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 very heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our beloved senior red-fronted lemur, ‘Radish’.
At the remarkable age of 32, Radish was considered very geriatric for her species. She was being closely monitored and treated for known degenerative joint disease and progressive renal disease and had received treatment for glaucoma last year. However, in late January her dedicated care team noticed she was having trouble navigating her surroundings safely and her appetite was decreasing. Given her diminishing quality of life associated with her advanced age, our Animal Care, Health & Welfare team made the difficult but compassionate decision to euthanize her on February 1, 2024.
Radish was born on March 12, 1991 at Duke Lemur Center in North Carolina. She spent much of her adult life at the Edmonton Valley Zoo with her (late) mate, ‘Red Baron’ (who passed away in 2022 at the remarkable age of 29) and their two offspring, ‘Dora’ (14 years old) and ‘Rhubarb’ (12 years old). Radish and family joined the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo family in March of 2017 when she was 25 years old. Red-fronted lemurs typically live 20-25 years in human care (or 18-19 years in the wild), so Radish was already well into her ‘golden’ years when she joined us. At nearly 33 years of age, Radish’s long and wonderful life is a testament to the exemplary care she received from her caregivers both before and during her time with us.
Radish has been described by those that loved and cared for her daily as “sweet but tough”. This special senior lemur will be deeply missed by anyone who had the privilege of working with or visiting her over the years she spent with us. Please keep our team in your thoughts during this difficult time.