Polar Beers
Get ready for a ✨magical✨ night out — Polar Beers is Dec. 5!
Sip festive drinks🍹while exploring the dazzling landscape of Wild Lights during this exclusive 21+ holiday event at the Detroit Zoo!
Buy your tickets today: https://detroitzoo.org/events/polar-beers/
We know you've been wondering - do the grizzlies at the Detroit Zoo hibernate? 🐻 💤
Not quite! The grizzly bears actually go into a dormant state, called torpor.
Torpor is a short-term dormant state that animals, such as grizzly bears, can go into in order to make it through colder temperatures and shorter days. This can last for only a couple of days to a couple of months.
Hibernation, on the other hand, is a more intense dormant state that can last up to 7 months in some areas of the world.
Watch as zookeeper Flo explains the changes the brother bears go through each fall to prepare for torpor and the chillier temps - and then plan your visit for your best chance to see the bear buddies before they head into their dens! 🍂
The excitement is building! We will soon be announcing what species will be returning to the Detroit Zoo.
Comment with your best guess on who will be making this habitat home. Bonus hint: it is not an 🐘 or 🦁 – happy guessing!
Happy National Bison Day Takoda, Teetonka, Willow and Juniper!
Native to North America, these bison beauties thrive in all four seasons at the Detroit Zoo. Enjoy a few fun facts about these magnificent mammals, then join us at their habitat beginning at 10:30 today to learn more and watch the herd enjoy special enrichments!
🦬 Bison are the largest animal roaming the continent – males can weigh up to a ton and stand over 6 feet tall.
🦬 Their thick coat keeps them toasty in temps well below freezing. In the summer they wallow in mud to keep cool.
🦬 The National Bison Legacy Act was signed into law in 2016, making the bison the first national mammal of the United States.
Come for the camels and stay for the river otters! 🐫 🦦
Follow zookeeper Brett as he cares for a family of camels and otter besties Kalee and Gus!
Learn how husbandry training can improve an animal's well-being and what it takes to provide interesting and engaging habitats for the animals who call the Detroit Zoo home.
BIG news – Saturday, Nov. 2 is National Bison Day! 🦬
Hurry and bring your herd to the Detroit Zoo to celebrate these giants of the American prairie from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the bison habitat.
Compare your height to a life-sized drawing of a bison, learn about their key features and watch Takota, Teetonka, Willow and Juniper enjoy some special enrichments!
Let's chat about bats!
Don't let the movies give you fear of flying mammals. These bats do bite, but your neck is safe with them – in fact, African straw-colored fruit bats stay up late sinking their teeth into juicy fruit and consuming thousands of mosquitos! Here's a few more "bat-tastic" facts that tell the real story about bats:
🦇 Over 500 plant species rely on bats to pollinate their flowers, including species of mango, banana and desert plants like agave.
🦇 Bats provide a natural way to control insect populations and reduce the need for pesticides in some areas.
🦇 These creatures of the night spend the days in caves, trees and man-made structures. They roost upside down, usually in large social groups. Adding a bat house to your garden will provide the benefits of bats in your neighborhood!
Vultures: spooky species or secret superheroes? 🦸
The sight of vultures circling overhead can be seen as an ominous sign, but the truth behind this behavior is that these birds are just looking for leftovers. When vultures feel peckish, they feast on forgotten prey that would not be safe for other animals to consume. They have super-strong immune systems and potent stomach acids that destroy dangerous bacteria. 🦠
Because of these amazing eating abilities, vultures act as a barrier to stop the spread of diseases from dead animals to humans. For these reasons and many more, we find vultures MARVELous! ✨
#DetroitZoo #Vulture #BirdoftheMonth #BirdsofInstagram #SuperSpecies
Surprisingly spooky facts about lemurs!
Their large, glowing eyes and haunting howls have led humans' imaginations to run wild about these nocturnal primates. Learn a few examples of lemur lore:
🤍 Portuguese explorers who came to Madagascar in the mid-1500s named them "lemurs" from the Latin word "lemures", meaning spirits of the night or ghosts 👻!
🖤 Ring-tailed lemurs have exactly 13 alternating black and white bands on their tails. When traveling they hold their tails raised in the air like flags and the very visible pattern helps groups stay together 🖤🤍.
🎃 LAST WEEKEND ALERT! 🎃
Click the link below for tickets to Jack O' Lantern Journey, the brand-new trail of illuminated pumpkin structures featuring amazing animal scenes, fan-favorite characters and so much more!
Be a GLOW geek by bundling your Jack O’ Lantern Journey and Wild Lights 🎄🌟tickets for one low price. These general admission tickets do not require a date or time selection, allowing you to pick your perfect day on the fly!
Buy tickets now: https://bit.ly/4dut5MU
Coming in 2026 👀 something new at your Detroit Zoo!
Introducing Discovery Trails: An immersive, educational 7-acre experience featuring new animal habitats 🐐, hands-on encounters 👋, sensory-friendly spaces 👂, nature-inspired adventures 🌳 and more!
Discover more: dzoo.org/discovery-trails
Motema has our ❤️!
This baby gorilla is fascinated with her little pink tongue and now has a few of her own teeth! 👅🦷
Come to the Detroit Zoo to watch her learn, grow and discover something new everyday when you visit the Great Apes of Harambee building.