Adjusted Hours and Impacts

Retail and Attraction Adjusted Hours: Several of our retail locations and attractions will have adjusted hours on Tuesday, June 9:

  • Bambootique: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Polar Treasures: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Wildlife Carousel: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Virtual Reality Experience: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m.
  • Bugtopia Kiosk & Wild Treats: Closed

Thank you for your understanding.

Giraffes: Our giraffe tower will not be viewable until after 10 a.m. on Thursday, June 11, to accommodate routine habitat work. Thank you for your understanding.

Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary: The Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary is temporarily closed. Thank you for your understanding.

Avian Influenza Protocols: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza within 200 kilometres of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

The health and well-being of the animals in our care remains our top priority. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re proactively implementing the following measures to protect our avian species:

  • Penguin Plunge and the Rainforest Aviary have foot baths at entrances for guests to use
  • The Jihad Shibley Rocky Mountain Aviary is closed until further notice
  • Birds will continue to have outdoor access where appropriate and weather permitting

Our dedicated Animal Care, Health & Welfare team will continue to monitor the situation and prioritize the health and well-being of the animals in our care. Thank you for your understanding and continued support as we work to keep the animals we all care about safe.

Animal Viewing Impacts:

PETRONAS Gateway to Asia Malayan Tapir Viewing: ‘Sempurna’ and her female calf ‘Nyawa’ have daily access to either the main indoor habitat or the outdoor habitat from 9:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. They’ll also have access to their behind-the-scenes space and may choose to spend time there, so viewing isn’t always guaranteed. Thank you for your understanding.

Exploration Asia
The Exploration Asia Redevelopment project is officially underway! While there are some viewing impacts in the area, you can still visit many of your favourite species.

  • Species Viewable: Bactrian camels, Komodo dragons, white-handed gibbons, Malayan tapirs, red-crowned cranes, Turkmenian markhors, Amur tigers, and Pallas’s cats.
  • Species Not Viewable: Snow leopards and red pandas have been relocated during construction, but don’t worry – these beloved species will be back in 2026.

West Gate Closure

Due to significant construction activities in and around Exploration Asia, the zoo’s West Gate will remain closed for the 2025 season and is expected to remain closed until at least 2028/2029. This necessary step supports the safe movement of visitors while we undertake exciting improvements to animal habitats and visitor experiences.

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Conservation Champions Club

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Conservation Champions Club

Please fill out this application form to apply for the 2026-2027 Conservation Champions Club

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo's Conservation Champions Club invites youth to join us in our mission to sustain wildlife and wild places. Incorporating aspects of field study, inquiry and service-learning, this program gives young people the opportunity to explore their passion and take action for the natural world around them.  

The Conservation Champions Club is a program for youth, ages 14 to 17 years old. This is a year-long hybrid program that runs from September to June where we have access to a virtual classroom on Canvas complete with conservation resources, videos from experts, and different opportunities for discussions via discussion board postings and in-person meetings on field trip days. Each month is guided by a ‘big question’ related to conservation. The Conservation Champions go on a field trip each month to develop their skills in conservation and scientific literacy, engage in fieldwork, and at the end of the program, they will participate in two service-learning projects at conservation sites.

Event Details:
Dates, Cohort A: September 5, 2026 - June 2027
Dates, Cohort B: September 12, 2026 - June 2027
Price: Free

Students will be chosen based on their application and confirmation that they will commit to the program.

Successful applicants will be conditionally accepted and notified the week of August 17, 2026. The parent(s)/ guardian(s) of the successful applicant will need to complete a registration form on the applicant's behalf. Following submission of the registration form, the applicant will be accepted into the program and will be invited to the first field trip taking place on Saturday, September 6th.

Application deadline is:

SP Participant Student


Please enter the following information to apply:

Note: All fields are required to be completed

Students who are interested in joining the Conservation Champions Club will engage in year-long learning opportunities where they can advance their knowledge of the natural world and learn about what they can do to conserve wildlife and wild places. Students will have the opportunity to engage in virtual sessions with experts, service-learning opportunities in an urban community, as well as fun outings like rafting and snowshoeing where they can develop their scientific observation skills. 

This program is completely subsidized (no cost) and is meant to inspire the cohort of students to become Conservation Champions and take these learnings and skills back to their school communities to inspire change.

The program will run from September to June and requires the following time commitments:

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1) Virtual: Canvas Conservation Learning (Resources) 
- Students will explore the resources each month at their own time
- Set aside 1 hour or less per month to explore resources (September to June)

2) Group-Led Conservation Project
- Students will work in groups to contribute to a conservation project on a topic of their choice.

3) In-Person Activity/Service-Learning Opportunity
- Once a month (depending on the activity or service-learning project, the day will either be a morning session or a full day session)
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Are you willing to commit your time to the Conservation Champions Club?

Application Questions

We kindly request that you provide answers to the questions below, as your application will be assessed based on the information provided.

Thank you for applying to the Conservation Champions Club! You will be notified the week of August 15, 2026, if your application is successful. 

**Early Bird, Promotion or Member Pricing will be applied in the cart.
**Membership must be active at the time of the event to receive member pricing.

Dress for the weather! The zoo is open year round with plenty of areas to explore both outdoors and indoors. Day admission, events, experiences happen rain, snow, or shine. Purchases/tickets are non-refundable. Explore Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo for more details.