By Bert Castro, President & CEO of the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation/Phoenix Zoo
This past year has been one of meaningful progress at the Phoenix Zoo. It has truly been a year of growth, connection and care. Thanks to the continued support of our members, donors and all our guests, we welcomed new audiences, expanded our animal collection and invested in projects that strengthened our commitment to conservation, research, education and serving as a great community asset.
Some of our proudest recent achievements include reaching more diverse audiences across our community, introducing thousands of guests to the Zoo. A perfect example from last year was 602 Day, when admission was $6.02 for all guests. Nearly 19,000 people joined us that day, making it not only a celebration of Phoenicians and our city, but also a powerful reminder of how access to nature and wildlife can bring people together. Serving our community in this way is central to who we are. We are committed to providing a variety of pathways to access the Zoo, through our Community Connections program, which supports free and discounted admission and educational programming for kids in Title I schools, our annual Sensory Friendly ZooLights and other events designed to welcome everyone to the Zoo.
We were also thrilled to welcome many new animals to the Zoo in the past year. Guests delighted in meeting beautiful secretarybirds, celebrated the arrival and naming of our new baby giraffe, Kasi, and getting to know our new hamadryas baboons, kudus and impalas, along with a variety of other new residents. Each new animal represents both joy and excitement for our guests and an important opportunity to inspire conservation awareness and action.
A visit to the Phoenix Zoo supports wildlife conservation worldwide. Last fiscal year we provided grant funds to 40+ impactful projects to make good on our promise that the animals at the Zoo are ambassadors for their counterparts in the wild. For example, the lions on Predator Passage help us tell the story of the Ruaha Carnivore Project in Tanzania, which works to reduce human/wildlife conflict in the region with financial help from the Phoenix Zoo.
We are continuously working to keep the Zoo experience fresh and engaging through major trail and habitat improvement projects. The opening of Big Cats of Arizona in 2025 marked a significant milestone as it showcases Arizona’s native big cats, mountain lions and jaguars, while highlighting the importance of protecting wildlife close to home. Our orangutans received new climbing structures that encourage natural behaviors and provide fun enrichment. We also remodeled the greater flamingo habitat, enhancing both animal care and guest viewing. This year, we are finalizing plans to expand restrooms and enhance shade availability, all to ensure a comfortable guest experience for all who visit the Zoo.
Behind the scenes, we made critical investments in infrastructure that will benefit the Zoo for decades to come. On the Savanna we added a new, much larger barn, enabling us to hold more species in this habitat in the future. Construction is underway on the Midwestern University Zoological Medical Institute within The Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation Animal Care and Conservation Campus, shaping the future of veterinary care for wildlife at the Zoo. We’re nearing completion of construction on the Doornbos Animal Rescue and Care Center, which will be a quarantine facility for new animals to the Zoo, as well as a place where wild animals can find respite after being confiscated from poachers in wildlife trafficking cases. Wildlife confiscations are an ongoing issue demanding increasing attention and resources from dedicated specialists in animal care and wellbeing, like our team at the Phoenix Zoo.
When I reflect on our work, what stands out most is how much is possible when a community comes together around a shared love for animals and conservation. From welcoming new guests and new animals to improving habitats and expanding lifesaving facilities, there is truly so much happening at the Phoenix Zoo because of all who support it. We are grateful to be on this journey with a community who believes so strongly in protecting and caring for the natural world. We look forward to seeing you soon.
