Austin Zoo facts for kids
Zoo entrance
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| Date opened | 1990 (as Good Day Ranch) |
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| Location | 10808 Rawhide Trail Austin, Texas, U.S. |
| Land area | 16 acres (6.5 ha) |
| Coordinates | 30°15′25″N 97°56′09″W / 30.256876°N 97.935761°W |
| No. of animals | 300 |
| No. of species | 100 |
| Annual visitors | 232,000 |
| Memberships | ZAA |
The Austin Zoo is a special place in Travis County, Texas, near Austin. It's not just a regular zoo; it's a non-profit organization that helps animals. Their main goal is to rescue animals, protect them, and teach people about wildlife. The zoo is home to over 300 animals from more than 100 different types of species. You can see amazing animals like African Lions, Bengal tigers, cougars, and even different kinds of monkeys!
Contents
The Story of Austin Zoo
The Austin Zoo started in 1990 as a place called Good Day Ranch. It was a home for animals that needed help. Back then, most of the animals were farm animals like goats, pigs, and ponies. There were only a few exotic animals.
Over time, more and more exotic animals came to live there. So, in 1994, the name was changed to Austin Zoo. In 2000, the zoo became a non-profit group. This means they use all their money to help the animals and run the zoo, not to make a profit.
Today, the Austin Zoo gives a permanent home to many exotic animals. These animals might have been rescued from owners who couldn't care for them. Some come from other zoos or sanctuaries. Others were given protection through the legal system. For example, in 2009, four wolf-dog mixes found after Hurricane Ike came to live at the zoo.
Exploring the Exhibits
The Austin Zoo has a fun, circular path that takes you to different animal homes. You'll see both exotic animals from far away and animals native to the area. Here are some of the cool places you can visit:
Bird Houses
You'll find many bird houses, called aviaries, between the bear and big cat areas. These are home to colorful birds like grey parrots, Amazon parrots, and rainbow lorikeets. You can also see different kinds of cockatoos and macaws.
Big Cat Kingdom
This area has several exhibits for large cats. You can see powerful African Lions, sneaky cougars, and wild bobcats. There are also amazing tigers. In 2020, a special white tiger named Zulema joined the zoo after being rescued.
Capybaras and Bears
In the middle of the zoo, you'll find homes for capybaras, which are the world's largest rodents. You can also see American black bears and different types of foxes here.
The Dairy Barn
This is a fun farm animal area where you can feed some of the animals! You can give treats to Boer goats, Nigerian dwarf goats, pigs, and sheep. Nearby, you'll see habitats for emus, zebras, ostriches, axis deer, and llamas.
Primate Palace
Step into the Primate Palace to see different kinds of monkeys and other primates. Here live capuchin monkeys, lorises, patas monkeys, colobus monkeys, and playful ring-tailed lemurs.
Tortoise Barn
This large barn and outdoor area is home to the giant Galápagos tortoise. These amazing creatures can live for a very long time!
Train Depot
Near the east side of the park, you can hop on a children's train for a fun ride. In this area, you'll also find the habitat for the American alligator.
Reptile House
If you like reptiles and spiders, visit the indoor Reptile House. It's home to many different reptiles and arachnids.
Zoo Land
The Austin Zoo owns a large piece of land, about 54 acres in total. Right now, 16 acres are used for the zoo's animal homes and exhibits. The extra land is kept for the future. This allows the zoo to grow and change as needed, making more space for animals or new exhibits.
See Also
- List of zoos in Texas
