Animals

Species

More than 150 animals and over 40 species call Riverview Park and Zoo home!  At our zoo, all animals have a choice to be inside their private holdings or out in their naturalized exhibits.

Get to know the animals at Riverview Park and Zoo:

burmese python under sticks on wood shavings

Reptiles

Reptiles are ectothermic or cold-blooded, they also have a backbone, which means they are vertebrates.  Most reptiles lay hard-shelled eggs, but a few give birth to live young.
sloth hanging upside down

Mammals

Mammals include all animals that are warm-blooded vertebrates with hair or fur. They feed their young with milk and have more developed brains compared to other types of animals. We are home to 16 different species of mammals.
close up of emu staring at camera

Birds

We all know that birds have feathers, but this is actually a defining characteristic found on every living bird species! They also have wings, but not all birds can fly. Birds lay eggs and are more closely related to reptiles than mammals. 

Habitats

monkey on a branch

Primate Building

The primate building is home to squirrel monkeys and two-toed sloths. Red-rumped agoutis, birds, and tortoises also live in this building. There are indoor and outdoor viewing windows on multiple sides of the building.

otters playing underwater

Otter Exhibit

Our outstanding otter exhibit opened in 2007 and has two pools, a waterfall, and a slide, as well as outdoor land areas for the animals to roam, play, and hide. Our zookeepers host otter enrichment sessions every day at 1:30 PM where the otters are given their afternoon enrichment in the exhibit pools for a great viewing experience.

dwarf crocodile close up in exhibit

Rotary Education Centre Exhibit

The Rotary Education Centre exhibit hosts amphibians and reptiles observed on the south side of the building. Come to visit the plated lizards, ball pythons, Sulawesi Forest turtles and box turtles, Asian water dragons, as well as the dwarf crocodiles.

small brown meerkat with dark mask around eyes up on hind legs

Meerkat Habitat

Thanks in part to the participants of the 2023 Fun Run & Walk, we have one of the largest Meerkat habitats in Canada, with an enhanced outdoor space for our Slender-tailed Meerkat mob. 

Dobbin Building

Seasonally, from July to September, we open the doors to the historic Dobbin Building and welcome you to explore the Conservation Exhibit. This exhibit highlights species that are mostly native to this area, with important conservation stories to tell. 

Zoo Veterinary Health Clinic

We have a CVO Certified Animal Health Clinic on site which allows us to provide high quality care to the animals at our facility. 

Barn

In our barnyard, you can find animals such as alpacas, chickens, and Kunekune pigs. Please note that petting and feeding of any of our animals, including those in the barnyard, is not allowed.