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Wildlife Health
& Science Centre

Step inside one of the most advanced wildlife health and science facilities in Canada 

This leading-edge facility is a hub of veterinary medicine, conservation breeding, animal welfare science, nutrition science, reproductive physiology, and field conservation research. Purpose-built to meet the highest standards of care, it supports both the everyday and extraordinary health needs of the animals that call our Zoo home.

Witness Conservation in Action Partnerships & Collaboration Training the Next Generation Designed for Innovation Donate

Witness

Open Daily - Free With Admission

What truly sets the Wildlife Health & Science Centre apart is that you can see it in action. Through our public viewing gallery, guests get an exclusive look into the behind-the-scenes care provided by our dedicated team. Peek into rooms where real medical procedures and scientific investigations take place, including:

  • Diagnostic Imaging
  • Surgical Suite
  • Treatment and Recovery
  • Clinical and Endocrinology Labs

Designed to educate and inspire, the Centre bridges the gap between wildlife well-being and public engagement—offering a rare window into the medical and scientific expertise that powers our wildlife conservation efforts.

Find the Wildlife Health & Science Centre near the Tundra Zoomobile Station, just past the Greenhouse.

Come discover the incredible science behind wildlife care and conservation.

Conservation in Action

Inside the Wildlife Health & Science Centre

Wildlife Health: Clinical Spaces and Facilities
Thoughtfully designed workspaces give our veterinary team the room and resources they need to collaborate and innovate—whether responding to an emergency or advancing a new research initiative. 

Modern treatment, surgical, and laboratory areas enhance our capacity to care for animals of all sizes. Outfitted with digital X-rays, ultrasounds, and specialized equipment, these spaces allow for efficient diagnosis, recovery, and high-precision procedures.

Preventative Medicine
From regular health checks and bloodwork to diagnostic imaging and neonatal care, our focus on prevention reduces illness and improves outcomes. Many animals are trained to participate voluntarily, making care more comfortable and effective.

Wildlife Critical Care
Thirty dedicated care units accommodate animals of various sizes and needs. Each one is designed to provide privacy, reduce stress, and support post-operative recovery, complete with access to outdoor spaces.

Reproductive Science
The Centre houses Canada’s only dedicated zoo-based Reproductive Science program for wildlife and Canada’s most diverse biobank storing genetic material from over 100 different species.

Reproductive Health
Through the gallery window, you can watch researchers prepare a variety of biological samples for hormone analysis including progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone or stress-related hormones like cortisol. This information provides us with a better understanding of reproductive health and an overall sense of individual or population-level well-being.

Reproduction at the cellular level
From assessing sperm and oocyte (egg) quality and in vitro embryo production to breeding techniques such as artificial insemination and embryo transfer, we can use a range of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) to support wildlife conservation breeding efforts. Especially for endangered species, ARTs can resolve reproductive challenges and aid in rehabilitating a struggling population.

Long term genetic preservation
For nearly 40 years we have been gathering and preserving valuable genetic material from some of the planet’s most endangered wildlife. Our cryobank includes living cells such as sperm, oocytes and embryos that can are vital to support conservation breeding and species recovery efforts as well as non-living tissues that have been instrumental in helping to uncover crucial events in animal biology.

Learn More About Our Cryobank

Wildlife Nutrition
With three full-time wildlife nutritionists on staff, the Nutrition Science team supports individualized diets tailored by species, season, and life stage. Our Food Production and Nutrition Research Units work together to support health from the inside out. Through our integrated and evidence-based approach to animal well-being, we aim to optimize health through nutrition by monitoring diets, behaviour, physiology and biomarkers. Our goals are to develop research projects that address knowledge gaps within nutritional ecology and animal welfare, expand the use of innovative technologies to enhance non-invasive health monitoring, and to apply research findings with our partners to drive conservation impact for both ex-situ and in-situ populations.

Indigenous Relations
We work in partnership with Indigenous communities, Indigenous scientists and knowledge keepers to gain a better understanding of how traditional land-based knowledge can be respectfully braided with conventional science. Integrating Indigenous knowledge systems is consistent with a holistic OneHealth approach and is being applied in a variety of areas, including select field conservation programs, and youth land stewardship initiatives.

Conservation Breeding
The Centre powers conservation breeding programs for Canadian Species At Risk including the Vancouver Island marmot, eastern loggerhead shrike, Blanding’s turtle and eastern massasauga. Offspring born or hatched in the Centre are translocated to augment endangered wild populations and safeguard the species from local or global extinction. The Centre also serves as a living laboratory where we, and our academic partners, develop and enhance husbandry techniques to maximize the reproductive output of our program species.

Partnerships and Collaboration

We work closely with Indigenous, academic and government conservation organizations to:  

  • Improve our understanding of wild species and their role in the ecosystem and their connection with local communities.
  • Remain leaders in developing best practices for animal health and well-being.
  • Safeguard biodiversity through the long-term storage of genetically valuable cells in our biobank
  • Support wild populations through conservation breeding and reintroduction programs. 

These partnerships expand our reach and make the Centre a critical link between in-zoo care and field-based recovery.

Training the Next Generation of Wildlife Conservationists:

University and college students, interns, and visiting researchers contribute to and learn from our ongoing projects. These collaborations extend our impact and nurture the next generation of wildlife professionals.

Designed

for Innovation

The Wildlife Health & Science Centre spans over 50,000 square feet, purpose-built for excellence in animal care, research, and conservation, it balances functionality, sustainability, and the unique needs of wildlife.

Eco-wise Features include:

  • Hygienic, animal-safe materials
  • A green roof established with water-wise native plants
  • Bird-friendly glazing  on all windows
  • Efficient LED lighting, low-flow systems, and
  • High efficiency air-sourced heat pumps
  • Native and drought-resistant landscape with oil/grit separator for water-wise filtration
  • Energy-efficient white roof

Every element was chosen to support the well-being of the animals—and the future of global conservation efforts.
 

Support the Future of Wildlife Health

Your donation helps us protect endangered species, advance veterinary and nutritional science, and inspire the next generation of wildlife conservationists.

Donate to the Wildlife Health & Science Centre

Together, we can create a world where people, wildlife, and wild spaces thrive.