# @thetorontozoo on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DI6NleBxsZm
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/29868801-thetorontozoo-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/295d502093.jpg
- **Posted:** 2025-04-26T12:20:31.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Toronto Zoo (@thetorontozoo) — https://gondola.cc/thetorontozoo

## Caption

It’s #WorldVeterinaryDay 🩺

As we continue moving through this Year of the Snake, we’re proud to highlight our efforts to save the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake 🐍

Did you know? As a team, we’ve been working to save and protect Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes since 1989, providing workshops for Zoo members, guests and those living in areas where rattlesnakes are found.

More than that, your Toronto Zoo is involved in the only Canadian reintroduction effort for Eastern Massasauga rattlesnakes at present, and therefore our tireless efforts are critical to the success of the program 🇨🇦

The AZA Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake SSP (Species Survival Plan) has recently become a SAFE (saving animals from extinction) one; a zoo-based program that is in a unique position to assist with this release effort. Along with our partners, we are working diligently to recover the Eastern Massasauga rattlesnake across its range.

Our efforts involve working alongside multiple partners in the SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) program across North America, as well as First Nations, the province of Ontario, wildlife_preservation_canada, Laurentian University and others.

Veterinary input is also essential to helping ensure the health of snakes in the conservation breeding population, and the released individuals. That input also includes support from Nutrition Science and Welfare Science - working together as a One Well-being team.

We work on site as a team of specially trained Wildlife Care staff (these are venomous reptiles), Veterinary Technicians and Veterinarians, to provide daily best practice care, but also health monitoring, disease screening, and surgical intervention as necessary (e.g. radio-transmitters) 🐍

All in all, this collaborative effort shows how veterinarians and veterinary technicians are critical to saving species. (Scroll through our carousel of photos to see various members of our team involved in this comprehensive #savingspecies project). #AnimalHealthTakesATeam

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## Tags

worldveterinaryday, savingspecies, animalhealthtakesateam

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