Staten Island Zoo

It is with heavy hearts that the Staten Island Zoo shares the loss of our female Southern Tamandua, DJ. At 10 years old, DJ was elderly for her species, and she lived a very full life. Though she was the smallest of our tamanduas, she endeared her keepers with her huge personality. DJ was very in touch with her wild instincts, often seen ripping up logs and hunting down bugs, yet she was a complete sweetheart with our animal care team. She loved to go for walks outside durin...g warm weather, digging up grass and tree bark in order to find the most ants. During the cooler months when she was housed indoors, she enjoyed supervised walks around the keeper areas; always mischevious, she loved trying to get into garbage bags to check out the smells! DJ's favorite activities included tearing up enrichment items such as logs, boxes, and pumpkins. During the summer she enjoyed sunbathing, as well as bathing herself in her water tub. Her favorite food items were waxworms, avocados and oranges. DJ and her mate, EJ, were matched as a part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a population management program that aims to conserve certain species through breeding at zoos. Over the years, DJ was the mother of four beautiful babies, three of whom were matched with their own mates at other institutions. Two of the four have so far become parents themselves, making DJ and EJ very important for the future of their species. Their daughter, CJ, can be seen in the Tropical Forest wing here at SIZ. DJ's keepers miss her dearly, but take comfort in spending time with EJ and CJ. This sweet, silly girl will always be in our hearts #statenislandzoo #withheavyhearts #tamandua #DJ #alwayswithus

Are you looking for a fun and unique Valentine’s Day gift to send to someone special? Give them a personalized message from one of their favorite animals. Get them done early this year and receive 25% off our Cameos from Mon, Jan. 25 9:59am EST to Monday Feb 1 at 10:01am EST. No code necessary, the promotion is through Cameo only. Clink the link to find out which of our animals are on Cameo! http://www.statenislandzoo.org/virtual-zoo/

Here at the zoo, we monitor the welfare of each individual animal and take their care very seriously. Staff use many different aspects to ensure their husbandry is suitable such as proper nutrition, adequate housing, appropriate medical care when and if needed as well as observing satisfactory behaviors based on the species of animal. When reviewing this clip taken by zookeeper Deanna, we believe our Shetland boys are definitely experiencing positive welfare - the zoomies, a playful headbutt, and a quick checkin with their keeper, yup, we couldn’t ask for more #statenislandzoo #shetlandsheep #positivewelfare #keepercam #zoomies #playtime #hifriend

Looking for something to do over winter break? Join us for our mini-camp, grades Pre-K - 3rd grade, on Monday, December 28 - Wednesday, December 30! We'll be learning all about the adaptations that animals have to survive the winter months! Register at the link below. Temperature checks will be performed at check-in and masks will be required. https://statenislandzoo.doubleknot.com//zoofari-wi/2763425

Please join us in wishing our sweet little short stack, Pancakes, a very Happy Birthday! Today she officially turned 1 year old and her awesome keeper Kristin threw her a foodie party - socially distant, of course. And be sure to check us out on TikTok to catch a video of our staff singing to the birthday girl herself #statenislandzoo #happybirthday #pancakesthesloth #tiktokperformance #1yearold #birthdaycakes #getit #wearesopunny

Did you know - emus are the second largest birds in the world? Like our boys Lynn and Bill, emus are classified as ratites which are flightless, long-legged birds. Emus also have distinct feather features that make them different than other birds. Typically, a feather will have barbs to hold them together, making them much more stiff. Emus lack these barbs, therefore, their feathers are much softer and very flexible. Often times you can catch our keepers giving them a good scratch and you can see just how fluffy they appear to be #statenislandzoo #emu #ratite #flightlessbird #bigbird #fancyfeathers #birdsofafeather

Run for the Staten Island Zoo and walk with us too! We have gone virtual with our first ever 5K Fun Run/Walk, register from NOW until Dec. 31st. How does a virtual fun run work? It’s easy! All you, your family and friends need to do is register below, walk or run in your favorite park, path, or even on your treadmill, and enter your times online. One of the many perks of a virtual run/walk is that it can be done on your own time and at your own pace.... Tag us in all your pictures in your limited edition race shirt and medal! #zoostrong https://www.goneforarun.com/virtual-race-sta/siz-0001.html

Tonight is the the last night of Spooktacular and our dinosaur friend here wanted to remind you just how cool it is! Be sure to get your tickets, you don’t want to miss out. If you have already enjoyed a fun night during our spooky event, tag us in your photos to be featured in our zoo’s Instagram story! #statenislandzoo #sizspooktacular #sizspooktacular2020 #covidstyle #halloweenfun #familyfriendly #bringthekids #wearyourcostumes #makesomememories #andmeetadisneyprincess

Have you signed up for our Virtual Fun Run/Walk 5K yet, or are you looking for the perfect gift for someone who loves to go running, walking, hiking, or just enjoys giving back? Consider gifting our Virtual 5K this holiday season! Registration ends on Dec 31st but you’re able to complete it at your own pace and time after you register. The package comes with a limited edition t-shirt and medal. Sign up today and find out how long it took Miles our Eastern box turtle to walk... our Virtual 5K when you enter your time. Follow the link below to register and check out our other holiday offerings! http://www.statenislandzoo.org/holiday-giving/

Bring Zoo Classes into your home! The Staten Island Zoo is offering virtual programs every week perfect for homeschooled students and those participating in remote learning. Every Wednesday from 12pm 12:45pm, with a different targeted grade band each week. $10 per registration. Sign up for December sessions at the link below! http://www.statenislandzoo.org/weekly-wildlife/

It’s the spookiest time of year and The Staten Island Zoo Spooktacular is in full swing! A limited number of tickets are still available this evening and tomorrow! Reserve your tickets and learn how we are keeping your family safe: http://www.statenislandzoo.org/plan-your-visit/spooktacular/

The Staten Island Zoo is officially on TikTok! Go give us a follow to see other super cute and pretty funny videos of the animals that call our park home #statenislandzoo #tiktok #northamericanporcupine #socialmedia #giveusafollow #rodent #boopmynose #thatdriptho

Yum, what’s for lunch? Looks like our Seba’s short-tailed bats are enjoying some bananas. Often mistaken for vampire bats, these frugivores feed on at least 50 different kinds of fruits in their native habitats of Central and South America. Generally foraging close to the ground, they can also be seen eating insects and pollen #statenislandzoo #sebasshorttailedbat #fruitbat #lunchtime #batcave #notvampires #noDraculahere

Only One (1) Day Until The Start Of Spooktacular 2020! There Are Still A Limited Supply Of Ticket Reservations Remaining. Get Yours Before They Are All Gone! Ticket Reservations: https://statenislandzoo.doubleknot.com//day/spooktac/24432 What To Learn More About What to Expect? Click Here: http://www.statenislandzoo.org/plan-your-visit/spooktacular/

It sure is getting spooky around here!! Did you purchase your Spooktacular tickets yet? They are selling fast and you don’t want to miss out on this family-friendly event! We know that this year is unlike any year of recent memory, and you might have a lot of questions on what Spooktacular will look like. We assure you that we have worked tirelessly to ensure Spooktacular embodies the same familiarity and charm you've come to expect, while still maintaining NYC guidelines on ...health and safety for your family. Bottom line: Spooktacular might look a little different, but we will still be offering all the fun and festivities Want to know about Spooktacular? http://www.statenislandzoo.org/plan-your-visit/spooktacular/ Want to know more about what the to expect when you visit the Zoo? http://www.statenislandzoo.org/what-to-expect/ #statenislandzoo #spooktacular #halloweenevent #costume #familyfun #allweekendlong #bringthekiddies #advancedtickets #rainorshine #theshowmustgoon

IT’S INTERNATIONAL SLOTH DAY !!!!!!!! That is all #statenislandzoo #internationalslothday #allofthesloths #allofthecuteness #pastandpresent #twotoedsloth #cc #sid #jesse #waffles #dunkin #pancakes #theyallgetahashtagbecausewelovethemall

When the snacks hit the hangry spots #statenislandzoo #ringtailedlemur #hisnameismoose #lemurlove #cureforthemondays #mmmmmmgood

Did you purchase your Spooktacular tickets yet? They are selling fast and you don’t want to miss out on this family-friendly event! We know that this year is unlike any year of recent memory, and you might have a lot of questions on what Spooktacular will look like. We assure you that we have worked tirelessly to ensure Spooktacular embodies the same familiarity and charm you've come to expect, while still maintaining NYC guidelines on health and safety for your family. Bott...om line: Spooktacular might look a little different, but we will still be offering all the fun and festivities Want to know about Spooktacular? http://www.statenislandzoo.org/plan-your-visit/spooktacular/ Want to know more about what the to expect when you visit the Zoo? http://www.statenislandzoo.org/what-to-expect/ #statenislandzoo #spooktacular #halloweenevent #costume #familyfun #allweekendlong #bringthekiddies #advancedtickets #rainorshine #theshowmustgoon

Happy National Vet Tech Week! Our zoo is lucky to have Natalie as our veterinary technician, who is on grounds 5 days a week and always on call for assistance. She is critical to the day-to-day function of veterinary practices and plays a vital role in preserving animal health and welfare. Natalie has helped in countless procedures, medical training sessions, and physical exams. We appreciate her all year long, but we would like to take this week to truly show our appreciation of all her hard work. Here is a quick glimpse of the zoo’s vet tech in action #statenislandzoo #visitthezoo #vettechweek #vettechappreciation #criticalrole #keystonespecies #weloveyou

If you have walked around the zoo before, you have definitely seen toys in our exhibits. Zookeepers provide animals with lots of different kinds of enrichment: things they can manipulate like baby toys, towels and blankets from other animals around the zoo to entice their sense of smell, and/or puzzle feeders to get them to work for their food and keep their minds going. Today was a forage day and our keepers in the Children Center provided their critters with some natural browse that they all just devoured. The zoo grounds have lots of trees and plants, like this bamboo, that provide animals with a tasty treat they don’t typically get in their diet #statenislandzoo #hoofstock #ponies #alpacas #sheep #barnyardfriends #enrichment #bamboo #nomnomnom

Spooktacular 2020 Tickets now available to ALL! Reserve yours today before they are gone

Hey we know that monkey! Check out what our keepers are saying about Grandpa in his feature on New World Primate TAG’s page.

Did you know you can now link AmazonSmile to your Amazon shopping app? AmazonSmile donates 0.5% of eligible purchases to a charity of your choosing. If you haven’t already, support the Staten Island Zoo by choosing us as your AmazonSmile Charity. Amazon Prime Day and the holidays are coming up fast, make a big impact when you shop on Amazon!