DENVER ZOO

Denver

News: The Denver Zoo’s American and Chilean flamingos, including Slash, Hendrix, Freddie, Lance and Swift, will be moving to a new habitat next year, and the $610,000 raised at the Sept. 10 Flock Party will help pay for it.

The habitat, with topography inspired by the Andean highlands of South America, will give the birds access to indoor and outdoor living spaces, multiple wading pools and nesting islands. In addition, there will be prime vantage points for zoo visitors to view the flock.

The new habitat is located on the east side of the zoo, between Tropical Discovery and Harmony Hill, with the grand public opening slated for 2023.

Meredith Coors, a member of both the Denver Zoo and JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) boards, and Vince Abrue, senior vice president/commercial banking for UMB Bank, chaired the Flock Party. The Flock Party’s $150 tickets gave the 1,400 guests the opportunity to explore the 84-acre zoo while enjoying food, drink and entertainment by the Colorado Mambo Orchestra, Incendio, Mariachi Sol de mi Tierra and Morning Bear.

“The new flamingo habitat will be a feather in the zoo’s cap,” said Bert Vescolani, the zoo’s president and chief executive officer. “It represents our continued commitment to improving the zoo for our community and animals.”

Vescolani also noted that Denver Zoo works to save flamingos in the wild. The efforts include taking part in the 2019 international effort to rescue more than 1,800 abandoned lesser flamingos in South Africa.

“Using their skills and background knowledge of working with flamingos, two of our bird keepers and a veterinarian technician were able to rehabilitate and eventually release many of the rescues flamingos back into their native range,” Vescolani said.

In addition, Denver Zoo has expanded its South American field conservation work to include research on Chilean flamingos at Lake Junin in Peru.

Flock Party guests included:

· Denver mayoral candidate Kelly Brough

· Girl Scouts of Colorado President Leanna Clark

· Rebecca Wilson Macsovits, president of the Denver Zoo board

· Chris Ross, senior vice president at U.S. Bank

· Matthew Keeney, president of AOR, Inc.

About the organization: The nonprofit Denver Zoo is the city’s oldest advocate for the natural world. It is home to some 3,000 animals representing more than 450 species and hosts about two million visitors per year. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which assures the highest standards of animal care. In addition, Denver Zoo dedicates almost $2 million annually to zoo-led programs aimed at protecting animals within their natural habitats around the world.

Website: denverzoo.org

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