I bet that most people hiking the trails in parks like Franklin Mountains State Park and on the Lost Dog Trail have no idea that they have been walking past this little bird for years.   Listen to the sounds of the Black-throated Sparrow and tell me if you recognize it. If you can remember that…

The mission of the El Paso Zoo is to celebrate the value of animals and natural resources and to create opportunities for people to rediscover their connections to nature.  One of the easiest ways to rediscover that connection is in your backyard.   If you are living in an apartment complex and don’t have a backyard,…

Save the date – Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta – September 19, 2020 It’s going to be a very different Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta this year. If you have been following the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition you can already see what we have changed. Originally we were planning a two day event at the Zoo and at Franklin…

Most people think of porcupines as creatures of the forest, eating the bark of pine trees and ready to defend themselves with nearly 30,000 quills.  Who would ever imagine finding a porcupine in the middle of the desert?  Surprisingly it happens, porcupines are found in large expanses of desert, miles from the nearest forest, in…

The American Kestrel is one of the most colorful falcons in the world.  At the Zoo we have one living at the Ranch House in the new Chihuahuan Desert exhibit. This small falcon is easily seen in El Paso when hiking in desert and mountain areas.  Watch for them perching on signs, fences and power…

By Bill Wren McDonald Observatory is applying to the International Dark-sky Association (IDA) to establish an International Dark Sky Reserve (DSR) in the Big Bend Region of far West Texas and Northern Mexico. Such certification will help raise awareness of the value of protecting the night skies for ongoing astronomical research at the Observatory and…

The Zoo’s prairie dog town has always been a favorite with the children of El Paso.   Not only do they get to see these cute little animals in their new exhibit, but they also can go under the exhibit and see them in “up close and personal” prairie dog observation tubes made out of plexiglass….

It’s so, so, hot.   Many of us just grin and bear it, but for many others, dealing with this heat wave is a life and death situation.   We all know how to keep the air conditioner running, how to stay indoors and drink lots of water, but what else can we do to survive the…

Earlier this year the Zoo was granted Botanical Garden Status through the American Public Garden Association.  Because of the El Paso Zoo’s dedication to maintaining a collection of plants for the purposes of public education and enjoyment, conservation, and higher learning, this was a natural next step.  The Zoo will continue our dedication not only…

There are several species of whip-tailed lizards living in our area. How many lizards have you seen in your neighborhood? Perhaps you have seen a whip-tailed lizard like the one pictured above, a Texas ear-less lizard, a fence lizard or under a rock or on the wall of your house at night, a gecko. To…

The Texas Wolf Pack is a group of wolf advocates in Texas who want to see the Mexican wolf given a chance to return to the wilds of West Texas. The wolf roamed in this region including the El Paso area for thousands of years before the last ones were killed north of Big Bend…

Earlier this year the Zoo was granted Botanical Garden status through the American Public Garden Association.  Because of the El Paso Zoo’s dedication to maintaining a collection of plants for the purposes of public education and enjoyment, conservation, and higher learning, this was a natural next step.  The Zoo will continue our dedication not only…

Over the past few years the El Paso Zoo has helped call attention to the plight of the rarest marine mammal on earth, the vaquita porpoise.  This beautiful sea creature from the Sea of Cortez is so rare, and its future so much in doubt, that the species could go extinct at any moment.  Today…

If you ever come across a gray-banded kingsnake in the wild, consider yourself extremely lucky.   I have hiked hundreds of miles of trails in our desert mountain region and have come across this species only once, along a roadside after a heavy rain in Big Bend National Park.   The gray-banded kingsnake is one 19 species…

The El Paso Zoo is home to a pair of California sea lions, a large male called LB and a smaller female named Delilah. Here is some basic information about each animal. LB, our 22-year old male sea lion LB has had a very distinguished career, including working for the Navy. That’s right, LB is…

by Rick LoBello, Education Curator If you are interested in bears and want to learn more about how some species are doing in the wild, I strongly recommend that you watch Beartrek.  The film is an epic feature documentary following bear ecologist and conservationist Chris Morgan, on a global crusade to four continents to discover the…