Denver Zoo Denver Zoo News 2025

[Smaggledagle]

Piece of June 2025 News Not Mentioned:

Arrival of 3.0 Desert Bighorns.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "We’re excited to welcome three desert bighorn rams to East Sheep Mountain! They arrived in late May and are settling in nicely to their new home. Desert bighorn sheep are a new species for DZCA, and we’re honored to now care for two of the three subspecies of bighorn sheep. These rams are getting comfortable in their habitat and beginning to bond with their Animal Care team. We’ll share their names as soon as they’re decided! Once widespread across the Southwestern U.S., desert bighorn populations declined due to habitat loss and disease. But thanks to ongoing conservation efforts, they’re making a comeback. DZCA is proud to partner with the Navajo Nation and other conservation organizations around the state to help study and protect these iconic animals in the wild. In 2021, our Colorado Field Conservation team helped launch a new project to study these unique animals and help combat a pneumonia outbreak threatening wild herds. These new arrivals are a special addition to our animal family and a great connection to the conservation work we participate in across Colorado. Be sure to stop by and say hello on your next visit! : Volunteer Photographer Jo Ashton"

On June 27th, the zoo announced they named the bighorn sheep Dune, Mojave, and Zion, respectively.

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Spoiler: Captive Release + Domestic News

On July 14th, the zoo announced they helped release 300+ boreal toadlets into the wild.

Hope for Colorado’s Endangered Amphibian - Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On July 16th, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) Abyssinian guinea pig named Moira, a (0.1) Teddy Bear guinea pig named Stevie, and a Smooth guinea pig named Twyla from Humane Colorado in Colorado (duh), which are now ambassador animals.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

For the first time in Denver Zoo, an African Pancake Tortoise has hatched.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "We have an adorable new addition to shell-brate; the first-ever African pancake tortoise that hatched at DZCA! Last December, our Animal Ambassador team found a perfect little egg in our pancake tortoise habitat. They carefully transported it to Tropical Discovery were our Animal Care Specialists there incubated it for the last six months. Then, on Friday, May 23, there was a successful hatching of a female tortoise! She might be tiny for now, but her role in conservation is huge. Pancake tortoises are Critically Endangered, and this marks the first successful breeding and hatching at DZCA. DZCA is also home to four other pancake tortoises including her mom Waffles and three males named Short-Stack, Denny, and Flapjack. They all live behind the scenes with our other Animal Ambassadors and guests may see them at Ambassadors Carts throughout the summer! In the meantime, say hi to our newest arrival in this Baby Bulletin, presented by @intermountain."

On July 11th, the zoo announced they named the tortoise Maple.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On July 15th, the zoo announced that a (0.1) eastern bongo was born on July 5th, which is now on exhibit.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Last week a seven-year-old female African Wild Dog named Peanut arrived from Honolulu. She has already been introduced to their three males and mating has been observed- reported on their FB page.

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The zoo seems to be moving forward with a Latin America exhibit featuring capybaras.
Denver Zoo has capybara dreams for its closed section — and lots of competition for funding

 

[StoppableSan]

The zoo seems to be moving forward with a Latin America exhibit featuring capybaras.
Denver Zoo has capybara dreams for its closed section — and lots of competition for funding

Not just capybaras - jaguars, caiman and alpaca according to that article, alongside tamarins and scarlet ibis in the rendering.

 

[pachyderm pro]

The zoo seems to be moving forward with a Latin America exhibit featuring capybaras.
Denver Zoo has capybara dreams for its closed section — and lots of competition for funding

The "wade with capybaras" concept is certainly novel. Hoping this pans out eventually.

 

[Haliaeetus]

2 Colorado Bighorn lambs are born.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "Just in time for #CelebrateColorado, we’ve welcomed two new Rocky Mountain bighorn lambs to West Sheep Mountain! Amber and Violet, both first-time moms, gave birth just days apart earlier this month. As Colorado’s state animal, we’re especially excited to celebrate these special arrivals! Both babies are doing well! Violet’s lamb is thriving on the mountain with the herd, and while Amber’s lamb needed a little extra support from our dedicated Animal Care and Health teams after a challenging start, she’s doing much better now. Thanks to their expert care, she’s now healthy, happy, gaining strength, and will soon rejoin the her herd! Be sure to visit West Sheep Mountain on your next trip to the Zoo to meet these adorable new additions and stay tuned for more updates on Amber’s lamb’s journey! Baby Bulletin presented by @intermountain. : Animal Care Specialists Christa K. and Amanda F. and Volunteer Photographer Mark Rinker"

 

[JVM]

Common hippopotamus Mahali will be leaving the zoo for a wildlife preserve in Texas, due to the Old Pachyderms building being outdated and water conservation goals. He has lived at the zoo since he was born in 2002. The zoo has been planning to phase out the species for some time and has no plans to bring back "Nile hippo or similar harge hippo" in the future.

Big Moves for Mahali

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

Common hippopotamus Mahali will be leaving the zoo for a wildlife preserve in Texas, due to the Old Pachyderms building being outdated and water conservation goals. He has lived at the zoo since he was born in 2002. The zoo has been planning to phase out the species for some time and has no plans to bring back "Nile hippo or similar harge hippo" in the future.

Big Moves for Mahali

It is very disappointing to me seeing yet another zoo phasing out Nile Hippos.
Denver is now the fifth zoo in the past four years in the country to phase out (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Woodland Park have phased and Sedgwick County is a pending phase-out holder).
The move does however, feel right for Mahali since he hasn't had the chance to mingle with other hippos since around 2012-13 when he was separated from his father to deal with his needs in old age, and companionship is great to see! Denver is by far the oldest hippo exhibit in the country (it opened in 1958), so it has shown its age, but Mahali's father Bertie living for about 60 years and having sired 29 offspring, has definitely helped Denver's long hippo keeping (several of the calves of which he sired are still alive in the AZA and have had their own calves, so calves from Mahali aren't that necessary at this point). It is a bittersweet moment to be honest, but I am glad to see he will have a nice new home in Texas.

 

[Haliaeetus]

Piece of June 2025 News Not Mentioned:


On June 27th, the zoo announced they named the bighorn sheep Dune, Mojave, and Zion, respectively.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spoiler: Captive Release + Domestic News

On July 14th, the zoo announced they helped release 300+ boreal toadlets into the wild.

Hope for Colorado’s Endangered Amphibian - Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On July 16th, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) Abyssinian guinea pig named Moira, a (0.1) Teddy Bear guinea pig named Stevie, and a Smooth guinea pig named Twyla from Humane Colorado in Colorado (duh), which are now ambassador animals.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On July 11th, the zoo announced they named the tortoise Maple.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On July 15th, the zoo announced that a (0.1) eastern bongo was born on July 5th, which is now on exhibit.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

The baby Pancake Tortoise is now on show.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: " Big news for tiny tortoise fans! Baby Maple the pancake tortoise is now officially on view in Tropical Discovery! You can find this little cutie in the Komodo Dragon area, right between Rex the rhinoceros iguana and our FRTRP coral collection. Maple may be small, but pancake tortoises are built for survival. Their flexible shells let them wedge into narrow rock crevices to hide from predators in the wild. Be sure to swing by and say hi to our newest Tropical Discovery resident on your next visit! #PancakeTortoise #TropicalDiscovery #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether"

 

[wild boar]

It is very disappointing to me seeing yet another zoo phasing out Nile Hippos.
Denver is now the fifth zoo in the past four years in the country to phase out (San Francisco, Los Angeles, Woodland Park have phased and Sedgwick County is a pending phase-out holder).
The move does however, feel right for Mahali since he hasn't had the chance to mingle with other hippos since around 2012-13 when he was separated from his father to deal with his needs in old age, and companionship is great to see! Denver is by far the oldest hippo exhibit in the country (it opened in 1958), so it has shown its age, but Mahali's father Bertie living for about 60 years and having sired 29 offspring, has definitely helped Denver's long hippo keeping (several of the calves of which he sired are still alive in the AZA and have had their own calves, so calves from Mahali aren't that necessary at this point). It is a bittersweet moment to be honest, but I am glad to see he will have a nice new home in Texas.

Any idea where in Texas?

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

Any idea where in Texas?

I just got an email response yesterday regarding him and they responded with that they cannot share where exactly he is going and what his departure date is for safety reasons. I do have suspicion that it might be the West Texas Wildlife Preserve in Merkel since they have an elderly Nile Hippo cow living there, but that is just speculation (the article above states he will have “the companionship of an older female hippo”. Once he has settled in to his new home, the zoo will release an update and further details on him.

 

[MidwestFan]

I just got an email response yesterday regarding him and they responded with that they cannot share where exactly he is going and what his departure date is for safety reasons. I do have suspicion that it might be the West Texas Wildlife Preserve in Merkel since they have an elderly Nile Hippo cow living there, but that is just speculation (the article above states he will have “the companionship of an older female hippo”. Once he has settled in to his new home, the zoo will release an update and further details on him.

This part of the story suggests it may be where the other animals came from? If that offers any clues.

“Our partnership with the wildlife preserve has resulted in the arrival of the desert big horn sheep that we recently welcomed to Sheep Mountain, the arrival of our red-flanked duiker, Biscuit, that arrived in June 2023 and will be the future home of lesser kudu, Vinny.”

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

Nick the sea lion died while on temporary loan at Smithsonian National Zoo on August 7, before he could return to Denver.
News about California Sea Lion Nick - Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

 

[Haliaeetus]

2 Colorado Bighorn lambs are born.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "Just in time for #CelebrateColorado, we’ve welcomed two new Rocky Mountain bighorn lambs to West Sheep Mountain! Amber and Violet, both first-time moms, gave birth just days apart earlier this month. As Colorado’s state animal, we’re especially excited to celebrate these special arrivals! Both babies are doing well! Violet’s lamb is thriving on the mountain with the herd, and while Amber’s lamb needed a little extra support from our dedicated Animal Care and Health teams after a challenging start, she’s doing much better now. Thanks to their expert care, she’s now healthy, happy, gaining strength, and will soon rejoin the her herd! Be sure to visit West Sheep Mountain on your next trip to the Zoo to meet these adorable new additions and stay tuned for more updates on Amber’s lamb’s journey! Baby Bulletin presented by @intermountain. : Animal Care Specialists Christa K. and Amanda F. and Volunteer Photographer Mark Rinker"

The baby Bighorns are 1 male and 1 female.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "Our little lambs have names! Please join us in officially welcoming Vale and Sienna to our animal family. Chosen by their dedicated Animal Care and Health teams, these names honor their parents—moms Violet and Amber, and dad Canyon—as well as their natural habitat. Violet’s baby boy is Vale—a nod to a valley, a natural feature like a canyon, and a place where violets often flourish. Amber’s baby girl is Sienna, named for the earthy pigment that reflects the golden warmth of amber and the rich, grounded tones of a canyon. Be sure to stop by our Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep habitat during your next visit to DZCA to welcome our new additions!"

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

4 African Lion cubs were born to Usiko and Araali on August 13th.
https://www.9news.com/article/life/...-born/73-6dc9ff3a-39b8-41a7-9c27-c184dcdbb7c9

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The two male red necked wallabies born earlier this year were named Cherry and Boi.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: " Our two baby wallabies officially have names! Both joeys recently turned out to be boys, and now they each have names: Cherry, who has been seen participating alongside his mom in training sessions Boi (pronounced boy-yah), our youngest, whose name means “rock” in the Australian First Nations Noongar language. You can spot Cherry and Boi bouncing around with their mob in Wallaby Way. Come to Down Under to meet them! : Animal Care Specialist Kika Hoeber #Wallaby #DenverZooConservationAlliance #DownUnder #SavingWildlife Together"
(This is also my 3000th post on ZooChat!)

 

[Haliaeetus]

The baby Pancake Tortoise is now on show.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: " Big news for tiny tortoise fans! Baby Maple the pancake tortoise is now officially on view in Tropical Discovery! You can find this little cutie in the Komodo Dragon area, right between Rex the rhinoceros iguana and our FRTRP coral collection. Maple may be small, but pancake tortoises are built for survival. Their flexible shells let them wedge into narrow rock crevices to hide from predators in the wild. Be sure to swing by and say hi to our newest Tropical Discovery resident on your next visit! #PancakeTortoise #TropicalDiscovery #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether"

A 2d Pancake Tortoise has hatched on July 26th.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "What’s better than one Critically Endangered African pancake tortoise? TWO Critically Endangered African pancake tortoises! Earlier this year, we were thrilled to welcome Maple, the first pancake tortoise that hatched at DZCA. Now, a few months later, we’re excited to welcome a second pancake tortoise that hatched on July 26! This exciting arrival marks our second successful breeding of this Critically Endangered species. Alongside the new baby and Maple, DZCA is also home to their mom, Waffles, and three males—Short-Stack, Denny, and Flapjack. While our adult pancake tortoises live behind the scenes with our Animal Ambassadors, guests may spot them at Ambassador Carts throughout the summer. Due to popular demand, our two youngest tortoises have a temporary home in Tropical Discovery in our Komodo dragon area. Swing by Tropical Discovery during your next visit, but in the meantime, say hi to our newest arrival in this Baby Bulletin, presented by @intermountain"

 

[Milwaukee Man]

The Zoo is hoping to revive its long-dormant western entrance.

Denver Zoo plans to open second entrance for the first time in 20 years

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

4 African Lion cubs were born to Usiko and Araali on August 13th.
https://www.9news.com/article/life/...-born/73-6dc9ff3a-39b8-41a7-9c27-c184dcdbb7c9

It has been determined that the cubs are one boy and three girls.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: " It’s a pride party! Today we hosted a gender reveal party for our African lion cubs, and we’re thrilled to share that we have one boy and three girls. They’re growing fast, exploring, playing, and getting stronger every day. You might not catch them on the livestream as much (they’re too busy adventuring out of the den box), but in just a few weeks you’ll get to see them in person. Stay tuned for more lion cub content! #AfricanLion #LionCub #DenverZooConservationAlliance #SavingWildlifeTogether"

 

[Haliaeetus]

Another Piece of May 2025 News Not Mentioned:

On May 14th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (1.0) red-ruffed lemur named Mego to Millbrook School's Trevor-Lovejoy Zoo in New York.

Millbrook School's Trevor Zoo

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Spoiler: Captive Release News

On June 19th, the zoo announced they released a yellow-bellied marmot back into the wild after it was found inside the wheel well in one of the facility's field vehicles the day prior.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

On June 26th, the zoo announced that a Linne's two-toed sloth was born on June 19th which is now on exhibit.

Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance

The baby Sloth is a boy.
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance on Instagram: "It’s a boy! DNA testing of a hair sample confirmed that the sloth pup born on June 19 is male. Our dedicated Animal Care and Animal Health teams have been helping care for him behind the scenes, and we’re excited to share that you can now spot mom Charlotte and her baby boy in their Tropical Discovery sloth tree habitat. Photo Credit: Animal Care Specialist Erik Bowker (@webhead286)"