Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary

Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary The little zoo that could!

Under new nonprofit management since April 2026, Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary inspires conservation through exceptional animal care, education, and unforgettable family experiences in the Texas Panhandle.

08/21/2026

DID YOU KNOW… OUR BLACK BEARS CAN TELL TIME? 😂⏰

Okay, maybe they aren’t actually checking a clock, but you sure wouldn’t know it by watching them!
Every afternoon, as it gets close to 4:00 PM, our black bears start pacing near the gate to their indoor area. Why? Because they know exactly what comes next…
DINNER.

And if you know anything about black bears, you know that they LIVE to eat! 😂

But there’s actually some science behind their impressive “time-telling” skills. Bears are incredibly intelligent animals with excellent memories. Animals in human care quickly learn daily routines and can recognize environmental cues—keeper activity, sounds, changes in light, and other patterns—that tell them when something important is about to happen.

And when that “something important” is FOOD, you better believe they’re paying attention!

In the wild, black bears spend a huge portion of their active time searching for food. Their diet is omnivorous and can include grasses, berries, nuts, insects, fish, small animals, and other available foods. Depending on the season, finding enough calories can become a major part of their day.
So at our zoo, when 4:00 starts getting close, apparently there is no need for us to check our watches. The bears will let us know.

“Excuse me… it appears to be 3:57. Shouldn’t you be preparing our dinner?” 😂

08/19/2026

Every day is a dance party when Zookeeper Lisa is hanging out with the parrots! 🦜🎶💃

Cali, our beautiful Green-winged Macaw, LOVES to jam out, dance, and show off those moves—and we have to admit, her enthusiasm is pretty contagious!

Cali is a little over 30 years old, and Green-winged Macaws can live around 30–50 years or even longer in human care, depending on their health, genetics, nutrition, and overall care. So at 30+, Cali still has plenty of dancing left to do!

We hope Cali’s little Wednesday dance party brightens your day and gives you the boost you need to make it to Friday!

Happy Wednesday from all of us at the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary! ❤️

Did you know the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary has two black-handed spider monkeys?Many many years ago, the zoo was home to s...
08/17/2026

Did you know the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary has two black-handed spider monkeys?

Many many years ago, the zoo was home to six spider monkeys. When we took over operations in April, two remained — Monji & Malibu — and these two seniors have quite a story!

🐒 Monji is our male and the fluffier of the two. He is over 25 years old.
🐒 Malibu is our female with the thinner hair, and she is an incredible 35+ years old!

Spider monkeys can live a LONG time! In human care, they can live well into their 30s and 40s, making these two very special senior residents.

Here are a few cool facts about black-handed spider monkeys:

🌳 Their tail is basically a fifth limb! Their long, prehensile tail is incredibly strong and helps them grip, balance and move through the trees.

🍉 Fruit is a favorite! In the wild, much of their diet consists of ripe fruit, along with leaves, flowers, nuts and seeds.

👥 They are very social animals. In the wild, they live in communities that often split into smaller groups throughout the day to travel and forage.

And we've already noticed a fun change with Monji and Malibu! ❤️ In April we replaced all of their old ropes with climbing ropes designed for humans, and they have definitely been more active since the change. They're putting those long arms, legs and incredible tails to work!

And we're not finished yet! Next month, Monji and Malibu will be getting some upgrades to their indoor playroom and sleeping quarters. We're excited to give these two seniors some new enrichment and improvements to their indoor spaces.

We’ll keep you posted on those upgrades — we can't wait for you to see them!

Next time you visit the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary, be sure to stop by and say hello to Monji and Malibu!

SHEBA UPDATEJust an African Lion and her favorite blankie.❤️Sheba has been resting on and off today, but she’s also been...
08/12/2026

SHEBA UPDATE

Just an African Lion and her favorite blankie.❤️

Sheba has been resting on and off today, but she’s also been up and moving around quite a bit more—which we are very happy to see!

One of the sweetest things about Sheba is that she has a favorite blanket. 🥹 She likes to carry it around with her and move it just right so she can snuggle up with it. Yesterday and today, she’s made sure her blanket has been right where she wants it whenever she settles down to rest.

Because really… don’t we all feel a little better with our favorite snuggly blanket?

And before anyone worries—our zookeepers keep a very close eye on Sheba and her blanket. She isn’t one to chew or eat her blankets. She simply enjoys carrying them around and snuggling with them.

SHEBA UPDATE — We can all breathe a sigh of relief! ❤️Sheba is finished with her procedure and is up and standing! 🙌Beca...
08/10/2026

SHEBA UPDATE — We can all breathe a sigh of relief! ❤️

Sheba is finished with her procedure and is up and standing! 🙌

Because Sheba is 20 years old and going on 21, sedation is something we take very seriously. She was sedated using medication that could be reversed once the procedure was completed, and she was also given pain medication to keep her as comfortable as possible.

While she was sedated, Dr. Cabello removed a mass from her tail, which will be sent off for testing so we can determine exactly what we are dealing with. The other areas we were concerned about on her body appear to be hotspots. She already receives fly spray daily, but while she was sedated we were able to apply a longer-lasting fly cream directly to those areas.

Since we already had her safely under sedation, we took advantage of the opportunity to give our senior girl a very thorough checkup. We pulled blood for a complete workup and performed a full examination of her mouth, teeth, ears, eyes, and the rest of her body. Everything looked good! ❤️

Sheba also received 3 liters of fluids during the procedure to support her through the sedation and recovery. She does have kidney disease, which is not uncommon in geriatric cats. Maintaining good hydration is especially important for animals with kidney disease, so the additional fluids provided some extra support while she was under.

This was truly a team effort. A huge thank you to Dr. Cabello; Allyssa, a fourth-year veterinary student from Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine; AZ&S Director and veterinary technician Stephanie; and zookeepers Macy and Kenna — also known as Sheba’s favorite people.

We scheduled everything first thing this morning because of the high temperatures we are experiencing. Keeping Sheba safe and comfortable before, during, and after the procedure was our biggest priority.

Someday, we hope to have a state-of-the-art veterinary clinic right here on the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary groundswhere we can treat our animals with even more resources at our fingertips. Until then, we work with what we have, adapt, collaborate, and continue doing everything possible to provide exceptional care for every animal who calls AZ&S home.

For now, we are incredibly thankful to see our girl back on her feet.

Thank you to everyone who sent prayers, positive thoughts, and well wishes for Sheba today. They were certainly appreciated!

**
Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos we thought y’all might like to see! We were careful not to include graphic pictures.

Please Keep Sheba in Your Thoughts & Prayers Tomorrow Tomorrow is an important day for our sweet Sheba, our African lion...
08/09/2026

Please Keep Sheba in Your Thoughts & Prayers Tomorrow

Tomorrow is an important day for our sweet Sheba, our African lion. She will be sedated so our veterinary team can perform a biopsy on several skin lesions that have continued to return.

We have tried to avoid sedation as long as possible. We’ve pursued other avenues first, including cultures and different medications. The lesions improve and sometimes completely disappear with treatment, but unfortunately, once treatment is stopped, they eventually return.

At this point, we need more answers. A biopsy will allow us to better understand exactly what is causing these lesions so we can make sure Sheba is receiving the most appropriate treatment. We also don’t want to allow an area to worsen or become infected while treating something without knowing the underlying cause.

Sheba is 20 years old and will soon be 21, which is an exceptional age for an African lion. Because of her advanced age, we take the risks associated with sedation very seriously. That is exactly why we exhausted the less-invasive options first. However, we have reached the point where the information we can gain from the biopsy is important to making the best decisions for her care and quality of life.

Our veterinary and animal-care teams will be watching her very closely throughout the entire procedure and recovery.

If you have a few extra prayers, positive thoughts, or well wishes to send Sheba’s way tomorrow, we would certainly appreciate them.

She is a very special girl, and our priority continues to be keeping her comfortable, healthy, and giving her the very best care we can.

EXCITING NEWS — A PETTING ZOO IS COMING! The Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary has received permission from the City to begin wor...
08/06/2026

EXCITING NEWS — A PETTING ZOO IS COMING!

The Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary has received permission from the City to begin working on a small petting zoo in the area where Junior and Jenny used to live!

We’ll be revamping the space and creating a fun, interactive area for kiddos and families — but we need YOUR help!

We are looking to ADOPT:
🐴 Two mini donkeys that are friendly, gentle, and great with people and children
🐮 One mini cow with a great temperament

As you know, we would much rather give an animal in need a loving, permanent home than purchase one.

If you know of mini donkeys or a mini cow that need a new home and may be a good fit for our zoo family, we would love to hear from you!

We already have a couple of future petting zoo residents ready to join the fun — Dudley, our potbellied pig, and Washington, our goat!

If you have any leads, please send us a private message through Facebook or Instagram with information about the animal, including age, temperament, and any history you may have.

We are so excited to breathe new life into this space and create another great experience for the kiddos who visit the Amarillo Zoo & Sanctuary!

08/05/2026

Who knew hair stylist would be part of a zookeeper's job description? 😂

Here you see Shelby helping Daisy, our dromedary camel, shed the last of her old winter coat. While it might look like she's getting a spa day, this is actually an important part of camel care.

As the weather warms up, camels naturally "blow" their coats, shedding their thick winter fur to stay cool during the hot summer months. In the wild, they often rub against trees, rocks, or fences to help loosen the hair. Here at the zoo, we can gently help remove that loose coat—but only because Daisy trusts us and feels comfortable enough to let us.

That trust isn't built overnight. It comes from spending time with her every single day, using patience, consistency, and positive interactions. Moments like these make us smile because they show the special bond our keepers have with the animals in their care.

And let's be honest... Daisy is looking pretty fabulous for all of her visitors!

08/02/2026

Can you hear them singing?

These little vocalists are Santa Isabel dart frogs (Epipedobates anthonyi), and the stars of today's video are both males!

Only male Santa Isabel dart frogs can make these calls. They're putting on their best performance in hopes of getting the attention of the females in the enclosure. Judging by the number of tadpoles we've been seeing lately... we'd say their serenades have been pretty successful!

Even though they're tiny, these frogs have surprisingly loud voices. Next time you visit, stop by and see if you can hear nature's smallest choir in action!

🐻 It's that time of year again... Bear Bulking Season has officially begun! From now through the end of September, our k...
08/02/2026

🐻 It's that time of year again... Bear Bulking Season has officially begun!

From now through the end of September, our keepers will be "bulking up" our bears to prepare them for torpor. During this time, they'll enjoy an impressive 8–12 pounds of food every day!

So, what is torpor?
Torpor is a state of reduced activity where a bear's heart rate, breathing, and metabolism slow down to conserve energy. Unlike true hibernation, bears can wake up more easily and may even come out on warmer days.

Because our bears live in captivity and the Texas Panhandle doesn't experience the long, harsh winters found farther north, they do not go into full hibernation. Instead, they enter torpor, typically from October through March, spending much more time resting while relying on the extra fat reserves they've built up over the fall.

So if you notice them packing on the pounds over the next couple of months, don't worry—they're doing exactly what nature intended! It may look like they're getting spoiled (and okay... maybe they are just a little 😉), but every extra bite helps prepare them for their long winter nap.

Address

700 Comanchero Trail
Amarillo, TX
79107

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday 9:30am - 5pm

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