Western North Carolina Nature Center facts for kids
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| Date opened | May 1973 |
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| Location | Asheville, North Carolina |
| Land area | 42 acres (0.17 km2; 17 ha) |
| No. of species | 100+ |
| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
| Major exhibits | Otter Falls, Appalachian Station, Appalachian Predators and North Carolina Farm |
| Website | https://wildwnc.org/ |
The Western North Carolina Nature Center is a fun place to visit in Asheville, North Carolina. It's like a special park that covers about 42 acres, which is about the size of 30 football fields! Here, you can see many animals that live in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. The City of Asheville's Parks and Recreation department helps run this amazing center.
The Nature Center has been open for a long time. It first opened in May 1973. Before that, it was known as the Asheville City Zoo. In 1974, it got its current name, the Western North Carolina Nature Center. Since 1999, it has been approved by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This means it meets high standards for animal care and education. In 2013, over 107,000 people visited, including more than 13,000 students on school field trips!
What You Can See and Do
The Nature Center is always growing and adding new things for visitors. They have a big plan called the "2020 Vision" to make the center even better.
Exciting New Exhibits
In 2013, the Nature Center opened a new home for red wolves. These animals are very special and important to protect. They also added an "Arachnid Adventure" playground, which sounds like a lot of fun! In September 2018, a brand new entrance area was opened, making it easier and more welcoming for everyone to visit. There are also plans for a new exhibit called "Appalachian Journey."
Animals from the Past
In 2018, the center started a cool new area about animals that lived in the Appalachian region a very long time ago, about 15,000 years ago! You can see animals that are similar to those ancient creatures. For example, they have animals related to the red panda and even the tapir and rhinoceros. It's like taking a trip back in time to see what North Carolina was like long ago!
