Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

It’s #BatWeek, and we’re highlighting the very misunderstood vampire bats! 🦇 Though their name sounds spooky, these tiny mammals play a vital role in ecosystems. They don’t suck blood as myths suggest—instead, they use razor-sharp teeth to make a tiny cut and lap up the blood with their specialized tongues, aided by a special anti-coagulant in their saliva called "draculin." Beyond their unique feeding habits, bats are essential pollinators and help control insect populations, making them crucial to our planet’s health. Tropical Discovery is open again, so stop by to catch a bat feeding demo and see these creepy cuties in action!

En conmemoración del Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana y el Día de los Muertos, Denver Zoo Conservationl Alliance tiene el honor de albergar una ofrenda construida por el artista local Cal Duran. La ofrenda del zoológico se encuentra en el Anfiteatro Wild Encounters y está dedicada a los animales queridos en nuestras vidas que han fallecido. Del 29 de octubre al 3 de noviembre, está invitado a visitar la ofrenda y traer una copia de una fotografía (tenga en cuenta que las fotografías no serán devueltas) de una mascota o animal querido, para ser honrado y recordado. Obtenga más información sobre las ofrendas, cómo interactúa con ellas y el arte de Cal a continuación. - ¿Qué es una ofrenda? Una ofrenda está llena de recuerdos que se utilizan para honrar y recordar las vidas de los seres queridos que han fallecido. - ¿Cómo puedes interactuar con él? Con cuidado. Si tienes una foto de un animal querido, apóyala. Da un paso atrás y admira desde la distancia. - Sobre el artista Cal Duran es un artista y educador local con raíces indias, mexicanas e indígenas. Sus humildes comienzos y antepasados lo guían mientras crea su arte en técnicas mixtas. El arte de Cal se ha exhibido en más de 72 museos. *************************************************************** In observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month and Día de los Muertos, Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is honored to host an ofrenda built by local artist Cal Duran. The Zoo’s ofrenda is in the Wild Encounters Amphitheater and is dedicated to the cherished animals in our lives who have passed on. From October 29 through November 3, you’re invited to visit the ofrenda and bring a copy of a photo (please note that photos won't be returned) of a beloved pet or animal, to be honored and remembered. Learn more about ofrendas, how you interact with them and Cal's art below. - What is an ofrenda? An ofrenda is a table or altar, full of mementos, pictures and food to honor and remember the lives of loved ones who have passed. - How can you interact with it? Carefully. If you have a picture of a beloved animal, prop it up on the ofrenda Leave a copy. Photos won’t be returned. Step back, admire from a distance. - About the Artist Cal Duran is a local artist and educator with Indian, Mexican and Indigenous roots. His humble beginnings and ancestors guide him in creating his mixed media art. Cal's art has been showcased in over 72 museums.

This enrichment is out of this world! 🚀🌙 Pecan and Cashew, our leucistic rescued raccoon sisters, recently enjoyed space-themed Halloween enrichment, expertly crafted by Volunteer Salo de la Torre! They had a blast foraging for tasty treats in spaceships and hanging out with paper-mâché aliens. This enrichment not only keeps them mentally and physically stimulated, but also helps them bulk up for the colder months ahead. We love these two to the moon and back and are dedicated to giving them everything they need to thrive in our care! 👽🦝🤍

Tropical Discovery has reopened and there’s an exciting new resident! Meet Calypso, a 10-year-old male green anaconda, who joined us from Como Zoo and Conservatory. Native to South America's tropical rainforests, these semi-aquatic boas are masters of both land and water. Calypso is settling into his new home well and enjoys exploring his pool or basking under his heat lamp. Slither on down to Tropical Discovery to welcome Calypso and see the updated building! Get tickets: https://lnkd.in/gsED_vzK 🐍 Photo Credit: Curator of Ectotherms and Ambassadors Andy S.

Today is #WorldLemurDay and to honor these primates, we’re shining a light on their urgent conservation needs. These beautiful animals face immense challenges in the wild, including habitat loss, illegal logging, and hunting, resulting in 98% of their population threatened with extinction and 31% critically endangered. Here at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance, we’re home to three of just 24 Critically Endangered aye-ayes in human care in North America, one Critically Endangered red ruffed lemur, three Endangered ring-tailed lemurs, and one Vulnerable white-headed lemur. To mark this special day, swing by Primate Panorama today to meet these fascinating creatures, learn more about their conservation, and wish them a very Happy World Lemur Day! 💚 #LemurConservation #EndangeredSpecies #WildlifeConservation #AyeAye #PrimateCare #WorldLemurDay

It’s #InternationalGibbonDay, and we’re shining a spotlight on one of the most endangered primate families—gibbons! Known for their impressive acrobatics and unique calls that echo through the treetops, gibbons face significant threats from habitat loss and poaching in the wild. At the Zoo we care for three special gibbons: in Toyota Elephant Passage we have Vinh, our Critically Endangered white-cheeked gibbon, and Briscoe, our endangered buff-cheeked gibbon, as well as our siamangs over in Primate Panorama! You can find them showing off their swinging skills. Come visit and discover more about these fascinating animals and how we're helping to protect them!

Halloween is right around the corner which means it’s the perfect time to highlight one of our newest residents; a rescued Halloween crab! Also known as a moon crab, this colorful little stowaway hitched a ride from Costa Rica and was discovered in the main cabin of a flight when it landed at Denver International Airport. Thanks to our amazing conservation partners at U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), this crab has found a safe and cozy home with us at Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance. To lean into the Halloween spirit, you can catch this crab in our Animal Ambassador demonstrations at the Gates Amphitheatre all month long. After October, it will scuttle over to its permanent home in Tropical Discovery, where you can continue to learn about this charming crustacean! 🦀 Photo Credit: Curator of Ectotherms and Ambassadors Andy S.

Our next Free Day is Sunday, November 3, and tickets are now available! To ensure the best experience for everyone, we’re offering a limited number of timed tickets for each Free Day. These tickets are available online on a first-come, first-served basis. Please note, tickets must be reserved online in advance—no Free Day tickets will be available at the Zoo entrance. Reserve your tickets for November 3 here: https://lnkd.in/g89k6nR2

You only have one weekend left to enjoy Boo at the Zoo! Don't miss out on a fun-filled night at DZCA, featuring costumed characters, seasonal snacks, beastly bevvies, tricks and all kinds of treats. Get tickets: https://lnkd.in/gceGTMmS Boo at the Zoo presented by Lifetime Windows.

Yesterday for #GuessTheTooth presented by Delta Dental of Colorado, we gave you a sneak peek at some unique teeth—did you guess it right? They belong to cownose rays! Cownose rays have specialized dental plates with rows of hexagonal, pentagonal, and tetragonal teeth, perfect for crushing the hard shells of mollusks and spitting out the bits they don’t want. Fun fact: They lose their teeth often, but don’t worry—they always grow back! Want to learn more? Visit Stingray Cove™ before it closes for the season on October 31! You can touch and feed our stingrays and sharks and discover more fascinating facts about these incredible animals. Don’t miss your chance! #StingrayCove #CownoseRays