Over the past year and a half your education team at the Zoo has been focusing on virtual programming and blog posts to help more people connect with the Zoo. Since the spring of 2020 we have blogged nearly 400 times and during that time uploaded 56 videos on a new El Paso Zoo and…
Month: August 2021
Milk week part 2: helping monarch butterflies
Five months ago I blogged about how I was going to try to grow milkweed from seed this year in hopes that I could provide information for our community to get more involved in helping monarch butterflies. According to the Environmental Defense Fund 90% of monarchs in North America have been wiped out over the…
Zoo Spotlight: White-winged Wood Duck
White-winged Wood Duck Asarcornis scutulata Status: Endangered Size: 26-32 inches in length with a 40-60 inch wingspan Habitat: Wetlands, within or adjacent to evergreen, deciduous or swamp forest At the Zoo: Asian Grasslands wetland area in the Przewalski’s Wild Horse Exhibit Once widely distributed in northeast India and Southeast Asia, the wild population of White-winged…
Continue Your Adventure!
After you visit the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens we hope that you and your family will want to continue your adventure by visiting parks and other natural areas to further your connection with the natural world. Meet our guest blogger Shannon King. After traveling and horseback riding most of Texas, Shannon King decided…
Snakes on the move!
Late summer rains here in the Chihuahuan Desert are once again bringing out all kinds of snakes. Just the other night I came across a five-foot diamondback rattlesnake crossing the road near the Westside Open Reserve at the Community Park. Many people when they see a snake on the road are frightened and either run…
Should we stop pulling weeds?
If you are a homeowner you are probably experiencing an onslaught of weeds. Summer rains bring more than cooler temperatures, green mountain sides, high humidity and mosquitoes, they also help all kinds of weeds to grow profusely. I personally have lost track of the number of hours I have spent over the years pulling weeds. …
Zoo Spotlight: Desert hairy scorpion
Desert Hairy Scorpion Hadrurus arizonensis Status: Common Size: 4-7 inches Habitat: Abandoned burrows, small caves, crevices, grasslands, and wooded areas. At the Zoo: Ranch House The desert hairy scorpion is the largest scorpion in North America. Because of its size it can prey on other scorpions, giant centipedes, lizards and snakes. The sting is very…
The Zoo in bloom
If you love flowers now is a great time to visit the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens. Last year the Zoo was granted Botanical Garden status through the American Public Garden Association. Because of our dedication to maintaining a collection of plants for the purposes of public education and enjoyment, conservation, and higher learning,…
Understanding climate change is not easy
Ever wonder why so many people are not up to date on climate change and how most of us are still hiding our heads in the sand when it comes to this topic? Yes, it’s complicated. A year ago, the Pew Research Center reported that two-thirds of Americans think that the Government should do more…
Round Up at the Zoo
The El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens Conservation Committee meets throughout the year to discuss projects that we want to support with Service Systems and Associates Round Up Funds. With the help of our concession operations Zoo guests have been asked to round up their food and gift purchases in support of a wide variety…
Efforts continue to bring back prairie dogs to El Paso
by Jacob R. Croft Hello, I am Jacob Croft, a scientist trained in biology working with the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition. Over the past year I have been working on a project to bring back the black-tailed prairie dog to the El Paso region. Over the past 4 months I have been in contact with…
Last chance to see?
The El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens has been home to sun bears for over 50 years. When I first visited the Zoo in 1974 sun bears lived in the Americas area of the Zoo before moving to their new exhibit in the Asia area in 1997. Breeding in zoos has been very unsuccessful and…
Chihuahuan Desert Wildlife: Desert Blond Tarantula
Desert Blond Tarantula Aphonopelma chalcodes Status: Common Size: Legs can span up to 6 inches Habitat: Southwestern United States, especially Arizona, New Mexico, and Southern California At the Zoo: Ranch House Exhibit in the Chihuahuan Desert Like most tarantulas this tarantula burrows in sandy soil. It emerges at sunset to hunt for prey including lizards,…
Conservation Education 