Closing Out the Year With Our 2024 Successes
Thank you for supporting your Houston Zoo in 2024! Every time you visit, you help support animals here at the Zoo and in the wild. As we close out the year and move on to 2025, we’re highlighting our top 10 successes from 2024. Happy holidays and cheers to the New Year!
1. Houston Zoo Makes History
The Houston Zoo is the 8th organization in history to receive a 100% clean evaluation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This intensive inspection spans a few days and covers all aspects of zoo operations, including animal welfare, veterinary care, conservation efforts, and guest services.
2. First-ever mRNA Vaccine Given to Asian Elephant
On June 18, Asian elephant Tess received the first-ever dose of an mRNA vaccine created by virologists at Baylor College of Medicine to prevent the deadly elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) 1A—a devastating viral disease in Asian elephants worldwide. This vaccine is anticipated to have a significant impact on the global Asian elephant population and lay the foundational work for a similar vaccine for African elephants as well.
3. Birds of the World Exhibit Opens
Our newest exhibit opened on August 30 and highlights the incredible diversity and beauty of bird species from around the globe, including African Savanna, North American Woodlands, and South American Wetlands.
4. A Not-So-Tiny Baby Giraffe Born
On April 27, a male Masai giraffe was born to parents Kamili and Zawadi. He was named Tino by the Gordy Family who are longtime supporters of the Zoo.
5. Our Jaguar Family Grew by a Few Spots
On November 6, first-time mom, Vida, gave birth to a male jaguar, named Rojo. He was named by the Ames Family who placed the winning bid to name the cub during a live auction at Zoo Ball – Wings of Wonder presented by Phillips 66.
6. Meet the Internet’s New Favorite Baby
We had a big reason to give thanks this holiday season. On November 15, Asian elephant Shanti gave birth to a female elephant named Kirby. She was named after Kirby Drive as a nod to her hometown of Houston.
7. We Got an Early Christmas Gift
We introduced one of our newest residents, a four-and-a-half-year-old male pygmy hippo named Akobi on November 1. He moved here from San Fracisco as part of a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP) Program.
8. Won 5 Top Honors at AZA Conference
At this year’s Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Annual Conference, your Houston Zoo received five Top Honors awards. This remarkable accomplishment underscores our commitment to conservation, education, sustainability, and inclusion, setting a new standard for zoological institutions worldwide.
9. Zoo Ball Raised Over $2.2M
On October 19, Zoo Ball 2024 – Wings of Wonder presented by Phillips 66 raised vital funds for Houston Zoo. At this year’s black-tie gala, a crowd of more than 825 Houstonians were welcomed to our Masihara Pavilion and raised more than $2.2 million to support the Zoo at the sold-out event.
10. Saving Texas Wildlife
Every time you visit the Zoo, you are helping us save native Texas wildlife as part of the Zoo’s wildlife-saving efforts that take place behind the scenes.
Sea Turtles: Houston Zoo staff have worked diligently to support the recovery of endangered species by providing veterinary care and rehabilitation for sea turtles and facilitating threat reduction efforts with communities on the upper Texas coast. In 2024, we provided medical care and support for over 50 injured or stranded wild sea turtles. If you find an injured or stranded sea turtle, please call 1-866-TURTLE-5.
Attwater’s Prairie Chickens: Since 1994, the Zoo has worked tirelessly to save a Texas native, the Attwater’s prairie chicken, from extinction. In 2024, we released 58 Attwater’s prairie chickens back into the wild.
Houston Toads: You are supporting the Zoo’s work to breed Houston toads at the Zoo and reintroduce them into the Texas wild. In 2024, we released 1,865,700 eggs, 4,300 tadpoles, and 430 toadlets into the wild.
