Friends of the Panaewa Zoo

07/16/2025

🎉 Happy Bird-Day to Max, the Catalina Macaw, who turns 37 today!! As our (unofficial) Zoo greeter, Max is quite the talker and is a favorite among guests and staff.

Meet Max:
🦜Hatchday: July 15, 1988
🦜Favorite Food: mixed nuts in shells, bananas, papayas, hard boiled eggs, and crunchy vegetables
🦜Favorite Toys: wooden blocks, hanging ropes, puzzle feeders, and anything he can destroy
🦜Favorite words or phrases: “Hi”, “Florida”, “Barbara”, “Aaron”, “have a cookie”, “bye-bye”, “mmmmm”, “Bobby”, “flower”, “noogie”, and “Alooo-HA”. He’s also known for mimicking laughter!
🦜Max Facts: Max is a Catalina Macaw—a hybrid with traits inherited from the Blue-and-Gold Macaw and a Scarlet Macaw. Max has a history of having a growth on his beak. The current beak discoloration you see is due to a cellular matrix band-aid, applied by our vet team, which is aiding in the healing process. 🤍

Max will be treated to extra enrichment toys, fruit kabobs, and all the attention he can get. Make sure to say hello 👋 at your next visit! 🧡❤️💚💙

07/10/2025

🎉🦅 Today, we’re circling around a very special celebration.. it's Igorina’s 42nd birthday!

Meet our Turkey Vulture:
☀️Birthday: July 10, 1983 (originally from the Honolulu Zoo)
☀️Favorite Food: rats & mice, chicken, small birds, fish, mealworms, ice treats with prey items
☀️Favorite Toys: toilet paper tubes, phone books, shredded paper, pine cones, puzzle feeders, zookeeper ankles
☀️Fun Facts: Igorina “Iggy” is the oldest resident at the Pana’ewa Zoo!! A not-so-fun fact is that when vultures feel threatened, they throw up. (They can propel their vomit up to 10 feet!) When the threat passes, they will re-eat the contents. Waste not, want not!

Stop by the Zoo today to sign her birthday card and help us wish Iggy a happy birthday. She will be receiving special treats and toys this week and will be eating up all the attention. 🍗

07/04/2025

Happy Birthday, Tzatziki! Wishing you a fantastic 10th birthday! It’s wonderful to see how excited you still get about those special birthday boxes—just like always. Even tigers like you know how to have fun!

07/03/2025

06/30/2025

Roaring success at Tiger Fun Day! 🐅🎉

Our two tigers, Sriracha and Tzatziki, celebrated their big 10th birthday with bloodcicle cakes, wrapped present boxes, and special handmade enrichment: intricately woven firehose shaped like an ungulate. They appeared to enjoy moving the firehorse (AKA Steve) around their habitat as well as scent rubbing, showcasing their strength and natural behaviors.

Big mahalo to everyone who came out to celebrate with us and to the Hilo Fire Department for the firehose donation! 🤙🏼🥳

06/29/2025

Tzatziki and Sriracha are taking a well-deserved break after a fun-filled day! Birthday parties can be pretty tiring, but these two know how to unwind and enjoy some relaxing moments.

06/28/2025

Don't Forget TODAY!
TIGER FUN DAY at the Zoo.
10:00 am to 2:00m pm

Join us in the Main Pavilion from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm to enjoy some music by Bobby, our talented Zookeeper who loves to strum his guitar and sing.

While supplies last, you can also create a fun bird toy for your favorite zoo bird with a $5 donation, which will help the zoo.

Don’t forget to visit the FOZ table to enter for a chance to win one of ten $25 gift certificates from the Zoo Gift Shop!

There’s lots to do—get your face painted, play fun games, sample tasty refreshments, and discover more about the animals, conservation efforts, and native plants. We can’t wait to see you there!

06/25/2025

Today marks Srirach's 10th birthday, and she's celebrating in her own special way. She starts her day with a few gentle groans, some loving licks, and cuddling her favorite ball. Then, she's eager to chase it around, enjoying every moment of her special day.

06/24/2025

Happy 10th birthday, Sriracha! Even tigers can sense when something special is on its way. Sriracha is no different; she'll be happily running around tomorrow, excitedly waiting for some special treats to mark her birthday. We warmly invite you to visit the zoo and join us in celebrating her special day with cheerful wishes.

06/17/2025

Don't forget to mark your calendars! Tiger Fun Day is just 2 weeks away. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.hilozoo.org/tiger-fun-day-2025. It's going to be a fantastic family fun day.🐅

06/16/2025

Wishing a “hoppy” Father’s Day to all the amazing dads and father figures from all of us at Pana‘ewa Zoo!
💖🏆

We’re recognizing and tipping our hats to some truly standout dads in the animal world — poison dart frogs! 🐸

Unlike most reptile and amphibian fathers who step aside after the eggs are laid, male dart frogs take on more responsibilities past mating. After the female lays her eggs, dad keeps a close watch, making sure they stay moist and protected (sometimes by peeing on them…. yes, really). When the tadpoles hatch, he gives each one a ride on his back to their very own puddle of water. If their mini pool dries up, dad relocates them to a safer spot.

These devoted dads check in on their growing tadpoles every single day, keeping them safe and hydrated until they’re ready to hop into the world.

PICTURED: Dyeing poison dart frogs, tadpoles in a petri dish, and a young Dyeing dart frog.

06/05/2025

The day is used to make necessary repairs, finish some of the ongoing projects, and begin new ones without endangering zoo guests. Sometimes, heavy equipment is required in the zoo to accomplish the required results. The time is also used for maintaining walkways throughout the zoo to make them safe for our guests.