Providing head-to-hoof care
Hogle Zoo’s animal care team earns certification
to provide expert hoof care.
Providing the best care means looking after animals from head to toe—or hoof. Caring for hooves might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering animal care at the zoo, but for many species, it’s an essential part of their health and wellbeing.
From towering giraffes to hearty warthogs, hooved animals at the zoo receive regular, customized check-ins to ensure their hooves are trimmed, inspected, and taken care of. Through positive reinforcement training—an approach our team uses to build trust—many animals voluntarily participate in their hoof care.
Training for Top-Tier Hoof Care
A few Hogle Zoo animal care team members recently completed The Zoo Hoofstock Trim Program (ZHTP), an intensive training focused on preventative hoof care and maintenance. This hands-on farrier program equips keepers with the skills to provide routine trims and treatments tailored to each species’ hooves.
Meet the Trim Team:
- Keeper Isaura
- Keeper Cheyenne
- Keeper Beth
- Animal Care Supervisor Michelle
- Animal Care Supervisor Lauren
The trim team cares for 30 hooved animals at the zoo – zebras, Mongolian wild horses, camels, warthogs, burros, giraffes, big horn sheep, and markhor – that’s 120 hooves to maintain! But hoof health isn’t one-size-fits-all. Diet, activity levels, and even seasonal changes all play a role in how an animal’s hooves grow and wear down.
Hoof Care in Action
Hoof care looks different for every species, and our trim team works closely with each one to ensure they get exactly what they need. Mongolian wild horses, for example, rely on strong, durable hooves built for rugged terrain, while warthogs use their hooves to dig protective burrows.
Some hooved animals, or ungulates, walk on the tips of their toes, while others bear weight more evenly across their hooves.
Ungulates are divided into two groups:
- Odd-toed ungulates (like horses and zebras) bear weight on one or three toes.
- Even-toed ungulates (like giraffes, camels, and warthogs) distribute weight more evenly across two toes.
Hoof care looks different for every animal, and our trim team works closely with each one to ensure they get exactly what they need.
Swifty the warthog
6-year-old warthog Swifty’s hoof care routine changes with the seasons. Swifty naturally wears down his hooves in warmer months while running through African Savanna. In colder months, when he prefers long naps over long runs, he requires more frequent trims.
Through Swifty’s daily husbandry and training, he can voluntarily participate in his hoof care. Animals at the zoo always have choice and control when participating in their care, and when they do, they’re always rewarded for their participation. Swifty’s preferred method of positive reinforcement? Belly rubs.
Mikhail, the Mongolian wild horse
For some animals, routine trims are incorporated into regular health procedures, like dental work. Mikhail, among other hoofstock at the zoo, receives annual dental care under anesthesia.
Part of their routine training is training for voluntary injections to support procedures like these, ensuring a smooth and stress-free induction of anesthesia. Climate-controlled areas with padded floors and multiple access points for quick staff and equipment access are used during these procedures.
These comprehensive check-ups give our team a chance to assess multiple aspects of an animal’s health, including their hooves.
Supporting Every Stride
From the sturdy hooves of zebras to the split hooves of our markhor, routine trims and inspections help keep these animals moving comfortably. No matter the species, the goal remains the same: healthy hooves for healthy animals.
Hogle Zoo has been working with ZHTP since 2017 through keeper training, in-person consulting, and virtual support. Our team has shared their expertise at Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) conferences and webinars, presenting on the training program and the importance of hoof care. The trim team also lends their farrier skills to local farms and ranches, while staying up to date on the latest techniques through workshops, webinars, and conferences throughout the year. Thanks to our amazing team members who work hard to ensure healthy hooves!
You can visit all 30 hooved animals throughout the zoo in areas like High Desert Oasis, African Savanna, and Wild Utah.
Animal Wellbeing
Protecting animals in the wild starts with the wellbeing of the animals under our care. Providing excellent animal wellbeing through animal health is a key priority and hoof care is one of the many ways we work to achieve our vision of prioritizing animal wellbeing in everything we do.
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Utah's Hogle Zoo
