Carnivores are ready for spring!

Spring is here! Or is it? My allergies say yes, but the heat in my house is saying otherwise. Either way, it will get warm and sunny very soon, and what better way to spend your Spring Break or weekend than visiting the Zoo to see the animals enjoying this spring weather and all of the spring activities that we have scheduled! So go ahead and take that allergy medicine and come on out to see the carnivores basking in the sun, engaging with enrichment, and participating in training demonstrations and Keeper Talks. There is so much to experience in the spring!

The lions are enjoying sunning on their rock and roaring for all the city to hear, the giant otters are swimming and diving in their pool, and the tanuki are slowly coming out of their torpor (a modified hibernation). You may even catch a glimpse of the sun bears playfully wrestling with one another. It looks rough to us as humans, but don’t worry, it’s a natural and very important part of their behavior. We have some new and exciting animal care team activities on the Zoo map this spring, so please come and check them out. On Sundays at 1:30, you can come to the otter habitat and watch them race and dive for fish. On Mondays at 2 p.m., come visit us at the sun bear window and watch them forage and engage in complex feeding activities that show just how unique and amazing these bears are. Then on Fridays, stop by the tiger and leopard habitats at Complex Carnivores to meet an animal care professional and learn a bit more about how we care for the carnivores, as well as hear more about our conservation initiatives. Of course, there are always the Wild Encounters, and this Saturday’s Gorilla Egg Hunts and More, when animals throughout the Zoo will be finding themed enrichment in their habitats. The entire Zoo is buzzing and blooming this spring, and you don’t want to miss a thing, especially the carnivores!
Jenny Elgart
Lead Keeper, Carnivores