The
@detroitzoo
recently welcomed an orphaned grizzly bear cub from Alaska. Too young to be alone, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game placed him at the Zoo. Jebbie has moved in with the zoo's polar bear cub, Laerke, and they are BEARy good friends!
The
@KansasCityZoo
welcomed a critically endangered Bornean orangutan on May 8! Bornean orangutans are threatened by deforestation and the Zoo formed the CREATE Project to focus on habitat restoration in the rainforest of Borneo.
Read more in Connect:
This video will cure your
#SundayScaries
! The
@CheyenneMtnZoo
recently welcomed two critically endangered Amur leopard cubs - the first at the Zoo in nearly 20 years. 😍
Read more about this exciting addition to the Zoo in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
Meet the adorable northern sea otter pup rescued by the Alaska SeaLife Center! 🦦🌊 This little guy was found crying for help in Seldovia, Alaska. Learn more about the rescue efforts and other amazing wildlife news in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
On June 13, red pandas Hazel and Itsuki at
@MemphisZoo
welcomed two cubs!
Congratulations to the Zoo on their exciting additions to the red panda family. Read more AZA member news in Connect:
#ZooBorns
#MemphisZoo
#RedPanda
It looks like the cat's out of the bag!
@sandiegozoo
has announced the birth of two Amur leopard cubs. These critically endangered cubs were born as part of a breeding recommendation through AZA's Amur leopard Species Survival Plan.
Read more in Connect:
Congratulations to
@TheTorontoZoo
on the birth of three
#cheetah
cubs! The cubs were born on Jan 24 to Emarah. She has been very attentive with grooming and nursing the cubs, both of which of which are excellent signs for a first-time mother.
In March, the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary welcomed a female Sumatran rhino calf, bringing their total to eight rhinos. This calf is the grandsire of a rhino who was born at
@CincinnatiZoo
.
Read the article we shared earlier this year in Connect:
The
@VirginiaZoo
is welcoming their first-ever Malayan tapir baby! The male calf is the first offspring for a pair brought together by a breeding recommendation from AZA's Species Survival Plan. Baby tapirs are often referred to as "baby watermelons" due to their coloring.
🐾 Exciting News from Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City! 🎉 Meet Gaia, the tiny but mighty
#blackfootedcat
, now at their Small Animal Building! Just eight months old and weighing less than 3 pounds, Gaia's big eyes will melt your heart.
#SavingSpecies
🦌
@camparkzoo
's newest resident has arrived!
🍼 The zoo announced the birth of a female baby Kirk's dik-dik, making it the first time they have bred this rare species.
Read more in Connect:
#WeAreAZA
#DikDik
#KirksDikDik
Congratulations to
@RWPZoo
on the birth of a red wolf pup, the world’s most endangered canid species, as part of their red wolf breeding program! This pup is the first red wolf born at Roger Williams Park Zoo since 2005 ❤️
#RedWolf
#ZooBorns
TAIL HEART ❤️ 🐯 On May 5, Dari the Sumatran tiger gave birth to two cubs at the
@MemphisZoo
. This is the first time in more than 24 years that the Zoo has had tiger cubs! Read more about this exciting birth in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
#GoodNewsFriday
Happy
#Caturday
! 🐾 This adorable Amur leopard cub belongs to one of the rarest species of big cats in the world. Thank you, Abby Borne,
@sandiegozoo
for this incredible image. 📷 Check out more images from the 2023 Connect Photo Contest:
Did you hear the beary exciting news from
@sandiegozoo
?!
Twin
#AndeanBear
cubs were born in December to mother Alba and are now venturing out of their den.
📸: San Deigo Zoo Wildlife Alliance
🐻 Meet the two new baby sloth bears at
@zoomiami
! They mark a milestone as the first sloth bear cubs born at the zoo in 25 years. Learn more about this vulnerable species and how AZA's
#SAFE
program is working to protect them: .
#ZooBorns
#ZooBaby
For the first time in nearly a decade, the
@jacksonvillezoo
has welcomed a jaguar cub! 🐾 First-time mother Babette is displaying incredible instincts in caring for her cub.
#GoodNewsFriday
Read more about the birth in Connect:
Happy 5th birthday, Fiona! We hope you have a fun birthday party filled with your favorite treats and flips in the pool 🍉🦛 Share your Fiona photos with us and
@CincinnatiZoo
!
#TeamFiona
#FionaTurnsFive
Congratulations to AZA Certified Related Facility
@DukeLemurCenter
on the birth of Camilla, a critically endangered Coquerel’s sifaka! Born on December 25, 2021, she is the first infant of the season.
Welcome to
#GoodNewsFriday
! The
@LAZoo
recently announced the arrival of its first-ever
#tamandua
pup! Adult tamandua have 16-inch-long tongues and consume 9000 ants and termites per day! Read about other significant births in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
On
#EndangeredSpeciesDay
and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, the US Postal Service has released a special collection of Forever stamps featuring Joel Sartore
@NatGeo
Photo Ark images.
.
@ZooMontana
has announced the birth of two kits, the first wolverines to be born at the facility! Their mother, Ahmari, has created a den in a hollowed-out log and is doing a great job keeping the kits healthy.
Read more in Connect:
Fossa are are native only to the island of Madagascar, where they are the top predator. Do you know what animals the fossa is closely related to?
#TriviaTuesday
2022 Connect Photo Contest Honorable Mention:
📸: Tammy Spratt,
@sandiegozoo
Fun
#caturday
news!
@BuschGardens
has announced the arrival of Bandar, a critically endangered male Sumatra Tiger. Originally from the
@PtDefianceZoo
, Bandar is the park's first Sumatran Tiger!
Read more about Bandar and other AZA member news in Connect:
Is this lion cub at
@lincolnparkzoo
your
#MondayMood
?
Lincoln Park Zoo recently welcomed their first
#lion
cub in 20 years! Congratulations to the Zoo on this exciting birth ❤️
Meet
@NationalZoo
's cute new Andean bear cubs, Sean and Ian! They're part of a crucial conservation effort for their species. With only 20,000 remaining in the wild, breeding programs like the Species Survival Plan® are critical.🐻
Learn more in Connect:
Great work by the
@LouisvilleZoo
on the recent release of 22 black-footed ferrets into the wild in partnership with the
@USFWS
as part of the AZA SAFE black-footed ferret program.
#SavingSpecies
Paws-ome news from
@CheyenneMtnZoo
! 🐾 Meet Amur leopard cubs Basha & Mango, who were born in May. The 10-week-old cubs were named by generous Cheyenne Mountain Zoo donors.
Learn more about the cubs in Connect:
On April 27, seven Mexican wolf puppies were born at
@brookfield_zoo
. One male pup remains at the Zoo, while on May 6, the other six were placed in wild Mexican wolf dens as part of the
@USFWS
' Mexican Wolf Recovery Program.
Read more in Connect:
A maned wolf was born in January at
@dpzoo
! The pup weighed in at 6.8 oz during her wellness check this week. Maned wolves are native to South America and are critically endangered. This pup was born as a part of AZA's Species Survival Plan (SSP).
It's
#AndeanBearDay
! The AZA SAFE Andean bear's program goal is to support Andean bear conservation in key landscapes including Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia through targeted research, monitoring, and capacity-building efforts.
📸: Olivia Gravatt,
@NationalZoo
Incredible news for Sumatran rhino conservation! In March, a female calf was born at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary
@RhinosIRF
. The grandfather of this calf was born at
@CincinnatiZoo
and moved to the Sanctuary in 2007. Read more in Connect:
Happy Sunday! Visiting an AZA-accredited zoo or aquarium is proven to reduce the
#SundayScaries
😉
2022 Connect Photo Contest Honorable Mention
📸: Ron Magill,
@zoomiami
The
@RWPZoo
welcomed two red wolf pups at the end of April! 🐺
Red wolves are critically endangered, and the pups' parents were recommended to breed as part of the Red Wolf Species Survival Plan.
Read more in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
#RedWolves
Talk about a cuteness overload! ❤️
@GSOSciCenter
welcomed 2 baby bintlets on May 5, marking the first-ever bintlet birth at the center. This adorable duo's parents were a recommended paring from AZA's Species Survival Plan.
Read more in Connect:
Congratulations to
@TheTorontoZoo
on the birth of a critically endangered Sumatran
#orangutan
! In addition to conservation research, the Toronto Zoo team supports Sumatran orangutan conservation efforts in the wild to help save and protect this critically endangered species.
Congratulations to the
@SantaBarbaraZoo
on the birth of four Asian small-clawed
#otter
pups! Asian small-clawed otters are the smallest of the 13 otter species. This birth was part of AZA's Species Survival Plan Program.
#SavingSpecies
There are almost 500 AZA Species Survival Plan programs. Each one develops a breeding and transfer plan that identifies population goals and recommendations and works toward a genetically diverse, demographically robust, and biologically sound population.
Meet
@NashvilleZoo
's newest addition to their clouded leopard family! The cub, born to Niran and Ron, marks the 43rd cub born at the Zoo since 2009. That's not all! 3 more cubs have joined the family from around the country! Read more in Connect:
#ZooBorns
Hold on to your branches because the
@SacramentoZoo
has welcomed an ape-solutely adorable and critically endangered Sumatran orangutan! 🌳
Read more about the birth and other AZA-member news in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
Caretakers like Gina at the
@GeorgiaAquarium
chose their profession because of their deep love for animals. We are committed to protecting animals – in the wild and in our care. Join us in advocating for the expert care and conservation of animals:
Watch a
#BigCat
get a CAT scan! African
#lion
🦁 Tomo received a computerized axial TOMOgraphy to check up on an infection in his jaw. He’s expected to make a full recovery! Watch the full video at
💗 Happy
#InternationalWomensDay
! Did you know that female Amur
#Leopards
are solely responsible for raising their cubs, usually born in litters of 2 to 3?
🐾 Discover stories of incredible mothers in the animal kingdom in Connect: .
#SavingSpecies
#BigCats
Have a conservationist in your life who loves animals as much as this Amur tiger loves this tree? AZA's Holiday Gift Guide has you covered with wild and wonderful gift options! 🎁 Check out our guide: 📸Connect Photo Contest '09 Nancy Racine,
@ZoodeGranby
It’s time to
#MeetAZAMembers
! Head over to our Facebook and Instagram (
@zoos_aquariums
) to learn about
@phoenixzoo
’s work with as one of only six black-footed ferret breeding facilities in the world.
‼️ ATTN: All '90s and '00s babies - meet
#Zoboomafoo
's newest grandlemur!
Silas was born on January 12 at the
@DukeLemurCenter
and is pictured here with his mom, Gisela, Zoboomafoo's daughter.
@TheKrattBros
.
📸: DLC Research Scientist Lydia Greene, Ph.D.
"'They’re under incredible stress,' said Dan Ashe, chief executive of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Even when there is no money coming in, he said, 'the facility has to function at 100% to support the animals.'"
The
@AudubonNature
and
@savingcranes
are working to increase whooping crane populations in Louisiana through reintroduction programs. Whooping cranes are endangered, and there are currently only 78 in the wild in Louisiana. Read more in Connect:
It's
#GoodNewsFriday
, and we're going bananas over the birth of a western lowland gorilla at
@ZooATL
!🦍 The newborn's parents were recommended to breed by AZA's Gorilla Species Survival Plan.
Read more about the birth in Connect:
#SavingSpecies
International
#PolarBearDay
, February 27th, marks a special time of year when polar bear moms and cubs are snug in their dens. Learn more about polar bear families and how you can help protect them!
#MomsAndCubs
@PolarBears
🦁 Give a roaring welcome to Moja, whose name means "one" in Swahili. He is the first African lion born at
@FortWorthZoo
since 2015 and a symbol of hope for the decreasing African
#lion
population. Read more about baby Moja in Connect: .
#ZooBaby
#ZooBorns
We've been relish-ing in exciting news from
@houstonzoo
that 90-year-old Mr. Pickles, a radiated tortoise, is now a dad! The hatchlings Dill, Gherkin, and Jalapeño are a big deal for critically endangered radiated tortoise genetics.🥒
Read more in Connect:
Two cubs, orphaned after their mother was likely killed in an accident on Highway 280, have found refuge at
@oakzoo
.🐾 Despite being underweight and dehydrated upon their arrival, the Zoo's Veterinary Hospital team is ensuring their wellbeing. Read more:
We are "hooting" with excitement! 🦉 The
@AkronZoo
has welcomed 3 new owlets to their snowy owl family. ❄️ The trio is doing well, and zoo staff are taking a hands-off approach to let the parents, Frost and Cirrus, care for them. Read more in Connect:
We are roaring with excitement over the arrival of four adorable lion cubs at
@buffalozoo
.🦁💕 The cubs are still bonding with their mom behind the scenes until they are big and strong enough to join the rest of their pride. 🐾
Read more in Connect:
Congratulations to the
@AudubonNature
Audubon Zoo on the birth of four maned wolf puppies, a first for the zoo! Have you seen a maned wolf at an AZA-accredited facility before?
Manatees Reckless and her calf Churro were rescued by
@SeaWorld
after a boat strike. The veterinary team performed groundbreaking procedures and expect her to make a full recovery and be released back into Florida waters.
Read more AZA news in Connect:
Rare animal alert! 📣 The
@potterparkzoo
has welcomed a new female eastern bongo calf! The species is critically endangered, so each birth is a major success for the survival of the species.
#SavingSpecies
Read more about the birth in Connect:
#WorldTreeKangarooDay
was May 21, and
@woodlandparkzoo
shared an exciting announcement of two new endangered Matschie’s tree kangaroo joeys! These joeys were born in August 2022 but have recently become large enough to be visible.
Read more in Connect:
Exciting news from
@DallasZoo
- their three African lion cubs, Ilola, Tadala, and Izwi, made their first public appearance yesterday!
The cubs, born on August 17, were the first born at the zoo since 1974. Congratulations, Dallas Zoo!
📸: Dallas Zoo
Meet Elbroch and Olympia, the adorable puma cubs who are making America's first Zoo their forever home! 🐾 These brave siblings were rescued from kalama, WA, and are set to become wildlife ambassadors at
@phillyzoo
! Read more about the duo in Connect:
Meet the newest eastern black rhino at the
@clemetzoo
! Less than 750 eastern black rhinos remain in the wild. 48 individuals of this critically endangered species are located in AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums in North America.
Did you know that the fur of the arctic fox changes every year? In the winter, the fur is entirely white and their paws are sheathed in dense fur. In the summer, their coat ranges from grey to brown on the back with a slightly lighter belly.
📸:
@CincinnatiZoo
These two Gentoo penguin chicks hatched on June 7 and June 8 at
@TNAquarium
. These pictures show them at their nine days old check up versus 35 days old check up! The aquarium has now successfully hatched 24 chicks since 2009.
📸: Casey Phillips/Tennessee Aquarium
Congratulations to
@TheTorontoZoo
on the hatching of two Madagascar spider tortoises! Madagascar spider tortoises are listed as critically endangered and are threatened by habitat loss and the pet trade.
#SavingSpecies
📸: Toronto Zoo
It's a heartwarming
#GoodNewsFridat
with
@WildlifeSafari
! Answering an urgent call from
@metrorhmdzoo
, they welcomed a cheetah cub in need of a new home. Lesedi and her cubs at the Wildlife Safari welcomed the cub with open paws. 🐾 Read more:
AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums will be flooding your feed with cuteness and fun facts! Follow the hashtag
#AnimalsToFallFor
for all the seasonal animal awesomeness.
Double trouble at the
@sdzsafaripark
! 🐯 Meet Puteri and Hutan, Sumatran tiger cubs who just made their grand debut at the Safari Park thanks to a breeding recommendation from AZA's Sumatran Tiger
#SpeciesSurvivalPlan
. 🐅 Read more in Connect:
🦌 Introducing the newest addition at
@potterparkzoo
an adorable female tufted deer fawn, born to Lucy and Dezi, contributing to the conservation of this threatened species—follow her journey & join us in protecting these cuties!
Ready more in Connect:
Double trouble at the
@sandiegozoo
! For the first time since 1993, twin Andean bear cubs have been born at the zoo. Now three months old, the cubs' arrival is a significant conservation success for the species!
Read more in Connect:
.
@NashvilleZoo
welcomed a baby binturong earlier this month! Palawan binturongs are a smaller subspecies and only grow to about 40 pounds. They are native to the island of Palawan in the Philippines. You can see the new kit on a live stream:
Big News for Big Cats! Yesterday, the “Big Cat Public Safety Act” passed the Senate, and soon President Joe Biden will sign it into law.
#BigCatPublicSafetyAct
Crashing your feed with some big baby news on this
#GoodNewsFriday
! The crash of southern white rhinos at
@ZooTampa
welcomed a male calf earlier this month thanks to a breeding recommendation from AZA's Southern White Rhino
#SpeciesSurvivalPlan
. Read more:
"People care deeply for animals and nature—We know that. It’s why nearly 200 million visit AZA member facilities each year. But Tiger King displays a malignancy that we must recognize and address." Read more From the Desk of Dan Ashe:
After being diagnosed with kidney disease in 2022, the
@brookfield_zoo
had to make the difficult decision to euthanize the eastern black rhino, Nakili. He left a big hole in the hearts of those who cared for him.
Read more in Connect:
Our members provide experiences that create connections to nature, evoke empathy, and inspire action that will help us succeed in preserving 30 percent of nature by 2030. AZA,
@TheWCS
, and over 100 of our members have signed on in support of
#30x30
:
#KMGBF
The Columbus Zoo is celebrating the birth of a female western lowland gorilla! The baby was named Jamani, which means "friend" in Swahili. This is the 33rd born in the Zoo's history. The Columbus Zoo made history in 1956 with the first gorilla to be born in human care.
Funzo the pig-nosed turtle at
@NatlAquarium
just shell-ebrated his 28th birthday!!
#TeamFunzo
🐽🐢
Fun fact: pig-nosed turtles are the only fresh water turtle that has flippers like a sea turtle. We love
#turtles
and
#Funzo
!
📸: National Aquarium
Congratulations to Scottie Potter at the
@calgaryzoo
for taking the winning photo for the 2021 Connect Photo Contest! How beautiful is this mountain goat in the snow? Check out all of the honorable mentions and highlights on our website:
Congratulations to the
@detroitzoo
on the birth of a lion cub - the first born at the zoo in 40 years! Binti, whose name means “daughter” in Swahili, was born on September 10. Read more about her birth:
#SavingSpecies
📸: Detroit Zoo
Feb 14 was
#WorldBonoboDay
! Bonobos are endangered in the wild with as few as 15,000 bonobos left. The Ape Cognition & Conservation Initiative is working to learn as much as they can about bonobos to inspire people to save their habitats & promote their conservation in the wild!