Dallas Zoo

On this World Chimpanzee Day, we are proud to spotlight Dr. Tina Cloutier Barbour, Associate Vice President of Animal Care & Welfare at the Dallas Zoo, whose dedication to chimpanzee conservation is truly inspiring! Tina’s love for chimpanzees began nearly two decades ago through her work at AZA-accredited zoos. In 2012, while part of a field research team in Sierra Leone, Tina observed firsthand the dire situation for chimpanzees. Despite their legal protection in the country, they were faced with the harsh reality that chimpanzees were on the brink of eradication. She was moved to action by a poignant question posed by a local field guide, "So what will you do?" Tina was stirred by an immediate conviction that inspired her to co-found the Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project, which has since become a beacon of hope for chimpanzee conservation in the region. Tina’s work with the Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project has been transformative for the protection of the species. Collaborating with six local communities, the project has successfully mitigated retaliatory hunting, resulting in the total elimination of chimpanzee hunting in these communities for over a decade. Tina is also the Program Leader for AZA’s Chimpanzee SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program. In her role, she facilitates collaborative efforts between AZA institutions and field partners across Africa, like the Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project. These partners work with local communities to combat the threats faced by chimpanzees. Tina’s motivation to start the Tonkolili Chimpanzee Project stemmed from her deep connection with chimpanzees with whom she built a close connection through her work at zoos. She hopes that the next generation of wildlife heroes feel equally inspired to make a meaningful difference in the long-term preservation of wildlife. At the Dallas Zoo, this is our precise mission: Engaging People & Saving Wildlife. We strive to create meaningful connections between our guests and the animals we care for, inspiring the conservationists of tomorrow. #dallaszoo #worldchimpanzeeday #conservation #wildlife #chimpanzee

Last year, we made history by hatching the first-ever Madagascar pond heron chick in North America, and now we've done it AGAIN! We’re thrilled to announce the hatching of not one, but TWO Madagascar pond heron chicks at the Dallas Zoo! Hatched to the same parental pair, our male chick arrived on May 29, followed shortly by our female chick on May 31. These special arrivals are a big deal as they are only the second and third chicks of this species ever hatched in the region. With these new additions, the total population of Madagascar pond herons within Association of Zoos and Aquariums now stands at 15 individuals. We're proud to be at the forefront of the reproduction of this endangered species in human care. #DallasZoo #madagascarpondheron #conservation #ConservationSuccess #ZooBabies #WildlifeConservation

Since 2018, our Wild Earth Action Team has made an annual journey to South Padre Island to support our long-term conservation partners, Sea Turtle, Inc. Just last month, the Dallas Zoo team returned from another incredibly successful weekend of work! This year, we were joined by 42 amazing guests, with a third of them returning to join our efforts once again. Together, we tackled a variety of tasks, from assisting with the annual health checks of resident turtles to supporting maintenance work around the facility. In just one day, our combined efforts accomplished the equivalent of over six months of work! This significant contribution allows Sea Turtle, Inc. to concentrate their efforts on what matters most – saving sea turtles. We also successfully released three rehabilitated sea turtles back into the ocean – the most we’ve ever released on a single Saving Sea Turtles trip! The Dallas Zoo is thrilled to have a partner like Sea Turtle, Inc. #DallasZoo #conservation #savingseaturtles

Earlier this year, we celebrated the birth of an adorable okapi calf to first-time parents Maziwa and Ikenge, marking the first successful okapi birth at the Zoo since 2013! With the help of our conservation partners, Okapi Conservation Project, we named this little one Malamu, which means "good" in Lingala. The Dallas Zoo has been dedicated to okapi care and conservation since the early 1960s. Over the years, we've become leaders in the field, excelling in breeding, research, and conservation efforts. Our zoologists have developed innovative training methods for voluntary medical procedures, and our breeding program has successfully raised over 33 okapi calves, significantly contributing to essential research on okapi communication. We're also proud to have played a key role in setting the standards for okapi behavior, helping zoos around the world with their breeding programs. And in a bid to enhance genetic diversity, we've even sent two of our okapis to Europe! #DallasZoo #okapi #okapiconservation #wildlife #conservation

🦒 Today is World Giraffe Day — a day to celebrate the world’s tallest mammal and raise awareness about the challenges they face. Over the past 40 years, the giraffe population has declined by 30%, leaving only about 117,000 giraffes in the wild. These majestic creatures are now living in fragmented herds, also known as towers, and are threatened by habitat loss and poaching. At the Dallas Zoo, we are proud to support conservation efforts to protect giraffes. We partner with the GIRAFFE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION on projects in 14 countries, including a giraffe identification project in Kenya. By improving tracking techniques, researchers can better understand how giraffes use their landscapes, which helps guide effective conservation actions in the region. Every visit to the Dallas Zoo helps us in this important conservation work too! By visiting the Zoo, you are helping us create a better world for giraffes and all animals, as a portion of our ticket revenue directly supports efforts to save them in the wild! #WorldGiraffeDay #Conservation #WildlifeProtection #DallasZoo #GiraffeConservationFoundation

Happy Juneteenth! This past weekend, we joined our Oak Cliff community to celebrate freedom and unity at the For Oak Cliff Juneteenth Festival. Juneteenth, also known as Freedom Day, is celebrated annually on June 19 and commemorates the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Texas learned of their freedom, marking a pivotal moment in our nation's history. This year marks the 159th anniversary of this important milestone. Here at the Dallas Zoo, we proudly recognize and celebrate community, equality, and above all, freedom. #DallasZoo #Juneteenth

Happy Veterinary Appreciation Day! Today, we're celebrating our amazing team of four veterinarians who go above and beyond to care for the 2,000 animals that call the Dallas Zoo home. Their knowledge and dedication to the animals in our care are a part of the foundation of our Zoo. Please help us give some love to the hard-working people who provide the highest level of care to your favorite Zoo animals! #DallasZoo #VeterinaryAppreciationDay #VetMed #WeAreAZA

We're thrilled to share an insightful article from The Dallas Morning News featuring an in-depth conversation with our Director of Conservation, Chris Corpus, and our partners at the International Crane Foundation. Dr. George Archibald, Co-founder and Senior Conservationist, and Dr. Carter Crouch, Director of Gulf Coast Programs, joined Chris to discuss our dedicated efforts to save whooping cranes. The article captures not just what we do, but more importantly, the why behind our mission. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/gQJ3KpKS In even more exciting news, we're delighted to announce the arrival of two whooping crane chicks at our Whooping Crane Center of Texas! These chicks are a beacon of hope, a significant milestone in our conservation efforts, and a powerful reminder of the importance of our collective work to ensure the survival of this remarkable species. #DallasZoo #Conservation #WhoopingCranes #WildlifeProtection #WildlifeConservation #HopeForTheFuture

We’re thrilled to announce that today, along with the Dallas Park and Recreation Department, we hosted a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction on the Zoo’s first-ever parking garage. This $16 million project, set to be completed by summer 2025, will add much-needed parking and traffic relief for the Zoo and surrounding neighborhoods. It will feature a 4-story, nearly 600-car garage, increasing our parking capacity by approximately 50% over the existing 1,200 parking spaces. In addition to the garage structure, this project includes pedestrian connection points that stretch from the garage itself, around the DART station and into the Zoo, and eventually along Ewing Ave. and up to the Southern Gateway Park. This project is the first to begin construction from our ambitious, multi-phased master plan that is set to transform the Zoo over the next few decades. We can’t wait to welcome even more families to join us in discovering the wonder of wildlife and adventure with the addition of this new guest parking garage. #DallasZoo

Ever seen an armadillo get an ultrasound? Meet Jolene, our six-banded armadillo, who made monitoring her pregnancy a breeze for our zoologists. Our animal care team works with many of our animals to train them to participate in their routine health checks. We use positive reinforcement in all of our training programs, which means the animals get a high-value reward when they complete a behavior correctly. Thanks to this training, Jolene's two-month pregnancy was carefully monitored and she gave birth to two healthy armadillo pups on April 20, marking the first-ever successful armadillo birth at the Dallas Zoo! #DallasZoo #AnimalCare #AnimalHealth #Wildlife #VeterinaryCare #AnimalBehavior #Conservation