Adjusted Hours and Impacts

Early Zoo Closure: Last entry to the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo will be at 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 5th, to accommodate set up for our Zoo Brew (18+) event. Last entry to Destination Africa will be at 3:30 p.m. and the zone will be closed by 4:30 p.m. The remainder of zoo grounds will be cleared by 5:30 p.m. Thank you for your understanding.

North American Porcupine: Our female North American porcupine ‘Nettles’ is temporarily not viewable during routine habitat maintenance. Thank you for your understanding.

Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary: The Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary is temporarily closed. Thank you for your understanding.

Avian Influenza Protocols: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza within 200 kilometres of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

The health and well-being of the animals in our care remains our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re proactively implementing the following measures to protect our avian species:

Penguin Plunge and the Rainforest Aviary have foot baths at entrances for guests to use
The Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary is closed until further notice
Birds will continue to have outdoor access where appropriate and weather permitting

Our dedicated Animal Care, Health & Welfare team will continue to monitor the situation and prioritize the health and well-being of the animals in our care. Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work to keep the animals we all care about safe.

Animal Viewing Impacts:

PETRONAS Gateway to Asia Malayan Tapir Viewing: ‘Sempurna’ and her female calf ‘Nyawa’ have daily access to either the main indoor habitat or the outdoor habitat from 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. They’ll also have access to their behind-the-scenes space and may choose to spend time there, 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, 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.

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

Welcoming a Baa-ndle of Joy

February 03, 2026 | 1 minute read

Get ready to meet our new baa-ndle of joy!

In December 2025, we welcomed an orphaned male Rocky Mountain bighorn lamb to our zoo family.

‘Chauncey’ is roughly eight months old and came to us from the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship.

He completed his quarantine at our offsite Archibald Biodiversity Centre (ABC) and will remain there temporarily until he joins the rest of the herd at the zoo in late February or early March.

To keep him company during his temporary stay at the ABC, Chauncey was joined by a familiar zoo resident, fellow Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep ‘June’, who is providing some companionship.

Chauncey has settled in well! His dedicated care givers have shared that although he tends to stick close to June, he confidently explores his surroundings and examines every bit of enrichment with curiosity.

Stay tuned for updates on when these baa-utiful sheep join our herd in Wild Canada!

Welcoming a Baa-ndle of Joy

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