Animal Care

To encourage our animals to express their natural behaviors, we provide novel experiences and enrichment. This allows animals to utilize their natural abilities and behaviors to interact with their surroundings. By observing how animals behave in their natural habitats, we can recreate similar situations at the Zoo. Whether it’s stalking and chasing prey, burrowing underground to hide, or foraging for food, each behavior is considered when designing enrichment activities.

We use a goal-based approach to enrichment, setting daily behavioral objectives tailored to encourage specific behaviors. For example, DeBrazza’s monkeys are known for foraging in trees. To encourage this behavior, we place puzzle feeders in the trees and hang them from vines, requiring the monkeys to manipulate them. This mimics the searching, problem-solving, and food-processing behaviors exhibited by their wild counterparts.

Many of our animals participate in structured training programs that enhance their care, as well as their mental and physical health. Through these programs, animals can take an active role in their own healthcare in a supportive, positive environment. Some of the training achievements by our care teams include voluntary blood draws, vaccinations, physical therapy, routine weigh-ins, and sample collections.

Training also plays a key role in routine husbandry. For example, birds are trained to fly to a station, allowing keepers to visually inspect them and ensure they are in good health.

We use positive reinforcement techniques in all of our training, rewarding animals with tasty treats to make the experience enjoyable for both them and us. During sessions, we carefully observe the animals to ensure they are comfortable and willing to continue. We always let them decide when they want to participate.

Our dedicated team of highly trained animal care professionals provides the highest level of care to ensure our animals are thriving. Our zookeepers are exceptional at what they do, and the well-being of our animals is a testament to their hard work.

The zoo field is constantly evolving, and to stay up to date with the latest care techniques and discoveries, we support our team’s professional development through classes and workshops.

Our care team does much more than feed the animals and clean their habitats. They maintain detailed animal records, develop training, management, and behavioral plans, perform exhibit maintenance, and engage in educational encounters with our guests. They truly are jacks of all trades!

Our highly skilled veterinary team consists of full-time veterinarians and veterinary technicians. They provide comprehensive medical care for all of the animals at the zoo, from preventative health screenings to diagnostics and treatments. Their expertise is vital to ensuring the health and well-being of every animal in our care.

Animal diets are carefully curated to meet both the nutritional and psychological needs of each species. Every animal has its own dietary requirements, which can change based on life stage and season. Our commissary provides fresh meals to the animal areas daily, and we’re always sourcing high-quality ingredients, often from distributors who supply produce to local restaurants. Across both zoos, we use over 160,000 pounds of produce each week!

Each species has unique needs based on their natural habitat, including the climate, landscape, and behaviors they would naturally express. These factors guide how we design and maintain our animals' homes. For example, providing plenty of vines and branches for climbers or soil for burrowers is just part of the process.

From complex life support systems for aquatic species to artificial trees with hidden enrichment compartments, hammocks, and misters for our gorillas, we ensure that every habitat is both comfortable and engaging, tailored to the needs of the animals who live there.