Saying Goodbye to ‘Odin’
Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is always difficult, but it is especially so when they have been a member of our zoo family for a long time.…
Read MoreAs of August 26th, the City of Calgary has resumed Stage 4 Outdoor Water Restrictions while they complete urgent repairs to the Bearspaw South Feeder Main. We will continue to adjust our daily operations to ensure compliance with the restrictions that are in place, while ensuring the safety, health, and well-being of the animals we love and care for.
We are taking the following steps to limit the use of city water:
Kinsmen Zooventure Playground, September 3-5: The Kinsmen Zooventure Playground in Destination Africa will be closed from Tuesday, September 3rd, through to Thursday, September 5th, to accommodate maintenance and resurfacing work.
Brawn Family Foundation River Lodge, September 6: The Brawn Family Foundation River Lodge will close to the public (members and day admission) at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, September 6th, to accommodate a private event.
Gateway to Asia, September 11: Gateway to Asia will open to the public (members and day admission) at 12:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 11th, to accommodate a private event.
Zoo Closure, September 19: The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will be closed to the public (members and day admission) on Thursday, September 19th, 2024, while we host the final event of the 2024 AZA Annual Conference.
Zoo Closure, September 26: The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will close at 3 p.m. on Thursday, September 26th for a private staff and volunteer celebration. The last entry for members and day admission will be 3 p.m. The zoo grounds will be cleared by 4 p.m.
Thank you for your understanding!
African Savannah Yard: Our Hartmann’s mountain zebras and ostriches will be off-view until the end of the year while we complete exciting upgrades in the African Savannah Yard, including the construction of a new Savannah Barn for the animals. Our giraffe tower will continue to be viewable throughout the project.
Thank you for your understanding.
Bite-Sized
It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the unexpected passing of our beloved 12-year-old slender-tailed meerkat, ‘Kruger’.
Kruger was born at the London Zoo, UK in August 2011 where he spent his first year before becoming part of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo family in November 2012. During his time with us, Kruger was a ‘conservation superstar” having successfully sired an incredible 17 pups in four litters, between 2014-2015, as part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP). A necropsy revealed that heart failure due to cardiac disease was the cause of his sudden death.
The median life expectancy for his species is 9.8 years under human care (versus an average of 6-8 years in the wild). At 12-years of age, Kruger lived a long and wonderful life with us – a testament to the exemplary care he received from his dedicated caregivers.
Saying goodbye to the animals we love and care for is never easy, but it is especially hard when the loss is unexpected. We know that our community will be as saddened by this news as we are. Please keep our Animal Care, Health & Welfare team in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Photo: unidentified individuals.