Adopt A Pond

08/14/2026

Have you ever wanted to explore the Zoo after dark? Are you curious about the creatures who make the night sky come alive? 🦇✨️

If so, join us at The Toronto Zoo this month to celebrate all things bats with two exciting evening programs! Whether you're looking to enjoy bat-themed cocktails or have some family-friendly fun, you will meet bat experts, learn all about these amazing yet misunderstood animals, and support the Zoo's Bat Conservation Program.

🍻 Bats & Beverages (19+ event)
August 20, 21, and 27
Learn more and book tickets: https://www.torontozoo.com/events/bats

🌌 An Evening with Native Bats (All ages)
August 29
Learn more and book tickets: https://www.torontozoo.com/events/nativebats

03/20/2026

📢 Important herp-date! Adopt-A-Pond's educational reptile and amphibian resources are now available for purchase through the online Zoo Shop and in-person at The Toronto Zoo Zootique! As before, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of these resources will support conservation efforts for herpetofauna in the Greater Toronto Area 💚

Shop our ID guides, posters, and books here: https://shop.torontozoo.com/ #/Retail/ProductPreview/Adopt-A-Pond/36

For orders of 50+ items, wildlife crossing signs, or our French language resources, please contact us at [email protected]

🐢🐸🐍🦎

12/10/2025

With 2025 coming to a close, we're sharing our Adopt-A-Pond highlighting major moments across fieldwork, events, community science, and more. Thank you for being part of a turt-ally awesome year for conservation! 💚

09/25/2025

When out in the wetlands, our field team comes across tracks from lots of different animals: deer, bears, ... and turtles! These muddy footprints are great indicators of where and when turtles are on the move 🐢🐾

This time of year, when temperatures start to drop, turtles are making the journey to their overwintering sites. They will wait out the coldest months at the bottom of wetland water bodies in a dormant state called brumation ❄️

09/18/2025

Real turtles may have hard shells and scaly skin, but our new Blanding’s turtle plushie is super-soft and snuggly! Designed by Soft Stuff Creations with input from our team of turtle experts, this adorable cuddle buddy is perfect for herpetologists and animal lovers of all ages 🐢💚

Get yours at the Toronto Zoo’s new online shop: https://shop.torontozoo.com/ #/Retail/ProductView/Plush/183/Assorted%20Plush@-@1

08/27/2025

August 27 is ! Did you know that the Great Lakes contain over 20% of the world’s surface freshwater?💧 They are also home to thousands of plant and animal species, and support millions of people who rely on the lakes for drinking water 🚰, recreation 🛶, and economic activity 🎣.

Check out this video to learn about the wonders of watersheds and why they are important: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBBRZfIHrOQ

❗️Want to learn even more about the Great Lakes? Visit the new website of your Toronto Zoo’s Great Lakes Program to learn more about this crucial ecosystem through videos, activity books, and teacher resources for in-classroom education: https://www.torontozoo.com/tz/greatlakes

By learning about ways to protect our waterways and aquatic Species-At-Risk, we can all help keep our Great Lakes great! 🐟💙

Did you know that every person, animal, and plant in the world lives in a watershed? The GTA’s very own Rouge River Watershed is home to 1.5 million people a...

08/15/2025

Exciting news about the Blanding's turtles in our headstart program! 🐢

07/14/2025

Good luck out there little ones! 🐢

06/17/2025

Prior to 2012, there were fewer than 10 Blanding’s turtles in Rouge National Urban Park. Since then, your Toronto Zoo has released over 700 turtles into the area to help restore the population of this endangered species.

YOU can support our work by symbolically adopting and naming a headstarted Blanding’s turtle part of this year’s release cohort! Your gift will help prepare these turtles for their new life in the wild and contribute to the recovery of this iconic species.

As a donor, you will receive a personalized certificate featuring a photo of your adopted turtle and their new name, along with some turtle-themed goodies and a full charitable tax receipt. Learn more and name your headstart hero here: https://www.tzwcadopt.ca/products/blandings-turtle

Thank you for supporting conservation at your Toronto Zoo!

06/06/2025

Have you seen a turtle on the move lately? Spring is a crucial time for reptiles and amphibians as they move across their habitat in search of food, nesting sites, and more. Learn how you can help them cross roads safely in the post below! 🐢🚸

Why did the turtle cross the road? Well, lots of reasons! 🛣🐢

Increased urbanization in and around wetlands means turtles often need to cross roads to access food, mates, and nesting sites in different parts of their habitat. Unfortunately, they are often struck by vehicles when doing so. Road mortality is a major threat to all eight of Ontario’s turtle species, all of which are federally designated as at-risk, as well as to other reptiles and amphibians.

With spring upon us and local herpetofauna on the move, here are some tips on how to help them cross the road safely:

👀 Keep an eye out for wildlife on roads when driving near wetlands, forests, and areas with wildlife crossing signs.
🚗 If you see a reptile or amphibian on the road, first ensure it is safe to pull over and leave the vehicle. Gently pick up the animal and move it to the side of the road in the direction they were headed.
🥚 If the animal is nesting (indicated by a pile of dirt just behind them), do not disturb or move them!
🖐 Wash or sanitize your hands after handling wildlife.
⛑️ If you find an injured animal, contact your local wildlife rescue for help. For injured turtles, you can contact the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre.

You can also report turtle and frog sightings to Ontario Turtle Tally and FrogWatch Ontario, two Community Science projects led by the Field Conservation team at your Toronto Zoo. Data from these projects is used to support conservation efforts across Ontario, including road mortality mitigation projects. Learn more here: https://www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/communityscience