Ochsner Park Zoo

06/03/2026

If you’ve been to the zoo lately, you may have noticed some changes to the Goat and Donkey yards. We are currently working toward accreditation through the Zoological Association of America, an organization that sets high standards for animal care, welfare, safety, conservation, and education. Accreditation is an important achievement for zoos because it demonstrates a commitment to maintaining professional, ethical, and safe practices for both animals and guests.
As part of this process, we will be transitioning to scheduled animal contact times that are monitored by staff to help ensure the safety and well-being of both our guests and animals. When direct contact sessions are unavailable, guests can still enjoy feeding the donkeys and goats using the PVC feeding tubes attached along the fence line with approved food pellets. This project still needs some finishing touches, so stay tuned for updates on when you can expect contact times to be.

06/01/2026

Happy Pride Month! 🌈 We’re celebrating the diversity that makes life so vibrant in the wild and in our community. Pride Month is a time to celebrate being authentically you, and we are proud to be a welcoming and inclusive space for all.

05/27/2026

05/27/2026

Today is World Otter Day 🦦, a celebration to raise awareness for otter conservation and the threats they face in the wild. Come by today to watch the otters receive fun enrichment during our noon keeper chat. At 3pm we will feed our otters live fish!
Otters are primarily threatened by habitat loss and water pollution. Urban development, agriculture, and deforestation destroy riverbanks, wetlands, and riparian zones, removing essential homes and hunting grounds. As bioindicators, otters are also highly vulnerable to polluted waterways. Contaminants like heavy metals, chemicals, and agricultural runoff can accumulate in their bodies, harming their health, reproduction, and food sources.
We can help protect otters by supporting clean waterways, reducing pollution, and promoting habitat conservation.

🦦

05/26/2026

We can’t want to celebrate World Otter Day tomorrow!The Friends of the Baraboo Zoo will be here from 11-12:30 and 2-3:30 with information on exciting upcoming events and selling merch!

World Otter Day is Wednesday, May 27! 🦦 Join us at noon by the otter exhibit for a special keeper chat as we give the otters enrichment. Then at 3pm the otters will receive live fish. Watch them put their natural hunting skills on display during this extra special celebration!

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day we remember and honor the brave men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. 🇺🇸

05/23/2026

World Otter Day is Wednesday, May 27! 🦦 Join us at noon by the otter exhibit for a special keeper chat as we give the otters enrichment. Then at 3pm the otters will receive live fish. Watch them put their natural hunting skills on display during this extra special celebration!

05/22/2026

We are changing to summer hours starting tomorrow May, 23rd! We will now be open 9-5:30! You will also be able to catch daily keeper chats starting Monday, May 25th! Keeper chats are held at 12, 2, and 4pm.

05/22/2026

Our centennial T-shirt fundraiser sale closes in just ONE WEEK on Friday, May 29th! Grab your gear for the big day!
https://www.customink.com/fundraising/och

Reminder: youth and adult shirts will require separate shipping charges if you choose direct delivery. Want to skip the extra cost? Select zoo pickup at checkout and shipping is FREE!

Purchases of this t-shirt, designed by one of our own zoo volunteers, will help offset the cost of hosting the centennial event on July 25, 2026. Any funds remaining after the event will be used at the zoo for animal care and facility improvements. Since 1926, Ochsner Park Zoo has delighted Baraboo....