News

Animal care and veterinary staff at the Calgary Zoo are very concerned about Kita, our 15 year old female Siberian tiger, who is currently suffering from a serious chest infection.  She is responding well to treatment but veterinary staff are waiting for further pathology and bacteriology results to confirm the cause of her illness.

 What job at the Calgary Zoo takes an eight-person zoo team, a machinist, a welder, and a 10-tonne hoist on standby? Simple . . . giving our bull elephant new tusk caps!

Read the press release here.

Watch the YouTube video.

Two red panda cubs make it 11 since 1994!

Read the press release here.

Dr. Clement Lanthier, President and CEO of the Calgary Zoo, today shared the results of a review of the Zoo’s animal care practices and a 36-point Action Plan to address areas of concern contained in the review.

more

A contest that’s bad to the bone!

The Calgary Zoo’s Dinosaurs Alive exhibit has been thrilling visitors since opening in February. Now, the Calgary Zoo, in partnership with the Royal Tyrrell Museum and Dinosaur Provincial Park, want to expand your dinosaur experience! Check out the recently unveiled Tyrannosaurus rex dig site playground at the Zoo, OR the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s newest exhibit Alberta Unearthed.

read release

Kinsmen ZooVenture Playground will Reopen on Tuesday May 4th.

Our Creatures of the Night Exhibit has delighted our visitors for over 31 years, featuring exotic nocturnal and Australian species in the dark ambience that people have found mysterious and alluring. Now, we have had to make a decision to close this old enclosure and look forward to new exciting projects ahead. After careful examination, this aging building is nearing the end of its life expectancy, with significant deterioration occurring to the flooring and the heating and ventilation systems. To put the funds towards restoration does not make sense in this case and would divert money from other pressing plans for newer infrastructure. We are currently working diligently on a plan to re-house our animal inhabitants. Stay tuned...just around the corner - penguins of the Antarctic Landing in 2012!

Early on April 1, Red River hog mom Mvula (6 years old) gave birth to her second litter of absolutely adorable little hoglets! Mvula and her three babies are now ready to come out to play after spending time bonding in their offdisplay nursery over the past two weeks. Read more.

When: Saturday, April 10, 2010, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Where: Calgary Zoo (North entrance).
Why: To celebrate National Wildlife Week, to commemorate International Year of Biodiversity and to award the zoo’s Centre for Conservation Research with additional funding from CWF’s new Endangered Species Program.
Read more.

Two orphaned cougars have arrived today at the Calgary Zoo from the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in Smithers, B.C. The young male and female siblings were born in early 2009 in the Powell River area and arrived at the B.C. sanctuary on June 5, 2009 where they have spent the last 9 months. They were estimated to be 5 months old at the time they were orphaned so are about 14 months old now. Read more.

Mar 8, 2010

Silver Spring, MD – As clocks 'spring forward' on March 14, 2010, take the opportunity to learn more about the amphibians in your own community through FrogWatch USA, the flagship citizen science program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums(AZA). Read more here

There’s a new roar being heard at the Calgary Zoo
Four hundred thirty pounds of handsome male tiger has arrived from the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Bronx Zoo in New York as part of the Siberian or Amur tiger Species Survival Plan (SSP). This impressive male tiger Baikal (pronounced bay-kal), named after the deepest and oldest freshwater lake in Russia, is destined to eventually mate with resident female tiger Katja, born April 20, 2000 at the Calgary Zoo. Click here to read more.

2010 International Elephant Foundation Grants Backed by Zoo Donations

Silver Spring, MD (January 6, 2010) – The International Elephant Foundation (IEF) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) today announced their support for 16 elephant conservation projects for 2010
Read News Release

After being extinct in Canada for more than 75 years, black-footed ferrets have been reintroduced to the Canadian prairie. Grasslands National Park in Saskatchewan was chosen for the release because it is native habitat for black-tailed prairie dogs, the ferrets' main prey species. Read the press release here.

See photos of the Black Footed Ferret in the wild at night. here

Watch video of the release and learn about the Black Footed Ferret here

Prehistoric Park will be closed until February 2010 to prepare for something BIG!!
We apologize for any inconvenience.

Officials from the Calgary Zoo and ENMAX Corporation, sponsors for the ENMAX Conservatory, along with representatives from civic and provincial governments proudly participated today in the opening of this exciting new facility at the Calgary Zoo. The Honourable Cindy Ady, Minister of Tourism, brought greetings from the provincial government to one of the province’s top tourist attractions, and Mayor David Bronconnier spoke on behalf of The City of Calgary about this new and exciting addition to the city’s landscape.

To read the news release, click here.

When a species comes to the brink of extinction, it takes the dedicated and combined effort of many individuals and institutions to rescue it. In total, 65 Vancouver Island marmot pups were born this year at four partnering facilities across Canada including the Calgary Zoo, the Toronto Zoo, Mountain View Conservation & Breeding Centre in Langley, B.C. and the Tony Barrett Mt. Washington Recovery Centre on Vancouver Island. Read the full news release here.

Prehistoric Park may have certain pathways closed for upgrade work until November 6, 2009. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience.

Red panda cub born at the zoo. Read the press release here .

With the launch of Alberta Seniors' Week, this is a great time to introduce many of our zoo seniors and talk about how we care for them.

Read more here

Four Western Lowland gorillas to join the Calgary Troop

Four Western Lowland gorillas have arrived in Calgary from the Bronx Zoo in New York City. The “Bronx Four” includes two boys – Shana and Zola, both six years of age, and two girls – Dossi and Kioja, both 8 years old. Their move to Calgary comes as a result of a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Species Survival Plan for Western Lowland gorillas. Read release...

Click here to view photos and a video...

To Australia With Love Grand Prize winners are Frank Ostrowski and Tanis Whitwell. Runner-ups are Karin Gonsalves and Yvonne Mechalchuk.
(to see the Calgary Herald announcement, click here )

The lucky winner of the Golden Easter Egg Contest is Lawrence Wong of Calgary.

Congratulations to all our winners and thanks to our sponsors:
Downunder Travel
Qantas Airways
Calgary Herald
Energy 101.5 FM
Stella Hospitality
Calgary Hotel Association

The Calgary Zoo and the Calgary Humane Society have partnered to help two big, beautiful Hyacinth Macaws find a life-long home at the zoo.

The Hyacinths, who may live to be more than 60 years old, will reside at the Calgary Zoo where they will receive the best of care by avian experts. After the standard 30-day quarantine, they will become part of the zoo’s Education Department and ambassadors for their species in the important work of educating the community about exotic birds.

Many people have asked how they can help the research into EEHV.  Donations to the Calgary Zoo’s conservation fund help in conservation work in our own backyard and in many parts of the world where the need is greatest.  Your donation to this fund will go directly toward projects we support, including the International Elephant Foundation which helps worldwide elephant conservation efforts and is working on research into the elephant herpes virus that caused Malti’s death. Call 403-232-7774 for more information on how you can make a difference.  All donations $10 or more will receive a tax creditable receipt. Charitable registration #: 118824192 RR0001

It is with great sadness that Calgary Zoo officials advise that Saturday, November 1, 2008, Malti and her caregivers lost the battle against the devastating elephant herpesvirus that had afflicted the young elephant in the week preceding her death.  A special video tribute to Malti can be viewed at Elephant Crossing, or here on the website.

Those wishing to send their condolences and thoughts to Zoo staff may email malti@calgaryzoo.ab.ca, or a designated mailbox will be set up in Elephant Crossing.

For more news, click here.

Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary Wins Two Prestigious United Nations Awards

'“Thank you Calgarians for helping the Calgary Zoo’s Conservation Outreach program reach across the world.”

CALGARY – On October 6, 2008, Calgary Zoo President Dr. Clément Lanthier and Ghanaian tribal leader, Chielinah Bandanaa, proudly attended the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, Spain to represent the Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary as one of the top 25 initiatives awarded the United Nations Equator Prize for 2008 (with a $5,000 prize). At the Congress, they were thrilled to learn that the Sanctuary was among the top five to receive an additional special recognition award from the United Nations (a further $15,000 U.S. prize).