Toronto Zoo

Your Toronto Zoo is proud to announce it has received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as part of the Annual AZA Annual Conference that took place this week in Columbus, Ohio. AZA accreditation is regarded as the “gold standard” of zoological accreditation. “We are part of an incredibly challenging profession, and this team’s dedication to delivering on the highest standards to ensure animal wellbeing while providing our guests with an amazing educational and inspirational visit is just outstanding,” said Dolf DeJong (he/him) Toronto Zoo CEO. “I am so grateful to our dedicated staff and volunteers for their commitment to serving the needs of the animals in our care and our guests, and we will continue to uphold the highest standards of animal care and wellbeing that the AZA has established. We believe strongly that all those who care for exotic and endangered species must meet these high standards and we will continue to advocate for improving the wellbeing of animals in human care,” he added. As one of Canada’s largest zoos, your Toronto Zoo is proud to meet the highest standards of wildlife care excellence, welfare standards and supporting critical conservation programs that support our mission connecting people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction. The Toronto Zoo was one of 22 zoos and aquariums to receive their accreditation this week. For full details on this announcement from AZA click here: https://bit.ly/3r7awMH What is the AZA Accreditation? Accreditation by the AZA demonstrates that an organization has met rigorous standards required to support excellence in wildlife care. https://bit.ly/3rcAA8Y Why is Accreditation important? In the wildlife care profession, it is critical that organizations with the responsibility of caring for and protecting our wildlife are held to highest standards. The standards are continuously improving and evolving to meet the needs of animals in our care. To achieve and maintain accreditation, organizations must make continuous updates to processes, facilities and training that will meet these high standards. Enforcing such demanding requirements allows the internal and external stakeholders of an animal care facility to know immediately if they can trust an organization that they will be visiting or supporting is delivering highest level of care, education and conservation, all critical elements to ensuring animals both in our care and in their natural spaces will continue to thrive. Learn more at https://bit.ly/3PEscIH.

Navigating the Zoo’s 10km of walking trails may get challenging for new guests, especially back when we opened in 1974! Instead of using a map (or one of the Zoo’s “Guidebooks”), you may recall following a trail of footprints once upon a time🐾 Initially painted as just footprints in the 70s, animal footprints were introduced in 1985 and acted like a trail of clues to the next animal species. Trails included the Lion Trail, Camel Trail, and Grizzly Bear Trail. These footprints were painted annually, and special footprints were even added for certain animal visitors including the giant pandas. We will continue to share memories to reminisce on iconic moments and happenings that have shaped our journey over the past five decades. Share your photos of the iconic footprints below! Do you remember the footprints? Should we bring them back? 🐾 #TZTurns50 #FlashbackFriday

Did you know? With consultation and support from industry experts and Community Scientists, your Toronto Zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Program has transitioned its Community Science projects to iNaturalist! As a world-class facilitator of #CommunityScience, the iNaturalist platform allows your Zoo to expand its reach throughout Ontario and maximize the impact on protecting wetland species and their habitats. Community members and guests can submit sightings of turtles, frogs and toads online and contribute to such projects like Ontario Turtle Tally and FrogWatch Ontario. To celebrate the launch of these Community Science projects on iNaturalist, the Adopt-A-Pond Program is running a BioBlitz from May 5-19. All submissions to the FrogWatch Ontario or Ontario Turtle Tally projects made through iNaturalist during this period will be counted towards the BioBlitz. Prizes will be awarded to the Community Scientist with the most observations, and two additional randomly-selected participants! iNaturalist is available for download as an app on the iOS Apple App Store and Android Play Store, as well as online on their fully functional website. Consider becoming a Community Scientist and join our iNaturalist projects today. https://bit.ly/3MOEwDH

#DidYouKnow? 🤔 The #NetZeroChallengeCA encourages and supports businesses to develop and implement credible and effective plans to build a low-carbon economy by 2050. 🎉 We are thrilled that Toronto Zoo has joined over 179 other companies in the #NetZeroChallengeCA that are working towards a sustainable, low-carbon future. Want to develop cleaner ways of doing business while contributing to a healthier environment? Check out the Net-Zero Challenge requirements and take action now: https://ow.ly/B82P50RyRSt

Your Toronto Zoo sends best wishes to everyone in our greater community who is celebrating #OrthodoxEaster today. May it be a hope-filled and joyous holiday spent together with family, friends and loved ones.

Take a walk down memory lane through the original front entrance of the Zoo 💚 Originally opened in 1974, the entrance has evolved over the years, but guests were always greeted by the iconic Toronto Zoo sign (formerly the Metro Toronto Zoo) before proceeding to the ticket boots underneath. As we near our 50th Anniversary on August 15, we are excited to be embarking on the biggest front entrance transformation yet! Expected to be complete in 2026, you will soon be greeted by so much more than a sign and turnstiles - it will be a community gathering place, a “hub”, with state-of-the-art design and conservation connections before you even enter the Zoo! In case you missed it, learn more about the transformation of the Zoo’s front entrance here: https://bit.ly/3Ut6qck We will continue to share memories to reminisce on iconic moments and happenings that have shaped our journey over the past five decades. Share your photos of you at the front entrance with us below! #TZTurns50 #FlashbackFriday

Your Toronto Zoo is turning 50 this year and there are exciting changes happening here! During your visit you may have noticed significant fencing and construction at our front entrance, but please note there are no animal habitats impacted due to this construction. We are proud to be investing in a new Community Conservation Centre at our front entrance area that will be a state-of-the-art community space, including classroom spaces in partnership with local educational institution partners, other community spaces, and a new otter habitat! Watch our video for a sneak peek into this exciting project! This space will be an opportunity to engage more people with our mission of connecting people, animals, and conservation science to fight extinction. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause as we work to improve your Zoo experience. Keep an eye on torontozoo.com as well as our social media channels for exciting updates and more details on this project.

Interested in making lasting connections that matter? Studies show that social connection and social health positively impact your physical and mental health in a great way. Your Toronto Zoo is the perfect place to not only enjoy with family and loved ones, and but to also connect with nature and wildlife! Join your Zoo from May 4-5 for #GenWellWeekend and learn more about the healing power of nature, while making meaningful connections within our community of people, animals and conservation science. #GoFirst Learn more ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gUUqiSSu

On this World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we celebrate our outstanding Safety and Security teams, as well as our nursing staff who diligently offer First Aid and assistance here at your Toronto Zoo. Both teams are committed, year round, to not only serving our animals and zoo staff but to ensuring a positive and safe experience for each and every guest. Thank you for making our Zoo a healthier place for all!

On this #EarthDay and while looking ahead, we are pleased to begin utilizing 100% green electricity, with thanks to our partners at Bullfrog Power. Bullfrog Power is Canada’s leading green energy provider. They empower thousands of businesses, households and community organizations such as your Toronto Zoo to reduce their environmental impact, while helping to transform North America’s energy systems by choosing green electricity, green natural gas, and green fuel. This means that Bullfrog Power’s generators put 100% green electricity onto the grid to match the amount of conventional electricity the event uses, displacing energy from polluting sources. Across Canada, Bullfrog’s green electricity comes from a blend of wind, solar and low-impact hydro power sourced from new Canadian renewable energy facilities. Our commitment to being a NetZero organization, that utilizes renewable energy is unwavering. Learn more ⬇️