Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden

Fireflies are fascinating and no one knows that better than the OKC Zoo’s own Conservation Scientist, Dr. Emily Geest! She recently teamed up with TED-Ed to create a video exploring the world of fireflies. From stealthy femme fatales to intricate light-based communication, these glowing insects lead remarkable lives. The Zoo supports firefly conservation through summer surveys and light pollution studies. You can help protect fireflies by turning off outdoor lights when you don’t need them and leaving leaf litter in your yard to create habitat for them. Watch the full video here: https://bit.ly/4hqcWeT

The OKC Zoo is thrilled to welcome Jalyn Todd as our new Animal Caretaker of Primates! Jalyn’s journey with the Zoo began through our intern program, and we’re excited to see him return - this time as a full-time member of the Animal Care team. His dedication to animal welfare and passion for primate care make him a perfect fit for the role. When he’s not caring for the Zoo’s incredible primates, you might even catch him listening to J. Cole. We’re proud to have Jalyn back on board as we continue our mission to connect people with wildlife and wild places.

Happy Vet Tech Appreciation Week! 🩺🎉 Meet the amazing women that make up the OKC Zoo's Veterinary Services team who work every day to ensure our animals are healthy! 🩺Vet Clinic Coordinator Liz has been with the OKC Zoo for nearly 17 years. 🩺Vet Tech Stephanie has been with the OKC Zoo for 8 years. 🩺Vet Services Assistant Kaitlin has been with the OKC Zoo for 6 years. 🩺Vet Tech Juliana has been with the OKC Zoo for nearly 5 years. THANK YOU Liz, Stephanie, Kaitlin, and Juliana for your combined 36 years of hard work and dedication to our animal family! Be sure to stop by one of the team's Vet Talks from 11:30 - 11:45 a.m. seven days/week at the Joan Kirkpatrick Animal Hospital - completely free with Zoo admission!

We're zooming in on the fun with our Fall Break Day Camps! There's still time to enroll your kiddos in the OKC Zoo's Fall Break Day Camps focusing on wildlife migration. Campers will help uncover the mysteries of Earth’s greatest travelers and how we can help them navigate safely. 🦋Thursday, Oct. 16: Monarch Butterfly Migration 🦓Friday, Oct. 17: African Herd Migration 🐢Monday, Oct. 20: Sea Turtle Migration Camp runs 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and registration is $60/child for non-members or $54/child for ZOOfriends members. Campers must be ages 5-10 years old to participate. Visit okczoo.org/schools-out to register!

Butterflies with Bluetooth??🦋🛜 That's right! The Oklahoma City Zoo is partnering with The Xerces Society to monitor the annual monarch butterfly migration with new, state-of-the-art radiotelemetry transmitter tags. This past Saturday, Oct. 4, as part of the Zoo's Native Species Day celebration, six monarch butterflies were equipped with these new transmitters. Designated XOKC001 through XOKC006, each butterfly was also given a flower-inspired nickname: Violet, Maximillian, Autumn Sage, Juniper, Bluemist, and Beebalm. The tags are ultra-light, solar-powered, and equipped with Bluetooth so anyone with a phone can follow the butterflies' journey and help contribute to the data collection! To join in on the flight-tracking fun, download the Project Monarch Science app for Apple and Android. Read more at: https://bit.ly/3KZQD3q 📷: Dr. Jennifer D.

Experience wildlife and wild places abroad with the OKC Zoo’s Conservation Travel Program! ✈️🌎 The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden, in partnership with Rewild Safaris, is excited to share our 2026 travel destinations: 🦋Central Mexico - Witness the Monarch Butterfly Migration (Jan. 23 - 29, 2026) 🦜Brazil - Explore the Pantanal Region of the Amazon (Jun. 5 - 14, 2026) 🐘Namibia - Experience the Culture and Wildlife of Africa (Jul. 7 - 18, 2026) Visit okczoo.org/travel to learn more about these amazing opportunities!

Oklahoma Educators, go wild for monarchs with this workshop! 🦋 Join us this Saturday, October 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the OKC Zoo Conservation Education Center for an unforgettable professional development experience that blends hands-on science, wildlife education, and real-world conservation action. The WILD about Monarchs! Workshop will give educators the opportunity to: 📚Learn how to engage students in the story of monarchs and other pollinators using the award-winning Project WILD curriculum alongside resources from the OKC Zoo. ☀️Go into the field with zoo scientists to tag monarchs as part of ongoing migration research and receive direct insight into citizen science and how to connect students to authentic scientific investigations. Cost is $10/person and includes Project WILD K-12 ‘Terrestrial’ guide, workshop supplies, and lunch! Register now at: https://lnkd.in/gVb9dy4Z 📷: Photo Crew members Andrea J. and Amanda F. Oklahoma Conservation Commission

It's time to Haunt the Zoo for Halloween! Presented by News 9 and Homeland, Haunt the Zoo is a safe, trick-or-treating experience at OKC Zoo weekends October 4-26 from 9-4. Get in on the fun... 🍬 Collect sweets with your official treat bag (required for all trick-or-treaters) / $10 each ($9 for ZOOfriends members). 👻 Costumes encouraged for all ages (no full masks, weapons, balloons, or anything too scary). 🦋 A Wild Cause! $1 from each event bag sold benefits the Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation initiatives! 🎟️Tickets are on sale now at https://bit.ly/3KoN0nH.

The Oklahoma City Zoo is incredibly saddened to hear of the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall, the famed anthropologist and conservationist. So much of what we know about chimpanzees came from her pioneering work. Over the years, Dr. Goodall visited the OKC Zoo on several occasions to share her work, her ideas, and her inspiration with our team members, volunteers, and the community. Her dedication to conserving wildlife and wild places continues to impact us all. 💚 #ThankYouJane #RememberingJane 📷: Photo Crew member, Andrea J.

Tomorrow, September 30, is your last chance to pick up the OKC Zoo issue of @curbsideokc for 2025 out in the wild! The OKC Zoo is proud of its continued partnership with OKC’s award-winning street paper, Curbside Chronicle, to offer a free Zoo general admission ticket in the magazine’s September issue! Get your own copy today for a $2 suggested donation from Curbside vendors throughout the metro area. The free Zoo ticket is valid through December 31, 2025. Once September ends, copies will only be available at Curbside Flowers (522 N Classen Blvd.) through the end of the year! Cover art for this issue provided by @erwin_mury! 📷: PR Team Trevor H.