Zoo Hatches Rare Sulawesi Forest Turtle – Score another breeding victory for Denver Zoo zookeepers! On January 24 they welcomed the first successful hatching of a Sulawesi forest turtle in an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoo. The achievement was a purposeful one as zookeepers experimented with the amount of space and vegetation cover to give the sometimes temperamental and shy parents for breeding. Not much is known about the species as they were only first discovered in 1995. As their name indicates, they are endemic to the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia, preferring to live in rocky, heavily vegetated forests near rivers and swamps. They can grow to about a foot long and are omnivorous. The species is classified as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) mainly due to habitat loss. The hatchling will remain behind-the-scenes in Tropical Discovery for the near future as zookeepers monitor its progress.
Zoo Staff Sorts Trash for Toyota Elephant Passage – Denver Zoo staff is getting in the habit of sorting our trash to eventually fuel Toyota Elephant Passage’s gasifier. The waste-to-energy gasification system will take 90% of the zoo’s trash and, along with animal waste, convert it into electricity and heat to power the exhibit. For three weeks all employees have been asked to separate out all materials that can be gasified; such as paper, plastic and food from materials such as metal or glass or items that can’t be recycled or gasified. This test will help us determine what waste to expect and in what quantities once the gasifier is operational. Learn more about this technology here.
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Bundle Up for Polar Bears – Did you know you could help protect polar bear habitat by turning down the thermostat? Join us in celebrating International Polar Bear Day on February 27 by turning down the temperature in your home by two degrees. Reducing our carbon footprint can slow and even reverse global warming which causes sea ice to melt. Polar bears require sea ice for reaching their prey. Without sea ice, polar bears can't survive. So show your support by bundling up! Last year, Denver Zoo was declared an Arctic Ambassador Center by Polar Bears International (PBI). The goal of this partnership is to create stewardship opportunities and foster conservation actions that will increase public awareness of, and engage action towards, reducing CO2 to help save polar bear habitat. Learn more International Polar Bear Day here.
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Animal Families Family Bunk – Stay overnight at the zoo and learn about animal families…as a family! Sign your herd up for our special Animal Families Family Bunk with the Beasts program on Saturday, March 31 from 6 p.m. to 10 a.m. Together you'll learn things like which animal baby learns to walk just minutes after it is born or which proud papa keeps his babies safe and sound – inside his mouth! Bunk with the Beasts is an overnight learning adventure at Denver Zoo, designed to encourage bonding time, shared projects and special zoo experiences to create memories that will last a lifetime. Come experience the wonder! Learn more and sign up for your overnight adventure here.
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Inquire About Our New Teacher Workshop – Teachers: Use Toyota Elephant Passage to inspire inquiry in your students. We'll be hosting an all-day teacher workshop on Saturday, March 17 where teachers will learn ways to inspire their students to be young scientists by connecting them to the animals and people in Asian tropical ecosystems. Use inquiry-based tools and collect data to research testable questions on zoo grounds and then discuss what it means to save wildlife by helping people. Programming based on Colorado state academic standards. All workshop participants receive graduate-level re-licensure credit through the Colorado School of Mines. Register now!
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