Central Illinois AAZK

Come out and experience something new and exciting at the Zoo! This Friday starts our Fossil Fridays and is a free event with paid admission to the Zoo. Hope to see you all here.

Today on August 4th, we celebrate International Owl Awareness Day! This day is dedicated to raising awareness about these nocturnal raptors and to encourage more people to support conservation efforts for owls! 🦉

Why is it important to raise awareness for owls, you may ask? Well, the answer is simple: studies show that a third or more of our native owl species are in decline. This trend is caused by habitat loss, hunting, unintentionally consuming rodent poison, etc. There are a number of ways to help, from refraining from littering to constructing nest boxes in areas that may not have much for owls to nest in.

Henson Robinson Zoo is home to two native owl species, the Barred Owl (Gus) and the Great Horned Owl (Tank)! Gus and Tank can be find alongside our other raptors towards the back of the zoo!

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know that Red-tailed Hawks free fall when courting?! 😮

During courtship, male and female Red-tailed Hawks often fly in circles together before locking talons and dramatically diving in a spiral toward the ground.

Featuring Junior, our resident Red-tailed Hawk! 🪶

Today’s Tongue out Tuesday features Bertha! 👅

Bertha (Bert for short) is a 25 year old prehensile-tailed skink who has lived at Henson Robinson Zoo since 2000. Bert is quite the lover of fruit, as she enjoys her grapes and figs more than anything else! 🍇

Although she is not currently on display as she resides in our reptile room, Bert will make an appearance occasionally when keepers bring her out to enjoy some natural rays and fresh air! ☀️

Happy Tongue Out Tuesday from our beautiful bobcat, Nikki! 👅

Nikki is 17 years old and is currently the only bobcat that calls Henson Robinson Zoo her home. She spends most of her days lounging around her habitat, but will always get excited to see her keepers!

Happy Monday from our rambunctious troop of Spider Monkeys. They are currently enjoying their breakfast on this lovely morning! 🐒

We are open from 10am-5pm today! Come on out and see all of our amazing animals! ☀️

Happy Zookeeper week to our amazing staff!

Fun Fact Friday!

Did you know that African Painted Dogs are the most successful hunters out of all the apex predators in the animal kingdom?!

Most predatory animals have a success rate of 30-60% while African Painted Dogs have a success rate of 80-90%! They are incredibly skilled hunters due to a combination of their physical attributes and intelligent hunting strategies.

Featuring CeeCee and Suelly, our resident apex predators!

Don't miss the chance to see our beautiful friends in action!!💛🤍🤎

Arctic Sea Ice Day is July 15th! ❄️

Did you know? The arctic is warming four times faster than the rest of the planet, causing the ice to melt.

Why does this matter? Sea ice is crucial for polar bears, seals, and beluga whales. Without it, the survival of these species would be put in jeopardy. Sea Ice also serves as the Earth’s air conditioner, keeping our planet cool. For more information and ways to help, go to: https://polarbearsinternational.org/act-now/awareness-events/arctic-sea-ice-day/

It may be warm, but that doesn’t stop the animals from enjoying their breakfast! 🍌

We are open today! Some of the animals will have access to their climate controlled buildings, but many will still be available for viewing! Come on by and see our wonderful zoo! ☀️

Fun Fact Friday! 📝

Did you know? Linnaeus’s Two-Toed Sloths are primarily nocturnal, and will sleep for up to 16 hours a day! They also spend most of their life upside-down, and will sleep, eat, mate, and give birth in this position. Sloths will also live the majority of their life in trees, coming down only to change trees, locate new food sources, or to defecate! 🦥

You will often find Duffy asleep when visiting Henson Robinson Zoo, but she will occasionally move around in her enclosure. She is sure to always come to the keepers for her hard-boiled egg during feeding time! 🥚

Happy 4th of July! Wishing everyone a fun and safe holiday! 🇺🇸

Today we are celebrating World Porcupine Day! 🎉

Porcupines are herbivorous mammals characterized by the needle-like quills found on their body. These quills are made of keratin (the same substance finger nails are comprised of) and are easily detached when touched. Although they come off, porcupines cannot shoot their quills, which is a common misconception!

We are spotlighting our two adorable porcupines on this wonderful holiday! First, we have Barbara, our North American Porcupine! She can be found in the enclosure next to our otters, where she often spends her time staying cool in her den. We are also celebrating Sal, who is a Prehensile-Tailed Porcupine! Sal is located near our lemurs, and can be seen in the mornings enjoying his banana! 🍌

If you are out at Henson Robinson Zoo today, be sure to see these two while you are here! ☀️

Today we are celebrating another very special birthday for another very special bird. Pico, our Keel-billed Toucan is turning 2 years old today! 🎉

Keel-billed Toucans are medium to large sized birds with mostly black plumage and a very large multi-colored bill. They are native to South America, living primarily in the canopy of rainforests!

Keel-billed Toucans are omnivorous, meaning they primarily eat fruit, (Pico’s personal favorites being Blueberries, Strawberries, Melon, and Grapes) but will also eat insects, reptiles, small birds, and eggs.

These Toucans have a loud frog-like call that can be heard up to half a mile away. If you stop by the Zoo you may hear Pico croaking throughout the day as she loves to sing! 🎶

Today we are wishing a very special bird a very happy birthday! 🦜🎉

Our Umbrella Cockatoo, Rihanna, is celebrating her 2nd birthday! Umbrella Cockatoos, also referred to as White Cockatoos, are an endangered species of parrot found in Northern Indonesia. They get this name from the crest of feathers on their head that fan out much like an umbrella when opened! ⛱️

You’ll find Rihanna in her outdoor enclosure attached to our lemur building, which is next to our stage. She loves to talk, laugh and scream, and can often be heard by guests as they are walking through the zoo. If you find yourself at Henson Robinson Zoo today, make sure to wish Rihanna a happy birthday! 🎈

Celebrate Juneteenth with the Henson Robinson Zoo!

The zoo is a great place to gather as a community and connect to nature as a whole.
Takes place Wednesday, June 19th from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enjoy FREE admission for all ages and the entire family!

Located at Henson Robinson Zoo, 1100 E Lake Shore Dr, Springfield, IL.
For more info please contact the zoo at 217-585-1821.

Please join us in wishing Tess a very happy 19th Birthday! 🎊🎉

Tess is our resident Turkey Vulture, who can be found alongside our other Birds of Prey located near the goat yard! Turkey Vultures are one of the most widespread vultures, ranging from southern Canada down to portions of South America. They have an incredible sense of smell and are able to detect odors that are just a few parts per trillion!

If you make it out to the zoo today or this week, be sure to wish this beautiful girl a very happy birthday! 🎂

Happy World Oceans Day! 🐬

Although we are hours away from the nearest beach, the ocean plays a crucial role not only for us, but for the entire world. With 50% of all oxygen being produced by oceans, they are the lungs of the Earth. In addition, over a billion people rely on the ocean as a main protein source and an estimated 40 million people will be employed to an ocean-based industry by 2030.

Now more than ever the ocean is in need of support as 50% of coral reefs have been destroyed and 90% of big fish populations have been depleted.

There are plenty of ways to help save the ocean that you can do from home! For more information, go to: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/ocean/help-our-ocean.html

🚨NOW ON DISPLAY🚨

With the nighttime temperatures holding steady, our Bolivian Gray T**i Monkeys have made their way outside for the summer! ☀️

Native to Brazil and Bolivia, these social primates will spend the majority of their time in the trees, rarely coming to the ground. Their diet consists largely of fruit, as well as leaves, seeds, and insects. These monkeys are known to intertwine their tails, which reinforces the bond between pairs. It is also especially common amongst family members, and occurs even when they are asleep!

Come see our adorable family of four this summer! 🐒

World Parrot Day! 🦜

Come by the Henson-Robinson Zoo and visit our resident parrot Rihanna!

She is an umbrella cockatoo. She comes all the way from the islands off of Indonesia, and can live up to 40-60 years old! She loves doing training sessions with our keepers, and her favorite food is peas!

Next time you’re at the zoo make sure to stop by and say to Rihanna!

Happy World Otter Day! This holiday is celebrated on the last Wednesday of May, and is used to raise awareness and support for their global conservation efforts!

We are home to five otters at our zoo! Noodle, Bobby, and their three pups! The pups are continuing to do great with Noodle, and Bobby is available for viewing daily.

It’s a beautiful weekend to come to the zoo! ☀️

If you find yourself here on this Memorial Day weekend, be sure to wish Biggy a very happy 32nd birthday!

Biggy is our resident Galapagos Tortoise, and is easily a fan favorite of the zoo! This species of tortoise is the largest in the world as they can weigh as much as 900 pounds! As well as being known for their size, these tortoises are also one of the longest living animals as they can reach up to 175 years old! 🐢

We are celebrating a few birthdays throughout the zoo today! 🎉

Marilyn and Alice, two of our goats, are turning 7 years old. We have TimTam the laughing kookaburra who is celebrating his 3rd birthday. Lastly, Bones the arctic fox is 8 years old today!

If you come by the zoo today, make sure you wish all these lovely animals a happy birthday!