This week, we’re celebrating the incredible Veterinary Technicians who make world-class animal care possible every single day inside the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital and across our campus. 🩺 From morning rounds to complex procedures, our vet techs are the backbone of our medical team—drawing blood, monitoring anesthesia, running diagnostics, training with animals for voluntary medical behaviors, and everything in between. They work alongside Animal Care Specialists, Nutritionists, and Veterinarians to ensure that every animal at DZCA receives the best care possible. No two days look the same, and that’s exactly what makes this team so extraordinary. They bring precision, compassion, and creativity to patients with feathers, fur, scales, and everything in between. To our Vet Tech team: thank you for your dedication, your expertise, and your heart. The animals are lucky to have you, and so are we. 🐾 Happy #NationalVeterinaryTechnicianWeek!

🎃 Boo at the Zoo is HERE and we’ve got five tips to make your night totally wild! 🕟 Tip 1: Snag the 4:30 PM time slot! Earlier than ever and perfect for families, but it books up fast. Grab your tickets now! 🎒 Tip 2: Bring your own candy bag. Decorate it at our candy bag decorating station in Zoo Gardens, or pick up your cryptid guidebook while you’re there! 🍬 Tip 3: Nine candy stations await, including an allergen-friendly station with more options than ever before. Candy on candy on candy. 👻 🐺 Tip 4: Hunt the exclusive cryptids: the Werewolf, Mothman, and the Bog Witch are out there. Find them by reading your Cryptid Guidebook! 🌽 Tip 5: Don’t miss the brand-new Wild Fall Market! Foot-long corn dogs, gyros, apple bites, and all the fall treats and treasures you could want in Zoo Gardens Plaza! Denver’s favorite trick-or-treating event is back on select nights through October. Get your tickets before they’re gone! link.denverzoo.org/4zvYKca #BooAtTheZoo #DenverZooConservationAlliance #Halloween #TrickOrTreat #WildFall #Denver

Today we share the final chapter in the inspiring story of Nigel, an 8-year-old tripod African painted dog, whose story of perseverance inspired our community. Known for his playful personality and life on three legs, Nigel will be deeply missed. ❤️ Read his story: denverzoo.org/zootales/remem…]

Today, our two southern white rhinos made their long-awaited public debut, and the welcome they received was nothing short of incredible. Guests signed giant rhino-sized welcome cards, rang the rhino, met Animal Ambassador Harley, and celebrated alongside local artists who brought even more creativity and color to the day. It was a neighborhood party worthy of two very big new neighbors. Viazi and Mkuu are the first southern white rhinos in DZCA’s 130-year history, and today marked the beginning of a chapter we couldn’t be more excited about. None of this would have been possible without the generosity of those who believed in this vision from the start. Thank you to the Schoelzel Family Foundation, the Kintzele Family, and our anonymous donors for your support of their habitat transformation and safe transport from Florida. Your investment made today happen. Welcome home, boys. Denver is so glad you’re here. 🦏

This weekend, Día de los Muertos comes alive at DZCA! Our Hispanic Heritage Month activation is in full swing, and the space around our former Felines Building has been transformed into a vibrant celebration of culture, community, and wildlife. Come experience it for yourself! 🕯️ A beautiful ofrenda, a space for remembrance and reflection 🎵 Live music performances 🦜 Animal ambassador encounters 🎨 Interactive art with local artist Óscar Becerra 🐆 Colorful alebrijes inspired by Zoo animals In partnership with the @MexiCultural this experience is included with your daytime admission, all are welcome to come explore, celebrate, and connect. 🌺 #DiaDeLosMuertos #HispanicHeritageMonth #DenverZooConservationAlliance #MexicanCulturalCenter #Denver #Community #SavingWildlifeTogether

School’s out for Thanksgiving week and adventure is wide open at DZCA! Our Fall Safari Camps are the perfect way to keep kids curious, active, and hands-on with nature while you enjoy some peace of mind. Find the Feast | November 23 How do Zoo nutritionists make the holidays special for 2,500+ animals? Kids will dig into animal diets and discover how tasty treats support top-notch care for our wild family! Enrichment Escapades | November 24 How do Zoo animals stay active, curious, and engaged every day? Kids will design their own enrichment challenges and think like an Animal Care expert! Both camps include outdoor exploration, so bundle up and get ready for a wild week! 🍂 Register now! Spots fill fast: denverzoo.org/safari-camps/#… #FallCamp #SafariCamp #DenverZooConservationAlliance #KidsActivities #Thanksgiving #FamilyFun #Denver

Behind every bird at DZCA is a whole lot of care, and sometimes, that means our Bird Care team steps in to raise them from hatch to first flight themselves. 🐦 Welcome to the world of hand-rearing at our Avian Propagation Center! From feeding small passerines every hour to raising Endangered scaly-sided mergansers, our team has done it all, and we're proud to have one of the most unique hand-rearing programs in the country. 🥚 #AvianPropagationCenter #DenverZooConservationAlliance #Birds #SavingWildlifeTogether

Our two southern white rhinos, Viazi and Mkuu, are settling in beautifully, and we can't wait for you to meet them! 🦏🦏 Join us for their official public debut on Friday, October 16 from 9:00–11:00 a.m.! The boys have been getting comfortable in their new home and are doing incredibly well. Watching them explore their upgraded habitat has been one of the most exciting moments in our 130-year history. If you'd like to support their care and help make their life at DZCA the best it can be, now is the time! Donate to support their care: support.denverzoo.org/welcom… Photos: Volunteer photographer Navid Mahban (@navidnaturephotography) #SouthernWhiteRhino #Rhino #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether

Wild Fall at DZCA is officially in full swing, and there is SO much in store! 🎃 But that’s not all fall has in store at DZCA: Wild Fall: Weekend pumpkin carving, creepy-crawly Animal Ambassadors, and cryptid characters including Bigfoot, Fairy, and Thistle Root the walking plant 🌱 Día de los Muertos: Live entertainment, colorful alebrijes, and interactive art with Oscar Becerra 🌸 Monster Masquerade: Our most popular Adult Night of the year returns October 29! 🎭 More boo, more Zoo, with new tickets added just for you! We don’t want you to miss out on Denver’s favorite Halloween tradition. Join us for a night of trick-or-treating, costumes and spooky fun with plenty of wild surprises along the way. Earlier time slots are already selling fast. Grab your tickets now before they’re gone! denverzoo.org/events/boo-at-… #BooAtTheZoo #WildFall #MonsterMasquerade #DenverZooConservationAlliance #HalloweenFun #Denver

We brought the boys to the yard! Our new southern white rhinos, Viazi and Mkuu, have settled in to their new habitat and we're already falling in love. You can visit them this evening at Boo at the Zoo! Extra tickets are available at: denverzoo.org/events/boo-at-…

Our new rhinos have arrived! After months of planning, habitat updates and coordination between teams here at DZCA and across the country, we’re thrilled to welcome Viazi and Mkuu, two southern white rhinos who are making history as the first of their species to call Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance home in our 130-year history! While rhino conservation is often associated with breeding, the AZA’s Species Survival Plan (SSP) takes a much bigger-picture approach to caring for these animals and supporting healthy populations. Sometimes that means creating space for males, whether they may contribute to future breeding efforts or provide a home for older animals or bachelor groups. After updates to our historic pachyderm habitat that previously housed Rudy, a geriatric black rhino, we’re proud of the opportunity to house and care for these two young males while continuing to support the broader goals of the SSP. Four-year-old Viazi, whose name is Swahili for “potatoes” joins us from Busch Gardens, while three-year-old Mkuu, whose name is Swahili for “prince”, comes from ZooTampa. Mkuu’s former care team describes him as a spunky, playful rhino who loves attention, enrichment and a good scratch. We’re excited to get to know both of their personalities as they settle into their new home. Viazi and Mkuu might be visible in their outdoor habitat as they get acquainted with their new surroundings and each other. Stay tuned for more ways to meet the newest members of the DZCA family, including an official public debut and special activities planned for Friday, October 16 at 10 a.m. Thank you to the Schoelzel Family Foundation, Kintzele Family and anonymous donors for supporting their habitat transformation and their safe transport from Florida. Welcome to Denver, boys! 🦏🦏

Last month, as part of Denver and Kunming's 40th anniversary as Sister Cities, an official delegation led by Vice Mayor Xu Gaohong visited DZCA for a behind-the-scenes tour, connecting over shared values of conservation, sustainability, and the power of global collaboration as represented by a bronze peacock statue gifted to us by the Delegation. For four decades, Denver and Kunming have built a friendship across thousands of miles through cultural exchange, environmental collaboration, and the relationships between people in both cities. And what better place to celebrate that friendship than at a global nonprofit dedicated to saving wildlife together? 🐾 We were proud to be part of this meaningful visit and to showcase the conservation work happening right here in Denver and around the world. Here's to 40 years of friendship and many more to come. #SisterCities #GlobalConservation #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether #Denver #China

Same, Siska, same... Turns out, being a three-year-old Sumatran orangutan is hard work when your day is full of climbing, sliding, hanging and being this cute! 🧡

It is with heavy hearts we share that our male greater one-horned rhino, Rupert, passed away on Saturday, October 3. Rupert began experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms about a month after his arrival, and his dedicated care team had been managing recurring symptoms and ups and downs since mid-June. Animal Care and Veterinary Medicine staff worked closely with Rupert's previous care teams, as well as veterinary teams at other AZA-accredited organizations, to gain additional insight into his condition and determine the best course of treatment. Rupert's condition progressed over the past several weeks and required intensive care. Despite multiple interventions and treatments, including repeated procedures under standing sedation, his condition continued to worsen. Following a significant decline in his health over the weekend he passed Saturday evening surrounded by his caretakers and our Animal Health team. Twelve-year-old Rupert arrived at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance earlier this year on a breeding recommendation with female greater one-horned rhino Tensing. While the two were never formally introduced, they occupied spaces near one another in the rhino barn and rotated through outdoor habitats. There are currently no concerns about a transmissible disease related to Rupert's illness. His condition is considered an individual case, and there are no health concerns for Tensing. We are grateful to the many skilled and dedicated team members who provided comfort, support and care for Rupert throughout his illness. We recognize that the loss of an animal is one of the most difficult parts of this work, and we are deeply grateful for the compassion and expertise our teams brought to Rupert's care. In his short time at DZCA, Rupert delighted guests, members, staff and volunteers alike. His presence will be greatly missed.

It's #Croctober and we're celebrating two of the most iconic reptiles at DZCA! 🐊 Daphne: our Critically Endangered Siamese crocodile and the oldest animal at the Zoo at 65 years old. You can find this remarkable girl in Tropical Discovery, where she's been wowing guests and inspiring crocodilian conservation for decades. Jino: our West African dwarf crocodile in Predator Ridge. Don't let the name fool you, dwarf crocodiles may be the world's smallest crocodilian species, but Jino has a big personality. Come meet Daphne and Jino on your next visit! 🐊 #Croctober #SiameseCrocodile #DwarfCrocodile #DenverZooConservationAlliance #TropicalDiscovery #PredatorRidge #SavingWildlifeTogether

Our Field Conservation team works across five regions: Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, driven by a simple but powerful framework: Science. Community. Action. 🌿 Science: We lead discovery and innovation to better understand wildlife and inform how we save it. Community: We learn from and collaborate with local and global partners, because saving wildlife together is the only way it works. Action: We leverage our collective expertise to care for and protect wildlife and their habitats. From restoring native grasslands on Colorado's Front Range to protecting the Leuser Ecosystem in Indonesia, from monitoring lions in Uganda to conserving high-alpine frogs in Peru — collaboration makes our field conservation work possible. 🏔️🌊🌳 Because wildlife can't thrive without the places they call home. And neither can we. 💙 #HabitatDay #DenverZooConservationAlliance #FieldConservation #SavingWildlifeTogether #Conservation #Science #Community #Action

Happy #WorldAnimalDay and #InternationalZookeeperDay! 🐾 Today we celebrate two things that go hand in hand: the incredible animals who call DZCA home, and the dedicated Animal Care Specialists who show up for them every single day. From early morning feedings and enrichment to medical training, behavioral research, and field conservation, our team of passionate, skilled professionals ensures that every one of our 2,500+ animals thrives. They are the heartbeat of this organization, and the reason our animals can serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts around the globe. To our entire Animal Care team: thank you. What you do makes a world of difference. #DenverZooConservationAlliance #AnimalCare #ZooKeepers #SavingWildlifeTogether

Happy belated 15th birthday to Viktor, our Amur tiger! 🐯 Last week, this big birthday boy celebrated with a carcass feast and plenty of well-deserved attention. 🍖 Come wish him a happy birthday on your next visit! Photos: Volunteer photographer Anthony Lazzari #HappyBirthday #Viktor #AmurTiger #DenverZooConservationAlliance

Boo at the Zoo is here and there's no better way to enjoy it than by getting your steps in along the way! 🦇🎃 The Step Into Something Wild Steps Challenge, presented by @KPcolorado turns your Zoo visit into a healthy, animal-inspired adventure. Start at Predator Ridge, follow the signs, track your progress, and submit your steps to see where you stand with the rest of the pack! 🐾 Grab your costumes, lace up your shoes, and take on the challenge while exploring fall décor, creepy-crawly Animal Ambassadors, mysterious cryptid characters, and all the magic that Boo at the Zoo has to offer. 🍂👣 Move your body, follow your curiosity, and let wildlife lead the way! 👟 Get Boo at the Zoo tickets at denverzoo.org and learn more about the Steps Challenge here: denverzoo.org/kp-steps-chall… #StepsChallenge #BooAtTheZoo #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether

Winnie has a mini! 🧡 We’re thrilled to share that southern tamandua Winnie recently welcomed a healthy pup to the world! Mom and baby are doing well and this little one is growing alongside Winnie behind the scenes. Learn more: denverzoo.org/zootales/baby-… Baby Bulletin presented by @Intermountain