African Savanna Archives - Utah's Hogle Zoo Create Champions for Wildlife Fri, 21 Mar 2025 22:23:47 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.2 https://www.hoglezoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/cropped-UHZ-logo-green-icon-32x32.png African Savanna Archives - Utah's Hogle Zoo 32 32 Hoof Care https://www.hoglezoo.org/hoof-care/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hoof-care Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:59:30 +0000 https://hoglezoodev.wpengine.com/?p=8342 Providing head-to-hoof care Hogle Zoo’s animal care team earns certification to provide expert hoof care. Providing the best care means looking after animals from head to toe—or hoof. Caring for […]

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Providing head-to-hoof care

Hogle Zoo’s animal care team earns certification
to provide expert hoof care.

Providing the best care means looking after animals from head to toe—or hoof. Caring for hooves might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering animal care at the zoo, but for many species, it’s an essential part of their health and wellbeing.

“Proper hoof care is vital for a long, healthy lifespan and is important to establish proper trimming early in every animal's life. Hooves inform us about conformation, diet, moisture levels, type of substrates animals spend time on, and activity levels. Properly maintained hooves are a key element in bone and joint health as our animals reach their geriatric years.”

- Melissa, Associate Director of Animal Care

From towering giraffes to hearty warthogs, hooved animals at the zoo receive regular, customized check-ins to ensure their hooves are trimmed, inspected, and taken care of. Through positive reinforcement training—an approach our team uses to build trust—many animals voluntarily participate in their hoof care. 

Zebra hoof at Hogle Zoo
Training for Top-Tier Hoof Care

A few Hogle Zoo animal care team members recently completed The Zoo Hoofstock Trim Program (ZHTP), an intensive training focused on preventative hoof care and maintenance. This hands-on farrier program equips keepers with the skills to provide routine trims and treatments tailored to each species’ hooves. 

Meet the Trim Team:
  • Keeper Isaura 
  • Keeper Cheyenne  
  • Keeper Beth  
  • Animal Care Supervisor Michelle 
  • Animal Care Supervisor Lauren 
“Certifying our staff for farrier work is beneficial, as we train these animals for voluntary hoof work. As a farrier, you need to recognize the proper gait and movement of an animal to identify if they're having issues anywhere in their hoof. The old saying ‘no hoof, no horse’ holds true. If the horse has an unbalanced, unhealthy, or injured hoof, it can be detrimental.”

- Lauren, Animal Care Supervisor

The trim team cares for 30 hooved animals at the zoo – zebras, Mongolian wild horses, camels, warthogs, burros, giraffes, big horn sheep, and markhor – that’s 120 hooves to maintain! But hoof health isn’t one-size-fits-all. Diet, activity levels, and even seasonal changes all play a role in how an animal’s hooves grow and wear down.

Hoof Care in Action

Hoof care looks different for every species, and our trim team works closely with each one to ensure they get exactly what they need. Mongolian wild horses, for example, rely on strong, durable hooves built for rugged terrain, while warthogs use their hooves to dig protective burrows.  

Some hooved animals, or ungulates, walk on the tips of their toes, while others bear weight more evenly across their hooves. 

Ungulates are divided into two groups: 

  • Odd-toed ungulates (like horses and zebras) bear weight on one or three toes. 
  • Even-toed ungulates (like giraffes, camels, and warthogs) distribute weight more evenly across two toes. 

Hoof care looks different for every animal, and our trim team works closely with each one to ensure they get exactly what they need. 

Keepers caring for warthog hoof at Hogle Zoo
Swifty the warthog

6-year-old warthog Swifty’s hoof care routine changes with the seasons. Swifty naturally wears down his hooves in warmer months while running through African Savanna. In colder months, when he prefers long naps over long runs, he requires more frequent trims. 

Through Swifty’s daily husbandry and training, he can voluntarily participate in his hoof care. Animals at the zoo always have choice and control when participating in their care, and when they do, they’re always rewarded for their participation. Swifty’s preferred method of positive reinforcement? Belly rubs.

Mikhail, the Mongolian wild horse

For some animals, routine trims are incorporated into regular health procedures, like dental work. Mikhail, among other hoofstock at the zoo, receives annual dental care under anesthesia. 

Part of their routine training is training for voluntary injections to support procedures like these, ensuring a smooth and stress-free induction of anesthesia. Climate-controlled areas with padded floors and multiple access points for quick staff and equipment access are used during these procedures.  

These comprehensive check-ups give our team a chance to assess multiple aspects of an animal’s health, including their hooves.

Health procedure on Mongolian wild horse at Hogle Zoo
Keeper caring for Mongolian wild horse at Hogle Zoo
Screenshot
Supporting Every Stride

From the sturdy hooves of zebras to the split hooves of our markhor, routine trims and inspections help keep these animals moving comfortably. No matter the species, the goal remains the same: healthy hooves for healthy animals.

“I've been passionate about hoof care for a long time, having worked with horses my whole life and now as a hoof stock keeper. I am fascinated by the complexity of their anatomy and the way we can help them live more comfortable lives with routine trims. My biggest takeaway from my training is how quickly issues can develop and not to wait for visible signs of discomfort before intervening. If we can see their feet daily or even monthly, we can stay on top of any growth and keep them healthy. ”

- Beth, Keeper
Keepers trimming markhor hoof at Hogle Zoo
Keeper observing a giraffe hoof at Hogle Zoo
Keepers trimming zebra hoof at Hogle Zoo
Keepers observing warthog at Hogle Zoo
Keepers trimming giraffe hoot at Hogle Zoo

Hogle Zoo has been working with ZHTP since 2017 through keeper training, in-person consulting, and virtual support. Our team has shared their expertise at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conferences and webinars, presenting on the training program and the importance of hoof care. The trim team also lends their farrier skills to local farms and ranches, while staying up to date on the latest techniques through workshops, webinars, and conferences throughout the year. Thanks to our amazing team members who work hard to ensure healthy hooves! 

You can visit all 30 hooved animals throughout the zoo in areas like High Desert Oasis, African Savanna, and Wild Utah.  

Animal Wellbeing

Protecting animals in the wild starts with the wellbeing of the animals under our care. Providing excellent animal wellbeing through animal health is a key priority and hoof care is one of the many ways we work to achieve our vision of prioritizing animal wellbeing in everything we do.

Follow us @HogleZoo for more Zoo Stories

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]]> Giraffe Birth https://www.hoglezoo.org/giraffe-birth/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=giraffe-birth Wed, 12 Feb 2025 17:18:35 +0000 https://hoglezoodev.wpengine.com/?p=8269 A tall arrival: Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes a baby giraffe Giraffe gives birth to a healthy male calf on February 7 Utah’s Hogle Zoo is excited to announce the birth […]

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A tall arrival:
Utah's Hogle Zoo welcomes a baby giraffe

Giraffe gives birth to a healthy male calf on February 7

Utah’s Hogle Zoo is excited to announce the birth of a male giraffe calf, born to mom Stephanie (6) and dad Ja (4). The newest addition to the herd arrived on February 7, 2025, at 8:45 p.m., weighing 169 pounds and standing 6 feet 2 inches tall. The calf already shows strong, healthy behaviors—walking, nursing, and staying close to mom. 

In preparation for the birth, our team created a soft-landing area to support the calf’s natural six-foot drop into the world. The birth occurred in the African Savanna barn, where Animal Care staff monitored through security cameras and the natural process occurred as hoped without our intervention.

Did you know?

Giraffes give birth standing up with the calf’s head and hooves emerging first. Giraffe calves usually walk within the first hour of their life!

Stephanie and her calf will not be visible to guests until the spring, as they’re being given time to bond and adjust in a quiet, comfortable environment. The giraffe herd stays indoors during cooler months when temperatures are below 50 degrees, enjoying the African Savanna barn. 

The calf is described by his care team as strong, brave, curious, and gregarious—often exploring new spaces before his mother and eagerly approaching keepers for his first health checkup, where he was weighed and had a blood draw. 

Giraffe calf at Hogle Zoo
Giraffe herd at Utah's Hogle Zoo
Giraffe calf with dad, Ja, at Utah's Hogle Zoo
Sleeping giraffe calf at Utah's Hogle Zoo

This is Stephanie’s second calf, following Reyna, born in 2022. Now a more experienced mother, she confidently cares for her newborn—grooming, nursing, and keeping a watchful eye as he explores his surroundings. This birth also marks a milestone for Ja, as this is his first calf. He transferred from Memphis Zoo to Hogle Zoo in June 2022 on a breeding recommendation. 

The rest of the herd shows great interest in their newest member, watching him curiously. The calf will soon meet a few select herd mates, including Minka, Reyna, and Bakari. Once he’s a little older, he’ll be introduced to his dad, Ja. 

The birth of this calf marks an important step in protecting giraffes, a vulnerable species facing habitat loss, human population growth, and poaching. Found in Africa’s savannas, grasslands, and open woodlands, giraffes form loose, ever-shifting herds of 2 to 70 individuals. In 2016, their conservation status showed severe population declines, with about 117,000 remaining in their natural habitat. Hogle Zoo supports Save Giraffes Now, an organization dedicated to protecting giraffes by combating poaching and reducing human-giraffe conflict across Africa.

Stay tuned for more updates as this little one grows and takes his first steps onto the Savanna! 

See the calf’s first steps →  

Follow us @HogleZoo for more Zoo Stories

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]]> Welcome Tikiti https://www.hoglezoo.org/welcome-tikiti/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=welcome-tikiti Thu, 29 Aug 2024 15:22:31 +0000 https://hoglezoodev.wpengine.com/?p=7621 Welcome Tikiti Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes 1-year-old female warthog, Tikiti Utah’s Hogle Zoo is excited to welcome the newest resident to African Savanna: a 1-year-old female warthog named Tikiti (pronounced […]

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Welcome Tikiti

Utah’s Hogle Zoo welcomes 1-year-old female warthog, Tikiti

Utah’s Hogle Zoo is excited to welcome the newest resident to African Savanna: a 1-year-old female warthog named Tikiti (pronounced tee-KEE-tee). Her name, which means ‘watermelon’ in Swahili, reflects her bright and sweet nature. 

Tikiti arrived from Dallas Zoo as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) breeding recommendation with our resident male warthog, Swifty (6). You can easily distinguish Tikiti from Swifty by her smaller size and shorter tusks. Additionally, Tikiti is often seen with her tail twisting and flipping in motion.

Since her arrival, Tikiti has been getting to know her new care team and participating in training sessions. She has also begun the introduction process with Swifty. This process, called “howdies,” involves both warthogs being in the same areas but separated by barriers to familiarize themselves with each other’s scents. These introductions will continue through barriers until both warthogs feel comfortable sharing space face-to-face. 

As Tikiti has only shared a habitat with other warthogs, she’s learning how to live in a mixed-species habitat, meeting Hogle Zoo’s giraffes, zebras, guineafowl, and ostrich. Guests can expect to see different animals at different times in African Savanna as these introductions progress.

"Prior to her move, our animal care team prepared Tikiti, training her for this big transition. She even got to spend some early mornings at our Gregg Hudson Giants of the Savanna habitat to get used to a larger space."

-Dallas Zoo

As Tikiti’s confidence and comfortability with her habitat-mates grows, you may see expected behaviors that our animal care team keeps a close eye on, like chasing, running, or vocalizations. 

Guests may see Tikiti in African Savanna as she gets acquainted with her new habitat mates. Stay tuned for more updates! 

Warthog Tikiti
See Tikiti's Texas-themed farewell party -->
Warthog Tikiti
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