Topeka Zoo

TOMORROW’S THE DAY!
For 24 hours only, our community has the chance to come together and show just how much we love our Topeka Zoo. Love Your Topeka Zoo Giving Day is October 2!

Your gift—whether it’s $5, $50 or $500—helps provide exceptional animal care, conservation efforts, educational experiences and the special moments that connect people with wildlife.

Big news! Thanks to a generous donor, the first $15,000 raised will be matched dollar for dollar. That means:
➡️Donate $500 → Zoo receives $1,000
➡️Donate $100 → Zoo receives $200
➡️ Donate $50 → Zoo receives $100
➡️ Donate $20 → Zoo receives $40

And because it’s Giving Day, we’re making it extra fun!
🔹Every donor will be entered to win an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience.
🔹$100+ donors will have their name etched on a brick at Giraffe & Friends.
🔹$250+ donors will receive a Love Your Topeka Zoo tote bag.
🔹$500+ donors will be entered to win a Breakfast for 6 with the Tigers at Tiger Trails and Den Academy!

Tomorrow, you can help make an impact that goes far beyond our gates.

📅 Mark your calendar. October 2. 24 hours. One community. One Zoo we all love.

Let’s make this our biggest Giving Day yet! 💚 https://support.topekazoo.org/2026LoveYourZoo

👉 Set your reminder. Tell a friend. And get ready to Love Your Topeka Zoo!

Don’t let the kids have all the fun! It’s your turn to go to camp.

We have two more Adult Camps before the end of the year, and they are filling up fast!

October 8 | The Great Zoo Baking Camp
Ready to get baking? We’ll explore the connection between animal diets and food preparation, with plenty of fun along the way!

November 14 | A Night in the Shire
One camp to rule them all! Gather your Fellowship, journey to Middle-earth and enjoy an evening of adventure, games and more.

Adult Camps are for ages 18+ and run from 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Sign up here: https://topekazoo.org/education/camps/adult-camps/

You might have noticed that last week was Fat Bear Week. Val has been working hard to earn her own Fat Bear Week title, and we think she’s earned it! 🐻

Val is a female black bear, and we last weighed her at the end of August. How much do you think she weighs?

Drop your best guess in the comments! 👇 We’ll reveal the answer on our Story in a few days, so check back to see who got it right!

Last chance to enter our Tank Membership Giveaway! 🦛

There’s still time to become a Zoo member, renew your membership, or gift a membership and be automatically entered for a chance to win an unforgettable experience with Tank!

One lucky winner will receive a guided walking tour for up to six people, plus an exclusive encounter with Tank, our male African hippo!

The giveaway ends tomorrow, September 30, so don’t miss your chance to get up close with one of the Zoo’s favorite residents!

Not a member yet? Grab your membership today and enter for your chance to win!
https://topekazoo.org/membership/

Gage Park Founders Fest is almost here!

This Saturday, October 3, celebrate Founders Fest at Gage Park and enjoy FREE Zoo admission with the donation of a nonperishable food item to support the Project Topeka Food Drive!

While you’re here, stop by our Gift Shop for a 15% off storewide sale and grab our Café meal deal: a cheeseburger, chips and a drink for just $10!

Bring a canned good, bring the family and join us for a day of fun at Gage Park! 💚

Attention, Zoo guests! 🛍️

The Leopard Spot Gift Shop is temporarily closed while we make some exciting improvements to the space!

Don’t worry, you can still get your Zoo shopping fix! Temporary retail shopping will be available from September 28 through October 2. You’ll find us in front of the Leopard Spot Gift Shop, or, depending on the weather, we’ll be set up inside Camp Cowabunga.

Thanks for your patience while we work on the Gift Shop. We’ll see you soon! 🐾

Hey, it’s Tank! 🦛

I may be a big guy, but I’ve got a BIG appetite! Keeping my belly full costs about $340 a month and that’s a whole lot of leafy greens! 🥬

And while I love my snacks, what I really need is great care, enrichment and a healthy place to call home. That’s where you come in. 💚

On Love Your Topeka Zoo Giving Day, October 2, your gift can help keep me well-fed, healthy and happy with the food, care and activities I need every day.

So, how about helping a hippo out? Every gift makes a difference, and I promise to put it to good use!

Give today at: https://support.topekazoo.org/2026LoveYourZoo

Thanks for helping keep this hungry hippo happy! 🦛💚

Happy Black-Footed Ferret Day! 🐾

Once thought to be extinct, the Black-Footed Ferret is making an incredible comeback. These small carnivores once ranged across much of North America, but declining prairie dog populations nearly caused their disappearance. By 1979, they were declared extinct in the wild. Then, in 1981, a small population was rediscovered in Wyoming. Just 18 ferrets became the foundation of an emergency breeding program.

Today, Black-Footed Ferrets are slowly being reintroduced to the wild, and the Topeka Zoo has been part of that effort since 2007.

This weekend, Director of Conservation Dennis Dinwiddie will help conduct the annual survey in Logan County. From sunset to sunrise, teams will find, capture, examine, vaccinate, microchip and release the ferrets.

To learn more about Black Footed Ferrets, visit: topekazoo.org/conservation_sustainability/ferrets/

Antin is home! 🐆

Last week, our team made the trek to Toledo, Ohio, to bring Antin, a 4.5-year-old Amur leopard, to his new home in Topeka. Since arriving, he’s been busy getting comfortable in his new surroundings and getting to know his keepers, who tell us he’s already showing off quite the personality!

Antin now has access to the outdoor portion of his habitat, with the choice to head inside whenever he feels more comfortable. For now, his schedule is all about exploring, settling in and getting to know his new home.

We’re so excited for you to meet him! Keep in mind that viewing Antin is not guaranteed while he continues to acclimate. We appreciate your patience as we give him the time and space he needs to feel at home. 💙