Denver Zoo President and CEO Bert Vescolani introduced the waiting crowd to the feathered inhabitants of the new Denver Zoo Flamingo Habitat during the grand opening of the space on Nov. 16.

Denver Zoo unveiled a new habitat for its Chilean and American flamingos on Nov. 16 to joyful cheers from the crowd as five fluffy gray chicks and two adult flamingos rushed, honked, and flapped their way through a paper ribbon that divided the nearby bear habitat from the new flamingo digs.

The Denver Zoo revealed its new flamingo habitat on Nov. 16 to a delighted crowd.

Flamingo Habitat is inspired by the Andean Highlands, and the new home is positioned between Harmony Hill and Tropical Discovery. The indoor-outdoor space features wading pools for the flamingo flocks, nesting islands for mothers and chicks, and vantage points for visitor viewing.

Colorado’s First Gentleman Marlon Reis, a zoo supporter and animal advocate, spoke at the ceremony. He called it a “happy day” for zoo members, staff, and of course, the flamingos. He reminisced about falling in love with animals at Denver Zoo as a child and thanked voters for backing a bond initiative in 2021 that directly supported the zoo.

City of Denver Chief of Staff Jenn Ridder and members of the Peruvian Consulate were also in attendance. The zoo partners with Peruvian conservationists to protect Chilean flamingos, which are classified as an endangered species and are found throughout South America.

Denver Zoo President Bert Vescolani noted that the new habitat champions sustainability: The wading pools have a recirculation system to conserve the water, and the nesting pads are designed to propagate the flamingos.

Some of the chicks that participated in the ribbon ceremony are among the zoo’s beloved “flockstars,” named in honor of musical performers, such as Nick Jonas, John Denver, and Neil Diamond. Zoo officials said the chicks rehearsed the grand opening ribbon run a handful of times before the big move-in.

The opening of the new flamingo habitat also served as the public launch of Denver Zoo’s $75 million fundraising campaign, Into the Great Wild Open. The campaign consists of three pillars: Open Arms to fund zoo education, Open Hearts to support animal care, and Open Spaces to fuel the zoo’s conservation work. Building the flamingo habitat cost approximately $5 million, and the funding was covered by the first phase of the campaign.

Soon after move-in, the flamingos check out the wading pools and nesting islands of their new habitat. Visitors also appreciate the multiple viewing vantage points.

Vescolani says, “Those who invest in the future of Denver Zoo are ensuring we can continue to provide exceptional care for our animals and help save wildlife for future generations.”

Front Porch photos by Christie Gosch