Wildfire Smoke and July Heat Are the Main Culprit in the Toronto Zoo's Visitor Drop

The Toronto Zoo's 2026 attendance is down, and Global News reports the main culprit is weather: wildfire smoke along with extreme heat in July, which depressed visits for the first three weeks of the month.

That timing is what stings. July is described as a crucial month for the zoo to welcome visitors, so the damage landed squarely on the stretch of the year the operation counts on most.