Welcome, Hiiro
What’s better than a celebrity couple? A royal couple! We’re thrilled to welcome our female red-crowned crane ‘Ruby’ back to zoo grounds along with her new habitat-mate, male ‘Hiiro’. In August, Ruby…
Read MoreThe African Rainforest building will open at 11:30 a.m. on October 24th due to scheduled maintenance.
The Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary: The habitat is temporarily closed to visitors. Why the closure? Our great grey owls, especially the younger members of our parliament, are displaying protective behaviours of their nests and territory. To support their natural behaviors and prioritize safety for both our birds and visitors, we’re taking a proactive step by temporarily closing the habitat. Thank you for your understanding.
Land of Lemurs Walkthrough & Outdoor Gorilla Amphitheatre: The two outdoor animal viewing areas will close for the season beginning on October 15. Lemurs and gorillas will be viewable in their indoor habitats.
PETRONAS Gateway to Asia: The building will have adjusted viewing from September 23 until mid-November while we complete mechanical upgrades to the Malayan tapir habitat. Komodo dragons will remain viewable indoors. Malayan tapirs and red-crowned cranes will be viewable in their outdoor habitats (weather permitting). White-handed gibbons will not be viewable for the duration of the project.
African Savannah Yard: Our 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
It’s with heavy hearts that we share the passing of one of the zoo’s most colourful residents – male panther chameleon ‘Neo’.
Last month we shared that Neo had been receiving medications and laser therapy for arthritis and muscle weakness that was affecting his grip strength. Chameleons are usually expert climbers, but due to his weakness Neo’s care team implemented modifications to his habitat to help him more easily navigate his surroundings, including a multi-level structure with interconnected branches, palm fronds, and other items to give him more options. Unfortunately, his strength and health continued to decline, and it became unsafe for him to remain in his habitat even with all of the modifications. Based on his declining health and welfare, the compassionate decision was made to euthanize him.
While wild panther chameleons only live 2-3 years, the maximal life expectancy for panther chameleons under human care is approximately 5.2 years. At over 5 years old, Neo was considered geriatric for his species. He hatched on Christmas Day in 2017 and joined the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo family shortly after in 2018. Neo gained a new habitat mate last year – one-year-old female ‘Makira’.
Whether it’s through specialized treatments, dietary adjustments, or innovative habitat designs, the Animal Care, Health & Welfare team, supported by teams across the zoo, provides the best possible care through every stage of life for the species that call the zoo home. Neo’s age and the quality of care he received throughout his time with us are a testament to this. Please keep his care team in your thoughts during this difficult time.