Caldwell Zoo’s Newest Giraffe Just Turned 1

August 27, 2021

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Check out these cool videos from Caldwell Zoo‘s animals!

The Caldwell Zoo is located at 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd., Tyler. For more info call (903)593-0121 or email info@caldwellzoo.org. Caldwell Zoo is currently closed due to COVID-19 concerns.

A rare giraffe was born at Tyler’s Caldwell Zoo in June of 2020, and zookeepers said she was up and walking within thirty minutes of her birth. She’s healthy and happy now, but there was a moment when they thought they might have lost her.

The Caldwell Zoo really had to kick it into gear and make some quick decisions in the days after Xena June was born last year, and their knowledge and skills probably saved her life.

Zookeepers said Xena June’s mom went into labor one afternoon around 2:15 pm in June 2020, and by 2:45 pm the little wobbly 100-pound baby was attempting to stand up. She was walking a short time later and the beginner steps weren’t pretty, but if you’re born with all legs there’s a lot to keep track of and everyone understands.

Can you imagine what life would be like if our own kids took off that fast, within a few minutes of being born? I am extra thankful now for the crawling stage because at least it gives us a little time to realize what we’re in for. Thirty-minute labor would be nice though.

The zoo posted the story of Xena’s birth on their website, and it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Seventeen hours after she was born biologists at the zoo discovered Xena June likely didn’t have enough immunity to survive, and her antibody levels were low. They said she wouldn’t nurse and she was lethargic, and they had to do an emergency plasma transfusion that they received from a zoo in Ohio and that might have saved her life. It was touch and go for several days, and eventually, the Caldwell Zoo made the decision to take Amali from her mom for bottle feeding. That turned out to be a success.

Now, Xena June is one year old, she’s grown at least a foot, and she trots around the zoo’s habitat with her mom, Nyla.

On 85 beautiful acres in Tyler, Texas, Caldwell Zoo has more than 3,400 animals to amaze and educate your whole family. You’ll discover animals roaming over plains, swimming in ponds, or climbing trees in multi-species environments carefully created to represent their natural North American, South American, and East African habitats. Caldwell Zoo is cherished by the people of East Texas and beyond as a beautiful fun place for children and adults to learn about wildlife.

Summer Camps

Summer is such a magical time. Free days give us endless opportunities for fun and adventure. We’re not going to lie around, staring at a screen or wishing we had more to do. No way. Summer is a time to fill our days with excitement and action.

Summer Camps at the Caldwell Zoo are made to engage the mind and body through programs that are packed with unique experiences that teach, inspire wonder and fill the hours with loads of fun. Our camps are custom-built with hands-on activities that connect kids with the wonders of nature and the awesomeness of animals.

Caldwell Zoo Camps run weekly from June 1st through August 7th. Programs are available for all children from 4-13 years old.

All details are at caldwellzoo.org/summer-camp/ including times, topics, dates and registration forms.

Full-Day Camps for non-members is $225; Zoo Members are $200. Half-Days Camps (Available for ages 4-6) for non-Members is $135 and Zoo Members $120. All full-day camps run Monday-Friday, 9am-3pm. Half-day camps are available for children 4-6 years old and run 9am-12 noon.

From the Caldwell Family:

To all our zoo friends and the Tyler community –

The news about COVID-19 is changing rapidly. All of us at the Caldwell Zoo remain steadfast in being a positive and valuable resource to all of our community.

As the situation with COVID-19 changes, we are adapting our policies to be in line with World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We always want to do what is best for our community.

Therefore, as a public health precaution to help prevent the spread of the virus, the Caldwell Zoo is temporarily closed to the public in accordance with current stay at home directives and advisories. Although the risk of catching the disease remains low in our area, we want to do all we can to reduce the spread of the virus while minimizing any concern for our staff and our community. We look forward to being able to reopen and see you here in the near future.

We have deep roots in East Texas that spread over 60 years of continuous service. So, by taking this precaution we encourage all our community to join the cause and follow best practices to minimize the spread of this virus. This is a unique situation and we all need to do what we can for the benefit of everyone.

We have been monitoring the health of all the animals under our care along with our staff and we are pleased to announce that all are doing well. Our staff will continue to supply excellent care to our animals while we work together to minimize the effects of the pandemic. The Caldwell Zoo has emergency procedures in place that assure we have additional feed and supplies to last for an extended period of time. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not received any reports of wildlife or zoo animals in human care becoming sick with COVID-19.

Doing what is best for our community is our top priority. We realize that closing the zoo temporarily may seem like a bold action, and we do not take this decision lightly. We are committed to doing what is best for all our animals, guests and staff. So, we are taking this step to help lessen the spread of COVID-19. We will continue to be vigilant in monitoring the situation and we will follow the directives of healthcare professionals.

We want the best for everyone in our community and we know that by working together and sharing clear communication, we can get through this difficult time. We thank you for your understanding and support.

We will continue to provide updates at caldwellzoo.org and our social media channels.