Prairie Dog Day at Denver Zoo
Sunday, February 1
11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Activities free with admission
Celebrate Ground Hog’s Day with Denver Zoo and Punxsutawney Phil’s distant cousin the prairie dog for a local twist on the holiday. Join in the celebration by discovering how prairie wildlife rely on prairie dogs for survival, how and why we should protect these intriguing creatures and even get nose to whisker with Denver Zoo’s resident prairie dogs and other prairie wildlife.
Activities Include:
- Education Station: Little Habitat on the Prairie
11 a.m. - 3 p.m
Discover how prairie dogs make the prairie their home.
- Animal Demonstrations
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Get nose to snout with Denver Zoo’s resident animals and learn about each role these prairie species serve within their ecosystem.
- Native American Dancers
11:10 a.m., 12:10 p.m. and 2:10 p.m.
Enjoy the beats of drums and feet as Native Americans share their history in dance and song.
- Stories from the Prairie
11:40 a.m., 12:40 p.m. and 2:40 p.m.
Here about stories from the old west and how prairie animals are an intricate part of our history.
- Prairie Dog Conservation Lecture by Con Slobodchikoff
1:00 p.m.
Learn about the language of prairie dogs from Con Slobodchikoff, Professor of Biology at Northern Arizona University. Prairie dogs have a complex system of alarm calls that borders on language. This alarm call system represents the most sophisticated language-like system that has been described in animals, suggesting that animals might have more complex communication systems than previously believed.
Lecture is free with the price of admission, however seating is limited, so please call 303-376-6720.
 Prairie Dog Day Art Contest
Budding artists from preschool to sixth grade are invited to participate in Denver Zoo’s Prairie Dog Art Contest. Each student will get a free children’s ticket to Prairie Dog Day and the chance to win a behind the scenes tour!
Working in cooperation with Prairie Dog Coalition and WildEarth Guardians, Denver Zoo is hosting this art contest to encourage children to learn more about prairie dogs, a threatened keystone species that, unfortunately, has seen tremendous decline.
All art entries will be on display as part of a Prairie Dog Day celebration scheduled for February 1 at Denver Zoo. Enter the art contest - download the entry form!
Deadline to enter is January 23.
Learn more about prairie conservation and other Denver Zoo conservation efforts.
In partnership with:
 
Dig Deeper! Learn More! With Denver Zoo educations programs focused on prairie dogs and their prairie habitat.
Tot Trekkers
2 - 3 year olds with adult
Play-based activities, animal visits, age-appropriate crafts and fun stories make this a special time for tots and parents to learn about their favorite Denver Zoo animals. Classes are open to 2-3 year olds with adults only. Please consider our Family Book Club offerings for classes where toddlers and infants can attend together.
Can You Dig It?
Meet our precocious prairie dogs – Digger, Dozer and Daisy – and find out why they love to dig, dig, dig! That’s what prairie dogs do, can you?
Monday, January 26 10-11 am
Tuesday, January 27 10-11 am
Wednesday, January 28 10-11 am
Thursday, January 29 10-11 am
Friday, January 30 10-11 am
Saturday, January 31 10-11 am
Advance registration is required. Download the registration form (20k PDF) or New! Register online for this program.
Can’t make it to Prairie Dog Day 2009 at Denver Zoo? Let us bring the zoo to you with Denver Zoo’s Outreach Programs! Learn More!
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