Friends of High Park Zoo

Ruby's always up for entertaining! #highparkzoo #highpark #zoo #barbarysheep

Heather's joining in on the fun! #TongueOutTuesday Share a picture of your animal with its tongue out and don't forget to tag us @HighParkZoo and include #TongueOutTuesday #highparkzoo #zoo #yak

THANK YOU again for your support of the Zoo! What an amazing job - everything sold so quickly! Headband patterns and one llama pattern headband are still available for sale on our Etsy Store FriendsofHighParkZoo (no spaces). We hope to have another batch in autumn 2021!... Please post what you make with the llama yarn on our Facebook page and/or tag us on Instagram and Twitter @HighParkZoo with #HighParkLlamaYarn - we all want to see it!

Hey @TheTorontoZoo - Little Lady here is wondering if you'll join us by sharing some fun animal pics for #TongueOutTuesday ! Share a picture of your animal with its tongue out and don't forget to tag us @HighParkZoo and include #TongueOutTuesday #LittleLady #llama #highparkzoo #highpark #zoo

Barbary sheep enjoying time together on Family Day! #FamilyDay2021 #FamilyDay #BarbarySheep #HighParkZoo #HighPark #Toronto

Did you know that our Honey Match fundraising campaign is underway? We have a very special opportunity in 2020. Motivated by prior successes and inspired by our donor’s commitments, the Honey Family Foundation has generously come forth again and offered to double any donations received from today until December 31, 2020 - to a maximum of $50,000! Please see additional details linked below.

Construction is starting on the Llama and Capybara's new building

Although High Park Zoo is now open, we have made the difficult decision to not operate the llama pen activities for the remainder of 2020. We want to ensure that our visitors, volunteers, zookeepers and animals remain as safe as possible; we do not believe this can be done should the llama pen open under current conditions. Unfortunately this decision will impact our 2020 fundraising by $30,000. We are raising funds to enhance the Zoo under a phased capital Master Plan. If yo...u are in a position to do so, please consider making a donation at one of the yellow donation boxes located throughout the Zoo or via EFT or PayPal to [email protected] Thank you and stay safe! FHPZ

LLAMA YARN CONTEST Fellow friends of High Park Zoo - we want your help with naming and designing a wrapper for the yarn made from our llama fleece. The wrapper is the bit of paper packaging which goes around the yarn. Each year our llamas are shorn in order to make them cooler for the summer months. This year we have taken the fleece to a mill to have knitting yarn made!! Skeins of light and dark yarn will be available for purchase in the future to help support your Zoo. FHPZ... will add all pertinent information to the wrapper (including weight and gauge) we just need you to come up with the design and name for the yarn! Please submit your ideas for name and/or design to [email protected] by November 30 and we will announce the winner on December 16, 2020. Legal stuff - By submitting your name and/or design, you confirm that you are at least 18 years of age, and agree to FHPZ using and/or modifying your submission in the connection with the marketing and sale of llama yarn, and other social media/website, informational or promotional materials in connection with Friends of High Park Zoo. Please note there is no compensation for this contest.

While the zoo was closed for four months the City of Toronto rebuilt the aviary for Roncy and his friends. The peacocks are now back at the zoo so please come and visit.

Send us your questions and we will find the answers!

Due to the COVID restrictions the zoo will now be opening at 11am every day. At this point we expect this will be for the 28 days, until mid November, that we are in Stage 2. We will let you know as we learn more. Thanks, here is Houdini watching over everyone at the zoo.

The Friends of High Park Zoo would like to wish everyone a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving

REMINDER: The zoo is closed this morning for moving animals. Should reopen by early afternoon.

Thank you to MPP Bhutila Karpoche for joining us on Saturday.

Friends of High Park Zoo is excited to announce that a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Llama Building took place on Saturday, October 31, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. It included a walking tour through the zoo and speeches from John Tory, Mayor, City of Toronto, Bhutila Karpoche, Member of Provincial Parliament, Parkdale-High Park, Arif Virani, Member of Parliament, Parkdale-High Park and Sarah Doucette, Board Member, FHPZ. Honey, the llama, was also in attendance Due to COVID-19 precautions, attendance at the ceremony was by invitation only. All in attendance wore a mask. We hope to see you all at the Llama Building ribbon cutting in the spring of 2021!

We wanted to let you know that the zoo now opens at 11am and not 7am. We are not aware of how long this will be for. This was a decision made by City Park Management. We will post as we learn more. Thanks

Benny tends to get his breakfast all over his face.

NOTICE: On Saturday October 10, tomorrow, the zoo will be closed for a little while in the morning for animal movement. It should be open by early afternoon.

Wow we are almost there. Just a few more brush strokes and this amazing mural will be finished.

Lulu and Ruby are a big help with a small construction job.

Alwasy great to watch the Barbary lambs having fun.

Last year FHPZ had so much fun with our ZooBoo event. Families came and enjoyed the free entertainment and activities.

The new winter shelter for the Llamas was installed last week. They now have a warm shelter while their building is under construction. FHPZ are looking to raise the $6,000 to cover the cost of this shelter. If you would like to either run, walk, skip or jump in the Scotiabank Virtual Marathon this year and help raise the funds for FHPZ or sponsor one of our runners, or walkers please follow the link. https://raceroster.com//scotiabank-toronto-wa/pledge/team

Lima has the most gorgeous eyelashes.

What a great event this was last year. We are looking forward to next years.

The 2020 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is a virtual race running the month of October. We are looking for runners to come run, walk, trot, hop, waddle as a team member to support High Park Zoo. Participants can run or walk the full distance of their choice at any time from anywhere between October 1st and 31st. We are fundraising $6,000 for the llamas’ winter shelter - they are moving within the Zoo due to the construction of their new home and need space until spring 2021. Join our team or donate here: https://raceroster.com//scotiabank-toronto-wa/pledge/team

We are still looking for participants or donations for our virtual 2020 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon goal! Participants can run or walk the full distance of their choice at any time from anywhere between October 1st and 31st. We are fundraising $6,000 for the llamas’ winter shelter - they are moving within the Zoo due to the construction of their new home and need space until spring 2021. Join our team or donate here: https://raceroster.com//scotiabank-toronto-wa/pledge/team

Thank you to Linh Thai our amazing artist for this wonderful colourful mural on our storage container. Thank you also to Meridian, Bloor West Village, StreetARToronto and the City of Toronto for supporting our mural.

Friends of High Park Zoo would like to thank Meridian and StreetARToronto for their support for our storage container mural project.

A glimpse of things to come.

The storage container mural is coming along nicely. Some of the animals are now taking form.

The peacocks are home and having fun exploring their new aviary.

The peacocks came home when they heard that we have raised $21,121.50 towards our $30,000 fill the gap campaign. Thank you everyone who has donated either in the yellow donation boxes at the zoo or online by PayPal or EFT: Please send to: [email protected] through www.highparkzoo.ca/participate/