Adjusted Hours and Impacts

African Rainforest Building: The African Rainforest Building will open at 11 a.m. from Tuesday, December 16th to Thursday, December 18th, to give our western lowland gorilla troop the space, comfort, and privacy they need as they meet their newest member, ‘Johari’.

Savannah Plain: Savannah Plains will be undergoing habitat maintenance on Friday, December 19^th. Viewing of our Hartmann’s mountain zebras, East African grey crowned cranes, and our southern ostriches will vary depending on which species is given dayroom access in the Savannah Crossing building.

Seasonal Closures

Gorilla Amphitheatre: The Gorilla Amphitheatre is closed for the season from October 15th, 2025. Our gorilla troop remains viewable in their indoor habitat.

Prehistoric Park: Prehistoric Park is closed for the season from October 27th, 2025, pending favorable weather conditions.

Animal Viewing Impacts:

PETRONAS Gateway to Asia Malayan Tapir Viewing: ‘Sempurna’ and her calf will have daily access to the main indoor habitat from 10:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m. They’ll also have access to their behind-the-scenes space and may choose to spend time there, especially when the calf is nursing, so viewing isn’t always guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding.

Exploration Asia
The Exploration Asia Redevelopment project is officially underway! While there are some viewing impacts in the area, you can still visit many of your favourite species.

Species Viewable: Bactrian camels, Komodo dragons, white-handed gibbons, Malayan tapirs, red-crowned cranes, Turkmenian markhors, Amur tigers, wild boar, and Pallas’s cats.
Species Not Viewable: Snow leopards and red pandas have been relocated during construction, but don’t worry – these beloved species will be back in 2026. Our peacocks and Dalmatian pelicans are currently spending time in their winter holding space.

West Gate Closure

Due to significant construction activities in and around Exploration Asia, the zoo’s West Gate will remain closed for the 2025 season and is expected to remain closed until at least 2028/2029. This necessary step supports the safe movement of visitors while we undertake exciting improvements to animal habitats and visitor experiences.

Bite-Sized

Grieving Two Great Grey Owls

October 09, 2025 | 1 minute read

On September 15, we faced the heartbreaking loss of two of our great grey owls, ‘Catelyn’ and ‘Arya’. Catelyn, a senior bird who hatched in the wild, had been with us since 1997, while Arya, hatched here in 2013, was just 12 years old. Both passed away suddenly from West Nile virus despite dedicated care and supportive treatments from our Animal Care, Health & Welfare (ACHW) team.

Great grey owls are highly sensitive to this virus, and even with their annual vaccinations, it can sometimes overwhelm healthy individuals. As a precaution, our ACHW team re-vaccinated and tested all remaining owls in the Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary, with reassuring negative results.

Catelyn and Arya were cherished ambassadors for their species, and their calm, captivating presence touched the hearts of staff, volunteers, and guests alike. They will be fondly remembered and deeply missed by all.

Grieving Two Great Grey Owls

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