Take another little piece of my heart now, baby! 🎶❤️
Your favorite animal pairs celebrated Valentine's Day with an enrichment that made our hearts sing. Watch as they chomp ice treats and pretty piñatas made especially for them!
I 🖤 Eastern Indigo Snake Day FUN FACT!
The longest snake in North America shares a winter home with an unlikely roommate. When temperatures dip, eastern indigo snakes nestle themselves in gopher tortoise burrows to keep warm.
But this relationship is in jeopardy due to the threats both species face, including habitat loss, climate change and the illegal pet trade. See how we’re helping save this endangered species: https://ow.ly/BlHe50UW3Fm
On your next visit, come warm up inside at the Holden Reptile Conservation Center and learn more about these s-s-spectacular snakes!
Leslie Knope is thriving! 🦢✨
Thanks to her dedication (and some tasty treats along the way) - she’s mastered essential behaviors that are making transfers and health checkups a breeze. We couldn’t be more proud of this incredible girl! 💙
Ribbiting news – FrogWatch is back! 🐸
Become a hero for frogs and toads with this two-part frog call identification course. By listening for and reporting the calls you hear in your neighborhood, you’ll provide scientists with crucial data to help protect these amazing amphibians from threats such as habitat loss, pollution and climate change.
No science degree is required — just a love for nature and a free certification you can earn with the Detroit Zoo!
Register today: https://ow.ly/XQnb50UUjPL
Jagger's nose knows!
It didn't take long for this sloth bear to sleuth her way to a special enrichment treat hidden in her habitat. Jagger has a highly developed sense of smell that is very useful in locating food and communicating with other bears.
Look closely – sloth bears are missing their two front teeth! This gap allows them to blow away excess dirt and suck up food like ants and termites. Guests will have a chance to see this super-skilled sniffer on days when the temperature reaches 30 degrees or higher – her habitat is located behind the grizzly bear den. Smell ya later!
It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot Anatolia newt!
Look who we spotted on National Polka Dot Day. 🦎 These semi-aquatic newts are native to the Eastern Anatolia region of Turkey and are identified by their bright yellow spots.
Newts start their lives in the water and metamorphose through three distinct developmental life stages: aquatic larva, terrestrial juvenile and adult. As larvae, Anatolia newt's skin is grey with fine black dots. They don't don their pretty polka-dots until their juvenile or eft stage. These amazing amphibians can be seen near the entrance of the National Amphibian Conservation Center today!
We embraced National Hugging Day by visiting the sweetest mother-daughter duo at the Detroit Zoo! 💕
🦍 From the moment Motema was born, she found comfort, security and love in her mother Bandia's arms. Baby gorillas spend their first few months being held and eventually graduate to riding on their mother's back. Plan a visit the Great Apes of Harambee habitat to see the beautiful bond these two have built!
Spread on the fun – today is National Peanut Butter Day! 🥜
Watch as Nuka and Suka enjoy an enrichment treat made with melon, raisins and peanut butter that is lip-licking good!
🎉 Three Cheers for Finn! 🦦🎂👏👏👏
This sweet sea otter recently celebrated his third birthday in the best way possible—with three special ice cakes! 🍰 He shared the treats with his best buddies, Kit and Monte, and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to mark this special milestone. 🥳
Happy birthday, Finn!
Travel to the Falkland Islands this Penguin Awareness Day! 🐧
It’s winter in Michigan, but it’s summer in the Falklands Islands, where multiple gentoo and rockhopper colonies call home. Recently, a DZS team of four returned from their third trip to these remote islands. They collected health data from 60 birds with the goal of learning how their health is affected by their proximity to people and environmental contaminants.
Learn more about Falklands Conservation and how you can help them save seabirds: https://ow.ly/uheW50UIPqr
where life connects
