On August 1st, 2022, #ArtemisPaleozoo officially launched in showcasing an artbook that combined both real science with a fun, fictional setting into life. 🦖

We want to personally thank @rextooth.bsky.social as our publisher and our followers supporting this journey! Updates to come ⭐️📚

Alt Text: A Paleozoo keeper trains with an Ambulocetus, an early whale relative with a similar appearance to an otter. Its fur is sleek and brown in color, resting on a scale to record its weight.

Keeper Alex always has a "whale" of a time when working with Minnie, the Ambulocetus. 🐋💕

Minnie received her annual exam looking into her weight, eyes, ears, and teeth! "Minnie is sharp and always has an eager look in her eye during training."

Art by team member @gummmydragon.bsky.social 🎨

Ready to "pop-on" by to an enrichment session during your visit? Here we have keeper Krystal (@doodlize.bsky.social) providing Daisy the Spectrovenator some bubble enrichment! 🫧.

You can stay up-to-date with enrichment sessions, keeper talks, and more by viewing our Today at the Paleozoo events! ☀️

"I had worked with a variety of bird and reptile groups before joining APZ, and it was really put to the test as a care specialist. Theresa is a very special animal, and it was a great opportunity to play a role in her development and growing with the zoo together". (3/3)

Using techniques of modern zoos, animal care staff would apply puppets to associate parental care with a prop to ensure natural behaviors. "We were on the cutting-edge of understanding dinosaurs in those early years" says director of animal care Christian Flores (@crikeyitschristian.bsky.social) 2/3

Alt Text: An animal care specialist tends to a young Therizinosaurus chick, a plant-eating dinosaur with enlarged claws at its front hands. The dinosaur, covered in a soft coating of ivory feathers, opens its mouth at the colorful puppet operated by the keeper. Signaling it is hungry to its surrogate parent.

This #ZookeeperWeek post doubles as a Throwback Thursday, as we take a step back to the early days of Theresa, the zoo's female Therizinosaurus. ⏰️ (1/3)

Art by team member @teolorenzo.bsky.social 🎨

Alt Text: A paleozookeeper trains with a Rhamphorhynchus, a flying reptile with bat-like wings made of skin, and a mouth housing many pointed teeth. The employee looks slightly nervous as it holds the animal's snack, knowing it is very eager to eat.

Rhamphorhynchus training plays an important role in allowing staff to look at teeth, wings, nails, and eyes for a full check-up! Followed by positive reinforcement, you just have to be mindful that some have a snappy appetite.🐟🍽 #ZookeeperWeek

Art by team member @Bluntosaurus_ (on Instagram) 🎨

Alt Text: A Zuniceratops, a goat-sized, plant-eating horned dinosaur leans its body into a scratching post. The relief of the rough surface has its body relaxed and stationary.

Who doesn't love a good back scratch? Animals at the #ArtemisPaleozoo are offered different forms of enrichment each day that stimulate their minds and bodies for optimal health. For our Zuniceratops herd, body scratchers are a favorite! #ZookeeperWeek

Art by team member @anomallite.bsky.social 🎨

Alt Text: M.M, an Ichthyostega, or limbed fish relative watches as its keeper wipes clean the glass of its habitat for guests to view.

It's not just guests that appreciate a clean viewing experience! ✨️

M.M, the zoo's male Ichthyostega, can't directly tell us he likes the attention and people-watching sessions through the glass, but animal care is taking the hint.

Art by team member @gummmydragon.bsky.social 🎨

"Being outside of the 'true crocodile' branch as a psuedosuchian, testing Maverick's blood samples can help us understand similarities and differences that improve management and care of modern crocs" added Amber Vivarium Manager Nathan Dehaut @nathandehaut.bsky.social (pictured here) 4/4

"In crocs today, their ability to quickly lunge and move to subdue prey makes them excellent hunters in the wild. However, when muscle activation and stress is high, lactic acid can build to potentially lethal levels in many species". Says care specialist Alex Morton @alexeratops.bsky.social (3/4)

For the past year, our animal care team has been training with Maverick, the zoo's male Kaprosuchus, to participate in voluntary blood draws for research publishing on lactic acid levels in psuedosuchians compared to modern crocodilians. 💉 (2/4)

Alt Text: A care specialist at the fictional Paleozoo uses a syringe to carefully draw blood from the tail of a Kaprosuchus, a crocodile relative as it calmly watches the process.

It's that time of the year again, folks! #ZookeeperWeek returns at the #ArtemisPaleozoo in honoring the dedicated staff that care for the animals you love. Our first highlight begins with an upcoming study from our zoo. 🐊 (1/4)

From forests to rivers, the Amber Vivarium is APZ's newest exhibit that houses a plethora of reptiles, amphibians, and Invertebrates of our past. If you have the instinct to crawl, climb, slither, and swim through our doors, you'll be right at home. 🌴🦋

So, so, predictable, folks 😉 #ArtemisPaleozoo

It's #InternationalDinosaurDay! What better way to celebrate and learn more about yourself than answer the question - which APZ dinosaur are you based on your birth month? 🦕🦖

Who did you get? Let us know in the comments! 💬

With enlarged, saber teeth for dispatching prey, Inostrancevia is a gorgonopsian species from the Late Permian period. Want to learn more about the role of carnivores in the ecosystem, past and present? Then come on by to our Tooth & Claw section during your visit at the #ArtemisPaleozoo 🥩🌍

Translated to "fears nothing", Dreadnaughtus' like Goliath, Mítera, and Little Joe really have nothing to fear at the #ArtemisPaleozoo - except maybe running out of snacks 🥬🍎

We. Love. Bugs! And at the Amber Vivarium, you'll meet one of the zoo's predators with personality - Gigatitan 🦟🌱

As solitary animals with enlarged, sharp forelimbs, they enjoy insect prey as our modified contact strategy requires specialists to wear protective gloves while handling the species!

An exciting announcement! The #ArtemisPaleozoo is proud to announce its newest species - a real dragon! 🐉

Genetically restored from mysterious, fossil DNA, Dracosaurus can be seen scorching small insects (and potentially guests) at the zoo's Time of Flight Aviary.....April Fool's! 🔥

Grab your binoculars, because at the zoo's Cretaceous Safari, you'll experience the true sights and sounds of our planet's past. From the trumpet of a Parasaurolophus, to the domed-duels of Stegoceras, our guided, electric vehicle tours are sure to inspire the adventurer in you. ⚡️🦖 #ArtemisPaleozoo

On this #WorldFrogDay, here's a look at our amphibious friend, a young Diplocaulus, receiving it's monthly checkup! While still developing its "boomerang-shaped" head, much of the research we do on extinct amphibians has been used to better understand conserving frog populations across the globe. 🐸

A giant theropod of Cretaceous Asia, Therizinosaurus' huge claws are a mesmerizing sight. Theresa, the zoo's female, can be seen often browsing tree-to-tree in her habitat, and keepers note you can hear low, thrumming booms from her when curious of new enrichment or feeling content. 🌴

*This advertisement and the Artemis Paleozoo are fictional in origin and do not represent a real fundraiser or location*

With an overwhelming amount of submissions, your donations for the #ArtemisPaleozoo's first Bug-Off Valentine's Fundraiser were a smashing success! Raising upwards of $10,000, we are thankful for the many (and we mean many) names our guest's submitted. 🪱🍏

Happy Valentine's Day! ❤️

*This advertisement and the Artemis Paleozoo are fictional in origin and do not represent a real fundraiser or location*

Looking to support the zoo's animals and "exterminate" some memories this Valentine's Day? The #ArtemisPaleozoo will be hosting it's very first Bug-Off Fundraiser, where guests can donate to symbolically name a worm, insect, fruit, or vegetable after an ex as it helps feed our critters. 🪳🥬❤️

You might ask yourself "what goes into the care of the animals of APZ?" Today we feature Stegosaurus! 🌿

Stegosaurus are browsers, and animal care staff offer different sources of vegetation while promoting movement and mobility for overall joint health. 💪 #ArtemisPaleozoo

Alt Text: An illustration of a young woman kneeling with a Mononykus. A small, feathered dinosaur with a long tongue for eating insects.

Perks of being an #ArtemisPaleozoo keeper - visiting animals behind the scenes on your day off. Today keeper Krystal (@doodlize.bsky.social) comes to see one of the zoo's ambassador species, Mononykus!

Art by team member @skinkpunch.bsky.social 🎨

Two Paleozoo keepers prepare a group of small, feathered dinosaurs for an educational showcase for guests. One gracefully is landing on the glove of its trainer. Another, sitting patiently. The last is attempting to nibble the hair of its trainer.

Ambassador animals provide opportunities for our guests to create deep, memorable connections to the natural world.

With plenty of personality to show, keepers @teolorenzo.bsky.social and @doodlize.bsky.social prepare a pair of Microraptor and Yi qi for an upcoming ambassador animal showcase! 🪽