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Bringing the Zoo to You

 

 

 

 

Each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. CST, we host a Facebook Live to bring the Zoo to YOU! Join us for updates of what our furred, flippered, and feathered friends are up to and how our zookeepers are caring for them. Check out our Facebook Live library below!

Don’t miss seeing our flippered friends during your next Zoo visit! Our California sea lion colony has grown from five to nine sea lions. Their new habitat in the Galápagos Islands is four times the size of their old habitat.

Spring migration is happening now until June 15. Find out ways you can help save birds this migratory season, including turning off non-essential lights at night, purchasing Bird-Friendly coffee, and more.

Teddy turned two this week and now weighs over 1,900 pounds, which is more than 1,500 pounds from his birth weight. He’s learning new behaviors with his animal care team to help with his own medical care, including blood draw behaviors.

Today’s forecast looked a bit clouded leopard-ish. ☁️ These arboreal cats’ tails can be as big as their body size! This helps them navigate through trees for hunting.

https://youtu.be/PY-idA8lPic

Visit our Chilean flamingo flock in their temporary home across from orangutans in Wortham World of Primates. They’ve temporarily moved while their current habitat gets an upgrade as part of our state-of-the-art Birds of the World exhibit complex. Our flock includes 54 flamingos, with 3 chicks named Domingo, Astro, and Orbit.

🥖 🥐 🥯 Knead an afternoon pick-me-up? Meet our five new capybaras: Biscuit, Bagel, Strudel, Croissant, and Cannoli. Capybaras are precocial so they come out well developed and were eating solid foods by day two. Stop by to see our family group in South America’s Pantanal.

Cuteness x 2! We recently introduced the two newest members of our meerkat mob, CJ and Bugsy! They join mom Mae, Dottie and Kit in the meerkat exhibit outside of the Carruth Natural Encounters Building. Make sure to stop by and say hi, at your next Zoo visit!

ICYMI: We introduced our 10 Humboldt penguins on Facebook Live yesterday! We’re in full gear, ready for opening day this Friday, April 7. Get up close to our colony at their new exhibit inside of Galápagos Islands during your next Zoo visit. 

Rays, sharks, and fish, oh my! 🐠 🦈 Our One Ocean aquarium spans 40 feet wide inside of our newest exhibit, Galápagos Islands, opening on Friday, April 7.

Our brand-new exhibit, Galápagos Islands, opens on April 7. Our Galápagos tortoises’ group has grown from 3 to 10 tortoises, ranging between 40-220 pounds. Their new environment has two different habitat areas to roam, including new elevations, volcanic rock, a moat, and caves mimicking the landscape in the Galápagos.

There used to be more than 10,000 whooping cranes in the wild, and by the 1930s, their population had declined to only 20. Today, there are about 800 wild whooping cranes that migrate to the Texas coast from Canada, thanks to the Endangered Species Act and the efforts of Texans. You can spot our pair, Heiden and Angel, in the Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands. 

Say hello to our cougar duo, Shasta VII and Louie! At nearly six months old, they already weigh 35 pounds and are starting to receive bones as part of their diet. You can help save cougars in the wild by reducing your paper usage and using recycled paper content. Here at the Zoo, we use recycled toilet paper to reduce the number of trees that are cut down in cougar habitats.

In the wild, okapi can only be found in the Ituri Rainforest in the Congo. They are famous for being the last large mammal discovered in Africa in the early 1900s. Stop by to see our okapi pair, Sukari and Kwame, next to our Asian elephant bachelor yard.

Meet Willow! Our new female red panda is seven years old and full of personality. She is adjusting to her new home and can usually be found napping on the top right corner branch or in the tree trunk. You can tell Willow apart from Také because her white eyebrows blend in and resemble a “C” shape around her face. Stop by to see them during your next visit, right next to the Bug House.

 

We went behind the fence on this week’s Facebook Live! We’re gearing up to open our new Galápagos Islands exhibit on April 7. Get an up-close look at two of our new exhibits for our California sea lions and Galápagos tortoises.

More 💚 for Texas Wetlands! This week, our Water Quality team highlighted our amazing Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands exhibit. Over 150 species have visited our wetlands space since we opened in 2019.

Chillier days call for a pitstop to see our Asian small-clawed otters in our Natural Encounters building. Athena and Danh Tu receive different forms of enrichment daily, like puzzle feeders. This type of enrichment highlights their dexterity and mimics how they would find food in the wild by manipulating their prey with their fingers.

Visit the tallest living animal during your next Zoo visit! There are five Masai giraffes here at the Zoo, with 5-year-old male Zawadi being the newest member to join the herd last fall. You can get up close with them at our daily giraffe feedings at 11am and 2pm.

Another year in the books! 🙌 Thanks to our Facebook Live viewers who tuned in to our weekly series all year long! We can’t wait to see you again in January.

In the meantime, check out this week’s livestream with our gorilla troop! Want to experience this for yourself? Book a Gorilla Encounter where you can feed them peanuts through a chute behind the scenes.

Our sea lion, Cali, showed off her art skills today and painted a holiday art piece with her keepers. This type of enrichment helps them participate in their own healthcare. By practicing holding a paintbrush in their mouth, they can be comfortable having dental X-rays or a toothbrush in their mouth.

Cougar cuteness! Shasta VII and Louie are now 3 months old and spending time behind the scenes in our quarantine building before they move to their new home on exhibit. Since arriving at the Zoo, they’ve almost doubled their weight and are showing off natural behaviors they would display in the wild, including ripping and shredding materials and climbing branches.

We hung out with Indy in the rhino barn this week! A rhino’s head can weigh up to 500 pounds when they’re fully grown. To lift their head, they contract all the muscles on the back of their neck that connect to a high point behind their ears that forms a large hump.

Meet our paw-some new bear, Claud! We’re providing the two-year-old black bear with a fur-ever home after was rescued by the Nevada Department of Wildlife. He’s currently 270 pounds and will be fully grown in two more years, reaching a weight of 500 lbs.

Hi, Ernie! He lives behind the scenes in the Children’s Zoo and interacts with guests on grounds as part of our ambassador animal program. Ernie is 15 years old and is a herbivore, he especially loves carrots and yams.

Safety is a top priority for our Herpetology team. To work with venomous snakes, our team goes through extensive training to ensure they are safely handling these snakes. Through these efforts, our snakes can participate in their own medical care to ensure they’re healthy and happy, with vet exams, blood draws, and more.

Our flock just got fluffier! We recently had two Chilean flamingo chicks hatch on exhibit, named Astro and Orbit. This brings our flock total to 53 flamingos. Flamingo chicks are born white and slowly turn gray within the first year, before fully turning pink.

Life is gourd. Especially when you’re an elephant who gets to smash pumpkins! Our Asian elephants, Duncan and Baylor, got special fall enrichment, which you can spot during Zoo Boo presented by LyondellBasell.

Fall is in the air! 🍂 One of our Bug House residents, the dead leaf mantis, resembles a dead leaf to camouflage itself when it feels threatened. Mantises can see very well – seeing in more spectrums than humans can. 

Bonus: The Zoo is staying open later every Friday in October during Zoo Boo presented by LyondellBasell. Stop by the Bug House to see our glowing lights display.

We’re celebrating our youngest Masai giraffe’s third birthday this Friday! Bobbie was born over 6 feet tall and weighed 140 pounds. He now stands close to 13 feet tall and weighs over 1,500 pounds.

Bonus: You can feed our giraffes daily at 11am and 2pm at the giraffe feeding platform.

Located next to the Savanna Aviary, our Waded Bird Aviary features 13 species of birds, with 40 individual birds total that are native to South America’s Pantanal. Our birds vary in size from sparrow songbirds to larger waterfowl like the comb duck. Learn more about this aviary and how the coffee served on Zoo grounds helps save birds in the wild. 

Giant river otters are one of two apex predators in South America’s Pantanal. 🐺 Nicknamed the “wolf of the river,” they hunt in family packs of 8-12 otters and will defend their territory from jaguars, the region’s other apex predator. Spot our brother and sister duo, Max and Marley, chowing down on a variety of fish, sleeping, and sliding down their water slide the next time you visit.

Meerkats may look tiny, but they are very mighty! 💪 They have natural immunity against the toxins from the venom of snakes and scorpions thanks to an enzyme in their stomachs.  

Time flies when you’re this cute! Our capybara pups, Pepa and Bruno, are almost five months and nearly halfway to being fully grown. They’re learning different forms of touch and training with their keepers, which will help them participate in their own medical care.

Native to Colombia, the blue-billed curassow has been in our Zoo since 1969, with our first hatch in 1970. More than 50 years later, we successfully had our first parent-reared chick hatch last November, followed by a second parent-reared chick hatching two months ago. You can spot our female curassow and chick in the Cliffs Aviary in our South America’s Pantanal exhibit.

Asian elephant populations are about 10 times lower than their African counterparts. August is #AsianElephantAwarenessMonth, which is all about highlighting and bringing awareness to Asian elephants in the wild and how we can help save them. By visiting the Zoo to see our elephant youngsters splash around in their pool, you’re helping save their wild counterparts.

Melons are a surprising but favorite snack for our African lion pride. Our carnivore keepers threw snacks and enrichment items into the lion moat to encourage them to cool off and get exercise in.

Don’t miss tomorrow’s #WorldLionDay festivities here at the Zoo! The schedule includes:

🦁 9:30am: See our lions receive paper enrichment to encourage natural behaviors like ripping and shredding

🦴 11:30am: Bone-in meat jump with Hasani

🧊 1:30pm: Food toss over the lion moat to encourage them to go swimming and cool off

Heads up—ice pops coming your way! Our newest orangutan, Takai, got to show off food enrichment items that help him stay cool during the hotter temps. Ice treats include orangutan favorites like bananas, blueberries, and grapes.

 

Happy, #GlobalTigerDay! Don’t miss our 11:30am Keeper Talk presented by Phillips 66 with Berani and his keepers. Here are a few fun facts about tigers:

🐅 Malayan tigers are the second smallest subspecies. Berani weighs 300 pounds.
🐅 Tigers are the only carnivore with stripes and even their skin is striped.
🐅 Male tigers can also have manes around their face like lions.

You can help our aquatic friends, like Cali the sea lion, this Wildlife-Saving #PlasticFreeJuly by reducing your single-use plastics. Fun fact, Cali turns 18 this Saturday, and her keepers are ready to celebrate with plenty of ice treats.

Oh, hi Sarah! She’s our animal ambassador extraordinaire who you may have spotted around the Zoo, ready to show off animals like our fan favorite, Lunchbox! Yesterday she told us all about our mighty three-toed box turtle and ways you can help save animals like her in the wild.

☀️ 🐢 Two sea turtles made their way back into the wild, thanks to our sea turtle rescue team! Both a Kemp’s ridley and a loggerhead were injured after being caught on a discarded fishing hook line. Our expert veterinarian staff provided medical care and helped them rehabilitate. This Wildlife-Saving #PlasticFreeJuly, you can help save sea turtles in the wild by doing your part to reduce using single-use plastics.

We 💚 a comeback story! Our animal care team raises and releases Attwater’s prairie chickens (APC) back into the wild, helping them bounce back from the brink of extinction. Our APC breeding program is based at NASA’s Johnson Space Center on coastal prairie land that’s just like where they’re released.

We hope you’ve enjoyed Winnie and Teddy’s highlights during their first year, made possible through our partner Legacy Community Health.

🦒 There are four species of giraffes, and you can tell them apart based on their unique spot patterns. You can see our giraffes up close at our giraffe feeding platform, which happens daily at 11am and 2pm.

This week, we went behind the scenes from the vet clinic! Dr. Joe walked us through a sea turtle exam with a Kemp’s ridley sea turtle and also shared how you can help save them in the wild. Happy, #WorldSeaTurtleWeek!

Have you met Jack and Belle? They are our North American river otters. Yesterday, their keepers created #WorldOceansDay enrichment including red clay and ice covered in fish juice! Get to know this dynamic duo more by watching this week’s livestream.

Houston, we have a mural! Today, in collaboration with our friend GONZO247 and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department, we unveiled our first Centennial mural featuring the Galápagos Islands. Stay tuned to see five more murals pop up around Houston, celebrating our Zoo’s conservation work.

Learn more about our Centennial mural project.

#HouZoo100

Black bears are the smallest bear species native to the U.S. and can vary in coloration depending on where they’re from. Learn more about black bears by watching this week’s livestream below.

Head to TikTok to see more of Belle up close: tiktok.com/@houstonzoo

Ice cake, feathers, and puzzle enrichment galore! Sriracha’s animal care team kicked off her first birthday a few days early with a variety of enrichment to help stimulate natural behaviors ocelots would display in the wild. One of her favorite enrichment items is a donut-shaped cat track, which her keepers fill with food to allow her to think outside of the box and use her limbs and retractable claws to pull food out.

🐘 💦 Teddy celebrated his first birthday with a pool party last week! In our younger elephants’ first year, the keepers raise and lower the pool water levels to ensure they get comfortable learning how to swim. Teddy now weighs 1,280 pounds, which is over 3x the weight he was when he was born.

To see more pool party fun, head to our TikTok: tiktok.com/@houstonzoo

 

🎶 We do (like to) talk about Bruno (and Pepa)! Our capybara pups were born just over a month ago and have doubled in weight since birth. Capybaras give birth to precocial pups, which means they come out very well developed. They have teeth, start walking within minutes, and eat solid foods within a few days.

You can see our adorable dynamic duo with their parents, Squirt and Rio, in the grasslands habitat inside of South America’s Pantanal.

To see our capys go swimming, head to our TikTok: tiktok.com/houstonzoo

Nicknamed, the “ghost cat,” cougars are known to be silent cats that are very athletic and can jump down 18 feet if necessary to ambush prey. Our Carnivore team provides our cougars, Shasta and Haley, with behavior-based enrichment where they illicit a natural behavior they would display in the wild like licking, scratching, sniffing, and more.

Don’t miss Shasta guarding the class rings tomorrow from 9am-3pm. UH students can visit the Zoo for free with a valid student ID. Reserve your free ticket online: bit.ly/39AbiZm

 

Galápagos tortoises have a mutualistic relationship with some species of Galápagos finches. When the tortoises stand up tall and stretch their necks out, it’s known as a “finch response,” which is a natural behavior they would display in the wild. Finches will land on their necks and clean off parasites and bugs. Our keepers mimic this natural response through a trained behavior with our tortoises.

Training is vital for our animal care teams! The sea lion team helps our California sea lions get comfortable and familiar with any potential medical care they may need. Their training helps our sea lions voluntarily participate in their own medical care by opening their mouth, showing their front and back flippers, and more.

Blue-throated macaws are dexterous and use their tongue and beak as if it were a finger to break a nutshell. They’re given a variety of food enrichment, including novel fruits and vegetables and different types of nuts. Learn more by watching this week’s livestream below.

 

Our African lion, Hasani, participates in his own medical care by voluntarily working with his trainers on husbandry behaviors. This means that he presents different body parts to his keepers, like his chest and belly when he stands, to make sure he’s healthy. Learn more in our latest blog post.

SEE THE JUMP: tiktok.com/@houston_zoo

Our goat yard is now open 7 days a week! Stop by to interact with our goats in our John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo. You’ll get to see our newest Nubian goat additions, Simone, Raven, and Neville.

⛏️ Meerkats are built for digging! They spend most of their time digging extensive tunnel systems that can be as long as two football fields and 10 feet deep. Our meerkat ladies, Mae, Dottie, and Kit are turning 4 this Saturday with a fun birthday celebration during their daily keeper chat at 2:30 p.m.

Don’t miss the Zoo’s 100th birthday bash on Sat, April 30. Entry is included with your general admission and free for Zoo members. Get your tickets today: bit.ly/3uiui5l

#HouZoo100

Say hello to our three “little” gorilla boys, Henry (11), TJ (10), and Leom (9)! They are western lowland gorillas that joined our troop a few years ago and are part of the bachelor group with Ajari and Chaka. Gorillas start to mature into adulthood between 12-15 years old, when they become silverbacks.

You can help save gorillas in the wild by recycling your old cell phones and handheld electronics at the collection box at the Zoo’s main entrance.

A year ago today, we welcomed another Asian elephant to our herd, weighing in at 284 pounds and today she’s over 1,100 pounds. This is the first time at the Zoo that we’ve had a three-generational herd with grandmother, Tess, mom, Tupelo, and daughter, Winnie. Come out to the Zoo today to wish Winnie a very happy first birthday.

We’re three weeks into this year’s Houston toad breeding season! Since 2007, we’ve been working behind the scenes to help save this Texas native species from becoming extinct. Here at the Zoo, we mimic the breeding process in the wild and have already released ~200,000 eggs into the wild in Bastrop in 2022.

Standing at five feet tall, whooping cranes are the tallest bird in North America. Not only can see you our ambassador birds, Heiden and Angel, at the Zoo, but you can also see this endangered species in the wild at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. This weekend, the Whooping Crane Festival is celebrating its 25th anniversary.

Share your own personal Zoo story for the chance to win a Zoo membership. Submit your story by Fri, April 29: centennial.houstonzoo.org 

Hip, hippo yay! 🦛 If you haven’t met Silas our pygmy hippo yet, he can usually be found sleeping during the day since he’s nocturnal. He is often swimming in his pool or rolling around in mud puddles after it rains.

Plan ahead and spend your Spring Break at the Zoo to spot Silas! Buy tickets early for the best price: bit.ly/2ZD61t2

Opening in early 2023, the Houston Zoo’s Galápagos Islands will be the first major exhibit of its kind to showcase the remarkable wildlife of the legendary island chain. Part of the exhibit includes a new sea lion habitat that holds over 250,000 gallons of water and will provide guests with a variety of ways to see our California sea lions.

Meet our 2.5-week-old Goeldi’s monkey, Betty! She is currently being hand-reared by animal care professionals here at the Houston Zoo after being born overnight and found not hanging onto mom. She’s currently receiving around-the-clock care with the goal to successfully reunite Betty back with her parents in about three to four months once she’s stronger and eating solid foods.

Goeldi’s monkeys are native to South America and give birth to just one baby at a time, unlike other tamarins and marmosets who usually give birth to twins.

Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest of the 13 otter species, and you can visit three of the species here at the Houston Zoo. River otters are considered an indicator species, meaning that if water systems are clear and there is plenty of food, you will find otters present nearby.

December 2021

Winnie and Teddy Training - December 15

💚 And that’s a wrap, folks! Thank you for joining us during our last Facebook Live of 2021 and for tuning in all year-long. Winnie and Teddy showed off some of the training they’ve learned since they started around the time they were three months old. Come out to see our herd in person during the holidays!

Cougar Den - December 8

Cougars have an adaptation on their paws that allow them to be silent hunters which give them the nickname of “ghost cat.” Tomorrow’s the day for UH students to see their rings be guarded by Shasta! Don’t miss out on this opportunity to see your favorite mascot up close and carry on a tradition of guarding the rings. 

Sea Lion Art - December 1

Jonah stole the show on today’s Facebook Live! 🎨 Painting with our sea lions and other animals is a great form of enrichment that stimulates them mentally while providing one-on-one interaction time with their animal care team.

Think outside the box this holiday season and gift your loved ones a memorable gift like a one-of-a-kind animal art painting. Every purchase helps save animals in the wild. Shop now: bit.ly/30WscgC

November 2021

Aurora and Cheyenne - November 17

At 49 years old, Cheyenne is one of the oldest female orangutans in North America. She’s always had a nurturing side and has been a foster mom to four orangutans, including Aurora, our 10-year-old orangutan.

Meerkats - November 10

Meerkats are pollinators! In the wild, meerkats run through the Kalahari Desert where seeds and pollen get stuck to their fur, and then spreads to surrounding areas!

Vulture Committee - November 3

Vultures play an important role in the ecosystem. They are considered the “clean-up crew” of the world. Their appetite for decaying animals also helps prevent diseases from spreading.

October 2021

Giraffe Barn - October 27

🦒 A group of giraffes is called a tower and they can see up to a mile away on a clear day. Get up close with our giraffes during your next visit at our daily platform feedings at 11am and 2pm.

Curly the Sloth - October 20

This November, a fan favorite animal encounter is returning! Don’t miss out on meeting Curly the sloth up close where you’ll get to feed him and take a “slothie” while learning fun facts from his keepers. 
  
The next time you visit Natural Encounters, you can see our other sloth, Cheetah, on exhibit in our rainforest canopy. Watch a replay of this week’s livestream to learn more. #InternationalSlothDay 

Red Pandas - October 13

Red pandas are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dusk and dawn. You can find our red pandas, Li Ming and Také most active between 9-10am and 2-3pm during your next Zoo visit. And be sure to see all of the Zoo Boo presented by LyondellBasell activities now until Oct. 31. Get tickets: bit.ly/3iXVe3h

Beetles - October 6

Ever wanted to see the life cycle pattern of a beetle from egg to adult? Now’s your chance to see the four development stages – egg, larva, pupal, and adult – behind the scenes during this week’s Facebook Live. The whole lifespan of a beetle averages a little over 2.5 years, but much of that time happens during the larva stage – with some larva taking close to a year before reaching the pupa cell stage.

September 2021

Elephants and Pumpkins - September 29

We hope you had an ele-fun time with our herd on this week’s Facebook Live! 🐘 🎃 Don’t forget, Zoo Boo presented by LyondellBasell starts THIS Friday, Oct.1.

Just like the quality care we give the animals here at the Zoo, our partner Legacy Community Health – Montrose helps care for parents and kids.

Aquarium Care and Quarantine Center - September 22

Cownose rays hover over the ocean floor to find their prey by using multiple senses, including smell and electroreception. They then use the ridges on the underside of their mouth to form a suction cup to suck up their food and crush it with their plate-like teeth. You’ll be able to see cownose rays and other aquatic species in our newest exhibit, Galápagos Islands, which opens next year.

Athena and Danh Tu - September 8

Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest otter species, weighing less than ten pounds. They are one of the most dexterous otter species, using their hands to find food. Our keepers set up puzzle feeders for our otters to locate a variety of their diet, including shrimp, mussels, and smelt.

Gorilla Treehouse - September 1

Gorilla Gorilla Gorilla! You just said the scientific name of a western lowland gorilla! We hope you enjoyed seeing our gorilla troop on this week’s livestream. You can join the fun and book a gorilla encounter where you can feed them from our Gorilla Treehouse. Book yours today!

August 2021

African Painted Dogs - August 25

🐾 African painted dogs are extremely social animals who live in packs and follow a strong hierarchy. Moto is currently the top dog, but the order of the pack changes throughout the year. Celebrate #WorldAfricanPaintedDogDay with our pack at the Zoo tomorrow!

Ernie and Gary - August 18

Well hello, Ernie! We hope you enjoyed this week’s Facebook Live featuring Ernie and our newest ambassador animal, Gary, a six-banded armadillo. Gary is training to become an ambassador for future Keeper Talks presented by Phillips 66 at our South America’s Pantanal exhibit.

Elephant Pool Party - August 11

Head to the Zoo before summer ends! Our bachelor herd cooled off today with some pool time and watermelon treats to kick off #WorldElephantDay! Come out to the Zoo this week to see our elephant herd and help support their wild counterparts – a portion of your ticket goes towards conservation programs that help save their wild counterparts.

Clouded Leopards - August 4

Did you get to see Tarak show off his clouded leopard fitness skills in this week’s Facebook Live? He moved throughout his habitat on static and dynamic perches to keep his muscles and joints healthy while exercising his cardiovascular system. Tarak also voluntarily participates in husbandry behaviors to help with his own medical care using an “ask and reward system” with his keepers.

July 2021

Galápagos Tortoise Yard - July 28

Galápagos tortoises are the largest tortoise in the world, weighing up to 500 pounds fully grown. Tortoises don’t have teeth but have a beak that helps them chew food. The beak is made from keratin – similar to fingernails – and regrows as it is worn down.

Coastal Pool - July 21

We hung out with a few Texas natives this week, including our brown pelicans and North American river otters! As July comes to an end, you can still support #PlasticFreeJuly by recycling and reducing your single-use plastics. A simple tip is replacing one thing you can replace throughout the year like plastic straws or switching to a shampoo bar.

Max & Ting - July 14

Although they may look a bit like monkeys, white-cheeked gibbons are officially classified as apes, meaning they have no tail whereas monkeys do. You can see Max and Ting swinging around their habitat the next time you visit the Wortham World of Primates.

Sea Lion Keeper Talk - July 7

California sea lions can swim at speeds up to 25 mph! During this week’s Facebook Live, you got to see a training with our most athletic sea lion, Kamia, and learn how you can help save her cousins in the wild this #PlasticFreeJuly. Added bonus: Keeper Talks presented by Phillips 66 are back!

June 2021

Teddy and Winnie - June 30

We hope you enjoyed today’s double dose of cuteness with our baby elephants on Facebook Live! Although Teddy is two months younger than his niece Winnie, they are pretty close in size.

We’re excited to partner up with Legacy Community Health to bring you updates on the care we give our young elephants during their first year. You’ll get to learn about the quality care we give the animals here at the Zoo, just like Legacy helps care for parents and kids.

Savanna Aviary - June 23

Our Savanna Aviary, located in South America’s Pantanal, is home to 11 bird species, with 40 birds in total. One of the more prominent birds you may see the next time you visit is our green oropendola, who can be spotted building large hanging nests from the top of the aviary that are woven into a pendulum shape.

Sea Turtle Exams - June 16

Happy #WorldSeaTurtleDay! Dr. Kendra and team took us behind the scenes today to share what a recheck exam looks like for endangered sea turtles before they can be released back into the wild. You can help save sea turtles by reducing your single-use plastics and picking up trash you find at the beach. 

Black Bears - June 2

We hope you enjoyed seeing Belle and Willow this morning, as they foraged through their habitat to find snacks in a variety of puzzle feeders. Belle also participated in a training session, using positive reinforcement, to highlight the importance of our bears taking part in their own medical care and voluntarily participating in blood draws, vaccines, nail trims, and more.

May 2021

Giant River Otters - May 26

Giant river otters are the world’s largest otter species! We have four here at the Zoo: Max, Dru, Marley, and Rijo. Make sure to visit one of our otter pairs in South America’s Pantanal during your next Zoo visit.

Savannah, the Harris's Hawk - May 12

Harris’s hawks are native to Texas and are social birds that hunt in packs by stacking on top of one another – no other birds of prey hunt in packs like they do.

Galápagos Tortoises - May 5

Galápagos tortoises are the largest species of tortoise on the planet! During your next Zoo visit, you can go behind the scenes and experience an up-close encounter with these slow-moving reptiles. Book your encounter: bit.ly/30vtj3s

April 2021

Cougars - April 28

Cougars are stealth hunters that can jump about 12 feet in the air or down. They also have one of the largest ranges of land mammals, living in Canada all the way down to South America. This Friday don’t miss Shasta guarding University of Houston’s class rings from 9am to 4pm.

Belle and Willow - April 21

Black bears are incredible climbers and can climb 100 feet in just 30 seconds. You can help save bears in the wild by reducing your paper usage and switching to recycled paper content to ensure bears still have trees to climb in the wild.

Pygmy Marmosets - April 14

Pygmy marmosets are the smallest monkey species in the world, yet they can jump 16 feet in the air between trees! You can help save this energetic species in the wild by signing up for our virtual fitness fundraiser, Miles for the Wild.

Peter Rabbit - April 7

We can’t believe Peter Rabbit turns ONE this Saturday! He’s been up to a lot this past year, including learning different training behaviors that help with his medical care and picking up on social cues from his mom and dad.

March 2021

Sally the Bald Eagle - March 31

Bald eagles are considered to be raptors, which means they are birds of prey! 🦅

Berani the Malayan Tiger - March 24

Missed the up-close action with Berani this morning? Watch the replay of Carnivore Keeper Megan who highlighted some of the husbandry training behaviors with our Malayan tiger. This training helped Berani become the first animal in the Carnivore department to participate in voluntary blood draws during his health exams.

Children's Zoo - March 17

Our John P. McGovern Children’s Zoo is reopening next Wed, March 24! You’ll get to see several animals you’ve been missing, including Fiesta the llama, mongoose, and North American river otters. 

Please note that our goat yard and Swap Shop will remain closed. You can also sign up for our Virtual Swap Shop! Register here. 

Green Anaconda - March 10

At nearly 13 feet long, Florence, our green anaconda is native to South America, where her cousins in the wild live in the Amazon rainforests all the way down to the wetlands in the Pantanal.

Houston Toads - March 3

Our Houston toad recovery program breeding season is officially underway! Since 1978, the Zoo has been working to help save this endangered species after it was almost on the brink of extinction due to rapid urbanization, drought, and most recently wildfires. The next time you visit the Zoo, you can spot Houston toads tucked away in the native amphibian habitat in the Reptile House.

February 2021

Flamingo Flock - February 24

Your favorite flock is back on exhibit! Flamingos get their rosy hue from a beta carotene pigment that is found in much of the food they eat, including shrimp and algae. The next time you visit the Zoo, stop by our Chilean flamingo habitat from the pathway at Texas Wetlands or at the end of South America’s Pantanal.

Elephant Herd is Growing by Two - February 10

In case you missed the BIG news, our elephant herd is growing by two! Mother and daughter Asian elephants, Tupelo and Tess, are due within a few weeks of each other this spring.

Red Panda Painting - February 3

💕 What’s pink and purple, and covered in hearts? A one-of-a-kind masterpiece created by our adorable red panda, Li Ming! Get your sweetheart a custom painting this Valentine’s Day. Limited supply: bit.ly/3b2UKUM

January 2021

Jonah, the California Sea Lion - January 27

What’s sweeter than a sea lion nose print? Jonah and his keepers highlighted an animal painting training activity on this morning’s Facebook Live just in time for Valentine’s Day!  

Giraffe Feeding Platform - January 20

A giraffe’s tongue can be over 1.5 feet long once they’re fully grown! Get up close with our giraffe herd the next time you visit the Zoo during one of our daily giraffe feedings at 11am and 2pm.

Ernie at the McGovern Plaza - January 13

Our North American porcupine, Ernie, was excited for this morning’s mini tour of our renovated entrance and new McGovern Plaza! This renovation is helping us make way for construction for the Galapagos Islands, which opens in 2022.

Nelson and the Elephant Herd - January 6

Our nearly eight-month-old Asian elephant, Nelson, reached a BIG milestone this week and now weighs 1,000 pounds! He’s been learning a lot of new training behaviors and will grow to be 10,000-15,000 pounds once he’s fully grown.

December 2020

Pygmy Hippo - December 16

Thank you for joining us in our last Facebook Live of 2020, and for tuning in all year-long! We hope you enjoyed seeing Silas, our pygmy hippo, who made his public debut three weeks ago. You can see him in his exhibit across from the ankole cattle.

We’ll be back in January, Wednesdays at 11am! Happy holidays! 💚

Ambassador Animals with Camp Supervisor Nick - December 9

Tingoora – Ting for short – may look like a dog, but she’s a dingo native to Australia. Unlike dogs, she’s unable to bark but can howl like a wolf, which is a distant relative of theirs.

Shasta - December 2

Although cougars may look like a big cat, they’re actually classified as a small cat. They have the ability to purr, not roar, like cheetahs. If you missed today’s livestream with University of Houston mascot, Shasta, or want to watch it again, check it out online.

November 2020

Curly the Sloth - November 25

Curly is sloth goals. He sleeps anywhere between 18-20 hours a day! Linnaeus’s two-toed sloths are nocturnal and tend to have a great sense of smell.

Orangutans - November 18

Orangutans are the only great ape species that is primarily arboreal, meaning they spend most of their time in trees. This week, our newly renovated orangutan habitat reopened and features an additional viewing area for guests, as well as additional shade and naturalistic logs and vines for our orangutans to climb.

Elephant Bath with Baylor - November 11

Every morning, our 11 elephants receive a bath from their zookeepers to ensure they’re healthy and to work on voluntary training behaviors, including checking their feet and mouths. Weighing over 7,000 lbs, it’s important for Baylor and our herd to have their feet regularly checked.

Komodo Dragon - November 4

For millions of years, Komodo dragons have inhabited a small group of Indonesian islands, including Komodo – hence their name!

October 2020

Black Bears - October 28

Belle and Willow, are gearing up for denning season, also known as torpor, where their body temperature and metabolic rate slow down. This means they are less interested in food and may not even need to drink water or pass waste from December-February. Black bears in Texas do not truly hibernate since it doesn’t get as cold in the winter here.

Not-So-Spooky Critters - October 21

We’re still buzzing over today’s Facebook Live! Zookeeper Declan took us up close with a few of our Bug House residents to show you how cool bugs really are and why they aren’t as frightening as you may think.

Goat Tour - October 14

We hope you enjoyed this morning’s walk with our goats, Finnegan, Alvin, and Shadow! No kidding, it was pretty cute!

South America's Pantanal Preview - October 7

We hope you enjoyed this morning’s tour of our South America’s Pantanal, which opens this Saturday! Be among the first to see a variety of animals right here at the Houston Zoo including giant rivers otters, a jaguar, and many more!

September 2020

American Alligators - September 30

American alligators go into a state of hibernation — similar to bears — called brumation, which starts in October and goes until February or March.

Masai Giraffes - September 23

Giraffe’s tongues are dark purple, which helps help protect them from the sun! It’s kind of like sunscreen for the tongue! 🦒 If you missed today’s livestream from the giraffe barn, or just want to watch the replay, check out our Facebook Live library presented by T-Mobile: bit.ly/3iXVe3h

Giant River Otters in Pantanal - September 16

Did you get to meet our giant river otters Dru and Max on this morning’s livestream? If you missed out, or just want to watch it again, check out our Facebook Live library presented by T-Mobile: bit.ly/2wHMYBw

Animal Ambassadors - September 9

Black throated monitors can be found in South Eastern Africa. Did you know that these species are also related to Komodo dragons? We hope you enjoyed today’s livestream!

Amphibians - September 2

Did you know that the Hellbender Salamander has folds on their skin that help them absorb oxygen underwater? Thanks for tuning into today’s livestream with Zookeeper Chris!

August 2020

Farm Animals - August 19

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Winston the pig, Levi the sheep, Fiesta the llama, Zamir the Zebu!

Elephants - August 12

We hope you enjoyed this morning’s #WorldElephantDay livestream!

Peter Rabbit - August 5

We hope you enjoyed this morning’s Peter Rabbit update! 

July 2020

Galapagos Tortoises - July 29

Galapagos tortoises can grow to be about 150 pounds! We hope you enjoyed learning more about our tortoises this morning with Zookeeper Eddie. Watch the replay.

Whooping Cranes - July 22

In the 1940s, there were around only 20 whooping cranes left in the wild. Thanks to conservation efforts, their population has increased and there are now over 850 whooping cranes. Watch this morning’s livestream with Zookeepers Tim and Stephanie.

Sea Lions - July 15

See our sea lions participate in a recycling challenge and take the pledge to reduce your single-use plastics and help save sea lions in the wild!

River Otters - July 8

Learn more about our North American river otters, Jack and Belle, and how you can help save them in the wild by making the switch to reusable water bottles and shopping bags.

Tiny Tenrecs - July 1

Believe it or not, these mighty tenrecs are most closely related to elephants! Learn more about our tenrec trio from Children’s Zoo Supervisor Danielle.

June 2020

Bug House - June 24

Learn more about some of our smallest residents at the Zoo from Zookeeper Declan as we celebrate #InsectWeek!

Curly the Sloth - June 17

Find out more about Curly, our Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth, from Zookeeper Tessa!

Ambassador Snakes - June 10

Learn more about two of our Ambassador snakes, William Snakespeare, our ball python, and Jolt, our Sonoran gopher snake, from Camp Supervisor Nick!

Reopening Modifications - June 1

Check out our final daily Bringing the Zoo to You Facebook Live as Jackie, our director of public relations shares more about some of the modifications you can expect when you visit the Zoo and some of the items you can purchase at our gift shop.

May 2020

Baby Nelson - May 29

Learn more about our herd from Rob, our elephant manager, and see the youngest member, Nelson, up close!

Reopening FAQs

Hear from Jackie, our director of public relations, as she shares more about the Zoo’s reopening plans and answers frequently asked questions from viewers.

South America's Pantanal - May 27

Check out a behind-the-scenes sneak peek of our upcoming South America’s Pantanal exhibit opening later this year.

Rhino Bath - May 26

Learn more about our southern white rhino, George, from Zookeeper John as gets a bath.

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Western Lowland Gorillas - May 22

Learn more about our bachelor gorilla troop from Zookeeper Ashley as she does an ice pop toss to them as part of today’s enrichment.

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Schmidt's Red-Tailed Monkey - May 21

Learn more about our youngest Schmidt’s red-tailed guenon, Peter Rabbit, from Zookeeper Miriam!

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Pollinators - May 20

Learn more about our pollinators from Children’s Zoo Supervisor Michelle as we chat with Rodeo Houston!

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Sea Turtles Release - May 19

Watch Zookeepers Andy and Cody from the Houston Zoo’s Sea Turtle Hospital release three green sea turtles back into the wild.

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Masai Giraffes - May 18

Just like humans, giraffes have seven neck vertebrae! Learn more about our Masai giraffes from Zookeeper Kendall!

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Attwater's Prairie Chickens - May 15

Learn more from Zookeeper and APC Recovery Program Coordinator, Amber, as she takes you on a behind the scenes look at the work we’re doing to restore the Attwater’s prairie chicken population in the wild.

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Turtle Building - May 14

Watch as Zookeeper Chris gives viewers a behind the scenes tour of our Turtle Building.

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Guam Rail and Golden Lion Tamarins - May 13

Learn how we’re helping save birds in the wild like the Guam Rail from Bird Curator Hannah and see our Ambassador Guam Rail, Hurao, clean the waterways as part of his training. Zookeepers Sydney and Tessa are also sharing more about the endangered golden lion tamarins.

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Coquerel's Sifaka - May 12

Sifakas can jump 20 feet from tree to tree! Learn more about our sifaka family from Zookeeper Tiffany!

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Jaguars - May 11

Jaguars have the strongest bite force of any cat! Watch our female jaguar jump 9 feet in the air for her bone-in meat enrichment and learn more about this elusive big cat species from Zookeeper Tori.

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Behind-the-Scenes Birds - May 8

Ahead of World Migratory Bird Day, we’re taking you behind the scenes to introduce you to a few of our bird species that are off exhibit with Zookeeper Jessica.

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Elephant Bath - May 7

See our oldest male elephant, Thailand, who will be 55 in June, get an elephant bath from Zookeepers Mandy and Kim.

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Unusual Fish - May 6

Banded archer fish shoot a jet of water at their prey to knock it into the water! Learn more about some of our unusual fish in our Natural Encounters building from Zookeepers Kenny and Denise.

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Swap Shop - May 5

Learn more about the Swap Shop and how trading works from Senior Naturalist Sara and even meet a few of our Texas native Ambassador Animals with Zookeeper Tianna.

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Ankole Cattle - May 4

Ankole cattle date back 4,000 years ago! Learn more about our three Ankole cattle from Zookeeper Memory.

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Komodo Dragon - May 1

Komodo dragons are the largest living lizard in the world! We’re taking viewers up close with Boga, our 12-year-old Komodo dragon as he eats a whole pig to help exercise his jaw and encourage natural behaviors they would display in the wild.

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April 2020

Lions - April 30

Learn more about our lion pride from Carnivore Supervisor Kathy and see them interact with a variety of enrichment.

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Houston Toads - April 29

Learn how we are helping save Houston toads in the wild through our Houston Toad Recovery Program and meet Zookeepers Matt and Brittanie.

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North American Porcupine - April 28

Zookeeper Russell shares more about one of our Ambassador Animals, Ernie, the North American Porcupine.

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Baird's Tapirs - April 27

Zookeeper Kendall shares more about two of our Baird’s tapirs, Molli and Frida for #WorldTapirDay.

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Pollinators - April 24

Bennett takes us up close with Milly, our three-banded armadillo, and Anna from Horticulture.

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Tenrec - April 23

Zookeeper Lisa shares more about one of our nocturnal friends, Ninerec the tenrec!

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Orangutans - April 22

Zookeeper Cheka shares more about our orangutans, Rudi and Kelly from their habitat!

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Texas Wetlands - April 21

Water Quality Technician Karen takes us on an up-close look from inside our Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands.

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North American River Otters - April 20

Learn more about the playful North American river otter from Zookeeper Jay and meet otters, Jack and Belle!

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Texas Snakes - April 17

Texas is home to more snake species than any other state in the U.S. Learn more about some of our native species from Zookeeper Chris!

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Meerkats - April 16

Did you know meerkats can dig 6-7 ft. below ground! Learn more about our mob from Zookeeper Hayley as she takes you up close with our meerkats.

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Flamingos - April 15

Learn more about our flamboyance of flamingos from Zookeeper Steve!

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Coastal Pool - April 14

Zookeeper Heather takes viewers up close at our Coastal Pool to learn more about our brown pelicans, ruddy ducks, and laughing gull.

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Okapi - April 13

Okapis are the only living relative of giraffes. Learn more about our Okapis, Kwame and Sukari from Zookeeper Jessica.

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Asian Small-Clawed Otters - April 10

It’s about to get otterly adorable! Zookeeper Priscilla shares more about our two Asian small-clawed otters, Danh Tu and Hope.

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Vet Clinic - April 9

Take a behind scenes look at our veterinary clinic with Dr. Joe as Dr. Judilee performs an exam on a wild green sea turtle.

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Mole Rats - April 8

Learn more about one of the most unique mammals in the world from Zookeeper Hayley and Peter, vice president of conservation & education.

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Southern White Rhino - April 7

Zookeeper Memory is taking you behind the scenes to meet Mumbles our white rhino!

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Galapagos Tortoises - April 6

Our Zookeepers Scott, Chris, and Priscilla are taking you up close to meet the largest living tortoise, the Galapagos tortoise, along with a few of our other tortoise species.

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Bug House - April 3

We’re taking you behind the scenes at the Bug House with Zookeeper Julie and General Curator Kevin!

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Cougars - April 1

General Curator Kevin and our Carnivore team are sharing all about our cougars, Shasta and Haley, from our cougar den.

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March 2020

Green-winged Macaw - March 31

Zookeeper Sydney is here to tell you all about Clark, our green-winged macaw, including his favorite song!

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Red Pandas - March 30

Zookeepers Marisol and Natalie are sharing more about our adorable red pandas, Li Ming and Také.

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Clouded Leopards - March 27

Our Zookeepers Kathy and Danielle are taking you on an up-close adventure with our clouded cubs, Nova and Luna!

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Sea Lions - March 26

Get an up-close look at sea lion training and enrichment with sea lions Jonah and Kamia along with their keepers Sophie, Krista, and Amanda.

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Whooping Cranes - March 25

Once on the brink of extinction, learn more about our whooping cranes, Heiden and Angel, who reside in our Kathrine G. McGovern Texas Wetlands Exhibit. Bird Zookeeper Kelly takes us up close!

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Chimpanzees - March 24

Meet Primates Zookeepers Agnieszka and Victoria as they highlight our chimpanzee troop.

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Banded Mongoose - March 23

Learn more about our mongoose mob from Children’s Zookeeper Brian.

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Curly the Sloth - March 20

Hang with Curly the sloth and his zookeepers and learn more about our two-toed sloth.

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Elephant Bath - March 19

Zookeepers Mandy and Kim take us up-close during an elephant bath with elephants Tess, Tupelo, and Tilly. Tune in to see the surprise cameo!

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Cheetah Walk - March 18

Tag along on a cheetah walk with the carnivore team and Dash, one of our male cheetahs here at the Zoo.

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Goat Social Party - March 17

It’s a goat social! Children’s Zookeepers Natalie and Dan are bringing some of our adorable goats to you.

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Giraffe Feeding - March 16

Our giraffes can brighten anyone’s day! Elephant zookeepers Heather and John share all about our giraffe herd.

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