El Paso Zoo

👑 Crown your Dad King of the Jungle at the El Paso Zoo this Father’s Day!
- This Father’s Day, all dads, abuelitos, and father figures will receive 20% off their adult ticket price!
- Kids, come play games and craft your dad a Father’s Day card at the Kalahari building (meerkats).

📆 Sunday, June 21
⏰ 11 AM - 2PM: Father’s Day Gift Cards and Games
📍 Kalahari Bldg. (meerkats)

❤️ Father’s Day is a beautiful reminder that love, care, and guidance are not just human traits — they’re woven into the natural world. In the animal kingdom, many fathers play vital roles in raising and protecting their young, from the seahorse dad who carries his babies in a pouch, to the emperor penguin who shelters his chick through the harsh winter.

🙏 Help support wildlife conservation by “ROUNDING UP” when you make a purchase at the Zoo restaurants and gift shop.
- Just say “Yes!” and your contribution makes a difference for animals around the world!

✅ Dads at the Zoo:
- Inca Tern: Dad is Prince. He has four daughters: Charlotte, Athena, Eleanor, and unnamed chick.
- Cotton-Top Tamarin: Dad is Darren. He has 3 sets of Twins: Denim & Linen, Cherry & Chiquita, and Short Round and Indy.
- Przewalski Horse: Dad is Vitaly. He has a son, Khamzat.
- Sumatran Orangutan: Dad is Butch. He has daughter Khaleesi and son Zaini.
- Bali Mynah: Dad is Khan. He has fathered 5 chicks.



❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

❤️🖤💚💛 The El Paso Zoo joins the City of El Paso in commemorating Juneteenth throughout the month of June!
The El Paso Zoo was part of the Juneteenth Celebration hosted this past weekend at Nations Tobin Park on Saturday, June 13th. Enjoy the pictures!

The El Paso Zoo will be open Juneteenth- June 19!

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

🌵☀️ Become a Presenter at the Chihuahuan Desert Conference 2026! Deadline Extended!
- We invite researchers, educators, conservationists, and storytellers to submit abstracts for the upcoming Chihuahuan Desert Conference, hosted at the El Paso Zoo.
- We welcome your abstracts that showcase research, conservation efforts, and creative approaches to protecting and celebrating this extraordinary desert ecosystem.

📅 Submission Deadline: Until Slots Remain Available
📍 Location: El Paso Zoo & Botanical Gardens
🗓️ Conference Dates: November 4–6, 2026

Submit & learn more (🔗 in Bio): https://chihuahuandesertconference.org/

(Español)
🌵☀️
¡Presenta en la Conferencia del Desierto Chihuahuense 2026! ¡Plazo Extendido!
- Invitamos a investigadores, educadores, conservacionistas y narradores a enviar resúmenes para la próxima Conferencia del Desierto Chihuahuense, que se llevará a cabo en el Zoológico de El Paso.
- Esperamos recibir con gusto sus resúmenes que muestren investigaciones, esfuerzos de conservación y enfoques creativos para proteger y celebrar este extraordinario ecosistema desértico.

📅 Fecha límite: Hasta que queden espacios disponibles
📍 Lugar: Zoológico y Jardín Botánico de El Paso
🗓️ Fechas de la Conferencia: 4–6 de noviembre de 2026

🔗 Encuentra el enlace para enviar tu resumen en nuestro Bio: https://chihuahuandesertconference.org/

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

Today, we were proud to launch the Tourist Kiosk Program, with the El Paso Zoo serving as the program’s first partnership location through a collaborative effort between the City of El Paso, the El Paso Zoo, and Advanced Robot Solutions. The kiosks showcase cultural attractions, historical sites, outdoor recreation, museums, and local events that make our region so unique. The interactive kiosk offers visitors the opportunity to take photos using a variety of themed backgrounds, including zoo-inspired experiences featuring elephants, tigers, giraffes, and other wildlife. 📸 🦒 Initiatives and partnerships such as this one support tourism, economic development, and community engagement while creating stronger connections throughout our community. 🙌 A special thank you to Zoo Director Gary Lunsford, James Martinez, Lynn Sanchez and Sandra Andrade of the El Paso County Law Library, and the entire El Paso Zoo team for their collaboration and support in bringing this initiative to life.

🎉👏 El Paso County, in partnership with the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens, will officially unveil its newest A.I.-powered Tourist Kiosk at the El Paso Zoo! Come take a personalized digital postcard featuring your favorite animal!

📆 Thursday, June 11th
⏰ 1 PM
📍 Kalahari Bldg. in front of Giraffes Habitat

The kiosk is the newest addition to El Paso County’s Tourist Kiosk Program, an initiative designed to connect residents and visitors with attractions, cultural destinations, outdoor activities, and historical sites throughout El Paso County.
- The El Paso Zoo installation marks the first Tourist Kiosk partnership between El Paso County and a local attraction.
- The interactive kiosk enhances access to destination information while encouraging exploration of attractions across the region.
- Each Tourist Kiosk features a bilingual, A.I.-powered interface with touch and voice navigation, helping visitors discover local attractions, museums, outdoor activities, the Mission Trail, and nearby points of interest.
- Guests can also create and instantly download personalized digital postcards featuring El Paso Zoo themed backgrounds through the kiosk’s popular “Take a Photo with Me” feature.
- The County has acquired three Tourist Kiosks, with partnership locations currently including Fort Bliss, the El Paso Zoo and the Los Portales Museum and Information Center in San Elizario.

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.

👏🐧🦓🐢 The City of El Paso is excited to announce Gary Lunsford as the permanent Director of the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens, following a national search.
- Gary has served as Interim Director since September 2025, providing steady leadership during the transitional period. He brings more than 30 years of experience in zoo operations, animal welfare, and conservation leadership from zoological facilities in Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, and Canada.
- He has also contributed to the advancement of professional standards within the industry by serving as an accreditation inspector for both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA).
- His extensive background, proven leadership, and deep commitment to the well-being of our animals and staff make him the ideal individual to guide the Zoo into its next chapter.
- Before joining the City of El Paso, Lunsford served as Director at the Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts and at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His earlier experience includes leadership and animal care roles at the Oklahoma City Zoo, Tulsa Zoo, and Milwaukee County Zoo. Across all positions, Lunsford has demonstrated a commitment to operational excellence, guest engagement, and impactful conservation programming.

👏 We look forward to the El Paso Zoo and Botanical Gardens growth and success of the under his direction.

❤️ The El Paso Zoo celebrates the value of animals and natural resources. It creates opportunities for people to rediscover their connection to nature.