El Paso Zoo

06/20/2026

👑 Crown your Dad King of the Jungle at the El Paso Zoo this Father’s Day!
- This Father’s Day, all dads, abuelitos, and father figures will receive 20% off their adult ticket price!
- Kids, come play games and craft your dad a Father’s Day card at the Kalahari building (meerkats).

📆 Sunday, June 21
⏰ 11 AM - 2PM: Father’s Day Gift Cards and Games
📍 Kalahari Bldg. (meerkats)

❤️ Father’s Day is a beautiful reminder that love, care, and guidance are not just human traits — they’re woven into the natural world. In the animal kingdom, many fathers play vital roles in raising and protecting their young, from the seahorse dad who carries his babies in a pouch, to the emperor penguin who shelters his chick through the harsh winter.

🙏 Help support wildlife conservation by “ROUNDING UP” when you make a purchase at the Zoo restaurants and gift shop.
- Just say “Yes!” and your contribution makes a difference for animals around the world!

✅ Dads at the Zoo:
- Inca Tern: Dad is Prince. He has four daughters: Charlotte, Athena, Eleanor, and unnamed chick.
- Cotton-Top Tamarin: Dad is Darren. He has 3 sets of Twins: Denim & Linen, Cherry & Chiquita, and Short Round and Indy.
- Przewalski Horse: Dad is Vitaly. He has a son, Khamzat.
- Sumatran Orangutan: Dad is Butch. He has daughter Khaleesi and son Zaini.
- Bali Mynah: Dad is Khan. He has fathered 5 chicks.



❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/19/2026

The El Paso Zoo is proud to introduce Dan, a 19-month-old male giraffe from Lincoln Children’s Zoo in Nebraska. ❤️🦒
- This 12’-tall, gentle giant is bonding very well with his caretakers, and likewise with his new companion, Gigi.
- He loves to engage with his daily enrichment, and this young giraffe’s favorite foods include sweet potatoes, broccoli, squash, and cucumbers. 🍠🥦🥒
- Introductions between Gigi and Dan have already begun, and for this reason, they are not currently visible to our visitors.
- Noah, a caregiver for the El Paso Zoo’s Africa Section animals, details some of the reasons why the giraffes have been absent from the habitat space in the attached video.

✅ We are confident they will be ready to make their debut on the African Savanna habitat very soon. Stay tuned for more updates on when guests can get a glimpse of these majestic mammals.

🌎🦒 Happy World Giraffe Day!!

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/18/2026

06/18/2026

❤️🖤💚💛 The El Paso Zoo joins the City of El Paso in commemorating Juneteenth throughout the month of June!
The El Paso Zoo was part of the Juneteenth Celebration hosted this past weekend at Nations Tobin Park on Saturday, June 13th. Enjoy the pictures!

The El Paso Zoo will be open Juneteenth- June 19!

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/16/2026

🌵☀️ Become a Presenter at the Chihuahuan Desert Conference 2026! Deadline Extended!
- We invite researchers, educators, conservationists, and storytellers to submit abstracts for the upcoming Chihuahuan Desert Conference, hosted at the El Paso Zoo.
- We welcome your abstracts that showcase research, conservation efforts, and creative approaches to protecting and celebrating this extraordinary desert ecosystem.

📅 Submission Deadline: Until Slots Remain Available
📍 Location: El Paso Zoo & Botanical Gardens
🗓️ Conference Dates: November 4–6, 2026

Submit & learn more (🔗 in Bio): https://chihuahuandesertconference.org/

(Español)
🌵☀️
¡Presenta en la Conferencia del Desierto Chihuahuense 2026! ¡Plazo Extendido!
- Invitamos a investigadores, educadores, conservacionistas y narradores a enviar resúmenes para la próxima Conferencia del Desierto Chihuahuense, que se llevará a cabo en el Zoológico de El Paso.
- Esperamos recibir con gusto sus resúmenes que muestren investigaciones, esfuerzos de conservación y enfoques creativos para proteger y celebrar este extraordinario ecosistema desértico.

📅 Fecha límite: Hasta que queden espacios disponibles
📍 Lugar: Zoológico y Jardín Botánico de El Paso
🗓️ Fechas de la Conferencia: 4–6 de noviembre de 2026

🔗 Encuentra el enlace para enviar tu resumen en nuestro Bio: https://chihuahuandesertconference.org/

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/12/2026

🦁 Hodari, the El Paso Zoo’s 8-year-old lion, enjoying a novelty enrichment treat! He received pieces of a goat carcass- something he only gets about 3 times/year.

✅ Check out the Lion Bio Facts page in the El Paso Zoo website and learn more about these animals and how you can become an ambassador for these big cats, as we spotlight animal conservation efforts during our ⚽️ Conservation Kick Off Campaign!

(🔗 in Bio): https://www.elpasozoo.org/animals/africa/african-lion/

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/11/2026

06/11/2026

⚽️🐾 Join us at the EL Paso Zoo for our exciting Conservation Kickoff, where wildlife protection meets the thrill of soccer mania!

📆 Thursday, June 11
10 AM Jaguar Habitat
12 PM African Painted Dogs Habitat

- We have paired our animals with the various countries represented in the game, such as the Jaguar with Mexico 🇲🇽 and the African Painted Dog with South Africa 🇿🇦.
- Because the first game features Mexico vs South Africa, we will have tents by the habitats of the Jags and Dogs where keeper talks, enrichment, and conservation messaging will take place.
- Fun activities for kids will take place under tents!

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

|PasoZoo |Paso

06/10/2026

🎉👏 El Paso County, in partnership with the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens, will officially unveil its newest A.I.-powered Tourist Kiosk at the El Paso Zoo! Come take a personalized digital postcard featuring your favorite animal!

📆 Thursday, June 11th
⏰ 1 PM
📍 Kalahari Bldg. in front of Giraffes Habitat

The kiosk is the newest addition to El Paso County’s Tourist Kiosk Program, an initiative designed to connect residents and visitors with attractions, cultural destinations, outdoor activities, and historical sites throughout El Paso County.
- The El Paso Zoo installation marks the first Tourist Kiosk partnership between El Paso County and a local attraction.
- The interactive kiosk enhances access to destination information while encouraging exploration of attractions across the region.
- Each Tourist Kiosk features a bilingual, A.I.-powered interface with touch and voice navigation, helping visitors discover local attractions, museums, outdoor activities, the Mission Trail, and nearby points of interest.
- Guests can also create and instantly download personalized digital postcards featuring El Paso Zoo themed backgrounds through the kiosk’s popular “Take a Photo with Me” feature.
- The County has acquired three Tourist Kiosks, with partnership locations currently including Fort Bliss, the El Paso Zoo and the Los Portales Museum and Information Center in San Elizario.

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

06/09/2026

👏🐧🦓🐢 The City of El Paso is excited to announce Gary Lunsford as the permanent Director of the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens, following a national search.
- Gary has served as Interim Director since September 2025, providing steady leadership during the transitional period. He brings more than 30 years of experience in zoo operations, animal welfare, and conservation leadership from zoological facilities in Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Canada.
- He has also contributed to the advancement of professional standards within the industry by serving as an accreditation inspector for both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA).
- His extensive background, proven leadership, and deep commitment to the well-being of our animals and staff make him the ideal individual to guide the Zoo into its next chapter.
- Before joining the City of El Paso, Lunsford served as Director at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts and at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His earlier experience includes leadership and animal care roles at the Oklahoma City Zoo, Tulsa Zoo, and Milwaukee County Zoo. Across all positions, Lunsford has demonstrated a commitment to operational excellence, guest engagement, and impactful conservation programming.

👏 We look forward to the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens growth and success of the under his direction.

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.