Editing Calgary Zoo (section)

==History==
St. George's Island was Calgary's first park, used by the community for picnics, relaxing, and socializing. The first collection of animals began with two [[mule deer]] on the island in 1917.<ref>{{cite web |title=Small steps took zoo from two deer to world-renowned refuge |work=Calgary Herald |date=4 June 1989 |page=81 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/calgary-herald-calgary-zoo-history-1989/27038808/}}</ref> The collection expanded with more local wildlife as the popularity amongst park-goers increased. The Calgary Zoological Society was established on 9 January 1929 and took over administration of the facility from the [[City of Calgary]].<ref name=CalgaryZoo2020 /> 

Several animals died during floods in June 1929 when St. George's Island was swamped.<ref>"Hundreds of City Homes Menaced by Rivers", The Calgary Herald, 3 June 1929</ref>

In 1937, the closure of the Banff Zoo in [[Banff National Park]] led to the transfer of more species and allowed the Calgary Zoo to cement itself as the largest zoological collection in the region.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Banff's Bears {{!}} Banff, AB - Official Website |url=https://banff.ca/480/Banffs-Bears |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=banff.ca}}</ref>

In 1972, the zoo launched the "Ban the Bars" campaign to modernize its facilities with more natural enclosures.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Colpitts |first=George William |date=2023-12-21 |title=Bittersweet Lessons from 1973: Calgary's New Polar Bear Enclosure |url=https://niche-canada.org/2023/12/21/bittersweet-lessons-from-1973-calgarys-new-polar-bear-enclosure/ |access-date=2025-05-16 |website=NiCHE |language=en-US}}</ref>

Destination Africa opened in 2003 to include two new facilities The Rainforest and the African Savannah. The zoo opened Penguin Plunge, an Antarctic penguin addition in 2012.

In April 2013, the Calgary Zoo announced a master plan for rebuilding the zoo over 20 years. The initial focus on the master plan was preparing for the arrival of two [[giant panda]]s in 2018 for a five-year stay. Four giant pandas arrived in 2018 after the successful birth of twins at the [[Toronto Zoo]]. The cubs left the Calgary Zoo for China in January 2020, followed by their parents in November 2020 due to a lack of bamboo availability during the [[COVID-19]] pandemic.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 27, 2020 |title=Giant pandas at Calgary Zoo begin journey home to China |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/calgary-zoo-pandas-return-home-to-china-1.5818992#:~:text=Er%20Shun%20and%20Da%20Mao,Giant%20Panda%20Breeding%20in%20January.}}</ref> 

The Calgary Zoo Foundation rebranded itself as the Wilder Institute and instituted the new joint Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo branding in 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://livewirecalgary.com/2021/11/09/calgary-zoo-foundation-re-brands-to-reflect-expanding-purpose/ |title=Calgary Zoo Foundation re-brands to reflect expanding purpose |date=2021-11-09|access-date=2024-06-22|work=Livewire Calgary}}</ref>

In 2025, the Wilder Institute, in collaboration with [[Parks Canada]], [[University of Alberta]], [[University of Kentucky]], and [[University of California, Los Angeles]], announced the discovery of a new species of [[Theclinae|hairsteak butterfly]] known as ''Satyrium curiosolus'' or Curiously Isolated Hairstreak.<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 23, 2025 |title=SECRETS OF THE BLAKISTON FAN: ISOLATED BUTTERFLY REVEALED AS NEW SPECIES |url=https://wilderinstitute.org/blog/secrets-of-the-blakiston-fan-isolated-butterfly-revealed-as-new-species/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ali |first=Rukhsar |date=April 25, 2025 |title='Curiously isolated' butterfly species discovered in Waterton Lakes National Park |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/scientists-discover-new-butterfly-species-waterton-1.7516184 |work=CBC News}}</ref>

===2013 flooding===
The Calgary area suffered extensive flooding in June 2013 resulting in over $50 million in damage to the island section of the Calgary Zoo and parts of its Canadian Wild zone (see [[2013 Alberta floods]]).<ref>{{cite news |title=Flood-ravaged Calgary Zoo laying off almost 300 staff |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/flood-ravaged-calgary-zoo-laying-off-almost-300-staff-1.1349961 |work=CBC News |date=2013-07-04 |access-date=2017-05-26}}</ref> In a 12-hour period, with flood waters rising, zoo staff managed to move 140 animals to higher ground.<ref>{{cite news |title=Flood at the Zoo: The inside story |url=https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/flood-at-the-calgary-zoo-the-inside-story |work=Calgary Herald |date=2013-11-22 |access-date=2017-05-26}}</ref> In the end, the only animals lost were a number of [[fish]], two [[peacock]]s, and a [[pot-bellied pig]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Wood |first=Damien |title=Peacock, fish die in Calgary Zoo flooding |url=http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/06/24/peacock-fish-die-in-calgary-zoo-flooding |work=Calgary Sun |date=2013-06-23 |access-date=2013-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402114311/http://www.calgarysun.com/2013/06/24/peacock-fish-die-in-calgary-zoo-flooding |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The zoo was closed for most of July 2013; the northern 60 acres of the zoo reopened to the public for August through November. The zoo fully reopened in November 2013<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/calgary-zoo-reopens-after-junes-devastating-flood-damage/article15656742/ | title=Calgary Zoo reopens after June's devastating flood damage | first=Bill | last=Graveland | newspaper=The Globe and Mail | date=28 November 2013 | access-date=11 October 2020 }}</ref> with new animals, exhibits, and features unveiled in 2014, including [[mandrill]]s and [[Komodo dragon]]s.