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Walking tour starts here

As you enter the Zoo walk past the Zoological Society Office on your right and the Gift Shop on your left.  Straight ahead as you cross the train track is the African lion exhibit.   Soon you will enter a wooden walkway. Watch for the following animals as you explore Africa and imagine that you and your family are on a safari.

To receive weekly zoo updates follow our blog with your email address. While exploring the Zoo if you do not see an animal it may be hiding or inside. If you are unable to see an animal try coming back to that exhibit later on during the day. Because our exhibits are always changing some of the animals on this list may not be on exhibit when you come to the Zoo.

Zoo focus on climate change

Updated June 3, 2023

Avian Flu Update

In an abundance of caution many birds at the Zoo are off exhibit to minimize the potential spread of Avian Flu.

Zoo Entrance

( ) Macaw

On the right as you enter the Zoo watch for our new Macaw Exhibit opening in early June, 2023.

Macaws are members of the Parrot Family with large strong beaks designed to crush seeds and nuts.  They also eat fruits, flowers, leaves, stems, insects and snails.  We have two Blue and Yellow Macaws and one Military Macaw. They are often seen during our Wild Adventure Programs in the Wildlife Amphitheater.

Africa

( ) Red River Hog
On the left watch for our Red River hogs. These hogs are adeptly named for their reddish brown coloring. They are one of the more colorful members of the pig family. If you look closely, you can find the shape of Africa in the form of a spot on one of our hogs. MORE

Across the way from the Red River hog enclosure is our Lower Savannah exhibit where you can find waterfowl and zebras.

( ) Spur-winged Goose (off exhibit at this time)
Africa is home to the world’s largest goose! The Spur-winged Goose can get up to 45 inches tall and can weigh up to 22 pounds. Find them in our zebra enclosure along with other birds. (OFF EXHIBIT at this time because of the threat of bird flu)

( ) Cape Teal (off exhibit at this time)
Although not endangered, the Cape Teal is potentially threatened by habitat loss through wetland destruction and degradation, as well as disturbances from tourism. Watch for them on both sides of the boardwalk. (OFF EXHIBIT at this time because of the threat of bird flu)

( ) Grant’s Zebra
A zebra’s stripes are much like our finger prints, no two zebras are the same.  Wildlife biologists believe that the combined stripes of a herd of zebras help to protect them from predators.  When they are running away from an attacking lion the movement of so many stripes makes it more difficult for the lion to focus on any one animal.  

( ) Reticulated Giraffe
A new baby male giraffe was born at the Zoo on April 18, 2023 to his mother Gigi and father Juma. Watch for him in the upper savannah, but please be patient since he is very shy and still getting used to El Paso. If you don’t see him because he wanted to be in the barn check with a keeper for all the latest news or send a text message to 915-217-4233. The reticulated giraffe is the world’s tallest mammal! Looming up to 19 feet tall and weighing up to 3000 pounds, the mighty giraffe…. isn’t all that mighty. Giraffes are actually very peaceful until threatened. MORE

( ) Greater Kudu
In the upper savanna you can find two of our resident kudu. Both are female! Greater kudu prefer thick, brushy areas where their colors and markings help them to be well camouflaged from predators as they feed on the leaves and shoots of low growing woody trees and shrubs.

Across the way from the Giraffe exhibit, next to our Kalahari Research station you can find two of our smaller friends, the radiated tortoise and the meerkat.

( ) Radiated Tortoise
The radiated tortoise is critically endangered due to habitat loss, the pet trade, and poaching for meat. Just like the addax, the radiated tortoises are also part of our Species Survival Plan.  MORE

( ) Meerkat
Did you know that a group of meerkats is called a gang/mob? Here in El Paso we have a new mob of meerkats that just arrived by jet plane from South Africa! They are very shy and will need time to adjust to their new home so please be patient.

Further down, you will run into one of the most efficient predators out in Africa! Do you know who it is? Hint: It’s not the African lion, think smaller.

( ) Painted Dog
If you guessed painted dogs as one of the most efficient predators out in Africa, you are correct! These canids hunt in groups and have an 85 percent success rate, whereas the lion is at about a 30 percent success rate when hunting in a group. Unfortunately the painted dog is endangered with less than 1500 individuals. They have been eliminated over most of Africa due to habitat fragmentation, infectious diseases, road accidents, and conflicts with livestock and game farmers.
Learn more inside the Kalahari Research Center.

( ) African Lion
And lastly, in our African section of the Zoo we can find one of the most well-known apex predators, the African lion! With three viewing windows in their exhibit, you can enjoy our lions at every angle! The lion is listed as vulnerable with less than 20,000 individuals left. The African lion is part of the Species Survival Program at the El Paso Zoo. We have two lions at this time, a new male named Hodari and his female companion Malaika. More

After viewing the Africa area of the Zoo look for the walkway on the left as you cross the train tracks. Continue on your left. If you need a restroom you will find them back on the walkway to the front gate and on your right pass the gift shop. There is also a restroom on the walkway next to the Passport Cafe. To continue your visit to the Zoo head for the Americas area by crossing the bridge over the Franklin Canal. The Wildlife Amphitheater is on your right.

Wildlife Amphitheater

Wild Encounters presentations are scheduled Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30pm. Meet Ginger, one of our newest program animals.

Americas

After crossing the Franklin Canal from Africa, you will see the new Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit on the left. The Chihuahuan Desert experience highlights the flora and fauna of the region. As you walk down the arroyo and into the exhibit you will see Big Cat Mountain straight ahead. Turn left and walk towards the Prairie Dog Exhibit.

( ) Prairie Dogs – We are not at home. Exhibit under construction.

These highly social animals live in large groups called, “towns,” which can have between 15-26 family groups. Prairie dogs are a keystone species in their environment as their burrows provide homes for many animals such as snakes and burrowing owls, and they are a main food source for many predators. More on prairie dog conservation in El Paso

On the right you can see our grassland area.   We will include these animals later on.   As you walk past the Flash Flood Area watch for our Thick-billed Parrots and Mexican wolves.

( ) Thick-billed Parrot
Thick-billed Parrots love to eat seeds and use their bills to crack open very tough ones. They are adapted to the colder climates of the Chihuahuan Desert and use old woodpecker holes to nest. Parrots can be very noisy and were hunted because they were easy to find.
SEE THEM IN THE WILD

Join us at 10:30 am on weekends for Desert Carnivore Training at the Jaguar Training Area in the Chihuahuan Desert Exhibit. Check “Today at the Zoo” Kiosks for any schedule changes. They are located just inside the front gate, across the Franklin Canal Bridge and across from the Grasslands Cafe.

( ) Mexican wolf – watch for our wolf pups born at the Zoo in May.

Historically, Mexican wolves were distributed across portions of the southwestern United States and northern and central Mexico. In the United States, this range included eastern, central, and southern Arizona; southern New Mexico; and western Texas.  Prior to the extinction of Canis lupus baileyi in the wild, the last confirmed sightings of Mexican wolves in the United States were in 1970 when two wolves were trapped and killed in West Texas. HELP RETURN THE WOLF TO TEXAS

As you walk past the Mexican Wolf Exhibit on your left you look for our Small Mix Exhibit. At this time watch for the following species.

( ) Burrowing Owl
At the Zoo we have two Burrowing Owls. These owls are capable of digging small burrows, but prefer to live in abandoned burrows made by other animals such as prairie dogs, squirrels and desert tortoises. They are very efficient in making sure they always have a food supply and like a squirrel with stow away food. One family of owls had as many as 200 dead rodents in their burrow to ensure there would be enough food as they incubated their eggs and their young were born. SEE THEM IN THE WILD / More about our owls

( ) Western Screech Owl
Screech owls are night hunters and have very excellent sight and hearing. They help to control rodent and insect populations. SEE ONE IN THE WILD

( ) Gambel’s Quail
El Paso’s desert scrub habitat is home to two species of quail, the Scaled Quail and the Gambel’s Quail.  The teardrop-shaped head plume is very distinctive.   Commonly seen in many areas of El Paso near water including Franklin Mountains State Park and Westside Community Park. SEE ONE IN THE WILD

( ) Roadrunner
The Greater Roadrunner is a member of the Cuculidae, commonly called the Cuckoo Family.   There are 129 species of Cuckoo worldwide and most live in trees.  The Greater Roadrunner is an exception.   They have adapted to living mainly on the ground, but will fly up onto trees and shrubs as needed to escape their enemies and build nests.

Big Cat Mountain is on the right.  Here you will see our jaguars.   On the left you can see our Mountain lions.

( ) Jaguar
The last jaguars in the United States were killed off during the early 20^th Century.  Thanks to a population that has survived in Mexico, the species is now trying to return on its own by crossing the US-Mexico border and moving into former habitats. SEE ONE IN THE WILD. MORE INFO

( ) Mountain lion
Mountain lions are also known as cougars and pumas. They are the second heaviest wild cat after the jaguar in the Americas. Their claws are one of the strongest of all cats and they can jump 20 to 40 feet high. SEE ONE IN THE WILD

After seeing our big cats and walking across the bridge towards the Ranch House watch for our collared peccaries on the left and peninsular pronghorns and bolson tortoises on the right.  

( ) Collared Peccary
Collared peccaries, locally known as javelinas, have a collar of white or yellowish fur around their neck. They have sharp canine teeth, called tusks, that protrude from their jaws that they use to protect themselves against predators. Collared peccaries have poor eyesight and rely heavily on their sense of hearing and utilize a wide range of communication sounds such as barking, grunting, and even purring. SEE THEM IN THE WILD

( ) Peninsular Pronghorn
Right behind the cheetah, peninsular pronghorns are the world’s fastest hoofed mammal with the ability to keep their speed of 40-60mph for more than an hour. Both male and female pronghorns have horns, but males horns are longer, curve backwards, and shed after mating season. MORE

( ) Bolson Tortoise
Long before the coming of the first European explorers to North America, bolson tortoises are believed to have lived in the El Paso region during the Pleistocene Epoch that lasted from 1.65 million to 10,000 years ago. Today bolson tortoises survive mainly in one small area of northern Mexico near Torreón, Coahuila called the Bolsón de Mapimí.  SEE ONE IN THE WILD

( ) Wild Turkey
Wild turkeys like open areas for feeding, mating and habitat. They use forested areas as cover from predators and for roosting in trees at night. A varied habitat of both open and covered area is essential for wild turkey survival. You can find them in desert grasslands areas from time to time in different areas of El Paso but your best bet is to look for them at places like Guadalupe Mountains National Forest, Lincoln National Forest and Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Ranch House Exhibit

Indoor Area – May or may not be open when you arrive. This area is also a planned classroom area.

( ) Desert blond tarantula
( ) Desert hairy scorpion
( ) Great Plains Skink
( ) Western Coachwhip Snake
( ) Black-footed Ferret

Avian Flu Update

In an abundance of caution many birds at the Zoo are off exhibit to minimize the potential spread of Avian Flu.

Outdoor Area

( ) Montezuma Quail
One of our newest birds at the Zoo is also one of the most beautiful ground nesting birds in the Chihuahuan Desert, the Montezuma Quail, also known as Mearn’s Quail or Harlequin Quail. They live in high elevation habitats and will hunker down in one spot when approached. Like most quail species they eat plants and insects. To help them dig for food they have long, sickle-shaped claws.

( ) Eastern Screech Owl
The Eastern Screech Owl is a common hardy owl that is found in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. It likes to spend its days hiding and sleeping in trees while hunting throughout the night looking for a large spectrum of prey. They often dive down from trees onto their prey and after consuming what they catch will regurgitate  undigested parts (pellets) such as hair or bones onto the ground.   The usual color of Eastern Screech Owls is grey and white with about a third of the population colored red.

( ) White-nosed Coati
White-nosed coati are mammals that are closely related to raccoons. Females, called sows, stay in a troop with 4-20 other females and their babies called pups or kits. Some females in the troop are related and some are not. All females in the group aide in the upbringing and care of babies.

After visiting the Chihuahuan Desert turn left. To the east you can see the entrance to the Asia area of the Zoo. To the right you can walk towards the south where you can see the Hunt Family Spring. Beyond the Spring you will be able to see an American alligator, spider monkeys, the Reptile House, Galapagos tortoise and ocelot.

( ) American Alligator
The American alligator is a conservation success story.  At one time the species was threatened with extinction, but now thanks to habitat protection and controlled hunting, over a million alligators are estimated to be living in the wilds of the Southeastern U.S.  

( ) Spider Monkey
Directly across from these three exhibits is Spider Monkey Island.  During the rainy season we often find breeding Woodhouse’s toads making calls and laying eggs in the moat.

( ) Galapagos Tortoise (exhibit closed during Penguin Exhibit Construction)
The world’s largest tortoise! Like most reptiles they will spend much of their day soaking in the sun to warm their bodies. Their endangered status resulted from introduction of non-native animals on the Galapagos Islands that competed for food and ate hatchling eggs.

Penguin Exhibit Construction

Penguins are coming!!! On February 22, 2022 we hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for our new penguin exhibit. The new exhibit will be the home of Magellanic penguins and will be completed in 2023!The El Paso Zoo selected Magellanic penguins to be part of the exhibit because they are from the warm and temperate coastal regions of South America.

Reptile House

Sorry for the inconvenience when you see the Penguin Exhibit construction fence. Walk around to see the Reptile Exhibit and the South American Pavilion. Reptile exhibit (shaped like a Texas tortoise) is built as part of the Zoo’s Quality of Life Bond project. More information on each species can be found on our interpretive graphics. NOTE-Our Reptile House exhibits change often and we currently are playing catch-up with the keepers on new graphics. Please bare with us as we update our graphics.

( ) Mexican beaded lizard
( ) Mojave Sidewinder
( ) Black-tailed Rattlesnake
( ) Taylor’s Cantil (Mexican Moccasin)
( ) Annulated Boa
( ) Giant Haitian Anole
( ) Green Crested Basilisk
( ) Painted Wood Turtle
( ) Amazon Tree Boa

Frogs, toads, and other amphibians help people by controlling insects and because they need clean water and air to be healthy, just like us, their presence is a good sign of a healthy planet. Since 1980 over 120 species have gone extinct mainly from habitat loss. Do your part by getting involved in helping to protect habitat here in El Paso by supporting local conservation organizations. The amphibians will “toadally” appreciate it.

( ) Yellow Anaconda
( ) Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
( ) Mission Golden-eyed Tree Frog
( ) San Esteban Chuckwalla 
( ) Guantanamo Anole
( ) Aruba Island Rattlesnake
( ) Galliwasp
( ) Blue Island Iguana

One Source Federal Credit Union Reptile Presentation Area

( ) Mata Mata Turtle
( ) Canyon Tree Frog
( ) Tiger Salamander
( ) Black-spotted Newt
( ) Mexican Milksnake
( ) Smokey Jungle Frog
( ) Banded Gila Monster
( ) Desert Kingsnake
( ) Woodhouse’s Toad

After seeing the Reptile House walk to the entrance to the South American Pavilion and the America’s Aviary on your right across from Spider Monkeys and Macaws.

South American Pavilion and America’s Aviary

The South American Pavilion recently re-opened after the Zoo completed major renovations on the HVAC system. As you enter the building walk to the right and watch for the following animals.

( ) Plush-crested Jay

( ) Cotton-top tamarin
This species is listed as Critically Endangered due to a severe reduction in population, estimated to be greater than 80% over the past 3 generations (18 years) due to destruction of habitat in north-western Columbia. Check out the latest from our blog.

( ) Southern tamandua
Tamanduas do not have teeth, but they do have 16 inch long tongues that
help them to eat their favorite foods- ants and termites. Tamanduas are
nocturnal and you will probably find ours sleeping up high in the exhibit.

( ) Prehensile-tailed porcupine
The word “prehensile” means “able to grasp.” This little porcupine spends
most of its time in trees where it uses its tail to help it hang on to
branches. As they eat tasty leaves and fruits they help the rainforest in an
unexpected way. The seeds from the fruit come out in their poop which will
fall to the ground. These seeds get extra help to grow into trees by being
surrounded by fresh “porcupine poop fertilizer.”

( ) Golden lion tamarin
( ) Rhinoceros iguana

( ) Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth
Sloths live in a very humid environment in which algae will grow on their
long hairs making them look very green and almost impossible to see high
in the trees. They are important to the health of many rainforest trees
because when they need to poop they climb down from the tree to help
fertilize it by pooping near the tree.

( ) Geoffroy’s marmoset

( ) Yellow anaconda

( ) Amazon tree boa

Look for the side door to the right of the Geoffroy’s marmoset and walk to the America’s Aviary.

Avian Flu Update

In an abundance of caution many birds at the Zoo are off exhibit to minimize the potential spread of Avian Flu.

The Americas Aviary is a spacious area where you can watch birds interacting with their environment in a free-flight area. This being the case, it is important that you only open one set of aviary doors at a time to prevent the birds from leaving the aviary with you as you continue on your tour. As you follow the meandering path through the aviary, spot some of these birds. Newly installed graphics will help you identify the species you find along the way. The Zoo is a great place to get started birdwatching. Learn more here.

As you enter the Aviary look on the left for a separated enclosure where we have Black-throated Magpies and West Indian Whistling Ducks.

( ) Black-throated Magpie
This large jay of the tropical forests of southern California and northwestern Mexico has a very long tail.  It is easy to identify with its black crest, face and throat and white on the edges of the tail.   Only recently has it become established in San Diego as a result of escaped birds from the illegal pet trade in Tijuana, Mexico.  Like other members of the Crow Family it is an omnivore eating small animals and plant materials.

( ) West Indian Whistling Duck
Whistling Ducks are named after their distinctive whistling calls. They are very rare in the Caribbean where they eat the seeds of royal palm and other plant seeds.

( ) Inca Tern
The Inca Tern lives along the coasts of Chile and Peru. Flocks of terns hover near sea lions when they haul out onto rocks in order to eat. Their wild diet consists mainly of fish like the Peruvian anchovy, but they may also feed on lobsters.

( ) Red-crested Cardinal
These Neotropical birds are from South America. They have been introduced to Hawaii where they interfere with seed production from produce crops. It feeds on seeds, plant matter, insects and fruit.

( ) Scarlet Ibis
These wading birds are from the wetlands of northern South America. They have reproduced at the Zoo. Their diet includes crustaceans and similar small marine animals. The long curved beak is used to probe for food in mud and shallow water, guided mostly by touch.

( ) Blue-grey Tanager
This noisy bird is common over most of its range where it thrives near places where people live. They live mainly on fruit, but will also eat insects.

( ) Troupial
This large brightly colored oriole is from Central and South America. They are difficult to spot but easy to hear. Orioles like to hide in the dense foliage of trees where they will be able to eat insects, nectar from flowers, and fruit.

The Common Moorhen and Sora are in smaller enclosed areas on the left as you reach the exit doors.

( ) Common Moorhen
During the summer, they will build basket-like nests hidden in thick vegetation. Like most members of the Rail Family, these chicken-like birds are very secretive.

( ) Sora
Soras are found in wetlands, swamps, marshes and other semi-aquatic habitats with lots of vegetation. They eat seeds from wetland plants and aquatic invertebrates.

After completing your visit to the America’s Aviary head back towards the Hunt Family Spring and look for the entrance to Asia on your right and the California Sea Lion straight ahead.

California Sea Lion Exhibit

Join us at 11:30 for a Sea Lion Training on Saturdays and Sundays at the California Sea Lion Exhibit. Check “Today at the Zoo” Kiosks for any schedule changes. They are located just inside the front gate, across the Franklin Canal Bridge and across from the Grasslands Cafe.

Our California Sea Lion Exhibit opened in 2004 and is home to LB, a 900 pound male and Delilah a much smaller female.

Asia

On your way in or out of this area to the right of the west end of Asia Discovery Center you can visit our Hummingbird Garden.  You might be lucky to see some of the wild hummingbirds that live at the zoo.  Two species that have been seen here include the Black-chinned Hummingbird and Rufous Hummingbird.

As you enter this area walk to the right and cross the walking bridge adjacent to the elephant exhibit.

( ) Asian Elephant
Asian elephants are listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. They are threatened due to human activities such as the slashing and burning of the rainforest for logging and palm oil plantations. When looking at our elephant you might see some cardboard. Asian elephants naturally consume tree bark in the wild and cardboard is made directly from trees.

( ) Sumatran Orangutan
Just across from the elephant presentation yard to the left, you’ll see the orangutan exhibit. If you look closely you’ll notice that the arm span and finger length of the orangutans is much longer than that of humans. Good eye! That’s because orangutans are an arboreal species and will spend upwards of 90 percent of their life up in trees. We have a family of four with an adult male, female, young female and a new baby born in June, 2022.

Adjacent to the elephant training yard and across from the orangutan, you’ll find a variety of waterfowl living with our tapirs in the moat that surrounds Siamang Isle. 

Tapir Exhibit

( ) Malayan Tapir
The tapir may look odd with its trunk-like nose and its striking black and white color, but after dark in the Asian jungle it blends in rather well. Watch for our tapir swimming in the moat around Siamang Island on your left. MORE

( ) Siamang
Siamang Isle is our next stop. If you get a chance to see our siamang walk you’ll notice that she raises her arms over her head. This is normal! Siamangs cannot swim and avoid the the water. They are arboreal and, just like orangutans, have well defined arms and hands. They lack leg strength and compensate for this by balancing with their arms over their heads!

( ) Ocelot – temporary location during the Penguin Exhibit Construction
In the Rio Grande Valley of south Texas the ocelot’s habitat has been fragmented by big highways and other developments. The El Paso Zoo supports ocelot conservation efforts in Brazil designed to maintain the genetic diversity of ocelots living in zoos. In 2019 two baby ocelots were born at the Zoo.

( ) Lion-tailed Macaque
As you continue past the siamang exhibit down the path towards the Asian Forest Complex stop to admire the lion-tailed macaques on your right. Groups of lion-tailed macaques are referred to as troops! Each troop is led by a dominant male who communicates through several vocalizations such as barks, screams, and squawks.

At this point continue your walk back into the Asia Forest Complex.

( ) Pygmy Slow Loris
The loris does not leap through the trees like other primates, but instead uses its feet like clamps to move from branch to branch.

( ) Northern Tree Shrew
Tree shrews use scent marking, excreted from a gland found on their chest, to mark territories.

( ) Prevost’s Squirrel
Like many rare animals here this species is managed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Avian Flu Update

In an abundance of caution many birds at the Zoo are off exhibit to minimize the potential spread of Avian Flu.

As you enter the Aviary watch for these animals. Some birds may be temporarily off exhibit.

( ) Bali Mynah (side exhibit on the left as you enter)
The Bali mynah is beautiful and captivating with its white body and dark accent feathers. Unfortunately its beauty has made it a hot commodity in the pet trade. These birds are critically endangered with only about 1-49 individuals left in the wild.

( ) Indian Pygmy Goose (side exhibit on the left as you enter)
This little goose lives across a wide region spanning from China all the way to Australia. They are classified as “perching ducks.”

( ) Nicobar Pigeon
If you ever hear a low guttural call (hard to miss) you are hearing our Nicobar Pigeon named Nick!

( ) Mindanao (Bartlett’s) Bleeding-heart Dove
( ) Green-winged Dove

( ) White-breasted Kingfisher
At first it might seem impossible to locate the White-breasted Kingfisher. This bird is very chatty and is hard to miss. Try to locate our kingfisher by following his vocalizations!

( ) Azure-winged Magpie
These birds are one of the easiest to spot within the atrium. Look for the birds with blue tipped wings and you’ve found the the azure-winged magpie!

( ) Palawan peacock pheasant
The government of the Philippines is working to help protect this secretive bird from hunting and habitat loss by increasing the size of their protected areas. The males in this species boast beautiful metallic blue wings along with an extendable black crest on the top of their heads. Females, however, have a toned down color scheme bearing brown plumage with spotted tail feathers.

( ) Metallic Starling
The other set of birds easy to spot in the atrium are the metallic starling! They have piercing red eyes that contrast with the dark, seemingly black bodies. They’re a energetic group that chatter quite a bit with each other. Watch for the only mammal living in the atrium down below.

In the water below the deck you’ll find:

( ) Masked Lapwing
Masked lapwings are not shy about where they nest. They will lay their eggs on almost any open space including parking lots, city parks, gardens, and school yards!

( ) Marbled Teal
These water fowl are medium sized ducks. They’re swimmers/divers, but not for the reasons you would think. Most would think that the teal would dive for food but they actually dive to evade predators.

( ) Larger Malayan Chevrotain
Keep an eye out for these fellas! They’re known as the world’s smallest deer and are great at being aloof!

There are also several smaller enclosures along the left side of the main atrium containing the Burmese python and the rhinoceros hornbill.

( ) Burmese Python

( ) Rhinoceros Hornbill
If you hear a loud bird that sounds just like a car horn, then you are hearing the call of a hornbill! These birds aren’t hard to miss once you see them.

Once you’re finished soaking up the atmosphere in the atrium, feel free to make your way out past the hornbills, towards the tiger exhibit. In fact, you can look out the window of the atrium to get a glimpse of one side of the tiger exhibit before you go. Our Malayan tigers can be seen from several different angles, so take advantage of the perspective offered by each viewing window.

( ) Malayan Tiger
Tigers are endangered across Asia where the total population size is estimated to be below 4000 mature breeding individuals. Tigers may soon go extinct if current conservation efforts cannot successfully protect their remaining habitats and stop poachers from killing them. Our Malayan tigers can be seen from several different angles, so take advantage of the perspective offered by each viewing window. MORE

( ) Malayan Sun bear
The sun bear is the smallest bear species! They can reach up to 5 feet tall and weigh up to 150 pounds. Our bear, Heliana, is smaller and is often referred to as a baby, but she’s actually a full grown adult! If you look below her head you will see what is called her sun crest. Sun bears are thought to be named as such because of this bright patch of fur. MORE

Across the path from the tiger and sun bear exhibits, the Asian Grasslands exhibit awaits you.

( ) Przewalski’s Wild Horse
Przewalski’s horses are thought to be the last true wild species of horse. Unfortunately, they are critically endangered. Not all news is bad however, we welcomed a female foal into our Przewalski family in April of 2018!

( ) Hooded Crane
Cranes communicate with each other by engaging in elaborate and enthusiastic dancing!

( ) White-winged duck
To help save endangered birds, Birdlife International (birdlife.org) has launched a “Preventing Extinctions Program” engaging a global network of independent nature conservation organizations operating in more than 100 countries.  

You did it! How many animals did you find? 

Animals enjoy moving around in their exhibits, but they also need to rest sometimes, so if you did not find all of them, don’t worry. We hope you enjoyed learning about the animals we have here at the zoo, as well as what you can do to help us conserve them. After all, the more we work together to learn about animals and their habitats today, the more we can help them tomorrow.  To learn more follow our new conservation education blog. All you need to do is visit our Conservation Education Blog and enter your email address in the “follow link” at the top of this page. We also are looking for people to join our team to help us share our conservation messages on social media and more. Learn more here.

Here are four easy ways you can help the Zoo save endangered species:

Round-Up your purchases. Many of our conservation projects receive nearly 100% of the funding we need from the Zoo’s Round-Up Fund.

Join the El Paso Zoological Society. The Zoological Society is the number one friends group supporting the El Paso Zoo and all of its programs.

Join our Conservation Education Team and help spread the word about our conservation efforts.

Encourage your family and friends to visit the Zoo. Entrance fees help us purchase food for our animals and more.

FEEDBACK – To offer comments and suggestions regarding this Walking Tour contact us here.

Biodiversity at the Zoo

Animals and plants at the Zoo make up a very small part of the world’s biodiversity.  Biodiversity is defined as the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.  The protection of the world’s biodiversity is crucial to the quality of life and even to the survival of humankind.  The past few hundred years of increasing human population growth and economic development have altered the natural habitats of most of the temperate world in the United States, Europe, Russia and China.  Now the focus of human encroachment has shifted to tropical regions including the regions where many of the Zoo’s animals are from. 

Everyone who cares about the future of our world needs to become active in helping to protect our planet’s biodiversity.  Biodiversity is important to us because:

1. Biodiversity is very valuable economically.  The planet’s biosphere has been valued at $33 Trillion annually, twice the entire global economy.
2. Biodiversity is a safety net, buffering us from natural shocks.  For example, the world’s forests hold 1,146 billion tons of carbon dioxide, nearly as much contained in the atmosphere, which if realized would severely disrupt global climate.
3. Biodiversity represents the world’s greatest medicine cabinet and chemical laboratory rolled into one.  More than 40% of all the medicines sold in the US are derived directly from animals and plants.
4. The moral and spiritual value of biodiversity is enormous, originating from what E.O. Wilson called our love of life – biphila – and permeating all world cultures and religions.  Source: Wilderness: Earth’s Last Wild Places, University of Chicago Press, 2003

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