| Denver Zoo | |
|---|---|
 Entrance pavilion | |
 Interactive map of Denver Zoo | |
| 39°45′N104°57′W / 39.750°N 104.950°W /39.750; -104.950 | |
| Date opened | 1896 |
| Location | Denver,Colorado, United States |
| Land area | 80 acres (32 ha)[1] |
| No. of animals | 2,500 (2024)[2] |
| Annual visitors | 1.8 million (2022)[5] |
| Memberships | AZA,[3]WAZA[4] |
| Major exhibits | Predator Ridge, Tropical Discovery, Toyota Elephant Passage, Primate Panorama, Bear Mountain, Harmony Hill, Down Under |
| Website | www |
Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is an 80-acre (32 ha) nonprofitzoological garden andconservation organization located inCity Park ofDenver, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1896, it is operated by the Denver Zoological Foundation and funded in part by theScientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Its other sources of funding are ticket sales and private donations. It is the most visited paid attraction in Denver.[6][7]
Denver Zoo was started with the donation of an orphanedAmerican black bear. With the construction of Bear Mountain, it became the first zoo in the United States to use naturalistic zoo enclosures rather than cages with bars.[8] It expanded on this concept with Primate Panorama, featuring huge mesh tents and open areas for apes and monkeys, and with Predator Ridge, which has three separate areas through which animals are rotated so that their overlapping scents provideenvironmental enrichment. Toyota Elephant Passage, which opened on June 1, 2012, is divided into five areas for rotating the various species.
Denver Zoo is accredited by the (American)Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and American Humane and is also a member of theWorld Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). The zoo achievedISO 14001 certification in 2009, was given the first AZA Green Award in 2011,[9] and was named the "Greenest Zoo in the Country" at the World Renewable Energy Forum in 2012.[10] In 2015, it was re-certified for ISO 14001 and achievedOHSAS 18001 certification, becoming only the fourth zoo in the world to get both certifications.[11]
Denver Zoo was founded in 1896 when an orphanedAmerican black bear cub named Billy Bryan – short for William Jennings Bryan, after thecontemporary American politician – was given to MayorThomas S. McMurray as a gift. McMurray gave the hard-to-manage cub to the keeper ofCity Park, Alexander J. Graham, who started the zoo with this animal. Other animals at the young zoo included native waterfowl at Duck Lake, nativeprairie dogs,pronghorn antelope which roamed the park, and a flock ofChinese pheasants, which later populated the eastern plains of the state.[8][12]
As this collection grew, the newly-formed park board continued to focus almost exclusively on acquiring native animals, with a notable pheasant collection andrhesus macaques as the exceptions. Some of the most popular animals at the park were large herds ofbison andelk.[13]
In 1905, a population ofred squirrels was added to the zoo's collection; this population grew rapidly and decimated the bird population at Duck Lake. A plan to shoot the squirrels was scrapped when citizens protested. Instead, as many squirrels as could be caught were sent to theDenver Mountain Parks.[12]
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The zoo was a motley menagerie until 1906, when MayorRobert W. Speer declared that the zoo's "[p]rison bars can be done away with" in favor of "concrete rocks, waterfalls, trees, etc." Speer hired the city's landscape architect, Saco R. DeBoer, to draw up the plans for his renovation and appointed Victor H. Borcherdt as zoo director.[12]
Borcherdt designed the Bear Mountain exhibit, which opened in 1918. This structure is 43 ft (13 m) tall and 185 ft (56 m) long, and cost $50,000 to build ($1,045,243 in 2024 dollars[14]). It was built of dyed and textured concrete forms cast from Dinosaur Mountain just outsideMorrison, Colorado. Hidden moats replaced cage bars, and native plants and an artificial stream enhanced the natural look. The two main exhibits originally housedpolar bears andgrizzly bears.
The south tip of the exhibit was designed to resembleMesa Verde National Park. It originally housed monkeys, but due to escape problems,California sea lions were housed there instead.[12][15] Between 1941 and 1961 it housed a female polar bear named Velox,[16] who became the mascot of the 31st U.S. Infantry Regiment in 1952.[17] Velox died at the zoo in 1961 and a memorial stone for her is displayed at the zoo.[18] Bear Mountain established Denver as one of the foremost American zoos, and theSaint Louis Zoo hired Borcherdt after seeing the exhibit.[12]
Although other zoos in the region made extensive use ofNew Deal funds to upgrade their facilities, only one notable addition was made to Denver Zoo between 1918 and 1950. Monkey Island was built in 1937 using funds from theWorks Progress Administration. MayorBenjamin F. Stapleton funded the zoo very little, and it was in poorly maintained condition when MayorJ. Quigg Newton was elected in 1947. Newton hired DeBoer, the architect involved with the zoo's design forty years before, to plan a rebirth. Starting with the 1950 overhaul of Monkey Island, the zoo has steadily added to and improved its exhibits.
The Denver Zoological Foundation was created in 1950, the same year that the zoo acquired its first elephant, Cookie.[19] A children's zoo was opened in 1951 (since replaced by Primate Panorama). A perimeter fence was built in 1957, defining the zoo as a separate area but still within City Park. Automobile traffic in the zoo was completely eliminated in 1959.[20] Pachyderm Habitat was opened the same year, and Cookie was joined by a second elephant, Candy.[21]
The zoo opened the Feline House in 1964, a Giraffe House in 1966, and an Animal Hospital in 1969. Bird World was opened in 1975, followed by the Mountain Sheep Habitat in 1979, Northern Shores for polar bears,Arctic foxes,North American river otters, andpinnipeds in 1987, and Wolf Pack Woods in 1988.[12]
TheMarine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 made it impossible to keep the polar bears and sea lions in the Bear Mountain enclosure. This, along with its deteriorating condition, led to a $250,000 renovation of the exhibit starting in 1987 ($691,930 in 2024 dollars[14]). The exhibit reopened in 1989 with grizzly bears andAsiatic black bears occupying the northern two exhibits andcoatis in the southern tip.[15]
In 1993, the zoo opened the $11.5 million Tropical Discovery exhibit.[12] Designed by the Denver architectural firm Anderson Mason Dale, this indoor tropical garden topped by glass pyramids is the publicaquarium andherpetarium of Denver Zoo, and its opening doubled both the number of species and the number of animals at the zoo. Along with the animals, 90% of which had never been on display at the zoo, there are over 250 species of plants represented in the exhibit.[22]
On November 6, 1994, twin polar bear cubs Klondike and Snow were born to a first-time mother named Ulu, who rejected the cubs. They were successfully raised by zoo staff and became a popular attraction. Their story is commemorated at Denver Zoo by abronze sculpture located near the former polar bear (now grizzly bear) exhibit.[23]
On February 24, 2007, ajaguar mauledzookeeper Ashlee Pfaff inside the animal's enclosure. The jaguar was shot and killed by the zoo'semergency response team while rescuing Pfaff, who later died of her injuries at a local hospital. This event occurred despite zoo policy prohibiting direct contact between keepers andbig cats.[24] An investigation by the zoo concluded the attack was the result of human error by Pfaff.[25] The zoo has not had jaguars since 2010.
In 2009, Denver Zoo was the first zoo in the United States to achieveISO 14001 certification. City Park rebuilt its greenhouses in 2009, providing the zoo with a dedicated greenhouse as part of this project.[26]
That same year, Denver Zoo celebrated the birth of an endangeredaye-aye, the first of the species to be conceived and born in a North American zoo.[27] The zoo has continued to have a successful breeding program.[28]
In 2012, the zoo opened the $50 million Toyota Elephant Passage. The exhibit was originally announced in 2006 as Asian Tropics.[29][30] It was opened to the general public on June 1, 2012 as the largest bull elephant habitat in the world.[31]
In 2015, following conservation work aroundLake Titicaca inPeru, Denver Zoo welcomed 20Lake Titicaca frogs from the Huachipa Zoo and later became the first zoo outside South America to breed the rare amphibians. Some have moved to other institutions in hopes of building a healthy captive population that can be released back into the lake.[32]
The zoo added several interactive and immersive exhibits in the late 2010's and early 20's. These included The Edge in 2017, Harmony Hill in 2019 and Down Under in 2024.
In 2024, the zoo announced the acquisition of 570 acres inWeld County. This land, donated by the Lembke family, will be dubbed the Lembke Family Preserve. The new facility will not be open to the public but will increase space the zoo can use for breeding and reintroduction programs seven-fold. This is the first expansion outside Denver Zoo's 80-acre main campus in its history. Also in 2024, the zoo rebranded to reflect its ongoing focus on conservation and education and moving forward will be known as the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance.[33][34][35]
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Primate Panorama spreads over 7 acres (2.8 ha) and primarily housesapes and other largerprimates. Tree-dwellingapes andmonkeys live in open-air wire mesh tents that soar four stories high and cover more than anacre of ground. Inside these tents, primates likeWolf's guenons,black-and-white colobus,red-crowned mangabeys,siamangs andblack-handed spider monkeys can play and climb on twisting vines.Western lowland gorillas roam freely, climbing ropes and taking afternoon hammock naps in one of the largest gorilla habitats in the world.Sumatran orangutans have their own outdoor habitat where they can climb trees and swing in hammocks.
TheEmerald Forest pavilion is situated near the entrance to Primate Panorama. It features a meandering trail through diorama replicas exhibiting many small primates amongst other rainforest animals. Animals housed here include theaye-aye,brown capuchin,cotton-top tamarin,golden lion tamarin,white-faced saki,Bali mynah andPrevost's squirrel. Connecting to the building is an island exhibit that rotates severallemur species, includingring-tailed lemurs andred-ruffed lemurs.
The nearbyShamba offers a view of a Central West African village and is home tored river hogs,mandrills, andcape porcupines. An aviary further down the trail showcasesrhinoceros hornbills.
TheForest Aviary is a 7,500-square-foot (700 m2) area richly landscaped and enclosed in a nearly invisible wire mesh. Visitors can walk around inside with the birds, which include unique and endangered species like (depending on the season)Egyptian vultures,waldrapp ibises, andIndian peafowl, as well as a wide array of waterfowl.
Predator Ridge, completed in 2004 and the first exhibit most visitors encounter, is a large exhibit representing theAfricansavanna. It has the ability to rotate multiple groups ofSouthern African lions andspotted hyenas, whose overlapping scents provideenvironmental enrichment. Other small African animals likedwarf crocodiles,African rock pythons,puff adders, andleopard tortoises are exhibited in and around the Pahali Ya Simba pavilion. A habitat forAfrican penguins, featuring a 10,000 gallon pool with underwater viewing, was completed in 2021 and is located directly inside the front entrance.
African hoofed mammals are generally housed in the center of the zoo's main circular path. Species in the hoofed mammal yards includeGrevy's zebras,reticulated giraffes,okapis,Somali wild asses,Cape buffalo and a variety ofantelope species includingeastern bongo,addax,lesser kudu,southern gerenuk,yellow-backed duiker andred-flanked duiker. Some of these yards are mixed-species exhibits and include bird species likeAbyssinian ground hornbills,west African crowned cranes andostriches. There are also yards forAfrican wild dogs,Chacoan peccaries,llamas and aVietnamese pot-bellied pig.
Toyota Elephant Passage is a $50 million 10-acre (4.0 ha) exhibit. At its opening, it was the largest bull elephant habitat in the world, designed to house up to 12 elephants, 8 of them bulls. This arrangement allows the zoo to conduct behavioral research related to the recent discovery that bull elephants (originally thought to be solitary) form loose bachelor herds in the wild when not breeding withmatriarchal herds.[36] The exhibit housesAsian elephants and other animals such asgreater one-horned rhinoceros andMalayan tapirs, which rotate among different habitats in the same style as Predator Ridge. It includes more than 2 miles (3.2 km) of trails for the animals, and pools in the exhibit contain a total of 1,100,000 US gallons (4,200,000 L).Northern white-cheeked gibbons swing directly over a boardwalk for visitors, traveling between three islands.Clouded leopards andsarus cranes live in nearby yards. The exhibit includes an indoor facility for smaller species likefishing cats,Asian small-clawed otters,Indian flying foxes,black-breasted leaf turtles andgreen tree pythons and it provides important breeding facilities for the Indian rhino and Asian elephant in North America.[31][37][38][39][40]
The exhibit opened with two female elephants (Mimi and Dolly) and two bull elephants (Bodhi and Groucho).[19] The zoo made history in 2013 by transporting Billy, a bull elephant fromBelgium'sAntwerp Zoo, via plane to the new exhibit. This marked the first time in over 30 years an Asian elephant had been imported into the United States and one of the few times the genetics of the European population would mix with the North American population.[41] In October 2018, bull elephants Chuck and Jake came to the exhibit from theAfrican Lion Safari inOntario. This move made Denver's herd the largest Asian elephant bachelor herd in the world with five bulls.[36][42]
On February 22, 2020, the first greater one-horned rhino calf in the zoo's history was born as the result ofartificial insemination.[43]
At its opening, the exhibit contained a waste-to-energy gasification system that burned organic waste (uneaten food, animal waste, etc...) in an oxygen-deprived environment in order to create energy. The system powered outdoor hot tubs for the elephants and Denver Zoo's goal was to be "Zero Waste" by 2020, powering the whole facility with waste. Those involved with the project reported that no airborne byproducts would be released when the system was running but surrounding residents were still concerned that the gasification process would create an unpleasant odor around the zoo. These concerns resulted in ending the gasification project at Denver Zoo. Since the decision in 2015, the zoo is seeking partners to continue the project with offsite.
Nonetheless, the exhibit and its buildings have receivedLEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.[38][44]
The Edge is an exhibit modeled after the pine forests of Russia for the zoo'sAmur tigers. Two yards with large pools and pathways that wander over visitors' heads provide enrichment and exercise for the tigers. It opened to the public in March 2017, replacing Wolf Pack Woods, which opened in 1988. Nearby, Asian hoofed mammal yards houseBactrian camels and one of only a few breeding herds ofMongolian wild horses in North American zoos.
Tropical Discovery was opened in 1993 as the zoo's herpetarium and aquarium. The building explores several tropical environments and displays mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians and insects from these areas. The trip begins with a view into a South American river with different species of river fishes then continues to a cave featuring several bat species including theshort-tailed bat,Jamaican fruit bat andvampire bat, as well asblind cave fish. A snake exhibit hidden inside a Mayan temple features venomous species from around the world including theking cobra,Brazilian fer-de-lance andGila monsters. Animals seen in the rainforest area includeblack howler monkeys,capybaras,Linne's two-toed sloths,archerfish and an array ofpoison dart frogs. Further on, visitors are immersed in a coral reef withclownfish,lionfish,spotted garden eels and more. Around the corner, a gallery of North American snakes is located across from a pair of pools showcasing analligator snapping turtle as well as other North American reptiles and fish. Further on, theSiamese crocodile also enjoys a large pool near aMatamata turtle display and the Discovery Room, which features other small species like thefrilled lizard.
Dragons of Komodo, inside Tropical Discovery, was the largestKomodo dragon exhibit of its kind when it opened in 1999 and is still one of the largest Komodo dragon exhibits in the country.[22] In addition to Komodo dragons, it is home to other island reptiles likerhinoceros iguanas andJamaican boas.
Stingray Cove is a seasonal, interactive exhibit featuring an 18,000 gallon shaded open-air aquarium housingcownose rays,white-spotted andbrown-banded bamboo sharks,southern stingrays,shovelnose guitarfish andbonnethead sharks. Guests are able to gently touch, feel, and feed the rays as they swim around the tank. Admission to the exhibit (which includes one piece of food for feeding to the rays) costs $5 in addition to zoo entry.[45] The exhibit opened in June 2020.
The zoo's newFlamingo Habitat opened in 2023, located just outside Tropical Discovery. It providesChilean andAmerican flamingoes with pools and marshes replicating theAndean highlands.
TheSea Lion Habitat forCalifornia sea lions was unveiled in 2025 and replaced the habitat that opened as part of Northern Shores in 1987. Upgrades include a large saltwater pool and state-of-the-art filtration system that reduces the exhibit's water usage by 8 million gallons a year.[46] An expanded underwater viewing window and rocky shores and islands for sunbathing give guests opportunities to connect with the residents.
The original aviary, the oldest aviary at the zoo, currently housesAndean condors.
Lorikeet Adventure, theNurture Trail, and theAvian Propagation Center all opened in 2006. Lorikeet Adventure is a large, open-air mesh tent where visitors can mingle with and feed a variety oflorikeet species. The Nurture Trail is a short trail through a forested glade home to two exhibits for breeding pairs of large birds likered-crowned cranes andhooded cranes. The trail then goes past smaller outdoor enclosures attached to the Avian Propagation Center which is one of the largest and most complex buildings devoted to breeding birds in the country.[47] Depending on their needs, species in the public-facing enclosures often rotate but can includeVictoria crowned pigeons,azure-winged magpies andpalm cockatoos.
Bear Mountain is an historic exhibit on the National Register of Historic Places and originally opened in 1918. It is one of the first natural-style zoo exhibits in North America and the first to use simulated concrete rocks. It underwent a $250,000 restoration between 1987 and 1989. Although the exhibit's residents have moved to Harmony Hill, the structure remains for visitors to appreciate.
Mountain Sheep Habitat was opened in 1979. It contains two natural-style "mountains" housingRocky Mountain bighorn sheep anddesert bighorn sheep.
Monkey Island was built in 1937 with funds from theWorks Progress Administration. It was rehabilitated in 1950. In 2023, the island's brown capuchins were moved to the Emerald Forest building.
Monkey House, facing Monkey Island, was the original primate exhibit in the zoo. In recent years, it served as a winter residence for the capuchins but as of 2023 it is no longer in use. The brick building is considered a historic structure and repurposing of some kind is likely.
Down Under is a new exhibit exploring Australia. Water-wise landscaping resembles the animals' native ecosystems and woven throughout the exhibit are original multimedia artworks telling the story of First Nations peoples. It features a walk-throughred-necked wallaby andred kangaroo yard, a two-story habitat forHuon tree kangaroos and a habitat forSouthern cassowaries.[48] Down Under opened in May 2024.[49]
Harmony Hill provides a habitat forgrizzly bears modeled after the fictional Harmony Hill State Park. Another nearby habitat is designed to resemble a backyard in order to illustrate and provide solutions for human-wildlife conflict. The second habitat is home to two rescuedleucisticraccoons. Harmony Hill opened in 2019, making use of the former polar bear exhibit which opened as part of Northern Shores in 1987.[50][51]
This building opened in 1959 as the Pachyderm Habitat with four yards surrounding the building for Asian elephants, Malayan tapirs,black rhinoceros andNile hippopotamus. The elephants and tapirs were moved to Toyota Elephant Passage prior to its opening in 2012. In July 2025, it was announced that the zoo's last hippo "Mahali" would be transferred to a preserve in Texas in spring 2026, marking the end of the zoo keeping Nile hippopotamus.[52]Cinereous vultures now reside in the former tapir yard and the former elephant yard has been renovated for the black rhinoceros.
Feline House was built in 1964. The building is now closed and has been renovated in some areas to make way for Stingray Cove and outdoor yards have been repurposed for smaller species. Of note; aGeoffroy's cat that was rescued after a smuggling attempt atDenver International Airport is displayed here.
Denver Zoo has hosted several traveling exhibits in recent years to raise awareness for conservation efforts. Traveling exhibits brought to the zoo have included "Nature Connects, Art With Lego Bricks," "Washed Ashore, Art to Save the Sea" and "Dinos! Live at Denver Zoo."
TheConservation Carousel features hand-carved wooden replicas of some of Denver's most popular residents including a polar bear mom and cubs, giraffes, okapi and baby gorilla, along with many other endangered animals.
TheDenver Zoo Railroad presented by Union Pacific offers a quick trip around the zoo's carousel meadow filled with beautiful lush foliage, under the shade of 100-year-old trees. Denver Zoo Railroad is the first natural gas-powered zoo train in the United States.
The4D Theater is located near the Asian hoofstock exhibits. The line visitors wait in displays artifacts, art and music celebrating central Asian culture and folktales.
TheHelen and Arthur E. Johnson Animal Hospital was completed in 2021 and features one of the few CT scanners on an American zoo campus as well as double the space of the previous hospital built in 1969. TheSchlessman Family Foundation Visitor and Education Center has windows onto a lab, surgical suite and treatment rooms allowing visitors to watch procedures.[53] The hospital was honored by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums with a 2023 significant achievement in facilities award.[54]
TheGates Wildlife Conservation Education Center houses classrooms and meeting rooms for public and private (rental) use.
Zoo Gardens is available for private special events as well as special uses open to the public like food truck days or beer gardens.
TheWild Encounters outdoor amphitheater is located just outside the Gates Center.Wildlife Plaza is located just outside the Animal Hospital. Both are used for wildlife demonstrations.
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Throughout the day Denver Zoo provides educational opportunities for visitors, including the sea lion demonstration, Toyota Elephant Passage demonstration, Predator Ridge demonstration, a variety of programming at both Wildlife Plaza and the Wild Encounters amphitheater as well as many other feedings/demonstrations. Some of these are seasonal and vary throughout the year.
In March 2023, Denver Zoo became the first zoo in Colorado to earn the Certified Autism Center designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.[55]
Denver Zoo is a part ofMiami University’s graduate-level Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP). The program offers a Master of Arts in Biology or Master of Arts in Teaching through online coursework and face-to-face experiential learning experiences at the Denver Zoo.
Denver Zoo is part of the (American)Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan for many species. And as an active member of theWorld Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), Denver Zoo works with other zoos and aquariums around the world to respond to the global extinction crisis facing the world's frogs and other amphibians. Denver Zoo works with conservationists in Peru to save wild populations of the endangeredLake Titicaca frog andLake Junin giant frog.[56] Amphibian experts with the zoo have had rare success breedingboreal toads, listed as endangered in several western states, and have released over 600 young toads in southwestern Utah.[57] In 2021, the zoo andColorado Parks and Wildlife partnered to launch a program aimed at increasing the boreal toad population within Colorado.[58] This has resulted in the release of over 2,800 tadpoles within Colorado as of 2024.[59]
Denver Zoo also has a storied history with theAmerican bison as it was one of the first zoos to assist in nationwide efforts to save the species from extinction. A breeding herd of five bison arrived at the zoo in 1899.[60] The zoo no longer houses the species but manages a herd on the Rio Mora National Wildlife Refuge inNew Mexico and also contributed animals to both theGenesee herd near Denver and the Heartland Ranch herd nearLamar. The latter herd, behaving naturally on thousands of acres and with the help of the Southern Plains Land Trust, has almost entirely returned the ecosystem to its natural state as of 2019.[61]
In 2024, the zoo will begin using 570 acres in Weld County, donated by the Lembke family, as a breeding and reintroduction facility dubbed the Lembke Family Preserve. Phase One, to be finished by the end of the year, will see new facilities built for breeding programs and offer temporary animal holding in the event of habitat maintenance or renovations on the main campus. Phase Two will transform the land into a conservation center capable of reintroducing species, in Colorado and beyond, on a larger scale than previously possible.
Denver Zoo's conservation efforts are coordinated by the Department of Conservation Biology. Through continued research and funding, the Department helps to conserve a variety of species worldwide. Although the zoo has been active in conservation and research since its founding in 1896, the establishment of the Department of Conservation Biology provides dedicated staff and funding to support hundreds of projects throughout the world.[62]
Boo at the Zoo offers trick-or-treating and other Halloween-themed activities on select October evenings.
Zoo Lights is open during December evenings. This is a spectacular stroll through a wonderland of lights, many of them animated and representing animals at the zoo.
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