Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden

🎉We did it! 🎉 It's with great pride that we announce the Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden reaccreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)! Being an accredited zoo means that we have met or surpassed the AZA's rigorous standards for animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, education and safety. The OKC Zoo has been continuously accredited since 1981 and our entire Zoo team holds itself to the highest standards in caring for our animal family and our guests! By supporting the OKC Zoo, you can visit with confidence knowing that your visit makes a direct impact on the wildlife and wild places surrounding us in Oklahoma and throughout the world! #okczoo #weareaza #conservation #animalcare 📷: Dr. Jennifer D. Photo Crew Andrea

🦋NATURE EXPLORERS PRESCHOOL IS NOW ENROLLING!🦋 Nature Explorers Preschool at the OKC Zoo is the place for your kiddo to enjoy the outdoors in a new way all while learning about their place and impact on this planet! Kids ages 3-5 will get the unique experience of the entire Zoo as their classroom 🐯 Enroll your child today before space runs out - okczoo.org/preschool

1,107,995 is the number of amazing guests we welcomed to the Zoo during our Fiscal Year and of course we have to thank YOU! From July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024, we were able to connect over one million guests to wildlife and wild places, making this a record attendance for the OKC Zoo. “This has been a huge year for the Oklahoma City Zoo in many ways and it’s gratifying to know we’ve welcomed a record number of visitors who support our mission to connect Oklahomans with wildlife and wild places,” said Dr. Dwight Lawson, executive director/CEO for the OKC Zoo. “We hope to see even more records set as we continue to implement more upgrades and construct new facilities in the years to come.” Read more - https://bit.ly/3SneKKe 📷: Dr. Jennifer D, Photo Crew Zechariah

We’ve got some GIANT news! We are ecstatic to share that we recently welcomed five Volcán Alcedo giant tortoise hatchlings to our OKC Zoo animal family! This is an exciting birth because OKC Zoo is the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo in the nation to breed this species of Galápagos tortoises and our male tortoise, Max’s first ever hatchlings. The Zoo cares for four adult Volcán Alcedo giant tortoises ranging from 80 to 120 years old—females, Miss B, Isabela (Isa for short), and Ellie and male Max—ensuring the new hatchlings are from the same subspecies. The Zoo also participates in the AZA’s Species Survival Plan® program for giant tortoises which made the recommendation for Max to breed with the females. These little ones still have lots of growing to do and we won’t know the sexes of them until they’re quite a bit older. While they won’t live in the Children’s Zoo with the Zoo’s adult tortoises, guests can now see them inside the Herpetarium! We are very excited to care for these little ones and watch them grow with us! Head to the Herpetarium, open daily, to catch a glimpse of the newest members of the OKC Zoo animal family!

Enrollment is now open for OKC Zoo’s Nature Explorers Preschool 🦋   We are thrilled to share that the Zoo has a brand-new preschool center to bring education and nature together for young conservationists! Nature Explorers Preschool offers children ages 3 to 5 a supportive, safe learning environment that encourages discovery, creativity, and connection through play in and with nature. Program curriculum provides outdoor and nature-based activities that encourage children to make discoveries about the Zoo’s plants and animals. Children will have daily zoo explorations, interactions with special animal ambassadors, and participate in special events.   The school year begins Monday, August 12, 2024 and runs Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Enrollment is limited. Learn more about Nature Explorers Preschool at okczoo.org/preschool or attend an Open House event where you’ll meet some of the Nature Explorers teachers and tour the new center! No reservations needed. Open House events: Wed., July 10, from 6-7:30 p.m., Thurs., July 18, from 6-7:30 p.m., and Sat., July 27, from 8:30-10 a.m. 

Say hello to Herman, Lou, Hugo, Pascal and Henri! 🦁 On Tuesday, July 2, these little brothers got their first wellness exam which included weighing the cubs, administering their first vaccinations, and overall making sure they're healthy and happy! Our vet teams and caretakers share that all five cubs are healthy and continuing to bond with mom, Dunia. Herman and Lou were named after OKC community philanthropists and OKC Zoo supporters Herman Meinders and Lou Kerr. Hugo, Pascal and Henri were chosen by our carnivore care team who are dedicated to the care and training of not only our lions but all of the Zoo's carnivores. All cubs are weighing in between 14 and 16 pounds and beginning to move around more, becoming more adventurous under the watchful eye of mom. Our teams next steps and milestones they're watching for include the cubs exploring more outside of their den, eating solid foods and becoming a little more independent. Stay tuned for more "CUB"dates on Herman, Lou, Hugo, Pascal and Henri!

These little lion cubs are officially one month old! On May 20, we celebrated the arrival of a litter of five lion cubs to Dunia, the Zoo's 9-year-old lioness. Dunia and her cubs are continuing to do well behind-the-scenes! Caretakers share that the litter of five are thriving, nursing regularly, and becoming more active and playful with each other. We're very excited to share that all five of the cubs are boys! 🦁💙 In the next few weeks, the cubs will be receiving their first wellness exam, and our expert vet team will be getting weights on the cubs, administering vaccinations and more! Stay tuned to our social channels for more CUB-dates about these cuties!

Bring your group to the Zoo for a volunteering opportunity that is fun and outdoors! We are in need of groups ranging from 5-30 individuals to assist with various gardening projects. Volunteering at the Zoo is a great opportunity for organizations or school groups to earn volunteer hours while enjoying the Zoo! 🌱 With the warm spring weather, our plants are growing at a remarkable rate and we could use extra hands to help maintain our beautiful botanicals! flowerbeds and give them some TLC. Tasks will include weeding and other gardening activities as needed. 🌷 🌺 Volunteering Details: 🌿Dates Needed: Now through Wednesday, July 31, 2024 ⌚Shifts Available: 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 📅Days Available: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays 🏵️Participant Requirements: Ages 16 📝Completion of the OKC Zoo volunteer waiver, which will be provided after registration. As a token of our appreciation, each volunteer will receive a ticket to revisit the Zoo as a guest! This is a fantastic opportunity to contribute to the community, enjoy the outdoors, and support the upkeep of our beloved Zoo.💚 If your group is interested in participating, please complete the registration form linked here, or on our website at https://lnkd.in/gAvDWfNW.

Meet the OKC Zoo's summer Interns! 😎 We are roaring with excitement to introduce our newest team members, summer interns – Jacob, Trotter, Marlo, Megan, Miriam, Larry, and Erika!

If you're interested in a summer full of unique experiences, conservation and excitement, then the OKC Zoo Summer Internship program is for you! We are hiring for 2024 Summer Internships to join unique teams throughout the Zoo including #BehavioralHusbandry, #AnimalCare, #IT, #DigitalMedia and #Education. These paid internships will offer 12 weeks of immersed learning, hands-on experiences and dedicated career advice. To learn more or to apply for one of our internships, head to okczoo.org/careers and start your Zoo journey today! 🦁🐢🦋 📷: Tom A.