Press Room

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

A newly erected wildlife tracking tower at the Belle Isle Nature Center is collecting data about the movements of birds, bats, and insects such as butterflies and dragonflies as part of an international network aimed at strengthening knowledge and conservation of wildlife. The new tower supports the Motus program, which uses coordinated radio telemetry to […]

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

***UPDATE FROM THE DETROIT ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY (AS OF MARCH 10, 2021): Initially, it was thought that Nuka may have caused Anana’s death in February of 2021, but this was not the case. An in-depth review discovered Anana died from advanced heart disease. Analysis of Anana’s heart tissues showed that she experienced acute heart failure or […]

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

Two polar bear cubs were born at the Detroit Zoo on November 17, 2020, to 8-year-old mother Suka, and 16-year-old father, Nuka. The cubs, who have not been named yet, are the first polar bears to be born and successfully raised at the Detroit Zoo since 2004. The cubs were born in a specially-designed, private […]

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

After 28 years of service, Ron Kagan, 69, will retire this summer from his role as Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). DZS board chair Tony Earley has formed a search committee to identify a successor. “I’ve been in love with DZS and this community from the day I arrived. So […]

ROYAL OAK, Mich., 

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is pleased to announce Dr. De’Andrea Matthews as the organization’s director of diversity and community engagement. Dr. Matthews will work closely with the DZS executive team, racial equity working group, diversity advisory council and human resource department as well as the board’s diversity and community engagement committee. “I feel fortunate […]