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Candice Rennels | (405) 425-0298 | crennels@okczoo.org
 


OKC Zoo News Releases

OKC ZOO FAVORITE, HISTORICAL LANDMARK GETS NEW LIFE WITH BANK OF OKLAHOMA FUNDS

An Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden landmark is receiving new life thanks to the creative collaboration on historic tax credits between Oklahoma City Zoo officials and Bank of Oklahoma.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST ENDANGERED SPECIES DAY ACTIVITIES ON SATURDAY, MAY 20

Take part in this special day’s happenings dedicated to celebrating 50 years of the Endangered Species Act, raising awareness for thousands of endangered species. Enjoy family-friendly activities, caretaker chats and more.

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OKC ZOO PARTNERS WITH MATHIS HOME TO OFFER EXCLUSIVE SALE ON ZOOFRIENDS MEMBERSHIPS

Go wild for big savings! OKC Zoo fans can save $50 on a ZOOfriends Membership Passport for 4 purchased only at Mathis Home locations in OKC, Midwest City now through June 4.

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OZS ANNOUNCES ITS CAPITAL CAMPAIGN FOR EXPEDITION AFRICA, OKC ZOO’S LATEST HABITAT EXPANSION

The savanna is in sight! The Oklahoma Zoological Society has raised over $5M of its $6M campaign goal in support of the OKC Zoo’s Expedition Africa, thanks to million-dollar gift from Love’s Travel Stops, and now, invites Zoo fans to contribute to this momentous project.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST RHINO AWARENESS DAY ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAY, MAY 5

Take part in this special day’s happenings dedicated to raising awareness for all species of rhinos and enjoy family-friendly activities, caretaker chats and more.

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MAY HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

OKC Zoo offers eventful days in May with Ostrich Egg Breakfasts, Sip and Stroll, 21+ evenings, Fix-It and Flower Festival, animal awareness days, and more!

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OKC ZOO’S ANNUAL SIP AND STROLL EVENTS RETURN THIS YEAR FOR REVELERS 21+

Connect with wildlife and friends during these one-of-a-kind events occurring select Thursdays in May and June. Sip and Stroll tickets on sale now.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST INTERNATIONAL FLAMINGO DAY ACTIVITIES ON WED., APRIL 26

Flock to the Zoo for International Flamingo Day – guests encouraged to wear pink, family-friendly fun, photo opportunities and more.

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OKC ZOO REWARDS FIRST OKLAHOMA SCHOOL TO CHANGE ITS MASCOT TO WILDLIFE SPECIES

Cristo Rey OKC Catholic High School, selects the African Elephant as its mascot, becoming the first and only elephant mascot in the state of Oklahoma. Promotion highlights fact that 20% of high school mascots are threatened with extinction.

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OKC ZOO’S ANNUAL OSTRICH EGG BREAKFAST EVENT EXTENDS TO EVERY SATURDAY MORNING IN MAY

For its 36th year, the Zoo’s Ostrich Egg Breakfast event features two limited-seating breakfasts every Saturday in May. Event tickets now available.

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OKC ZOO, SHAPE YOUR FUTURE PARTNERSHIP PROVIDES FREE HEALTHY PERKS

TSET program, Zoo launches hydration stations and water bottle giveaways.

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OKC ZOO EXPERT LEADS RESEARCH CONTRIBUTING TO INSECT CONSERVATION

Zoo expert’s research strengthens our understanding of the effects that controlled burning has on the tallgrass prairie butterfly community.

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READ ACROSS OKLAHOMA RETURNS TO THE OKC ZOO WITH A FREE BOOK GIVEAWAY, ONLINE ACTIVITIES

Read Across Oklahoma, the state’s premier literacy event for kindergarten and early grade children, returns on April 11 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. with a free book giveaway at the OKC Zoo.

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APRIL HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

Fill your April days with fun and ZOOventure with these family-friendly events, education programs, Gorilla Trek VR and more!

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OKC ZOO WELCOMES WORLD-RENOWNED GIRAFFE CONSERVATIONIST, DR. JULIAN FENNESSY

Making his debut visit to the OKC Zoo, Dr. Julian Fennessy, co-founder of the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, will host a free, conservation lecture at the Zoo on March 24.

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OKC ZOO INVITES METRO AREA SCHOOLS TO APPLY FOR OKC LIVING CLASSROOM GRANT PROGRAM

Grant program inspires conservation education, encourages OKC schools to apply for funds to create monarch gardens at their location to ensure habitat for pollinators. Applications accepted through Sunday, April 30.

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OKC ZOO HOSTS SPRING BREAK ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR ITS ANIMALS AS PART OF SEASONAL EVENT SERIES

We’re “springing” into our seasonal enrichment activities for our animals and guests to enjoy during Spring Break week, March 13 to 17.

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OKC ZOO DEBUTS NEW INTERACTIVE ATTRACTION, GORILLA TREK VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE

New virtual reality attraction gives OKC guests an up-close experience with the endangered mountain gorillas of Volcanoes National Park in Africa.

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OKC ZOO AND PEPSI HOST ANNUAL STATEWIDE STUDENT ART CONTEST

Pepsi Vending Machine Art Contest encourages Oklahoma’s youth to draw on artistic talents to express ideas for conservation action, eliminating litter.

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OKC ZOO’S SPRING BREAK, MARCH HAPPENINGS

Make your Spring Break ZOOcation a wild one with the OKC Zoo’s new Gorilla Trek VR Experience, animal enrichment activities, education programs plus, event tickets go on sale for the Zoo’s family-friendly Ostrich Egg Breakfasts!

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OKC ZOO WELCOMES THREE MALE CHEETAHS TO ITS ANIMAL FAMILY

The Zoo is welcoming three cheetah brothers to its animal family, the first of many species being welcomed ahead of Expedition Africa opening.

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OKC ZOO NOMINATED AS BEST ZOO IN THE NATION IN USA TODAY 10BEST 2023 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS

Nationwide voting to determine if OKC Zoo earns the distinction of being named America’s BEST ZOO and Oklahoma Trails, BEST ZOO EXHIBIT! Voting is live through Monday, March 6, 2023.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST GROUNDHOG DAY ACTIVITIES, CELEBRATE THE ZOO’S BEARS

Groundhog Day is dedicated to the Zoo’s popular weather predicators, its bears! Enjoy family-friendly activities, animal enrichment, Facebook Live videos and photo opportunities.

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OKC ZOO’S FEBRUARY HAPPENINGS

Add a little wild to your winter days with this month’s Zoo happenings – ZOOfriends Membership Sale, Healthcare Workers and Emergency Responders Appreciation Months, Groundhog/Bear Awareness Day celebration, heartfelt gift ideas and more!

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OKC ZOO VETERINARY TECHNICIAN RECEIVES LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

OKC Zoo veterinary technician, Liz McCrae, recognized with top professional honor for her dedication to animal health, wellbeing.

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES 2023 CONSERVATION TRAVEL PROGRAM DESTINATIONS TO AFRICA AND THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

OKC Zoo invites wildlife lovers on extraordinary trips to encounter the wildlife of Tanzania, Rwanda and the Galapagos Islands while learning about the Zoo’s global conservation efforts.

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES ADDITION TO LEADERSHIP TEAM

Zoo welcomes new Chief Operating Officer, bolsters its executive roster.

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OKC ZOO IMPLEMENTS WINTER HOURS

Effective December 6, the Zoo will be closed to the public on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the day until February 8, 2023. OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS continues nightly through January 1, 2023.

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DECEMBER AND JANUARY HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS, Dinner with Santa series, education programs and more make it a ZOOper holiday season for all!

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OKC ZOO WELCOMES NEW MALE ASIAN ELEPHANT TO ITS ANIMAL FAMILY

Bowie, a 9-year-old male Asian elephant, is relocated from Fort Worth Zoo as part of AZA’s Species Survival Plan.

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NOVEMBER HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

OKC Zoo is making it a November to remember with OKC ZOO SAFARI LIGHTS, Military Appreciation Month, family-friendly events, a community food drive, education programs and more!

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OKC ZOO CELEBRATES BIRTH OF ENDANGERED CHIMPANZEE

It’s a girl! OKC Zoo welcomes a healthy, female infant chimpanzee born on October 12.

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR NEW MARINE MAMMAL HABITAT EXPANSION

OKC Zoo to break ground on a state-of-the-art habitat for its beloved California sea lions, harbor seals in Spring 2023. The Zoo’s sea lion presentations will temporarily conclude on Sunday, October 30.

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OKC ZOO HOSTS ANNUAL CHOMP AND STOMP ANIMAL ENRICHMENT EVENT AS PART OF SEASONAL EVENT SERIES

Enjoy gourds of fun and watch as the Zoo’s wildlife go wild for pumpkin treats!

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15 YEARS IN THE MAKING – OKC ZOO CELEBRATES BIRTH OF FOUR AFRICAN LION CUBS

African lioness, Dunia, gave birth to quadruplets on September 26, resulting in Zoo’s first litter of lion cubs since 2007.

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OCTOBER HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

It’s a faBOOlous month of wild happenings at the OKC Zoo with Haunt the Zoo for Halloween, Haunt the Zoo: All Grown Up, annual Pumpkin Drive, Chomp & Stomp Enrichment Event and more!

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES BIRTH OF A RARE, ENDANGERED OKAPI CALF

Four little hooves and all ears! The Zoo’s baby boom continues with the arrival of a male okapi calf born to first-time mom, Kayin, as part of an AZA breeding program for this endangered species.

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OKC ZOO SETS NEW ANNUAL ATTENDANCE RECORD

Over a million people visit the OKC Zoo, connect with wildlife this past fiscal year marking a new annual attendance record.

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SEPTEMBER HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

Shake things up this September with BRICKLIVE, Sip and Stroll events, Monarch Awareness Day and get tickets for some of the Zoo’s most popular fall/winter events.

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OKC ZOO, BOB MOORE SUBARU CELEBRATE WORLD DOG DAY FRIDAY, AUGUST 26

PAWS for World Dog Day at the OKC Zoo to enjoy special activities, celebrate one of the planet’s most iconic predators, critically endangered African Painted Dogs.

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OKC ZOO SELLING WORLD’S FIRST DIGITAL ART NFT DESIGNED BY RESIDENT ORANGUTAN

OKC Zoo’s 21-year-old Sumatran orangutan, Elok, assisted by digital technology and his caretakers, creates world’s first non-fungible token designed by an orangutan, to be auctioned online with proceeds benefitting orangutan conservation.

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OKC ZOO, BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST INTERNATIONAL ORANGUTAN DAY ACTIVITIES ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 19

Take part in this special day’s happenings dedicated to raising awareness for critically endangered orangutans, enjoy family-friendly activities, animal enrichment, caretaker chats and more.

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TICKETS ON SALE FOR OKC ZOO’S 39th ANNUAL HAUNT THE ZOO, OKLAHOMA’S SELECT DAYTIME TRICK-OR-TREATING

The highlight of the Halloween season, Haunt the Zoo runs Saturdays and Sundays, October 8-30, offering a uniquely fun, contact-free trick-or-treating experience and festive activities for all involved.

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ZOOBREW, OKLAHOMA’S LARGEST ANNUAL BEER TASTING EVENT, RETURNS TO THE OKC ZOO, TICKETS ON SALE

Enjoy an evening of craft beers and good cheers for a great cause – supporting the OKC Zoo. Tickets are now on sale for the 14th annual ZOObrew, Oklahoma’s largest outdoor beer tasting festival, presented by Byron’s Liquor Warehouse.

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES AFRICAN LIONESS IS PREGNANT - 15 YEARS SINCE LION CUBS WERE BORN AT THE ZOO

Lioness, Dunia, is pregnant and due late September, a significant event since the last litter of lion cubs was born at the Zoo in 2007. OKC Zoo participates in the AZA’s breeding program for African lions contributing to the sustainability of this vulnerable species.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST INTERNATIONAL CAT DAY CELEBRATION ON MONDAY, AUGUST 8

Celebrate a “paws”itively fun day with the OKC Zoo on International Cat Day with family-friendly activities, caretaker chats, animal enrichment, photo opportunities and more.

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OKC ZOO HOSTS FUNDRAISERS, PROMOTES SOCIAL CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF ASIAN ELEPHANT AWARENESS MONTH

August is Asian Elephant Awareness Month, cause for trumpeting as OKC Zoo invites elephant fans to support Asian elephant conservation through month-long social media campaign, happenings.

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AUGUST HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

Discover wild ways to play these summer days at the OKC Zoo! Enjoy early hours, BRICKLIVE experience, free weekday afternoons, Asian Elephant Awareness Month, animal awareness days, Sip and Stroll 21+ event series and more.

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OKC ZOO AND PEPSI EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE 2022 WINNERS OF STATEWIDE STUDENT ART CONTEST

Student artists share ideas for creating clean, litter-free habitats for Oklahoma’s wildlife.

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OKC ZOO’S SUMATRAN TIGER TWINS RECEIVE FIRST WELLNESS EXAM

Tiger twins update! OKC Zoo’s Sumatran tiger cubs receive first wellness exam, the newborn siblings are in good health and meeting milestones.

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OKC ZOO CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL TURTLE, TORTOISE STUDY CHALLENGING EVOLUTIONARY THEORY OF AGING

OKC Zoo provides data on its turtle, tortoises for new study that shows these species may experience slower signs of aging when their living conditions improve.

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OKC ZOO ADJUSTS ITS HOURS TO HELP GUESTS AVOID EXTREME SUMMER WEATHER

Effective Monday, July 25 through Wednesday, August 31, park hours will be 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily with the last entry at 2 p.m. Zoo offers FREE admission on select weekday afternoons in August.

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OKC ZOO, OG&E BRING STATEWIDE LIBRARY PROGRAM, READ FOR ADVENTURE, TO OKLAHOMA COMMUNITIES

Ongoing program connects Oklahoma families to literary education, monarch conservation and recreation with complimentary Zoo admission!

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JOIN OKC ZOO’S AAZK CHAPTER FOR ANNUAL BOWLING FOR RHINOS

Wild bowling fundraiser returns, invites Oklahomans to roll out for in-person event in support of global rhino and habitat conservation

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OKC ZOO CELEBRATES BIRTH OF CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SUMATRAN TIGER TWINS

Double the stripes, double the delight! OKC Zoo’s Sumatran tiger, Lola, gives birth to two healthy cubs, a momentous occasion for the conservation of this rare species.

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JULY HAPPENINGS AT THE OKC ZOO

Create wild memories this summer with the Zoo’s new BRICKLIVE experience, Read for Adventure family program, Sip and Stroll 21+ event series and more.

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OKC ZOO HOSTS SUMMER ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES FOR ITS ANIMALS AS PART OF SEASONAL EVENT SERIES

Visitors can view diverse wildlife consuming cool and creative treats made by the Zoo’s expert animal caretakers.

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OKC ZOO WELCOMES NEW JAGUAR TO ITS ANIMAL FAMILY

Cat Forest is home for new female jaguar, Zia.

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OKC ZOO HAPPENINGS IN JUNE

JUNE HAPPENINGS AT THE OKLAHOMA CITY ZOO 2022

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OKC ZOO PROVIDES GREAT APES WITH ANIMAL-APPROVED VENDING MACHINE AS INVENTIVE ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

OKC Zoo collaborates with WildThink, creator of the Animal Vending Machine, an interactive enrichment tool that encourages animals to problem-solve and be active.

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OKC ZOO AND BOB MOORE SUBARU HOST WORLD OCEANS DAY CELEBRATION ON JUNE 2

Make a splash at World Oceans Day as you celebrate aquatic life, ocean conservation. Family-friendly activities, caretaker chats, animal enrichment, photo opportunities and more.

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OKC ZOO’S CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SUMATRAN TIGER IS PREGNANT, DUE SUMMER 2022

Sumatran tiger, Lola, is pregnant, expected to give birth this summer. OKC Zoo participates in AZA breeding program for this critically endangered species to ensure its survival as there are less than 500 Sumatran tigers in the wild.

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OKC ZOO ANNOUNCES ARRIVAL OF TWO AFRICAN PAINTED DOGS TO PREDATOR PASS HABITAT

Zoo welcomes two male African painted dogs as part of Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for this endangered species.

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