El Paso Zoo to Celebrate International Vulture Awareness Day

The El Paso Zoo & Botanical Gardens will host an International Vulture Awareness Day event at 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 5, near its turkey vulture exhibit.

The community event will include animal enrichment, games, hands-on activities and an educational discussion about vulture conservation. Visitors will also have the opportunity to meet Dexter, a two-year-old female turkey vulture.

Dexter arrived at the Zoo in 2025 through its Raptor Rehabilitation Program after suffering a broken right wing. She was deemed non-releasable because she cannot fly well enough to survive in the wild.

Vultures help keep ecosystems healthy by consuming animal carcasses and organic waste, which can help prevent the spread of diseases affecting wildlife, livestock and people. The birds face threats including poisoning, illegal killing, electrocution and collisions with power lines.

The Zoo’s Raptor Rehabilitation Program cares for more than 100 wild raptors each year, providing veterinary treatment and rehabilitation. Birds that can return to the wild are transferred to regional partners for additional flight conditioning, while non-releasable birds such as Dexter may serve as conservation ambassadors.

More information about the El Paso Zoo & Botanical Gardens and its conservation efforts is available at www.ElPasoZoo.org.