Interactive Map

Though lions used to live in most parts of Africa, they are now found only in the south Sahara desert and in parts of southern and eastern Africa. Most of the remaining wild lions can be found in the East African countries of Tanzania and Kenya as well as the Southern African countries of Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The lion population in Africa has been reduced by half since the early 1950s. Today, fewer than 21,000 remain in all of Africa.

Did you know?!

•  A lion’s roar can be heard for a distance of up to five miles.
• Although lions readily drink water when available, they are capable of obtaining all their moisture needs from their prey, and even from plants.
• Lions are unique among the cats, since they live in large social groups called prides. A lion pride frequently has 20 or more individuals.
• Male lions are usually larger than females and can be easily identified because of their manes. These manes help to protect male lions when fighting off other males.

Our Lions:
Donovan (Male) - Born May 11, 2011
Murphy (Male) - Born June 6, 2012
Coky (Female) - Born June 6, 2012

All three of our lions were born at the Utica Zoo from the same parents.

Stretching from Asian countries such as India and Pakistan all the way into north Africans countries as far west as Senegal and Mauritania, striped hyenas occur in grasslands, open woodlands, and bushy regions, usually in rugged terrain. While the striped hyena has no natural predators, it does often come into conflict with humans. They have been known to kill humans, especially children, and they are often poisoned and trapped for preying on livestock or raiding farms. Some of their body parts are also believed to have medicinal value. Striped hyenas have also become endangered through habitat loss.

Did you know?!

• A young hyena is called a 'cub, pup or whelp'. A striped hyena group is called a 'clan or cackle'.
• A striped hyena’s massive jaws help them crush and swallow bones, teeth, horns, and hooves—all body parts that other predators leave uneaten. Their jaw pressure is approximately 800lbs per square inch. The hyena’s digestive system has adapted to maximize the nutritional value of animal remains. It contains highly acidic fluids, in which organic matter of bone is usually digested completely and indigestible items like small bone fragments, horns, hooves, and hair are regurgitated.
• The striped hyena’s diet varies by season. True to its scavenger nature, the hyena eats mammalian carrion whenever possible.
• Although they are mostly scavengers, hyenas are also skilled hunters able to take down relatively large prey. Some striped hyenas even prey on sheep, goats, donkeys, and horses. They are also known to eat crops such as dates, melons, cucumbers, and peaches (a favorite).
• Once thought to be solitary, recent studies have shown that in some areas striped hyenas live in small groups of one female and several males.
• Primarily nocturnal or crepuscular, they rest out of sight during the day in a natural cave or a burrow dug into the hillside. Hyenas have even been known to take over another animal’s den.
• Unlike their noisy cousins, the spotted hyenas, striped hyenas do not make that famous laugh-like sound and are usually silent. Their loudest call is a rarely heard, cackling howl. Instead they generally rely more on body language as a means of communication. For example, when they feel threatened they may attempt to make themselves look much larger by raising the hair/mane along their back. It’s generally their last effort to “pretend” to be brave and, hopefully, keep what it sees as scary predators farther away.
• Striped hyenas are not members of the dog or cat families. Although, of the two, they are more closely related to the cat family. Instead, they are so unique that they have a family all their own, Hyaenidae. There are four members of the Hyaenidae family: the striped hyena, the spotted hyena, the brown hyena, and the aardwolf.
• The front legs of a striped hyena are much longer than the hind legs. This gives hyenas their distinctive walk, making them seem like they’re always limping uphill.
• Striped hyenas seem to be immune to certain diseases, such as rabies and anthrax. By studying their immune system, we might find cures for humans.

Our Hyenas
Kani (Male) - Born May 15, 2012
Imara (Female) - Born February 22, 2013

There are two species of mountain zebras, Cape and Hartmann's. Cape mountain zebras may occur up to 2,000 meters above sea level, but move to lower elevations in the winter. Hartmann’s mountain zebras occupy an arid region in a mountainous transition zone on the edge of the Namib Desert of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa. Surface water is patchy in this area and as a result, must wander between the mountains and sand flats in order to find patches of grass.

Did you know?!

• Hartmann’s mountain zebras are commonly found at play. Types of play include chasing, racing, play-fighting, and chal-lenge games. Challenge games usually consist of nose-to-nose contact followed by mutual grooming.
• A zebra's night vision is thought to be about as good as an owl’s!
• Mountain zebras are mainly crepuscular – active in the early morning and late afternoon to sunset.
• During cold weather, mountain zebras shelter in wooded areas or caves, and go to east-facing slopes to warm up in the morning sunshine.
• Hartmann’s mountain zebras live on the edge of the Namib Desert, and as a result they have to range widely to find surface water. They sniff out water and paw 3 feet down below the sand of dry river beds to uncover it, thus benefiting many desert animals.
• Mountain zebras act in response to the alarm signals of black wildebeest. However, they rarely respond to alarm signals of smaller antelopes.
• No two zebras are alike – each has a distinct stripe pattern, just like with human fingerprints.
• A mountain zebra’s heart weighs three times that of a plains zebra to accommodate the increased number of oxygen-carrying red blood cells needed in a high altitude environment.
• Mountain zebra can gallop up to 40 miles per hour and jump 6 feet.

Our Zebras:

Rundu (Male) - Born December 28, 2011

Zecora (Female) - Born November 28, 2013

Although Ostrich numbers have drastically declined over the last 200 years, they are still classed as ‘Least Concern’. In the 18th century, ostrich feathers were so popular in ladies’ fashion that the ostrich disappeared from all of Northern African countries. If not for ostrich farming, which began in 1838, the ostrich would probably be extinct. Today, ostriches can be found over the entirety of the African continent and are farmed and hunted for feathers, skin, meat, eggs, and fat.

Did you know?!

• An ostrich can run at a top speed of 43 miles per hour for a short distance, but can keep up a pace of about 30 miles per hour for a good amount of time. This big bird can also defend itself with the 4-inch claw on each foot. A kick from an ostrich is powerful enough to kill a lion!
• The ostrich has the largest eye of any land animal. Its eye is bigger than the worlds smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird. Their eyes measure 2 inches across.
• A kick from a common ostrich – which have 4-inch claws on each foot – is so powerful that it can kill a lion.
• When a Common Ostrich eats, food is collected in the crop at the top of their throat until there is a large enough lump to slide down their throat. Consequently, Ostriches tend to swallow just about anything from plants and small animals to sand, pebbles, and small stones – the latter three of which help to grind up food in an Ostrich’s gizzard. Because of this, Ostriches are able to digest quite a lot of materials that other animals can’t eat.
• A Common Ostrich’s tough intensities are up to 46 feet in length. This allows an Ostrich to absorb as many nutrients as possible from the materials that pass through it. In fact, Ostriches do not need to drink water because they can absorb all the water that they need from the plants that they eat. However, they will still take a drink from a watering hole if given the opportunity.
• When seeking mates, male Common Ostriches have a fascinating ritual. The black-and-white males use their dramatic coloring to attract the more muted, light-brown females. The male will perform a display where they sink low to the ground right before shaking the feathers on their wings while moving their tail up and down. After this, the male will spread out his wings and stamp toward the female to impress her.
• Male and female ostriches share the responsibility of incubating the eggs. To help with camouflage, the dark feathered males will sit on the nest during the night while the light colored females will sit on the nest during the day.
• While it is typically the dominant female and territorial male of an ostrich flock that mate and create a nest – which is little more than a shallow depression scratched into the dirt by the male – others will mate and proceed to lay their eggs in the “dominant” nest. However, the eggs of the dominant female are always positioned to the center of the nest to ensure the best incubation and protection.
• Ostrich eggs are approximately 6 inches in length, 5 inches across, and weigh about 3 pounds. One ostrich will lay between 7 and 10 eggs in a season, but a communal nest may hold up to 60 eggs from an assortment of ostriches.
• When different groups of ostriches meet, they may challenge each other with short chases. The winning group takes all of losing group’s the chicks with them. This can lead to some “nurseries” ending up with 300 ostrich chicks with only a few adults to care for all of them.
• An ostrich is the only bird that has 2 toes. All other birds have either 3 or 4 toes.
• Ostriches hold their wings out when they run to help them balance.
• While ostriches can gather into groups of 100 or more, most flocks are around 10.
• Contrary to popular myth, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand! When they sense danger and cannot run away, an ostrich flops to the ground and remains still with its head flat on the ground. Since their heads are lightly colored, they blend in with the sand making it appear like it is buried.

Our Ostrich:
Boomer (Male) - Born 1999

Also known as the African Wild dog, Cape Hunting Dog, or simple Painted Dog, African Painted Dogs are an endangered canine native to  Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique. Their primary threats include human expansion, being hunted by farmers fearing for their livestock, and getting caught in traps left by poachers intended for big game animals (which coincidentally also happen to be Painted Dog prey).

Did you know?!

• African Painted Dogs are long-legged canines that have only four toes per foot unlike other dogs which have five on their forefeet.
• Painted Dogs hunt in formidable, cooperative packs of 6 to 20 (or more) animals. Larger packs were more common before the dogs became endangered. Packs on the larger side are capable of hunting more efficiently and successfully, can prey on larger species, and have a better chance of protecting their kills from scavengers. This decreases the quantity of required hunts, which reduces the pack’s energetic costs and risk, increasing overall fitness.
• African Painted Dogs are also known as the African wild dog, Cape hunting dog, and – simply – painted dog.
• A painted dog’s large, rounded ears give them excellent hearing and help to keep the dogs cool in hot climates.
• Painted dog’s coat patterning is unique to each individual dog. But, coat patterns are recognizably similar in close relatives.
• Painted dogs are crepuscular meaning that they rest during the day and become active in the early morning and evening.
• Painted dogs’ vocal repertoire is one of the most complex in Canidae (dog species) with some sounds unique to the species.
• The largest populations of African painted dogs can be found in Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Tanzania, and Mozambique.
• Painted dogs hunt cooperatively in a relay type form, taking turns running after the prey. Painted dogs depend on their ability to run for a long time without getting tired so they can outlast their prey. They can run up to 37 miles per hour for up to 3 miles.
• They are one of the most successful hunters in all of Africa, catching prey 70 to 90 percent of the time. (Lions are only successful 30 to 40 percent of the time).
• In a painted dog pack, there is one dominant male and female called the alpha pair. The most reliable way to recognize them is by observing which members of the pack urine-mark as this task is the prerogative of the dominant male and female. Typically only the female alpha will breed, but subordinate females (betas) will sometimes have litters of their own.
• A painted dog’s litter has – on average – 10 to 12 pups, however they can have up to 21. This is the largest litter of any dog species.
• Painted dog pack members get along very well most of the time. Food sharing is a critical part of pack life. The adult dogs eat and then regurgitate the meat for injured or ill pack members and youngsters.
• With most social mammals, the females stay with the group and raise their young while the males leave to start new groups. Painted dogs do the opposite. The females are the ones to leave the pack, sometimes as a group of sisters, to join a new pack when they are about three years old. Males generally remain in the pack they were born into.
• Given the social nature of painted dogs, a disease such as rabies can permeate an entire group through just one dog, and wipe out a whole pack. To help combat this, several conservation organizations have programs that involve vaccinating as many domestic dogs as possible in the villages that surround areas where painted dogs are present.

Our Painted Dogs:
Charlie (Female) – Born November 20th, 2018
Ada (Female) - Born November 20th, 2018
Rosie (Female) - Born November 20th, 2018

Historically, the Canada lynx ranged from Alaska across Canada and into many of the northern U.S. states. The lynx’s gradual disappearance from the contiguous U.S. results from human activities that have compromised both the lynx and its habitat. Snowmobile trails and roads pose problems for lynx because these packed-snow pathways give high-country access to cougar and coyote (which can eat lynx), and bobcat (which compete with lynx)

Did you know?!

• Lynx have excellent eyesight: they can spot a mouse at 250 feet! Also, the black tufts of hair at the tops of their ears serve to enhance their already phenomenal hearing.
• Lynx can only sustain populations where there are adequate snowshoe hare populations.
• Not being a good runner, but having a rather clumsy gallop, lynx often ambush prey from ledges and trees. When stalking prey, they move to within pouncing distance before striking.
• Snowshoe hares are a primary food source. Populations of the two are known to fluctuate in linked cycles with periods of about 10 years. They may also eat rodents, birds and fish. If they can find a deer, or other large ungulate that is very weak or sick, lynx will kill and eat it. They also feed on carcasses left by human hunters.
• Male Canada lynx occupy distinct territories; territories of females Canada lynx may overlap.
• They are good climbers and with their long, powerful legs may jump 4.5 m from a walking or standing start.
• Canada Lynx generally cover 2.5 miles per day in their regular travels. In Canada, scientists have measured daily traveling distances ranging from about 0.5 to around 12 miles.

Our Lynxes:
Denali (Female) - Born May 15th, 2018

After being wiped out in the U.S. and with only a few animals remaining in Mexico, Mexican gray wolves were bred in human care and reintroduced to the wild in Arizona beginning in 1998. There are only about 300 Mexican wolves total in captivity and approximately 109 in the wild.

Did You Know?!

• The Mexican gray wolf is about half the size of its cousin, the North American gray wolf. They are the smallest gray wolf subspecies in North America and one of the rarest and most endangered mammals on the continent.
• Wolves are carnivores and have 42 teeth
• Each spring, the alpha female gives birth to a litter of pups in a burrowed-out den. She’s the only pack member who has pups, but the whole pack helps raise them by bringing food to the den in their own stomachs and regurgitating it for the pups.
• Wild Mexican wolf populations increased in size by 24% in 2019 but still have a long way to go. Their population size in the wild is only approximately 186 individuals.
• Mexican wolves travel in packs and roam their territories of 30 to 500 square miles together.
• Mexican Wolves have a clearly defined hierarchy within the pack centered around a breeding pair that mates for life.
• A healthy adult Mexican wolf can survive for days or even weeks without food if they have to.

Our Wolves:
Ah Tabai (Male) - Born May 8th, 2016
Fenrir (Male) - Born May 8th, 2016
Maitland (Male) - Born May 8th, 2016

As the red fox's range expands into that of the arctic fox, these two species compete for food. The larger red fox also preys on the smaller arctic fox. Polar bears and wolves also threaten the arctic fox in two ways. When larger predators decline in numbers, they leave behind less carrion for the scavenging arctic fox. Bears and wolves also prey upon the arctic fox as a source of food. Despite all these hazards, arctic foxes are remarkably successful in most areas of their range.

Did You Know?!

• Arctic foxes have a great sense of smell and excellent hearing. Their small, pointy ears can hear their prey moving around in underground tunnels. When an Arctic fox hears its next meal scurrying under the snow, it leaps into the air and pounces, breaking through the layer of snow right onto the prey underneath.
• The arctic fox has a unique system of heat exchange that will not let her start shivering until the temperature drops to an astounding −70 °C (−94 °F).
• An artic fox’s fur changes colors depending on the season. In the winter months, it is a pure white. During the summer months it has a blue tint to it.
• Arctic foxes live in burrows with extensive tunnel systems. During blizzards, they also burrow into the snow for protection from the elements.

Our Foxes:
Athena (Female) - Born May 20th, 2012
Mariah (Female) - Born May 20th, 2012

The survival of spider monkeys and trees are intertwined. Spider monkeys are almost entirely arboreal. This means, they live on canopy trees through forests across Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, and El Salvador. They require large tracts of primary forest to survive, and are vulnerable to deforestation. They are some-times hunted by humans for meat and captured for the pet trade. Because of low reproductive turnover, they cannot quickly replenish their numbers when affected by these events. As a result, Geoffroy's spider monkey has disappeared from some areas where it was once common.

Did You Know?!

• A spider monkey’s arms are longer than its legs.
• The spider monkey has a prehensile (grasping) tail, which it can use to pick up items as small as sunflower seeds.
• Spider monkeys are quite noisy. They send forth a variety of loud calls which are easy to hear for about 1000m on the ground and 2000m above the canopy. These loud calls and screeches are used to alert members of the troop.

Our Spider Monkeys:
Manuel - Born 1996
Negra - Born 1997

The white-handed or Lar Gibbon is considered endangered. This is due, in part, to the flourishing illegal pet trade in Thailand in which they are hunted, captured, traded, and exploited. The deforestation of their forest habitat is also a threat and is becoming more of a problem. Protected conservation areas provide the greatest survival rates for populations of this species, although the ongoing agricultural development through these areas increases both fragmentation and access for hunters.

Did You Know?!

• The gibbon’s swinging movement is called brachiation. It saves energy by maintaining momentum, using the body as a pendulum.
• On average they spend ten hours a day grooming each other, (social or allo-grooming) Allo-grooming probably serves more as a hygienic activity than a social function for this species
• At night, white-handed gibbons sleep sitting up in groups in "sleeping" trees
• A gibbon’s hands have short, opposable thumbs and long, curved fingers that are held together to form hooks as they swing through the canopy. The large toe on their feet is also opposable. While on the ground, however, a gibbon will hold their arms up at an angle in order to keep balance and prevent them from dragging on the ground.
• Gibbon pairs mate for life. These pairs usually birth 1 infant gibbon every 2 to 2.5 years. Typically, the baby gibbon clings to its mother’s belly for most of its first year. However, since the father stays around as part of the family unit, the dad may carry the gibbon as the baby gets older. The babies will then start to spend time away from their family unit when they turn about 6. They will reach maturity between 6 and 10 years old. During this time, younger siblings may be born. At any one time, as many as 4 offspring may live within a gibbon’s family unit.
• Each gibbon family unit lives in its own territory that can range up to one hundred acres in size. Gibbons can be very territorial and will defend their territory against all other gibbons. Intruders are warned of the resident group’s presence from the loud calls that the gibbons make. These calls can carry extremely long distances.
• Gibbons are very vocal, especially in the morning when the female begins to emit penetrating hooting calls to remind other families in the area of the borders of the territories. The male also takes over in repeating these calls. In addition, at the height of a calling cycle, adult females utter a distinctive prolonged wail which rises by irregular swoops through about two octaves. A variety of squeaks can also be uttered, especially by juveniles. During meal time gibbons will also give off a gentle sounding soft hoot while waiting for their food.

Our Gibbons:
Snowflake (Female) - Born January 22, 1988
Yoda (Male) - Born June 14, 1994
Dooku (Male) - Born January 30, 2023

Jacob Sheep is a domestic breed of sheep found in the United Kingdom. They typically have a more spotted pattern to their wool and 4 horns. While Jacob Sheep were originally used to decorate the yards and gardens of large estates, today Jacob Sheep are primarily for wool and meat.

Did You Know?!

• Jacob Sheep Rams can have horns as long as 30 inches or more.
• The name Jacob Sheep is in reference to the Bible (Genesis 30) when it states that when Jacob moved from Mesopotamia to Egypt he brought with him a flock of spotted sheep. Since the Jacob Sheep's spots are unique to them, it is likely that they are the what the Bible is referring to.
• Because of a Jacob Sheep's black spots on their white wool, one fleece can spin up the entire spectrum of colors from white to gray-lilac to black.

Our Jacob Sheep:
Cindy Lou (Female) - Born 2013
Jessie (Female) - Born 2008
Millie (Female) - Born 2020
Mabel (Female) - Born 2020

Named after naturalist Peter Pallas, Pallas's Cats are found in the Eurasian grassy steppes living everywhere from the Mongolian deserts to the Himalayas. Called the most expressive cats in the world because of their snaggily teeth, the main reason is their pupils. Unlike other species of small cat, Pallas cats don't have vertical slits for pupils and instead have round ones just like us. Unfortunately, their populations have been declining due to human expansion shrinking their habitats and limiting their food supply.

Did You Know?!

• Their fur is the densest fur of any cat in the world! Their fur coats help to keep them warm in the extreme temperatures that they live in.
• Like most wild felines, Pallas cats are solitary and only come together for breeding. Kittens will stay with the mother for about 6 months and then they are ready to go out on their own.
• Unlike other cats, Pallas’s cats’ pupils contract into small circles as opposed to slits.
• Since Pallas’s cats are short and stocky in build, they are terrible runners. Because of this, Pallas’s cats take cover on boulders or in crevasses when threatened. Likewise, when hunting Pallas’s cats use an ambush method; they wait at the entrances of their prey’s burrows and then pounce once they emerge.
• Pallas’s cats can make a variety of sounds including yelps and growls (like a dog) and even purring.

Our Pallas Cat:
Tate (Male) - Born March 28th, 2017

Red foxes can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere in a variety of areas from suburbs to deserts to tundras. They are quite common and its easy to know if a fox is in your area due to their strong and powerful odor. They use scent in order to mark their territory as well as to communicate with other foxes.

Did You Know?!

• When hunting is good and food is prevalent, red foxes are known to cache excess food to return to later when needed!
• When a fox is pouncing a mouse, it jumps straight up in the air and points all 4 legs straight down to pin the mouse to the ground as the fox lands.
• When a fox sleeps, it curls up and wraps its tail around its face to keep its nose warm.

Our Red Foxes
Moriarty (Male) – Born Between February 14th and April 1st, 2016

There are no wild alpaca in the world anymore since they have become and entirely domesticated species. This process into complete domesticity began around 6,000 years ago in South America. Unlike the closely related solitary Llamas, Alpacas are herd animals and feel the safest while they are in groups.

Did You Know?!

• Alpacas create a community bathroom spot to keep poo away from their grazing areas.
• Alpacas have soft, padded feet that don't damage delicate grasses as they graze and walk around.
• Alpacas are part of the camel family while also includes llamas, guanacos, and vicunas.

Our Alpacas:
Rocky/Roque– Born September 5th, 2005
Paqo– Born June 13th, 2008
Kachay– Born September 20th, 2008
Ozomatli– Born September 20th, 2008

Thought to have originated from India, Zebu are a domesticated bovine from the jungles of South Asia that are valued for their milk, meat, leather, and horns. They are one of the oldest breeds of cattle that we know of dating back as far as 6000 BC. Today, reports show that there could be up to 70 different Zebu cattle types in the world.

Did You Know?!

• Zebu are very hardy and healthy due to being both parasite AND disease resistant.
• Just like in camels, a Zebu's hump serves as a reservoir of fat that can be used as a source of energy when regular good is not available.
• Both male and female zebus have horns.

Our Zebu
Zeke (Male)– Born April 9th, 2008
Zack (Male) – Born September 23rd, 2018

Zack came to the Utica Zoo from the Washington Park Zoo.

Zack is a domestic/dwarf Zebu and is noticeably smaller than Zeke.

While beavers are the largest rodent in North America, there are actually 2 species that can be found in North America, Europe, and Asia. While in North America beavers were almost hunted to extinction due to the high demand for beaver pelts, meat, and castoreum (or scent glands) among early European colonists, beavers have since made a comeback. They are typically found in protected dams near bodies of water, the entrances of which are typically underwater.

Did You Know?!

• Beaver's front teeth are orange because their enamel contains iron to strengthen them and allow them to self sharpen as they gnaw on wood.
• Beavers can shut their nose and ear valves to keep out water while submerged AND they have a set of transparent eyelids that function as goggles so that they can see underwater. These traits allow them to stay below the surface for 15 minutes without surfacing.
• Beaver castoreum (or scent glands) were used as a tincture in some perfumes and occasionally as a food additive into the early 1900s.

Our Beavers:
Capa (Female) - Born April 29, 2009
Frances (Male) - Born May 14, 2018
Justin (Male) - Born May 14, 2018

Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs are a native swine of Southeast Asia (primarily in the Nam Định province of Vietnam) and since the 1980s have been imported into the United States as pets. In the wild, these pigs tend to form herds of considerable numbers. While in these herds, the pigs communicate with a variety of squeaks, grunts, gurgles, sneezes, and other sounds.

Did You Know?!

• Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs' skin lacks hair, so they are very sensitive to the sun. In the wild, they wallow in the mud to stay cool and protect their skin.
• Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs use their snouts to forage for food! See if you can spot our pigs digging in the dirt with their nose!
• Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs have poor vision but excellent senses of smell and hearing.

Our Pigs:
Bacon (Male) - Born September 1st, 2017
Piggy Sue (Female) - Born March 13th, 2009

Nigerian Dwarf Goats derive from a variety of small goats imported from Western African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Gambia, Liberia, Mali, Niger, and Senegal to the United States between 1930 and 1960 for display in zoos. While initially used as a show breed due to their appearance and docility, Nigerian Dwarf  Goats eventually became valued for  their milk production as well. Today, they are recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association!

Did You Know?!

• A Nigerian Dwarf Goat doe can produce up to 2 quarts of milk per day that is higher in butterfat and protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds.
• Nigerian Dwarf Goats are often beneficial to pastures because they eat weeds and plants that many other livestock species won't touch. These weeds and plants include blackberry bushes and ivy (including poison ivy and poison oak).
• Since Nigerian dwarf goats are docile, gentle, and playful, they make very good companion pets!

Our Goats:
Tasha (Female) - Born July 13, 2010
Arya (Female) - Born June 27, 2014
Cloe (Female) - Born March 4, 2023
Stella (Female) -Born March 4, 2023
Zozie (Female) - Born March 5, 2023

White Naped Cranes are native to northern Mongolia, southern Siberia, Korea, Japan, and central China. They are distinguishable from other cranes because they are the only species with pinkish legs and a dark gray and white striped neck (hence their name).

Did You Know?!

• White-naped cranes have a special dance! Mated pairs of cranes engage in unison calling, which is a complex and extended series of coordinated calls. The birds stand in a specific posture, usually with their heads thrown back and breaks skyward, during the display.
• In Korea, white-naped cranes are a popular New Year’s symbol. They are also featured widely throughout Korean art and folklore.
• White-naped cranes are capable of flying at speeds between 25 and 35 miles per hour.

Our Cranes:

Creamy - Born May 23rd, 1981
Peaches - Born June 2nd, 2002

Creamy is one of the oldest cranes in human care!

Found widely in southeastern China and Taiwan, Reeves's muntjac are the oldest deer species known to man with fossil records dating back to somewhere between 15-30 million years ago. They are sometimes referred to as "barking deer" due to the deep bark-like sounds they are known to make when on alert. Today, Reeve's muntjacs are considered to be a species of least concern and are actually classified as an invasive species due to their introduction to Belgium, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan.

Did You Know?!

• Male muntjacs have a set of downward pointing canine teeth used for fighting. These are sometimes - although wrongly - referred to as "tusks."
• All muntjacs have 2 pairs of very visible glands on their face for marking their territories.
• Muntjac males have antlers which they shed annually.
• The gestation period for a muntjac is 7 months and females only birth 1 offspring. Baby muntjacs have spotted coats.
• Muntjacs don’t form herds. They live alone or in pairs and rarely leave their own territory.
• Muntjacs are sometimes called “barking deer” because of the dog-like barking vocalization they make. This barking sound may also be used to ward off predators, attract a female for mating, and for defending territory against other muntjacs who may be stepping into the wrong land.
• Scientists are especially interested in muntjacs because each species – of which there are 12 including the Reeves’ muntjac – has slightly different features even though they all live in the same natural range in Asia.
• Reeves’ muntjacs have a long tongue that is used to strip leaves from bushes.
• Reeves’ muntjacs scent-mark their territories with secretions from their preorbital glands.
• Muntjacs are the oldest known deer species. Fossil remains date from 15 to 35 million years ago.

Our Muntjacs:

Matthew (Male) -Born November 3rd, 2012
Xiao Yi (Male) - Born May 26th, 2013

Native to Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, wallabies are one of the most common "pests" in their habitats. Not only do they continuously have offspring, but there are also no big threats to them in the wild. In fact, local governments sometimes issue licenses to kill wallabies in order to prevent them from devastating crops or pastures. Occasionally, wallabies are also harvested for their meat.

Did You Know?!

• A baby wallaby will stay in its mother's pouch for about 7 months, completely weaning between 10-12 months.
• Wallabies have stomachs with chambers. When they eat, they regurgitate food which is chewed and swallowed again.
• Wallabies cool off by licking their paws and forearms when they are nervously excited or in hot weather.

Our Wallabies:

Chrissy (Female) - Born January 1st, 2011
Janet (Female) - Born January 1st, 2011
Yapa (Female) - Born March 6th, 2019
Peanut - Born 2020

Although originally present on islands surrounding Australia, today Emus are only found on the Australian mainland. They are the second largest flightless bird (the first being the ostrich).

Did You Know?!

• An emu has 2 pairs of eyelids: one is for blinking and the other is to keep dust out.
• A group of emus is called a mob.
• Emus swallow pebbles and small rocks to assist in the grinding of food and to accelerate digestion.
• Male emus build the nest, incubate the eggs, and voraciously defend their chicks, all without the help of the female.
• Emus are fast runners that can reach speeds of up to 31 miles per hour.
• Emus have 3 forward-facing toes that allow it to grip the ground.
• Female emus will lay between 5 and 20 large, emerald-green eggs in large ground nests. Males will incubate the eggs for about seven weeks without drinking, feeding, defecating, or leaving the nest. During this time, females will often move on and continue mating.
• Emu chicks will stay with the male for 4 to 12 months until they are able to eat on their own.

Our Emus:
Diggery (Female) - Born March 2006
Doo (Female) - Born March 2006

Named for the three pairs of fleshy warts that appear on their face (which are thought to protect their face when fighting), Visayan Warty Pigs are one of the most critically endangered swine species on the planet. Today, these pigs are only found in the Philippines and are extinct from 98% of their original habitat due to habitat loss and hunting. In fact, no one is even sure how many Visayan Warty Pigs are left in the wild.

Did You Know?!

• Visayan warty pigs can raise the hairs on their backs to make them appear larger.
• Visayan warty pigs were not recognized as a distinct species until the 1990sdue to their rarity. Additionally, because they are so rare scientists have a difficult time studying them in the wild.
• Visayan Warty Pigs typically live in groups of four to five.
• About 98% of the pigs’ forest habitat has been cleared by local farmers who cut down woodlands to plant crops. When the soil becomes unproductive in a few years, they move on to clear more land. The pigs’ taste for cultivated crops then leads them to uproot the fields of farmers. This habit has led to many pigs being killed for destroying a food source for the poor inhabitants of the islands.
• Despite the fact that every year more and more forest is destroyed in Visayan warty pig habitats, the future for these animals is hopeful. They breed easily in human care and are finding homes in AZA institutions where they can work on rebuilding their population.

Our Pigs:

Axl (Male) - Born June 12th, 2008
Ozzy (Male) - Born June 10th, 2008
Ace (Male) - Born September 9th, 2008

Native to western central Asia from Iran to Kazakhstan to Pakistan to northern India, the Transcaspian Urial is the modern domestic sheep's ancestor as well as the oldest line of the Ovis species. Today they are considered vulnerable due to their competition with livestock for resources and territory.

Did You Know?!

• Sheep - like the Transcaspian Urial - have great memories and can remember more than 50 individual sheep and people by using a similar part of the brain and neural process that humans use to remember.
• Sheep - like the Transcaspian Urial - can self-medicate when they are ill by eating particular plants that can cure them of various ailments.
• The Transcaspian urial species is found at lower elevations where there are higher numbers of people and where the urial compete directly with domestic livestock for grazing areas. Urial densities are often naturally low because they live in a hot, dry, habitat with limited food. Living close to human settlements makes the urial vulnerable to being hunted or poached. In some countries, urial are highly prized by trophy hunters and there is pressure for governments to open hunting. Due to increasing habitat loss, urial populations are becoming smaller and more isolated.
• Male urials that are solitary most of the year will compete with each other during the breeding season – which occurs in autumn – by head butting and jumping (up to 9 feet)! The winner of these competitions will mate with 4 or 5 females, or ewes.
• The Transcaspian urial is a type of mouflon, or wild sheep. Mouslon were the wild ancestors of today’s domestic sheep (likely domesticated around 10,500 years ago).
• Both male and female urials grow spiral horns. The male’s horns are larger and can measure more than 2.5 feet in length.
• There is a strict dominance hierarchy among rams based on their age and the size of their massive curling horns. The ram with the biggest horns is the leader.
• The neck ruffs of a male Transcaspian urial can reach lengths of 9 inches.

Our Urials:

Pyrai (Female) - Born April 20th, 2021
Saimina (Female) - Born April 11th, 2014
Aankhen (Male) - Born May 10th, 2016

The 2 humped Bactrian Camels, unlike the single humped Arabian Dromedary Camels, are a critically endangered species with the only remaining wild camels existing in small herds in the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and China. Bactrian Camels store fat in their humps - like many other humped animals - which is then converted to water and energy when sustenance is not available.  Today, there are thought to be fewer than 400 Bactrian Camels left in the wild.

Did You Know?!

• A very thirsty Bactrian Camel can drink 30 gallons of water in only 13 minutes.
• Baby Bactrian Camels are born with their eyes open and can run when they are only a few hours old!
• A Bactrian camel’s hump hold fat, not water, and helps sustain them when food and water are scarce.
• Bactrian camels look very different in winter than in summer. In winter, they grow a long fur coat to help protect them from the cold. They shed their coats in spring to stay cool in summer.

Our Camels:
Najla (Female) - Born May 20th, 2005
Furlow (Male) - Born February 26th, 2010

Once abundant in North America, Bald Eagles became rare in the mid-to -late 1900s—the victim of trapping, shooting, and poisoning as well as pesticide-caused reproductive failures. In 1978 the bird was listed under the Endangered Species Act. Since 1980, with the banning of DDT (the bird’s main pesticide threat) there has been a dramatic resurgence. By the late 1990s, breeding populations could be found throughout most of North America. In 2007, the bird’s recovery prompted its removal from the Endangered Species list.

Did You Know?!

• Immature Bald Eagles spend the first four years of their lives in nomadic exploration of vast territories and can fly hundreds of miles per day
• Eagles will wait for an osprey to return to its nest with a fish in its talons for its own young, then harasses the smaller raptor until it is forced to drop its prey for the eagle to retrieve
• Bald eagles can fly up to 10,000 feet up in the air.
• Bald eagles build the biggest nest of all North American birds. These nests can be between 13 feet deep and 8 feet wide and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds!

Our Eagles:

Ginger (Female) - Born 1996
Colden (Male) - Born 2005
Spirit (Male) - Born 2003

 All of our eagles were born in the wild and injured. After they were deemed non-releasable due to being either partially flighted or unlighted from their injuries they came to the Utica Zoo. Spirit is usually on the ground (being unflighted) while Ginger and Colden are higher up (being partially flighted).

The Eagle View Pavilion is one of the 3 pavilions at the Utica Zoo. This one borders the Bald Eagle and African lion exhibits and is located near the back end of the zoo. While it is often used for zoo camps, birthday parties, and other activities, if the pavilion is empty and the "reserved" signage is not present, feel free to use this location to take a break, have a seat, and maybe enjoy a bite to eat at one of the picnic tables.

All of our pavilions are available to be rented for your own personal events! To find out about availability and to inquire about renting the Eagle View Pavilion, Click here!

The Zebra View Pavilion is one of the 3 pavilions at the Utica Zoo. This one is located just to the left and up a small hill from the zoo's entrance. It is nestled in-between the Hartmann's Mountain Zebra/Ostrich exhibit and the Striped Hyena Exhibit.  While it is often used for zoo camps, birthday parties, and other activities, if the pavilion is empty and the "reserved" signage is not present, feel free to use this location to take a break, have a seat, and maybe enjoy a bite to eat at on of the picnic tables.

All of our pavilions are available to be rented for your own personal events! To find out about availability and to inquire about renting the Zebra View Pavilion, Click Here!

The Rotary Pavilion is one of the 3 pavilions at the Utica Zoo and is also the largest. This pavilion often acts as the heart of the zoo where most visitors sit down to eat their lunches. It is located right across from our gorgeous Watering Can Garden and directly between our *seasonal* concession stand Polly's and Wadas' Wild Play Park. While this pavilion is occasionally rented out, it is typically available to all guests during the zoo's normal operating hours.

All of our pavilions are available to be rented for your own personal events! To find out about availability and to inquire about renting the Rotary Pavilion, Click Here!

Wadas' Wild Play Park is the recently expanded play area here at the Utica Zoo. It was constructed thanks to grant money and a generous donation from Wadas Eye Group. Here you can find fun for all ages!

During certain events at the Utica Zoo, the Walmart Amphitheater is used to host various shows and attractions. These include story readings, magic shows, and lots of other fun-filled activities for all ages. If an event is going on at the zoo, take a look at the schedule to see if anything is going on at this lovely location!

Our concession stand Polly's is OPEN from 11am until 4pm every day through Labor Day! It is operated by Kookie's Q!

We also do have a selection of snacks - such as chips and ice cream - as well as cold drinks inside our giftshop.

Visitors are invited to bring their own food and drink items to enjoy while on Zoo Grounds. We ask that items containing allergens (peanut putter, gluten, etc.) are not brought into the Playground area, located below the Rotary Pavilion deck.

A much needed stop for most visitors! At the moment, it is the only public restroom on zoo grounds. If there is ever an issue that you have with this restroom, please bring it to the attention of our staff at the Tree Top Gift Shop and they will contact the appropriate staff members to resolve the issue.

While not exactly part of the Utica Zoo, NYPA's New York Energy Zone is our next door neighbor here in the Roscoe Conkling Park and we collaborate on many projects. Here you can find various attractions on electricity! The following description was taken right from their website:

"The NY Energy Zone will introduce you to the dynamic world of electricity, past, present, and future, and New York State’s part in it. Interactive exhibits, activities, movies and videos meet you at every turn. Plus you will learn about NYS’s exciting electric history, its great electric companies and the important work at NYPA’s Frederick R. Clark Energy Control Center in nearby Marcy.
Are you ready? An electrifying experience awaits...

• Activate and personalize your Power Pass with an avatar
• Step into the zone with our 3-D immersive movie experience “Imagination!” in the Magi Theater
• Travel back in time with Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison
• Build a bulb, a power plant, microgrid, solar and wind installation
• Become a control room operator
• Explore the 'Future of the Grid' room and watch the sparks fly
• "Fly" a drone over power lines
• Plus enjoy photo op moments and more

This facility is typically open every day from 10am-4pm with FREE admission, however - due to the rising COVID infection rate in the area - they have temporarily closed their doors to the public.

This cottage is typically used during events for show-and-tell educational purposes. If you ever see one of our Docents or staff members with an animal or display set up over here, feel free to go over and talk to them!

Yes, you read that right! Right here in the center of the Utica Zoo, we have the World's Largest Functional Watering Can as determined by the Guinness Book of World Records. It weights over 2000 lbs., stands at 15.5 feet tall and 12 feet in diameter, and has a volume of 1,753 cubic feet. How did this Watering Can come to be at the Utica Zoo, you ask? Well, its an interesting story!

Originally commissioned by former Utica Mayor Ed Hanna as an addition to Utica City Hall's Hanna Park, plans were later altered and the Watering Can arrived at the Utica Zoo on December 5, 2000. It sported a solid gray color up until August 1, 2019 when the Utica Zoo logo was added to serve as a location marker for visitors to the Utica Zoo.

Today, it is one of the most photographed locations in the zoo!

Up on the North Trek Hiking Trail you will find a series of hands-on activities that you can give a try! Want to try balancing like a squirrel in the treetops? Want to try crawling through dense underbrush like a mouse? Want to learn about food webs? All of these and more are available for you up here on North Trek! And for anyone looking for a more relaxed nature experience, take a seat at one of our North Trek picnic tables and enjoy the natural surroundings!

*Currently, the North Trek Hiking Trail is the epicenter of an exhibit upgrade for our Canada Lynx AS well as a complete revitalization/overhaul project! Due to this, there will be a few construction areas and a few of the interactive activities will be unavailable!*

While normally closed to the public, our Auditorium is used primarily for events, zoo camps, and special occasions. However, it is always a useful landmark to have while navigating the zoo!

Attached to the auditorium there are 2 other buildings, however. On the left is the Scales & Tails wildlife hall that features a selection of snakes, lizards, and small primates. On the right is our veterinarian area and Ambassador Animal back holding both of which - are closed to the public as well. However, during the nicer weather months you may get to peek inside the Ambassador Animal back holdings through some small windows on the right side of the building (close to the restrooms).

This is the central hub within the zoo. From here, you can find pathways leading toward any section of the zoo. Oftentimes during events, this is where you will find LIVE music and food trucks!

Looking for a souvenir? Maybe a special and unique gift? Then stop by our Tree Top Gift Shop and take a look around! We have stuffed animals, magnets, post cards, jewelry, action figures, apparel, bottle openers, and so much more!

The Tree Top Gift Shop also functions as our visitor experience hub! So if you have any questions or concerns, please speak to our staff members here. They would be happy to help!

Welcome to the Utica Zoo! Thank you for coming in for a visit today! Feel free to walk right up to our ticket window and we will be happy to help you!

Have extra quarters? Want a better look at our Lion Exhibit? Use this optical viewer to see our lions and their habitat up close!

Beyond this bridge lies uneven terrain and gravel roads! If you have a wheelchair or a stroller, it may prove difficult to navigate this trail!

Here begins our North Trek Hiking Trail! This half mile path is designed to emulate an Adirondack Trail and so it isn't paved. Consequently, visitors using wheelchairs or strollers may find it difficult to navigate.

Want to make some memories? Squeeze your whole group onto this gigantic, wooden Adirondack Chair and take a picture together! It's the perfect spot to capture a photo book memory!

Our Ambassador Animals are animals who go off grounds to participate in outreach and education programs (such as ZooMobiles) around the greater Utica area. Because of their "job" here at the zoo, they are provided some more calm and quiet back-holdings for when they aren't "working" so that they can decompress and no get stressed out. However, during the warmer weather months you might be able to get a peek at some of these hard-working critters by glancing through these windows! Just remember to be kind and respectful towards them; it's their day off!

To see a list of our Ambassador Animals, Click Here!

If you are interested in meeting some of them, look into booking an Ambassador Animal Encounter Here!

Scales & Tails is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo! Located inside our Wildlife Hall building (to the left of the auditorium), this building features a variety of scaly critters and a few small primates. From snakes to lizards to tamarins, to meet all of the animals that call this section home, Click Here!

Make some memories at the zoo with your loved ones at our Apple Photobooth and get 2 photo strips for $5! This booth also allows you to email your photos to yourself AND post your photos directly to social media.

If you encounter any issues with this photobooth, go to PhotoRefund.com to inquire about refunds (the machine itself - while on zoo grounds - is owned and operated by Apple Industries)!

Need to take a seat? Want a more secluded place than a pavilion to eat? Then feel free to use the picnic table in this area for just that!

Have any spare quarters? Why not use them to take a look at the Utica skyline through these optical viewers!

Pause here for a moment to get a beautiful view of Utica and central New York's landscape! Its perfect for a photo! And, while you're at it, try out one of our Optical Viewers to get an even better look!

The North Trek Hiking Trail is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo. This half mile trail is set up to emulate an Adirondack hiking tail and on this trail you can find exhibits featuring local wildlife from Lynxes to Arctic Foxes. The trail is unpaved, however, and may prove difficult for some to navigate! To meet all of the animals who here in the zoo, Click Here!

African Ridge is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo! Stretching from African Lions all the way down to African Painted Dogs, African Ridge is where you can find animals from the Savannahs and Deserts of Africa! To meet all of the animals who call this section home, Click Here!

Backyards & Barnyards is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo! Here, you will find animals that you could find in your own backyard (provided you live in the area) OR simply animals you might find on a farm! To meet all of the animals who call this section home, Click Here!

Asian Realm is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo! Here you will find a variety of animals from the Asian continent from China to Mongolia to the Philippines. To meet all of the animals who call this section home, Click Here!

This is one of the 6 sections of the Utica Zoo! While the inside of the building is closed to the public, the exhibits featured here are entirely outside (with only back-holdings for each animals inside the buildings). Here you will find arboreal animals such as Spider Monkeys, Gibbons, and Red Pandas. To meet all of the animals who call this sections home, Click Here!

Need cash? Then use this ATM right here! A portion of the fee from this machine goes directly to the care of our animals!

When you arrive at the Utica Zoo, feel free to park in any of our parking lots FOR FREE! If a day ever happens to be extremely busy, we will have staff in the parking lot to assist in parking. And occasionally - during some events - we will have shuttle buses running from the Rec Center and MVCC (if this is the case, we will specify on the relevant event page here).

This gorgeous spot of the Utica Zoo is called out Butterfly Garden. Once every year, we release a roost of butterflies at this very spot to mingle among the flora. While the butterflies don't always stay around, it is still a nice spot to walk and get a picture!

"Locally owned and operated, Business Machines and Equipment, Inc. (BME) has provided office solutions throughout upstate New York for over 25 years, with new leadership in 2014. With offices in Greater Utica and Syracuse, and a distribution center in Mohawk, BME has grown significantly by providing quality service and products that customers have come to expect - fast and reliable at the best value."

To learn more about BME, visit https://www.bmecompany.com/.

The North American Porcupine are solitary animas that can become offensive when threatened. They prefer hard and soft wood forest but can be found in Tundra and Rangeland (Grasslands) of the United States and Canada. They are herbivores who eat leaves, roots, grasses and fruits. In the winter they survive on wood, bark and pine needles. The average adult porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills.

Did you know?!

• North American porcupines are the third largest rodents in the world, followed by the capybara and the beaver. In fact, porcupines are the 2nd largest rodent in the US.
• Porcupines have the signature orange rodent teeth that never stop growing. Their teeth contain iron to aid in chewing and filing. This iron is what gives their teeth an orange tint.
• North American porcupines don't hibernate! Instead, they hide themselves in a dark place such as a cave, a den, or a tree. This can protect them from predators.
• North American porcupines spend about 3/4ths of their lives in trees! Their curved nails aid in climbing.
• The average adult porcupine has close to 30,000 quills of varying sizes. They cannot shoot these quills!
• North American porcupines are nocturnal meaning that they are mostly active at night!

Our Porcupines:

Widget (Male) - Born April 19, 2010
Prickles (Female) - Born May 5, 2020

Also called the Patagonian mara or Patagonian hare, Patagonain cavies are a small species of mammal found ONLY in southern and central Argentina. They typically reside in arid desert and scrubland habitats. Unfortunately, due to habitat loss, increased competition for food with domestic sheep and the European hare, Patagonian cavies are now considered near threatened as their population have started to decline.

Did You Know?!

• Although they are often mistaken as being rabbits or deer, Patagonian cavies are in the same family as the guinea pig.
• Patagonian cavies are the third largest rodent in the world behind the capybara and beaver.
• Patagonian cavies are capable of jumping 6 feet upward when scared.
• Patagonian cavies have quite a variety of noises that they make including grunts and screams.
• Since Patagonian cavies are so docile in nature, they have become popular pets and are known to be leashed and even "potty trained."

Our Patagonian Cavies:
Han (Male) - Born June 16, 2016
Indy (Male) - Born June 9, 2018

Barn Owls are one of the most common species of owls and birds in the world being found everywhere except polar and desert regions and on a few islands. They are distinguishable by their white heart-shaped face, white chest, and small brown spots adorning their feathers. Like all owls, Barn Owls are nocturnal and use their excellent vision and hearing to swoop down upon unsuspecting prey in the dead of night.

Did You Know?!

• Barn owls - like many owls - fly silently because the shape of their soft feathers dulls the noise that they make.
• While a Barn owl is around the size of a cat, they only weigh about 1 pound.
• Barn owls typically catch 3 to 4 prey every night. That adds up to between 1,000 and 1,500 prey every year!
• A barn owl's ears are lopsided which allows them to pinpoint the exact location of animals based on the small noises that they make when moving.

Our Barn Owls
Squiggles (Female) - Estimated Birthdate May 2012

While the word Bantam comes from the Indonesian seaport Bantam, Bantam is a word given to any small fowl. These small chickens that you see here grew in popularity among European sailors looking to restock their supplies while in Southeast Asia. The small size of the chickens allowed sailors to fit larger numbers of chickens onto their ships. Today, you can find Bantam chickens in many parts of the world where people want to have chickens but have limited space to house them.

Did You Know?!

• The American Bantam Association lists over 400 varieties of Bantam birds.
• Bantam chicken eggs are typically about half the size of an average chicken egg.

Sulcata tortoises are the third largest tortoise after the Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises. Sulcatas live in the extremely arid Sahara desert that spans the a large portion of North Africa and includes countries such as Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, and Mauritania. Some of these areas see as little as 0 inches of rainfall over years. Because of this, Sulcata tortoises' skin is resistant to fluid loss, but when exposed to moisture it becomes highly permeable. This means that these tortoises spend a good deal of the day (when it is the hottest) burrowed more than 2 feet underground where there is more moisture to absorb. They then emerge between dawn and dusk to go about their routine activities. These tortoises are also very aggressive toward each other and males often ram into each other in an attempt to flip other males over.

Did You Know?!

• Sulcata tortoises are also known as African spurred tortoises.
• Sulcata tortoises are one of the largest species of tortoise and they easily reach 30 inches in length and well over 100 pounds in weight.
• Sulcata tortoises are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN red list due to the destruction of their habitats and over grazing by nearby livestock.
• Sulcata tortoises are commonly kept as pets, but frequently outlive their owners or grow too large to handle.

Our Tortoises:
Bart (Male) - Estimated Birthdate Between August 2005 & August 2006
Bob (Male) - Estimated Birthdate Between 1996 & 2000
Roscoe (Male) - Estimated Birthdate Between January & July 2000

While once a prominent species across the Chinese waterways of the lower Yangtze River Basin, they were so valued that they were often represented in traditional Chinese folklore. Overtime, as farmland has spread across even more of China, these alligators have become more and more threatened due to losing areas that they can safely live AND from being killed by local farmers. In fact, they are so endangered right now that as of 2021 there were only though to be about 150 Chinese alligators left in the wild! Thankfully, there is still hope of this species! In the latter 1900s, breeding programs were implemented to regrow this species' population in human care. As of 2016, there were estimated to be about 20,000 alligators currently in human care. Overtime, the hope is to strategically reintroduce members this group back into the wild to help stabilize their natural population!

Did You Know?!

• Historians believe that the mythical dragons found in Chinese art and literature are actually Chinese alligators.
• There are only two living species of alligator: the Chinese alligator and the American alligator. The Chinese alligator is much smaller than the American alligator. Their average length is about 4.5 to 5 feet. Males are usually larger than females.
• Female alligators will care for their young for several weeks, sometimes even several years! They protect their young, help them hatch, and carry them from their nesting site to the water.
• Chinese alligators are known to dig extensive tunnels with multiple chambers. They stay in their tunnels during the day, as they are primarily nocturnal, and during cold winter months.

Our Alligators:
Bizi (Male) - Born August 8, 1988
Ling (Female) - Born August 3, 1985

This ticket window is sometimes utilized during special events!

Welcome to the Utica Zoo! This is our brand new Visitor Center and Gift Shop which opened in April 2023. Enter and exit the zoo through this building and feel free to stop by one of our restroom or pick up a fun souvenir in the gift shop.

Here you will find a handful of turtles of various species!

We are always looking for new features to add to the zoo to make it an even better day out for our visitors. Over the past few years (due to being delayed by COVID-19), we have worked hard on securing and installing a bounce pillow on our grounds. This built-in trampoline will offer an additional attraction for visitors of all ages. It will be available for use at $5 per 12-mintutes (season and weather dependent)!

We are currently in the process of installing a new habitat here that will feature a few of our Australian animals including Wallabies, Emus, and Black Swans. We will make an announcement when it is officially open!

Red pandas are usually found in the northern to west provinces of China, Nepal, India, and Tibet. They can easily be distinguished by their unique ruddy red coat color. Their coat helps them blend into the canopies of Fir trees where the branches are covered in reddish-brown moss and lichens. Adult Red Pandas weight between 8 and 13 pounds and are usually 22 to 24 inches long including their tail. Red pandas consume virtually every above-ground part of the bamboo culm (including the woody stem). Bamboo constitutes 85% to 90% of their diet. In human care, red pandas can be active anytime of the day but they are primarily crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk).

Did you know?! 

• Red pandas share the giant panda's "thumb," a modified wrist bone, that is used to help grasp bamboo when feeding.
• Red pandas are generally solitary animals, except during mating season.
• Females give birth to 1-4 young after a 4 month gestation.
• They have a pseudo-thumb, a modified wrist bone used to grasp bamboo when feeding.
• Red pandas have a soft, dense woolly undercoat covered by long, coarse guard hairs that cover their entire body, except their noses.
• Red pandas can live up to 23 years.

Our Red Panda:
Mei Lin (Female) - Born July 6, 2019

Named for the characteristic rusty, red color of their tail feathers, Red Tailed Hawks are one of the most common birds of prey in North America. Like most raptors, while Red Tailed Hawks look majestic and beautiful, don't let that fool you. They are also formidable hunters! Their eyes are 8 times sharper than a human's which allows them to spot even the tiniest mouse on the ground from 100 feet in the air. After this prey is spotted, a Red Tailed Hawk is capable of diving at a whopping 120mph to snatch them with their 1.33 inch talons. In fact, Red Tailed Hawks are so effective at hunting that they are able to catch a meal at least 2 to 3 times a day!

Did You Know?!

• Red-tailed hawks are diurnal, meaning that they are most active during the morning and daytime and sleep most of the night. Their eyes are especially adapted for daytime hunting.
• Red-tailed hawks don't usually chase after their prey. They prefer to sit on telephone poles or in tree-tops, waiting to swoop down on unsuspecting prey.
• Red-tailed hawks have a distinctive, raspy call that directors usually use in movies featuring birds of prey.
• Many red-railed hawks join other hawks to form migratory kettles, or groups, as they travel south for the winter or north for breeding season. Not all hawks decide to migrate, however, and many do stay for the duration of winter.
• Red-tailed hawks are commonly called "chicken hawks."

Our Red-Tailed Hawk
Tabi (Female) – Estimated Birthdate April 2018

This is where you can find our new baby goats! They will be brought together with our adult goats in a few weeks after the babies as acclimated to their new home!

Nigerian Dwarf Goats derive from a variety of small goats imported from Africa to the United States between 1930 and 1960 for display in zoos. While initially used as a show breed due to their appearance and docility, Nigerian Dwarf  Goats eventually became valued for  their milk production as well. Today, they are recognized by the American Dairy Goat Association!

Did You Know?!

• A Nigerian Dwarf Goat doe can produce up to 2 quarts of milk per day that is higher in butterfat and protein than milk from most dairy goat breeds.
• Nigerian Dwarf Goats are often beneficial to pastures because they eat weeds and plants that many other livestock species won't touch. These weeds and plants include blackberry bushes and ivy (including poison ivy and poison oak).
• Since Nigerian dwarf goats are docile, gentle, and playful, they make very good companion pets!

African Crested Porcupines are one of the largest rodents in the world and the largest porcupine species! Found in Northern African countries such as Morocco, Sub-Saharan countries such as Tanzania and Ethiopia, and even on mainland Italy and Sicily, unlike their North and South American cousins, they are not arboreal and spend most of their time on the ground foraging for food. Their quills are also much larger than other porcupine species and can be between 12 and 13 inches long. While they serve the same purpose of defending against predators and other threats, Crested Porcupines have a few other uses for them. After raising their quills, they tend to rattle them and stomp their feet as a threat first. If this doesn't work, they will run backwards and slam into their target. This usually does the trick in repelling the enemy!

Did You Know?!

• When it is confronted by a predator, the African crested porcupine raises its 12-13 inch quills to appear larger. If this strategy doesn't chase off the predator, the porcupine stamps its feet and rattles its hollow-tipped quills. The last resort is to run backwards and ram the attacker with the short, thick quills on its backside.
• Crested porcupines are nocturnal and forage alone at night. They can travel up to 9 miles in their search for food.
• Crested porcupines are monogamous and live in small family groups, called prickles, that are comprised of an adult pair or an adult pair with offspring.
• Like other rodents, crested porcupines have a single pair of sharp, continually growing incisor teeth that they use to gnaw and rip tough plant material. They must continually chew hard objects to file their teeth down.
• Crested porcupines are the largest rodent in Africa and  the largest of the porcupines.

Our African Crested Porcupines:
Joey (Female) - Born March 16, 2012
Buttercup (Female) - Born April 2, 2018

This is where our 2 newest female ostriches are located. They arrived to us mid-May and will be quarantining in this habitat for a few weeks before being introduced to our male ostrich Boomer! 

Although Ostrich numbers have drastically declined over the last 200 years, they are still classed as ‘Least Concern’. In the 18th century, ostrich feathers were so popular in ladies’ fashion that the ostrich disappeared from all of North Africa. If not for ostrich farming, which began in 1838, the ostrich would probably be extinct. Today, ostriches are farmed and hunted for feathers, skin, meat, eggs, and fat.

Did you know?!

• An ostrich can run at a top speed of 43 miles per hour for a short distance, but can keep up a pace of about 30 miles per hour for a good amount of time. This big bird can also defend itself with the 4-inch claw on each foot. A kick from an ostrich is powerful enough to kill a lion!
• The ostrich has the largest eye of any land animal. Its eye is bigger than the worlds smallest bird, the Bee Hummingbird. Their eyes measure 2 inches across.
• A kick from a common ostrich – which have 4-inch claws on each foot – is so powerful that it can kill a lion.
• When a Common Ostrich eats, food is collected in the crop at the top of their throat until there is a large enough lump to slide down their throat. Consequently, Ostriches tend to swallow just about anything from plants and small animals to sand, pebbles, and small stones – the latter three of which help to grind up food in an Ostrich’s gizzard. Because of this, Ostriches are able to digest quite a lot of materials that other animals can’t eat.
• A Common Ostrich’s tough intensities are up to 46 feet in length. This allows an Ostrich to absorb as many nutrients as possible from the materials that pass through it. In fact, Ostriches do not need to drink water because they can absorb all the water that they need from the plants that they eat. However, they will still take a drink from a watering hole if given the opportunity.
• When seeking mates, male Common Ostriches have a fascinating ritual. The black-and-white males use their dramatic coloring to attract the more muted, light-brown females. The male will perform a display where they sink low to the ground right before shaking the feathers on their wings while moving their tail up and down. After this, the male will spread out his wings and stamp toward the female to impress her.
• Male and female ostriches share the responsibility of incubating the eggs. To help with camouflage, the dark feathered males will sit on the nest during the night while the light colored females will sit on the nest during the day.
• While it is typically the dominant female and territorial male of an ostrich flock that mate and create a nest – which is little more than a shallow depression scratched into the dirt by the male – others will mate and proceed to lay their eggs in the “dominant” nest. However, the eggs of the dominant female are always positioned to the center of the nest to ensure the best incubation and protection.
• Ostrich eggs are approximately 6 inches in length, 5 inches across, and weigh about 3 pounds. One ostrich will lay between 7 and 10 eggs in a season, but a communal nest may hold up to 60 eggs from an assortment of ostriches.
• When different groups of ostriches meet, they may challenge each other with short chases. The winning group takes all of losing group’s the chicks with them. This can lead to some “nurseries” ending up with 300 ostrich chicks with only a few adults to care for all of them.
• An ostrich is the only bird that has 2 toes. All other birds have either 3 or 4 toes.
• Ostriches hold their wings out when they run to help them balance.
• While ostriches can gather into groups of 100 or more, most flocks are around 10.
• Contrary to popular myth, ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand! When they sense danger and cannot run away, an ostrich flops to the ground and remains still with its head flat on the ground. Since their heads are lightly colored, they blend in with the sand making it appear like it is buried.

River otters are semi-aquatic mammals found exclusively on North American coasts and waterways. They are adept navigators in the water as well as on land and can transition from one to the other with ease. This is thanks in part to their webbed paws for swimming and walking as well as their water-repellent fur. They are predators and are known to eat quite a variety of things from fish to amphibians to small turtles and small mammals. They are also commonly known for being playful and energetic. They other wrestle, chase, and swim with other otters in the wild. These games are on of the methods that otters use to learn how to hunt for food and even fight for survival if the necessity arises.

Did you know?!

• River otters can hold their breathe for up to 8 minutes.
• River otters are very vocal animals and can make a variety of sounds including chirps, chuckles, whistles, and screams.
• The otter is the largest member of the weasel family.
• River otters have a set of 36 teeth that are powerful enough to crush shells and some bones.
• River otters can dive to a depth of 60 feet and are capable of swimming 7 miles per hour!
• River otters are a type of indicator species because they are one of the first animals in a habitat to react to signs of pollution. Consequently, if river otters are spotted in an area hear you, that means that the water is most likely clean and healthy!
• River otters spend two-thirds of their time on land.

Our Otters:
Briar (Female) - Born February 5, 2021
Lily (Female) - Born February 15, 2021

This short and stocky species of heron may look a little less impressive than their taller, more majestic cousins such as the Great Blue Herons, but they are actually the most widespread species of heron in the world. Being native to all continents apart from Australia and Antarctica, these birds often populate waterways in large colonies that can range into the hundreds. They get their name primarily from their most active time of day - between evening and early morning - where they spend a lot of their time ambushing whatever food that they can. Consequently, they are known as opportunistic feeders due to their diet which consists of everything from fish and leeches to clams and crayfish to lizards and snakes to other birds and their eggs!

Did You Know?!

• Black-Crowned Night Herons are colony nesters, using a platform of sticks for their nests. There may be as many as a dozen nests from one colony in a single tree!
• Because of their widespread distribution and feeding habits, the Black-Crowned Night Heron is an excellent indicator of ecosystem health.
• Black-Crowned Night Herons primarily hunt at night and are often found waiting at the water's edge to ambush their prey.

Our Heron
Roman (Male) - Born May 1989

Barred Owls are one of the most common species of owls found on the eastern half of the United States! Distinguishable from their stripped (or barred) feather pattern and unique hoot (ok-ok-ok-ok ok-ok-buhooh), these owls spend most of their time sitting in trees and using their extremely powerful sight and hearing to pick out their prey. Once a target it decided upon, these owls will swoop down in near silence and snatch them from the ground. From this, Barred Owls are known to hunt birds, reptiles, amphibians, small mammals, and invertebrates. Through this, a Barred Owl tends to each between 1 and 5 prey every single day! Unfortunately, this effectiveness has led these owls to become a threat to other species around the country. Over the years, they have begun to spread their territory even more west which has them encroaching on the hunting grounds of more threatened owl species such as the Spotted Owl. In fact, Barred Owl have become such a danger to other species that they have started to be considered invasive in some parts of the Untied States!

Did You Know?!

• Barred owls are nocturnal hunters, coming out in the evening and late night to search for prey. Owls have great vision, but rely much more heavily on their sense of hearing to find prey.
• Barred owls do not migrate and actually do not move around very much. In one study, most of the owls in a group did not move more than 6 miles from the locations where they were originally spotted and banded.
• Owls are known as silent fliers. The molecular structure of their feathers differs from those  that grow on a hawk, allowing them to glide through the night without alarming prey animals.
• Barred owls are smaller than great-horned owls and  the latter is actually a known predator of barred owls.
• The barred owl's call is a very stereotypical "hoot" and birders often describe it as sounding similar to the question "Who cooks for you?"
• Barred owls are given their name from the "barred" pattern on their feathers.