Posted on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025
2024 was an incredible, action-packed year at your Zoo, from baby animals to big anniversaries and breaking new ground. The year ahead promises to be just as momentous, but before we get swept away by all the excitement to come, we wanted to reflect on some of the highlights of last year.
Some truly remarkable baby animal stories defined the year. When Jameela, a western lowland gorilla born at Fort Worth Zoo, did not receive maternal care from her mother, she joined the Cleveland troop in March with the hope that our female gorilla, Fredrika, would care for her. Freddy stepped up just as she did for Kayembe in 2021 and has been a dedicated foster mother to Jameela ever since. It’s been so fun to watch Jameela, Kunda, and Kayembe grow and play together.
Tiger cubs Sergei and Mila were born toward the end of 2023, so we really got to see them grow in 2024. Mila started the year at 19 pounds and ended it at 238 pounds, and Sergei grew from 22 pounds to 269 pounds!
In 2024, we celebrated 10 years of the Circle of Wildlife Carousel, which has become the foundation of countless family memories and a can’t-miss activity for members.
30 years of Twilight at the Zoo! This event is a beloved tradition for thousands of Northeast Ohioans, and it has raised over $12.5 million in support of the Zoo Society since its inception in 1994. Special shout-out to the two bands that have played every single Twilight at the Zoo: Armstrong Bearcat and Joe Bell & the Swing Lizards.
Susie’s Bear Hollow celebrated its first anniversary in 2024. The thoughtful design of the space has made it a fantastic habitat for the sloth bears and Andean bears, and it’s also a shining example of the difference Zoo Society donors can make with their support.
In June, we welcomed Marie Fidele Tuyisenge as she was awarded the Steve Taylor Conservation Award for her incredible work in botany with the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund. This award is funded by donors seeking to support early-career scientists. Marie Fidele is a graduate of the Zoo’s Memoirs Program, which pairs undergraduate students in Rwanda with Cleveland Metroparks Zoo scientists for mentoring.
In September, we planted the first-ever mini forest in a United States Zoo! In collaboration with Rooted in Trees and with help from Urban Community School students, the Holden Arboretum Tree Corps, and the Student Conservation Assocation, your Zoo planted 850 native trees and shrubs in a 2500 square foot plot, which will grow at an accelerated rate and become a veritable forest in just a few years.
The Zoo Society’s Pride Donor Circle enjoys a variety of exclusive opportunities, and Pride Walks are a perennial favorite. In 2024, our donors enjoyed behind-the-scenes looks at everything from the Zoo horticulture team’s unique greenhouses, to Susie’s Bear Hollow, to the often-invisible work that Service Maintenance does to keep the Zoo running smoothly.
Tails & Cocktails continues to connect Zoo Society supporters with a variety of Zoo experts through conversations about the great work they’re doing. The 2024 series focused on animal diet and health research; the browse feeding program and how the Zoo horticulture team supports our world-class animal care; and how the Zoo’s OneHealth approach influences all that it does. We also got to hear about the Zoo’s role in wildlife conservation, and what it really looks like to help secure a future for threatened species.
Of course, the headline of the year was Primate Forest. We bid farewell to the RainForest in September, and broke ground on Primate Forest, a space that will truly revolutionize the Zoo experience and create a destination unlike any other in North America. There is much more to come on this project, but we are incredibly grateful for the philanthropic dollars raised so far that have allowed us to begin the work.
Stay tuned for updates on Primate Forest, and get ready for another banner year at your Zoo. We hope to see you soon!