Alerts
Please note that due to the cold temperatures expected, the Conservation Carousel will be closed on Saturday, February 4.
Please also note our Zoomobile will now be taking an alternate route through the Eurasia Wilds and will no longer be travelling through the Eurasia Drive Thru.
Please note the following animals that may not be viewable at this time:
Americas Pavilion
Two-toed sloth, golden lion tamarin, white-faced saki, river otter, Eastern loggerhead shrike, and black-footed ferret are all currently not viewable due to habitat maintenance.
Eurasia Wilds
The Stellar Sea Eagles are currently not viewable.
Canadian Domain:
Closed for the season.
African Savanna:
Some animals may not be viewable due to decreasing temperatures.
Kids Zoo
Closed for the season.
Saturday, February 25 - Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause 5K/1K Run/Walk
Please be advised that your Toronto Zoo and Canada Running Series will be hosting the Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause 5K/1K Run/Walk at the Zoo on February 25th to raise funds for the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy and polar bear conservation.
Please note the following operational impacts:
- For their well-being, some animals along the Move Your Paws route may be delayed going out on habitat in the morning. Guests may experience slight delays on other pathways as the run finishes and the race route is cleared.
- Tundra Trek: Caribou will not be visible and the path to the Caribou habitat will be closed for the entire day
- Zoomobile: Begins operating at 11:45 am


Location at the Zoo:
Canadian Domain
Region: North America
Wood bison
Often incorrectly referred to as buffalo, bison are easily recognized by their massive forequarters and their large shoulder hump. The name bison is the Greek word for “ox-like animal”. Compared to the more plentiful plains bison, wood bison are somewhat larger, darker in colour, with a more pronounced shoulder hump and shorter hair on the neck and forelegs. They are also longer-legged and taller. Both sexes have a large, woolly, bearded head with black, curved horns set on a short neck. The hindquarters are somewhat smaller and they have a distinctive tasseled tail. Their thick coats vary in colour from golden to dark brown; the long bushy mane covering the head, shoulders and forelegs contrasts with the lighter coloured hindquarters. For the first three months of life, young bison are a reddish brown. There is sexual dimorphism; males are larger and heavier than females. Males have a body length of 3 3.04 - 3.8m and a height of 1.67 - 1.82m (at the shoulder. Weight ranges from 350 to 1,000 kg.Conservation Status: IUCN

Distribution:
The current range of the Wood Bison is centered on the borders of the Northwest Territories, Alaska, northern Alberta (notably at Elk Island), northeastern British Columbia, northwestern Saskatchewan and the Yukon. The largest herds are in Wood Buffalo National Park and the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary, south and west of Great Slave Lake. Free ranging herds also occur in some territories.Habitat:
Boreal forests, scrub-land, meadows along riverbanks and muskeg swamps. In spring and summer, wood bison forage in drier, grassy meadows, shrubby savannahs and parklands. In winter they can be found in wet meadows and intermittently in lake areas, when frozen.Diet:
Sedges and grasses make up 85 percent of their diet; herbs, lichen some shrubs and willow leaves account for the remaining 15 percent.Reproduction:
For most of the year, bison form herds of adult females, sub-adults and calves; separated from mature bulls. As a rule, mature cows and bulls only mix during the rutting (breeding) season from July to early September. Bison are polygamous i.e. they breed with more than one female. During the breeding season, dominant bulls maintain and guard a small harem of females until ready to breed. “Bull roaring” challenges can be heard for miles around, day and night. Males raise tails, arch backs, paw the ground and snort before actually engaging in a pushing match with rivals. Sometimes these matches result in serious injury. If the challenged male does not wish to fight, it will walk away from the challenger.Calves, usually one, are born in May after a gestation period of approximately 277-293 days. The cow leaves the herd, gives birth, and rejoins the herd with the calf as soon as it is able to run, which is in about three hours. Calves gain strength rapidly and are able to run with the herd by autumn. The ones that are born earlier in the season tend to grow larger and become more dominant as adults. They nurse for up to one year and remain with the mother for three, at which time they are sexually mature. Full maturity is at about three years for females and six years for males.