SAN ANTONIO –San Antonio Zoo, the Best Zoo In Texas and #2 zoo in the nation, welcomes the birth of Cotton Top Tamarin twins. The twins were born on November 27 and live in the NEOTROPICA area of the zoo. While the zoo celebrates all new births, some are even more meaningful to securing a future for wildlife due to their conservation status in the wild. Cotton Top Tamarins are critically endangered, with ~6,000 individuals left in the wild due to habitat loss. 

San Antonio Zoo’s Kangaroo Joey Zander is fully out of the pouch and ready to play! He’s the first of 8 joeys out of the pouch, so there’ll be no shortage of kangaroo action!

It's been almost 3 weeks since we last saw Zander finding his legs at San Antonio Zoo's Kangaroo Crossing.

He has (clearly) gotten better footing in the past few weeks and is now out and about pretty often. He still hops back in mom's pouch, but soon he will be out full time, and will only stick his head in the pouch to nurse.

Enjoy this full on case of Kangaroo Zoomies!

Nyx the Palm Cockatoo chick was hatched on 5/8/21 at San Antonio Zoo. This timelapse takes place from 5/8/21 - 8/22/21, 105 days in all.

Since 2017, San Antonio Zoo has been the only AZA facility to successfully breed palm cockatoos, both by hand and parent rearing. 

While this species is a popular pet trade animal, it’s still crucial that their populations are managed in zoos. Management in Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) facilities via Species Survival Plans (SSPs) ensures that a healthy, genetically diverse population exists in human care. 

They’re just one of the many animals the zoo is helping secure a future for through participation in AZA Species Survival Plans!

San Antonio Zoo officials are pleased to report that Zander, the farthest along (by quite a bit) of 8 confirmed joeys in the zoo’s Kangaroo Krossing area, is about 6 months old. His mother’s name is Marble.

This was the first time Zoo officials witnessed him out and about on his own. Typically, if he popped out, he’d immediately head back into the pouch. As we can see, he still hasn’t quite found his sea legs! 

As time goes on, visitors will see him and the others hopping around much more!

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS  – San Antonio Zoo® is proud to announce the hatching of 10 Komodo dragons. The hatchings occurred between October 17 and October 27, hatching two boys, four girls, and four yet to be determined dragons.

“This monumental hatching is a testament to the zoo’s persistence and commitment to conservation,” said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. “The hatchlings are thriving, and we are looking forward to watching them grow and help preserve the existence of Komodo dragons.”

There are over 3,000 lizard species, but the Komodo dragon wins the prize for being the largest living lizard in the world! It is a type of monitor lizard, an ancient group of reptiles with ancestors that date back more than 100 million years.

San Antonio Zoo Animal Care Specialists welcomed a baby blue duiker in late June to the Big Cat Valley area of the zoo. Animal Care Specialists named the baby Viazi, otherwise known as “potato” in Swahili. 

Blue duikers are a small species of forest-dwelling antelopes found in central, eastern, and southern Africa. The calf is the fourth born to parents, Stumpy and Kate, who previously had calves in 2014, 2015, and 2017. 

“We are excited to announce this addition to our zoo family,” said President & CEO San Antonio Zoo Tim Morrow. “This has already been a fantastic year as we have welcomed many new births throughout the zoo, and this is just one more reason to celebrate. I am very proud of our Animal Care Specialists and veterinary teams for their hard work and dedication in securing a future for wildlife.” 

Blue duikers weigh up to 20 pounds as full-grown adults. The blue is named for the color their fur appears in the dense forest shade, and duiker is an Afrikaans word for “diving buck,” which describes its behavior in the forest as it dives into bush and brush undergrowth. Blue duikers are on the Species Survival Plan and have a conservation status listed as Least Concern.

San Antonio Zoo has a long history of working to preserve species worldwide. The zoo’s Center for Conservation and Research seeks to fulfill the zoo’s Mission Statement through various approaches, including fieldwork and captive husbandry of rare and threatened species. The scope of efforts includes projects on three continents, transnational research, and projects throughout the United States, with particular emphasis on Texas. For more information on the zoo’s conservation programs, visit https://sazoo.org/zoo-conservation-efforts/.

San Antonio Zoo is excited to share this very special and rare footage: their Aviculture team welcoming a Micronesian kingfisher chick – one of the world’s most endangered animals – to the world!

This is the youngest of the 2 Micronesian Kingfishers hatched this year.  

He was malpositioned in the egg, and was not going to be capable of hatching on his own.

San Antonio zoo specializes in moments like this where "assisted hatches" are necessary. 

Support their new babies by donating to their Baby Shower Fundraiser at ow.ly/BbYy30rGBrO

Halloween was extra “egg-citing” at the San Antonio Zoo when four Komodo Dragons hatched, making them the second largest, successful clutch of their kind to hatch at the zoo.

Laid in the spring by 14-year old mom, Tiga, the baby reptiles are spending a few weeks in a behind-the-scenes nursery.

“This monumental hatching is a testament to the zoo’s persistence and commitment to conservation,” said Tim Morrow, the zoo’s CEO and Executive Director. “The hatchlings are thriving and we are looking forward to introducing them to zoo guests.”

Photo Credits: San Antonio Zoo

Komodo Dragons are listed as “Vulnerable” by the IUCN, and their numbers are declining in the wild due to limited range and fragmented populations. Known as the largest living lizard in the world, they are native to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Padar, Flores, Gili Motang, and Rinca. These carnivores can grow up to be 8.5 feet in length and weigh up to 200 pounds in adulthood. In the wild, Komodo Dragons can live up to 30 years.

Animal care specialists at San Antonio Zoo will continue to monitor the new Komodo Dragons as they continue to grow. Within the coming months, the Komodo Dragons can be viewed at the zoo’s Reptile House.

San Antonio Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Komodo Dragon Species Survival Program and actively supports conservation global projects that impact Komodo Dragons through funding and boots-on-the- ground work.

The San Antonio Zoo is celebrating the debut of twin female Sumatran Tiger cubs.  Born on August 3, the sisters are healthy and playful.  The photos chronicle their growth, from their first checkup to playing with pumpkins at Halloween.

Photo Credit:  San Antonio Zoo

The zoo staff waited a few weeks before announcing the birth because the cubs’ mother, Kemala, was a first-time mom.  This gave the new family time to bond in their den – similar to how mothers with newborn cubs behave in the wild – without disturbances from staff and guests.  The cubs’ father, Raguno, has been moved to a separate enclosure since the birth.

Because Sumatran Tigers are critically endangered, these cubs represent an important contribution to the future of this species.  The breeding of Kemala and Raguno was recommended by the Sumatran Tiger Species Survival Plan, which seeks to ensure genetic diversity in zoo-managed populations of threatened species.   

Fewer than 400 Sumatran Tigers remain on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, where they are threatened with habitat destruction and poaching for their body parts.

See more photos of the cubs below the fold.