Animal Viewing Impacts & Building Closures

African Savannah: Last entry to the African Savannah Building and the Savannah Loop pathway will be at 4:00 p.m. on March 22nd & March 29th to accommodate setup for Wild After Hours: Giraffes and Zebras (18+). Thank you for understanding. 

Land of Lemurs Walkthrough & Outdoor Gorilla Amphitheatre: The two outdoor animal viewing areas are closed for the season. Lemurs and gorillas will be viewable in their indoor habitats.

African Savannah Yard: Our Hartmann’s mountain zebras and ostriches are off-view  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.

Exploration Asia: The Exploration Asia Redevelopment project is officially underway! The first phase of this transformation has begun, and our Japanese Serow and Japanese Macaques have left the zoo. Thank you for your understanding.

Public Notice

Pesticide application to control the invasive species Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus) will occur within the property boundary of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo under approval from Alberta Environment and Protected Areas. For full details or information on appeals, click here.
Humboldt penguin chick

Bite-Sized

A New Beak to Peek in Penguin Plunge

July 07, 2023 | 2 minute read

There’s a new beak on the beach! We are excited to announce that a new Humboldt penguin chick has hatched!

On June 5th, first-time penguin parents ‘Inca’ and ‘Enrique’ welcomed a chick and the family has been bonding in a constructed burrow on the beach of Penguin Plunge. Humboldt penguin chicks will spend the first several months in their burrows after hatching, so our newest addition will likely stay inside the burrow until early August when it goes to meet the rest of the colony. While you may not see the chick for a while, you may hear it – it is showing off its strong lungs by calling out early in the day!

While its sex has not yet been confirmed, our Animal Care, Health & Welfare team has been closely monitoring the chick and it has aced its initial health check with an impressive weight of 855 grams. Our Humboldt penguins are part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) that will help to ensure the genetic diversity of their species. Inca and Enrique both hatched at the zoo in 2017 as part of the SSP and we are thrilled to see these longtime partners welcome their first successful chick and contribute to the future of their species for generations to come.

Humboldt penguin chick

Humboldt penguin chick

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