The zoo will close early on Friday, August 9, 2024, to accommodate setup for Wild After Hours: Corks for Conservation (18+). The last entry into the grounds will be at 3:00 p.m. and the grounds will begin to be cleared at 4:00 p.m. Thank you for understanding.
Indoor Gorilla Habitat: From July 2 until approximately the end of the month, the western lowland gorilla troop will not be viewable in their indoor African Rainforest habitat while work is done on the viewing windows. The troop will be viewable in their outdoor habitat throughout the project (weather and animal participation permitting). The rest of the African Rainforest building will remain open and accessible throughout the project. Thank you for your understanding.
African Savannah Yard: 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
Happy birthday to ‘Kito’! Our eastern black-and-white colobus monkey is 4 years old today!
The name “colobus” comes from a Greek word that means “mutilated”, because colobus monkeys have very unusual thumbs. Where other monkey species have thumbs, colobus monkeys only have a small bump and the remaining nail. This adaptation gives colobus monkeys an amazing advantage in using their long fingers like hooks to swing through the forest canopy in which they live! While their forest home has plenty of food, it’s low in nutrition, so colobus monkeys have multi-chambered stomachs that allow food to ferment and extract as many nutrients and calories as possible. Isn’t nature amazing?
Swing on over to the African Rainforest building to wish Kito a happy birthday!
Eastern black-and-white colobus monkey ‘Kito’
