methods with other institutions to ensure this species thrives across Texas.
Whether you call them horned lizards, horned frogs or horny toads, it takes all of us—conservationists, landowners, Zoogoers, and more—to make a difference for this iconic, threatened Texas native species.
Together with our partners, we’re leading the charge for Texas horned lizard conservation — and we’re just getting started! 💪🦎
POV: you spent the weekend with us at Boo at the Zoo presented by Higginbotham! 🎃🍭
Happy 3rd birthday to the Zoo’s biggest baby, Brazos! 🩵🐘
Weighing in at a fitting 3,300 pounds, Brazos is still just that – a big baby! He has been observed to be a pretty cautious guy, preferring to follow the lead of his mom, Bluebonnet, when checking out new enrichment or encountering a new situation. Keepers say that he gets his cautious personality from his dad, Romeo. Although today we learned he doesn’t need any encouragement to smash a birthday pumpkin! 🎃
Brazos is affectionately called the herd’s “elephant bulldozer” by our keepers as he is regularly seen pushing around stumps and logs, especially bringing logs into the elephant pools to wrestle them in the water … and leaving them behind for the keepers to clean up.😂 Endless fun for a baby elephant! His favorite foods are red grapes and white bread – so basically, he’s a normal threenager!
Brazos’ birth adds to the three generations of elephants here at the Zoo, which mimics how herds are established in the wild. An endangered species, Asian elephant populations continue to decline in the wild due to habitat loss, human-elephant conflict and poaching; and if the trend continues, zoos will be the only place that’s left for these animals. It is our hope that here at the Zoo, guests can connect with these incredible creatures and be motivated to learn more about them and how to save their counterparts in the wild. 🩵
Happy birthday, big guy!🐘
It’s baby Moja’s first birthday!! 🦁🎂🥳 Moja’s name means “one” in Swahili, since he was his mother’s first cub, but this year, his name takes on a whole new meaning! 🥰He spends most of his time with mother, Saba and father, Jabulani. Moja and Jabulani have a fun, playful relationship, even when Jabulani tries to steal his birthday treats! 😉Moja is the first African lion cub born here at the Zoo since 2015. Saba, Jabulani and our other adult female Abagebe came to the Zoo in 2012 and introduced a new bloodline to North America. This makes Moja an important contribution to the conservation of this vulnerable species. Happy Birthday, Moja! ♥️
Our little Jasper is growing up quickly!🩵He is beginning to explore his independence by moving and playing just a little bit further from Scarlett. Although, he’s never too far from Mom! Come by World of Primates on your next visit to spot little Jasper and the rest of our mandrill troop!
