Saginaw Children's Zoo

12/26/2024

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Say hello to Pax, one of our charismatic cotton-top tamarins! These tiny primates may be small in size, but they’re big on personality and playfulness.

🌟 Fun Facts About Cotton-Top Tamarins:

• Found in the forests of Colombia, they’re critically endangered due to habitat loss and deforestation.
• That wild “cotton-top” hair isn’t just for show—it helps them communicate with other tamarins by expressing their mood.

Pax is a wonderful ambassador for her species, reminding us all of the importance of protecting our planet’s biodiversity.

📸 : Lead Keeper Ashley S.

12/24/2024

Happy Holidays from the Saginaw Children’s Zoo! 🎄🐾

As the year comes to a close, we’re filled with gratitude for our incredible community. Thank you for making this past season so special and for sharing your love of animals, conservation, and family fun with us.

While our gates are quiet this winter, the Zoo is still bustling with activity as we care for our animal family, welcome 3rd grade classrooms into our Living, Learning Lab, and prepare for the exciting year ahead!

Wishing you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a bright new year. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon!

12/23/2024

Meet Marcella, Our Red-Footed Tortoise! 🐢

Marcella is a red-footed tortoise, a species native to the tropical forests and grasslands of South America. Her vibrant red and orange scales give her a unique and colorful appearance!

🌿 Fun Facts About Red-Footed Tortoises:
• They can live for over 50 years, making them lifelong companions in the wild.
• Their sturdy shells provide great protection, but they rely on their camouflage to stay hidden from predators.
• Red-footed tortoises are known for their calm and curious nature, which makes them fascinating to observe.

Marcella is thriving in her habitat and continues to inspire us with her unique charm. Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes updates on our amazing animal residents!

🐢 ❤️

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley S.

12/20/2024

📸 Flashback Friday: Remember this magical moment from 2018 (the ADA accessible train cars ribbon cutting!)? ✨ We love looking back at all the incredible memories created here at the Saginaw Children’s Zoo.

Tell us your favorite Zoo memory in the comments—we’d love to hear your stories!

12/19/2024

📚✨ Our Living, Learning Lab program is in full swing! 🦋 Today, we welcomed an enthusiastic 3rd-grade classroom!

The Living, Learning Lab brings education to life with interactive, hands-on learning experiences that support Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards in science and language arts.

This program is FREE for local 3rd grade classrooms!

12/15/2024

🦃 Aiden Cluckinson Has a Few Words for the Buffalo Bills! 🏈

Our turkey superstar, Aiden Cluckinson, is ready for game day, and she’s not shy about showing her spirit—just check out that tongue! 👅 Did you know that turkeys have fascinating tongues? Unlike ours, their tongues have a hard, bony tip, which helps them pick up and move food like seeds and insects. They might not talk smack, but they sure know how to gobble their opinions!

As the Detroit Lions gear up to take on the Buffalo Bills this afternoon, Aiden’s making her stance clear: Go Lions! 💙🦁

12/11/2024

Taffy the masked bobwhite is on the move—literally! This little bird is taking the wheel (okay, maybe just posing for the camera), but her journey highlights the incredible story of her species.

Masked bobwhites, like Taffy, are a critically endangered subspecies of northern bobwhite quail. Once found across the grasslands of southern Arizona and northern Mexico, these birds have faced challenges due to habitat loss and changes in the environment. Today, they rely on conservation programs to protect their fragile population.

What makes Taffy’s species unique?
🌾 Grassland Guardians – Masked bobwhites help maintain their ecosystem by feeding on seeds and insects.
🐣 Fast Fledglings – Chicks are able to leave the nest and start foraging within hours of hatching!
🌎 Survival Superstars – Thanks to reintroduction efforts, masked bobwhites are making a comeback in carefully managed habitats.

Taffy reminds us of the importance of preserving wildlife and their homes. Conservation work drives us forward, just like Taffy’s "truck." 🚗

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley S.

12/07/2024

❄️🤍🦅

📸: Keeper Kristen

12/06/2024

Victory Friday for the Detroit Lions, Adien Cluckinson looks like she would like some cheese 🧀 grated on her lettuce.

🏈 💙🩵🤍

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley B

12/04/2024

Last week, our Thanksgiving baby, Gobbles turned 5! Our keeper staff celebrated Gobbles with some enrichment decor and tasty treat!

Happy birthday Gobbles! 🎂

📸: Keeper Brook

11/29/2024

Looking for the perfect holiday gift that keeps on giving? This Black Friday, why not treat your loved ones (or yourself!) to a Saginaw Children's Zoo Membership! 🌟

✨ Membership Perks Include:

Unlimited visits all season long 🐾
Free rides on the Train and Carousel 🚂🎠
Free admission to Zoo Boo and Ice Cream Zoofari 🍦
Whether you're shopping for your family, a fellow animal lover, or just want to take advantage of holiday savings, a Zoo membership is the gift of unforgettable experiences!

Visit saginawzoo.com/become-a-member to learn more and grab your membership today.

🎄Make your Black Friday WILD this year! 🐵🐧

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley B.

11/28/2024

🦃✨ Breaking News: Aiden Cluckinson Preps for Thanksgiving! ✨🦃

Our favorite turkey, Aiden Cluckinson—officially pardoned by Governor Whitmer—is settling into the holiday season in style! Spotted catching up on the latest news, Aiden’s not just reading about football and feasting—she’s on the lookout for the best holiday deals too. 📖📰

While Aiden’s Thanksgiving is all about relaxation (and avoiding the dinner table!), she’s got one thing on her mind: Go Lions! 🏈💙

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at the zoo! 🦃🍂

📸: Dr. Fiske

11/26/2024

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📸: Lead Keeper Ashley S.

11/20/2024

🌟 Say hello to Baxter, our Blue-faced Honeyeater! 🌟

With his striking blue face and love for sweet nectar, Baxter is a true tropical treasure.

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley S.

11/19/2024

Join us Friday for our final event of the year! 🎄

The poster has been completed but we may still be adding more things to do! We hope to see you on November 22!!!

11/16/2024

🍂 Andre, our Eastern Gray Kangaroo, enjoying a cozy moment in the fall leaves! 🦘🍁

Eastern Gray Kangaroos are known for their powerful leaps and incredible speed, but even they need some downtime. Andre’s relaxed pose is a reminder that kangaroos also spend plenty of time lounging to conserve energy. In the wild, these marsupials often rest during the day and become more active in the cooler evenings.

Kangaroos like Andre are perfectly adapted to their environment, with strong legs for jumping and a tail that helps them balance while resting.

📸: Lead Keeper Ashley S.

11/16/2024

While we may not have actual lions at the Saginaw Children’s Zoo, we’re excited to introduce our new “Lion” turkey, Aiden Cluckinson! 🦁 Pardoned by Governor Whitmer and named after Lions’ player Aiden Hutchinson, Aiden is now settling into her new home here at the zoo.

Turkeys like Aiden play a crucial role in their ecosystems by foraging and helping control insect populations. Our team is thrilled to help Aiden thrive here, where she’ll bring joy to visitors and showcase her turkey traits all season long!

We can’t wait for you to meet Aiden Cluckinson, our honorary “Lion,” this spring!

11/14/2024

🦃 Meet Aiden Cluckinson! 🦃

We’re thrilled to welcome a special new friend to the Saginaw Children’s Zoo—a turkey named Aiden Cluckinson, pardoned by Governor Whitmer! Named in honor of Detroit Lions’ Aiden Hutchinson, this turkey has received an official pardon and a cozy home here with us.

Come spring, you’ll be able to meet this feathered VIP (Very Important Poultry) in person and learn all about turkeys and their unique traits. Until then, stay tuned for more updates on Aiden’s new life at the Zoo! 🦃

Governor Whitmer participated in the annual turkey pardoning ceremony on Thursday.