WE NEED YOU! 🫵 Show some love to our women's team & get the uswleaguemadison IG to 5k followers in September! Do it and our whole front office runs the @henryvilaszoo.bsky.social Run Wild 5k to raise funds for the zoo and their conservation partners, the Ol Jogi Wildlife Rangers, in Kenya!

Happy World Porcupine Day! We threw our North American porcupines a ‘Prickle Party’ to celebrate! They got to enjoy some of their favorite treats like sweet potato and were surrounded by other prickly things like roses, cactus, and pineapple!

Just a little red panda timeline cleanser!

Zookeepers used honey to “glue” decorations to the windows in the orangutan habitat today. Menjadi was a big fan of this technique!

Flamingos are filter feeders, meaning they extract food particles from water. They do this by using their beaks to strain water and trap algae, crustaceans & other organisms. They tilt their heads upside down and flap their beaks to create currents that funnel food into their mouths.

Which is cuter - a meerkat looking up or a meerkat looking forward? 🤔 📸 Operations Assistant Will

Have you had a chance to come out and see our baby otters yet? They are now outside exploring their pools until about noon most days. Introductions with dad will begin in 2-3 weeks!

Red pandas have a specialized wrist bone that acts as a thumb for gripping branches and bamboo. Flexible ankles allow them to rotate their feet back 180° and climb down trees head first!

Oh hai! Kaiser mountain newts get their common name from the small area where they are found in Iran. This species is critically endangered due to its small range, habitat loss, and poaching for the pet trade.

Datu wasn’t too sure about his green straw until he found the St. Patrick’s Day treats! #StPaddysDay *don’t miss the amazing Menjadi photo bomb in the back!

Our meerkat mob is always curious!

🔥🍫🍪 Join us under the full moon to explore animals that are out at night, including owls. We will have a family-friendly hike followed by a fire and s'mores. 🔥🍫🍪 Cost: $10 per adult. $5 per child. Kids under 2 are free. Register Now at our website: lussierheritagecenter.com/Event/Detail...

Spring will be here before you know it! Start planning your native garden or rain garden project now and preorder some low-cost native plants through Plant Dane. Sale closes on March 18 so order now! ripple-effects.com/Plant-Dane #madisonwi #nativeplants

Today we joined over 120 staff from 61 AZA-accredited institutions in 30 states to advocate for wildlife conservation! Thank you @tokuda.house.gov for a great discussion on how zoos protect endangered species! #AZAAdvocacyDay

Happy Aardvark Week! Aardvarks have many adaptations that help them survive in their environment. They have sharp front claws for digging into termite nests, thick skin protects them from insect bites, and an excellent sense of smell to help locate insects underground.

Scorpions glow under ultraviolet light because of a special substance in their exoskeleton called the "hyaline layer" which reacts to UV light and emits a visible blue-green glow; this phenomenon is called biofluorescence!

You’ve been scrolling for a while so here’s a cutie patootie break! You deserve it!

Lemur leaf frogs are critically endangered frogs native to Central America. During the day they are bright green but at night their skin turns brown to help them camouflage.

Snow is one of our orangutans favorite forms of enrichment! If the weather is warm enough they can go outside to play for a bit but today their keeper brought the snow to them!

She may look like a brown bear, but under all that mud Berit is a polar bear! (Which also explains why her pool looks dirty sometimes.)

Dad Datu and daughter Menjadi enjoying some quality bonding time together!

Skunks are omnivores who eat a variety of foods including insects, fruits, nuts, and vegetables!

Oh hai! 🦥

Polar bears have two layers of fur - a thick inner layer that keeps them warm and an oily outer layer that helps keep them dry. Blubber, which is basically a layer of fat, also helps them stay buoyant in the water and stores protein that they rely on to survive during long periods without eating. 🐻‍❄️

Are you curious about nature and would you be open to hiking with a welcoming group of local BIPOC leaders in the Madison area? I’m especially looking to connect with Black and BIPOC folks who may not feel safe outdoors. I really want to share the power and joy of nature with more folks in 2025. 🖤

Thanks to your support, we gave out a record $50,000 in scholarships in 2024 to support individuals and families in our community. We were able to provide scholarships for everything from our popular camp programs, to our zoo afterschool program, as well as outreach programs across the county.

A land snail tongue to start your year! 🐌 👅

In need of some holiday cheer? We goat you! 🐐

As an active 2 year old, Menjadi has mastered climbing, rolling, swinging, and hanging. Recently she discovered a new trick - spinning! When she isn’t up high on her swings or platforms, this girl can often be found showing off her moves on the ground floor of her habitat!

When we think of animals hibernating, we might picture them sleeping all winter and waking up refreshed in the spring. 💤 Hibernation is in fact much more complex than that! Let’s take a look at this seasonal phenomenon. 👇

The odds of being judged by a chicken are slim, but never zero…

“Hail Denethor, son of Ecthelion, Lord and Steward of Gondor!” Actually this is Rizzo, but we can understand why you’re confused.

There is still time to sign up for this Saturday's Breakfast with Santa! Come out to the Zoo and enjoy a hot breakfast, a visit from Santa, and get the chance to see our resident polar bear, Berit, up close! Get your tickets here: henryvilaszoo.doubleknot.com/event/space-...

Our amazing zookeepers set up a tea & sammies party to celebrate our Colobus monkey Sammye’s 28th birthday!

Zoo Lights is our favorite time of the year! Get your tickets here: www.henryvilaszoo.gov/home/lights/