Hutchinson Zoo

09/20/2024

It's National Tradesmen Day! 🔨
Today we wanted to celebrate our maintenance specialists, Michael and John, who are such an important part of our zoo team! They wear so many hats around the zoo: keeping the splash river running, servicing the train and staff 4-wheelers, doing monthly safety checks, building perching or new exhibits for animals, installing interpretive signage, and sooo much more.
From mine shafts to beautiful new fencing there is nothing they can't build when they put their mind to it.
Thank you both for all your hard work!!!

09/18/2024

Have you had the chance to enjoy our splash river yet this season? While the weather is still warm, check it out with your family and see how many of the footprints you can find!
Our new interpretive signage can assist you in finding different footprints as well as decipher the stories behind them. Have any fun stories from your family spending time at the splash river? Share them in the comments!

09/16/2024

Hey parents! Looking for a day to yourself? Check out our fall day camps!

Drop your kids off at the zoo from 9am-3pm and take some well deserved YOU time! Our fall day camps are a fun and interactive learning experience where campers get to meet different animals, play outside, make crafts, and much more. Check out our website to learn more about our fall camps and to see dates. Leave it to us!
http://hutchinsonzoo.org/221/SpringFall-Camps

09/14/2024

Happy birthday Loki! Last week he celebrated his 11th birthday! 🎊

Loki is well known by guests and keepers as our training rockstar. We do target training with both of our caimans, but from day one Loki learned quick. Across the past few months our dedicated keepers have been able to work towards targeting him into a travel crate like the one pictured. But now, we can do it with the lid and door on it! Being able to target train him into a crate is super essential for his long term care. This training allows us to move him out of his exhibit (for a vet visit, exhibit cleaning, etc.) in a way that is a lot less stressful for him and our keepers.

The easiest way to pick out Loki from our other caiman, Sigyn, is by their size. Typically in dwarf caimans males will be larger than females. However, with our two individuals, Loki is the smaller one.

Next time you visit the zoo wish Loki a happy birthday!

09/11/2024

Join us for our first early-entrance breakfast fundraiser on September 28th from 8am-10pm! Breakfast with the Bison is a great opportunity for a memorable morning at the Zoo's newest exhibit, Gateway to the Prairie. Get your tickets while they're still available!

Participants will enjoy pancakes, sausage, and other breakfast items and meeting our bison and deer herds during keeper talks, animal feedings, and other activities.

Registration is required: tickets are $15/person ($10 for members). Buy your tickets here: http://hutchinsonzoo.org/197/Breakfast-with-the-Bison

09/09/2024

Looking for additional activities to do with your family while you’re in town visiting the ? Check out your Hometown Hutchinson Zoo!

At the Hutchinson Zoo, children can climb a human-sized spider web, get face-to-face with otters, excavate fossils, get a prairie dog’s eye view of the zoo, and more! Our visitors get the inspiring experience of getting to view many Kansas native species as well as some exotic ones in our many habitats. Plan on catching a ride on the Prairie Thunder Railroad or visit the gift shop too. There’s something for everyone at the Hutchinson Zoo!

We are open daily from 10am-4:45pm.

09/07/2024

Happy Vulture Awareness Day! Join us today at a learning station by our vulture habitat from 10:30am-1:00pm to learn more about vultures and why they are so important to our ecosystem.

Vultures need our help. They are the most imperiled group of birds in the world. Vulture populations around the world are declining, with 16 of 23 species (70%) listed as Threatened, Endangered, or Critically Endangered. Under siege from pollution and poison, collisions with power infrastructure, habitat loss and food scarcity, some species have declined by 99% over the last 20 years.

Vultures clean our planet. They consume carcasses that would otherwise rot and could spread diseases to humans and their livestock. Their highly acidic stomachs digest nasty pathogens, and their efficiency as scavengers means they reach carcasses quickly and consume them fast!

It is essential that we to keep a clean planet! We hope to see you at the zoo today (September 7th) so we can celebrate these awesome birds.

09/06/2024

Our first fall day camp is coming up fast!
Day camps are a great way for your kids to keep learning when school is out. Day camps run from 9am-3pm where your child gets to enjoy keeper chats, crafts, fun activities, and a themed snack! Our first fall camp is on September 27th and will be focusing on training and enrichment.

To learn more, see dates, and register, check out our website: http://hutchinsonzoo.org/221/SpringFall-Camps

09/05/2024

This Saturday, September 7th, is Vulture Awareness Day!
Come join us this weekend at the Hutchinson Zoo to learn more about this vulnerable group of birds by visiting our vulture-themed learning station on Saturday.

Vultures are a very commonly misunderstood species because of their diet as scavengers. But this is what earned them the title of "Nature's Clean-Up Crew." With their ability to fill their crop with 2lbs of meat in less than 2 minutes, a wake of vultures can quickly consume large carcasses in a matter of minutes, leaving nothing behind for mammalian scavengers who are more likely to transmit diseases from carcasses to people or livestock. People need vultures!

We hope to see you and your family at the zoo this Saturday to help us celebrate our local vulture species!

09/05/2024

Shout out to our friends at the Hutchinson Public Library for gifting us some shredded paper for enrichment for our ambassador ferrets!

09/02/2024

Happy !

As you enjoy the holiday, come visit the zoo with your family. We will be open regular hours from 10am-4:45pm! Hope to see you soon.

08/31/2024

We're about a month away from our first "Breakfast with the Bison" and we can't wait to enjoy it with you. Join us on September 28th from 8-10am for a breakfast experience you and your family won't forget.

For just $15 participants will enjoy pancakes, sausage, and other breakfast items while meeting our bison and deer herds during keeper talks and animal feedings. You won't want to miss it!

To learn more, or to purchase your tickets, check out our website: http://hutchinsonzoo.org/197/Breakfast-with-the-Bison

08/30/2024

I Spy... Dyeing Dart Frogs!

Dyeing dart frogs are a South American dart frog species found in tropical rainforests. Like other poison dart frogs, dyeing dart frogs have adapted to produce toxins that harm predators when ingested. In the wild, dyeing dart frogs absorb toxins from ants, beetles, and other insects that are part of their diet through their skin, making them poisonous. However, the dart frogs in our collection are fed a different, non-toxic diet, meaning that they are completely harmless!

Dyeing dart frogs come in a variety of colors and patterns, such as the bright yellow, blue, and black that you see in our frogs. This color scheme lets predators know that they are dangerous and should not be eaten, while also helping them blend in with the leaf litter on the forest floor.

Next time you visit the World Biomes building, see if you can spot all 6 dyeing dart frogs!

08/26/2024

Hi teachers! We hope the school year is going well! 🍎⏰

As you are planning your year make sure to keep the Hutchinson Zoo in mind! Our field trip and outreach programs can be booked online and they fill up fast. All of these programs are created based on Kansas Science Standards to ensure your students will get the most out of their experience.

Check out our website to learn about what programs the zoo offers!
http://hutchinsonzoo.org/101/Education

08/24/2024

Have you signed up your child for a fall day camp yet? Our fall zoo camp programs are a great way to help your child keep learning when schools are out! Check out the different dates on our website and register your child today.

http://hutchinsonzoo.org/221/SpringFall-Camps

08/22/2024

You might have noticed that in the past few weeks there have been some small changes in the zoo! Earlier this summer, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Inspection Team came out for a site visit (we get re-accredited every 5 years). During this visit, they made some recommendations for us to further improve the zoo.

Two of those recommendations were adding shade for the animals in the mini farm and aviary as well as creating more habitat opportunities for some of our species. The Visiting Committee are peers from other AZA institutions. It is always great to have some different eyes on the zoo from professionals that haven't been to our zoo before. Having fresh eyes also helps us see new solutions that we might not have thought of to improve the well being of the animals in our collection.

For example, we switched our swift fox/ringtail habitats. Previously, the swift fox exhibit had underutilized vertical space. On the other hand, our ringtails are excellent climbers. Although their habitat had some vertical space it has more horizontal space which is better for the swift foxes! Making the switch was a perfect fit for both pairs and they have been settling in quite nicely.

Next time you visit the zoo, be sure to keep an eye out for our swift foxes and ringtails in their new homes!

08/18/2024

Did you know that the Hutchinson Zoo plays a pivotal role in creating the world’s largest and most comprehensive animal knowledge base? As a member of nonprofit Species360, we contribute data on the animals in our care every day, from lifecycle traits to environmental needs.

That information is recorded in the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS), now 50 years old (Happy birthday ZIMS!). To date, the Hutchinson Zoo has contributed data on more than 1,764 animals and 383 species to ZIMS. Species 360 combines the data from our zoo with contributions from like-minded species conservation institutions worldwide. The results change what is known about animals and their environments, including insight into disease treatment, animal welfare, population health, and species conservation.

“We are proud to be a part of this international effort and its impact on animal welfare and wildlife conservation. As part of our commitment to conservation and animal welfare, we meticulously record data on our animal collections. This ensures our animals receive the best care and contribute to species population management and conservation. By continuing to share our knowledge and expertise, we can make even greater strides in protecting the planet’s biodiversity," said Nicole Mantz, Director at the Hutchinson Zoo.

Hutchinson Zoo, like other zoos, aquariums, and wildlife facilities worldwide, uses ZIMS to stay well informed about each animal and group. For instance, ZIMS for Studbooks is utilized by conservation teams worldwide to ensure the genetic diversity and health of animal populations in human care. This is critical for AZA's Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding programs, where conservation institutions work together to ensure pairs are good genetic matches. For example two of our otters, Whimsy and Theo, were recommended to breed through the SSP!


📸 credit: Bob Hunter

08/16/2024

Don't forget that the first Tiny Tots of the season is tomorrow! Tickets must be bought in advance to attend this exciting morning zoo program. When registering, you only need to register your children!

For more information and to buy tickets, check out our website: http://hutchinsonzoo.org/156/Onsite-Programs

08/15/2024

Join us for our first early-entrance breakfast fundraiser! Breakfast with the Bison is a great opportunity for a memorable morning at the Zoo's newest exhibit, Gateway to the Prairie. Get your tickets while they're still available!

Participants will enjoy pancakes, sausage, and other breakfast items and meeting our bison and deer herds during keeper talks, animal feedings, and other activities.

Registration is required: tickets are $15/person ($10 for members). Buy your tickets here: http://hutchinsonzoo.org/197/Breakfast-with-the-Bison

Welcome to your Hometown Hutchinson Zoo!

08/14/2024

Happy !

Have you ever wondered why our miniature Zebu, Rosebud, has a hump? Surprisingly, it's a lot like a camel's. A Zebu's hump is used to store fat so that during the dry season (when there is little food and water) they can use it for energy.

Need a way to cool off during this dry spell? Visit our splash river and cool off while playing I-spy for different animal foot prints!

08/10/2024

…And we’re back with more ! Our ocelot Nico spent some time this morning working on his alley-oop. With an 18 foot vertical leap, Nico would surely help bring home the gold for the USA against France today in basketball.

08/09/2024

Next up to show their Olympic prowess are our mini farm yards! Our middle yard and goat yards had a “field hockey” show off to see who reigned supreme.
Which yard do you think should win gold?