John Ball Zoo (@JBZOOGR) / X

John Ball Zoo

2,476 posts

John Ball Zoo

@JBZOOGR

A non-profit organization dedicated to saving Wildlife and Wild Places🐾🌳

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Joined November 2009

John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Aug 28, 2025
It’s a girl! 🩷 Yuki's little spicy ball of fur has a name; meet Juniper! 🌲 Named after the juniper trees of the Himalayas, this paws-itively adorable cub has been spending most of her time getting to know her surroundings and snuggling close to mom. 📷: Zookeeper Valerie
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Aug 2, 2025
Spotted: baby's first check-up 😍 📷: Zookeeper Amanda
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Oct 19, 2025
Spotted: a little ghost cat and her first pumpkin 🎃 📸: Zookeeper Valerie
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Aug 19, 2025
Tiny eyes, big attitude 👀 Our snow leopard cub’s eyes have recently opened, and during a quick routine check-up, this little one showed off plenty of personality (and a touch of spice 🌶️).
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Sep 4, 2025
A little splash of joy has arrived 🦛💕 Penelope and Jahari are proud first-time parents to an 11-pound pygmy hippo calf, born Sept. 3! This is the first ever pygmy hippo calf at the Zoo, a truly historic moment. 📸: Zookeeper Amanda
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Oct 23, 2025
Snow leopard seal of approval: 10/10 would rub again 🪵 Our snow leopards Yuki and Juniper received a smelly surprise: a fancy new log sprayed with perfume. They spent some quality time together sniffing, rubbing, and making silly faces while taking in the unique scent.
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Nov 15, 2025
That leaf pile never stood a chance 😅 Our leopard ladies received a crunchy pile of leaves from the mountain lion habitat behind the scenes. 🍂 It didn't take long for Juniper to go full-on leaf chaos mode, pouncing, rolling, and turning over every leaf in sight.
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Sep 22, 2025
Fall trend report: fluffy bellies and toe beans 🍂 📷: Zookeeper Hannah
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Sep 28, 2025
Junie meeting her dad, Mylo ✨ Snow leopards generally are solitary animals. After mating, males go their own way, leaving mothers to raise their cubs on their own. Moments like this give us a rare glimpse into a connection you wouldn't normally see in the wild. ❄️
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Oct 5, 2025
Water you think Juniper’s been up to? 🐾 Junie’s still busy bonding with mom behind the scenes, but stay tuned for updates on when she'll be making her first appearance outside. 🥰 📷: Zookeeper Valerie
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Oct 2, 2025
Jaw ready for this 👊 You still have a chance to vote on a name for our feisty boy! Voting ends tomorrow, October 3rd, at noon, when the winning name will be announced: jbzoo.org/baby-hippo-nam… 📷: Zookeeper Hannah
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Oct 7, 2025
Personal space? Hugo’s still working on that… He’s just a baby. 🥹 📸: Zookeeper Amanda
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Sep 13, 2025
The hippo may be stealing the show, but our snow leopard cub is shining in her own cozy spotlight.✨ Juniper (aka Junie) has discovered meat 🥩… and mischief. When she’s not snacking, she’s on her back kicking, batting, and biting at mom. 😅 She may be tiny, but she is fierce.
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John Ball Zoo
@JBZOOGR
Nov 6, 2025
Spotted: Little Junie is out and about👀 Our snow leopard cub is now exploring her habitat with mom! True to her nickname as the “ghost of the mountain,” she can be tricky to spot as she finds her favorite hiding places. 🍂 Visit before we close for the season Nov. 23!👋
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