Giraffe Calf Update

Baby Raymie now has access to the giraffe habitat and is slowly getting introduced to the herd. He will spend the next 7 to 10 days or so getting used to the habitat and his family and may or may not be visible at all times.

Best times to see the newest addition to the Zoo? Mornings from 9 to 11 AM.

Otter Pup-Date

The cutest little otter pups are also getting introduced to their habitat! Like Raymie, the pups will slowly get used to their new space and exploration time will increase as they feel more comfortable.

As the needs of the otter family change, so does the management of their care. The family may take turns being out or behind the scenes, and while the pups get comfortable in the habitat, you might see them, but they may be taking breaks in their den on and off during the day.

Best times to see the otter pups? Mornings from 9 to 11 AM.

The “Bounciness” of Butterflies

The results of the recent Western Monarch Thanksgiving and New Year’s Counts were the source of great hope for scientists. Thanks to a great effort by monarch counters, including many Zoo staff, the preliminary count data has shown an initial count of more than 200,000 monarchs!

This fantastic news represents at least a 100x increase over last year’s count of fewer than 2,000 monarchs. This is still only about 3% of historic monarch numbers but may represent a hopeful “bounce” up and a reason to double down on conservation efforts for monarchs and several other species.

Why the uptick? Nobody knows for sure, but it's possible that the small overwintering cohort from last year may have survived due to mild weather and plentiful food in 2021, and benefited from habitat restoration as well.

Want to help recover the Western monarchs? Visit the Xerces Society website for more info.

Zoo Camp

Spring and Summer Registration NOW OPEN

Campers enjoy hands-on science activities, games, crafts, snacks, up-close animal encounters, and a guided Zoo tour. Register by the day for Spring Camp (March 21–25) or by the week for Summer Camp (June 7–August 13)! For ages 3–12.