Central Illinois AAZK

08/22/2025

🌍🐾 Celebrate World African Painted Dog Day with us on Tuesday August 26th! 🐾🌍

African Painted Dogs—also known as African Wild Dogs—are one of the most fascinating and endangered carnivores on the planet. Known for their striking mottled coats, oversized ears, and boundless energy, these dogs live in close-knit packs where cooperation is everything. Unlike many predators, Painted Dogs work together to hunt, raise their pups, and protect one another. Their incredible teamwork makes them some of the most successful hunters in Africa’s wild landscapes.

To mark World African Painted Dog Day, we’ve prepared a very special enrichment item for our girls CeeCee and Suelly! On Tuesday around 2:00pm, Keepers will prepare a papier-mâché African Fishing Eagle full of food to hang from the zip line in the Painted Dog yard. This activity encourages the dogs to leap, chase, and investigate. These behaviors mirror their natural instincts and help keep them physically and mentally stimulated. 🦅✨

Sadly, fewer than 6,000 African Painted Dogs remain in the wild. Habitat loss, human conflict, and disease continue to threaten their survival. Conservation organizations around the globe are working tirelessly to protect their habitats, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and support populations across Africa.

Here in human care, we help safeguard the future of Painted Dogs through careful management, enrichment, and participation in global breeding programs. Every enrichment session, every carefully managed pack, and every conversation story we share with guests about these dogs contributes to their survival.

By celebrating World African Painted Dog Day, you’re helping raise awareness for one of Africa’s most extraordinary and endangered animals. Join us Tuesday around 2:00pm and cheer on our dogs as they take on their sky-swooping enrichment surprise!

07/22/2025

06/20/2025

We want to wish a Happy 3rd Birthday to Rihanna our resident Umbrella Cockatoo! 🎉

She is full of life and personality, and definitely keeps the Keepers on their toes everyday. Rihanna would love to say “Hi” to you when you stop by at the zoo!

06/08/2025

Did you know same-s*x couples have been observed in over 1,500 different species in the Animal Kingdom?

The Zookeeping Staff of Central Illinois AAZK believe it is important to recognize the beautifully diverse nature of animals and people as their most authentic selves!

This month we celebrate Pride through our colony of African Penguins which features two same-s*x pairings.

African Penguins are monogamous, meaning they form strong bonds with each other and most often remain with the same partner for their entire lives. Courtship typically includes behaviors such as head-swinging, vocalizations, and bowing.

Researchers have observed many same-s*x Penguin pairings in the wild. These pairings have been seen caring for a rock or an abandoned egg from another Penguin couple as if it were their own. Since both Penguin parents share in incubating the eggs and caring for the chicks, there are no differences in parenting behaviors with same-s*x Penguin parings from opposite s*x Penguin pairings.

Happy Pride month to all! 🏳️‍🌈
Be sure to swing by the Zoo sometime this month and wish our boys Lincoln and Jeeves, and our girls Gia and Ryder a Happy Pride month!

04/12/2025

Today is a very special day, as we are celebrating Nikki’s 18th birthday!

Nikki is a bobcat that has been a resident of the zoo since she was young. She loves to lay in the sun and will often vocalize to the keepers when it’s time to eat! ☀️

Come help us wish her a very happy birthday anytime from 10am-5pm! 🎉

04/07/2025

It’s the first full week of April, which also means it is National Wildlife Week! 🐾 Established in 1938 by the National Wildlife Federation, this week-long celebration aims to raise awareness about conservation efforts and to educate people on the wonderful wildlife throughout the world! 🌎

Henson Robinson Zoo is home to wildlife from across the planet ranging from black bears to a wolverine! With the zoo now open for the season, come out and help us celebrate all of these amazing animals! ☀️

03/15/2025

In recognition of the critically endangered status of the Florida panther, the state of Florida has designated a day to promote awareness and encourage conservation efforts.

The Florida panther, a subspecies of cougar, once had a vast range across Florida, extending west to Arkansas and north to South Carolina. Today, their population is estimated to be between 120 and 230 adult individuals, mainly found in southwest Florida's swamps and forests.

The relentless expansion of urban areas into their natural habitat poses a significant threat to their survival, highlighting the importance of conservation initiatives to safeguard the last remaining big cat in the eastern United States.

Today at Henson Robinson Zoo we celebrate our resident cougars Beau and Soleil in honor of Save The Florida Panther Day!

02/25/2025

Tongue out Tuesday featuring Bianca.

Take a look at those teeth! 👀

Although Eurasian Wolverines average a weight of merely 24–40lbs, they demonstrate their potency as predators by leveraging their powerful jaws and aggressive nature to access and consume considerable quantities of food, rather than depending solely on hunting expertise.

10/21/2024

Happy Reptile and Amphibian Awareness Day from all our scaley friends at Henson Robinson Zoo! 🐍🐢🦎

10/04/2024

Happy International Zookeeper Day!
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