| Zoo Name: | Abilene Zoo |
| Location: | 2070 Zoo Ln Abilene, Texas, United States |
| Date Opened: | 1966 |
| Area: | 16acres |
| Num Species: | >250 |
| Num Animals: | 1100 |
| Members: | AZA |
| Annual Visitors: | 224,805 (2013) 226,919 (2014) |
| Director: | Jesse Pottebaum (2019–present) |
| Owner: | City of Abilene |
The Abilene Zoo is a 16acres zoo located in Abilene, Texas. The zoo has over 800 animals representing over 175 species. Attendance for 2021 was 255,000.
Abilene zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1985. The zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program, allowing members to obtain free or reduced admissions at many other American zoos.
The zoo is funded by the City of Abilene and the Abilene Zoological Society, a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
The original Abilene Zoological Gardens was built in Fair Park in 1919. Today residents of Abilene know that park as Rose Park. In 1963, the Abilene Zoological Society was formed to support and raise funds for a new larger Zoo at a completely new location. A massive public campaign unused. The city's former airport was selected as the new location. A 39 acre piece of land. In fact the Zoo's new parking lot was once the airport's runway, where Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart once landed their planes. Private citizens donated animals, equipment, resources, and even purchased the Abilene Zoo an elephant. On July 2, 1966, the Abilene Zoo officially opened its gates at their new location, Grover Nelson Park on Abilene's east side.
In 1985, the zoo first received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
In 2006, $1.1 million was raised through a bond issue for zoo improvements. This bond funded converting part of the Discovery Center into the Creepy Crawly Center, expansions to the giraffe exhibit and the parking lot, and creating a South American Trails exhibit, the Wetlands Boardwalk, and the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit.
In 2007, one of the zoos elephants died at age 49 amidst some controversy over conditions for the elephants at the zoo, and the other was sent to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. The elephant exhibit was then turned into an exhibit for black rhinoceroses. The new $3.7 million Adventure Center (visitor services, administration, and education, all privately funded) and the new Creepy Crawler Center were also opened in 2007.
In 2009, the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit was completed with funds from the 2006 bond issue plus a $525,000 grant from the Grover Nelson Foundation.
In 2013, a new Caribbean Cove section opened, featuring exotic birds, reptiles, and mammals from Caribbean countries.
In 2016, one of the Zoo's most iconic habitats opened. Giraffe Safari redefined the giraffe habitat. Allowing Abilene Zoo visitors a chance to feed and get nose to nose with giraffe. Along with new habitats that visitors must pass on their way up to the feeding deck.
In 2021, the Zoo opened Journey to Madagascar. This new area featured lemurs, fossa, reptiles, and birds.
In the spring on 2022, the Zoo announced a ten year master plan had been completed. The Zoo stated that the plan would open in four sperate phases. The habitats would feature new lions, rhinoceros, and wide open savanna habitats. The expansion will grow the Zoo from 16 to 39 acres, the largest expansion since 1966. The Zoo announced the addition of new species such as meerkats, pygmy hippopotamus, cheetah, wildebeest, and bison. The announcement also included a new train ride, play area, concert venue, restaurant, and renovations to current habitats. The cost of the plan was not announced.
This is a selected list of when buildings and exhibits were created:
This exhibit includes a bridge crossing over it which allows visitors to pet and feed the giraffes.Construction began on a new $3.8 million Giraffe Safari exhibit, and opened in April 2016. The new exhibit doubled the size of the old habitat, and includes the zoo's new male giraffe and two females. This section also features other African mammals including striped hyenas, Grant's zebras, a southern black rhinoceros (also known as south-central black rhinoceros) and lions.
This exhibit displays wildlife from South America, such as macaws, monkeys, and assorted amphibians. It also includes a large sand area for kids, while their parents take a break at the nearby tables and chairs.
The zoo's herpetarium, opened in December 2007 in what was part of the Discovery Center. The exhibit was designed and built by the zoo's management and staff, and contains 50 naturalistic exhibits with 80 species of reptiles and amphibians.Also part of the Discovery center, the Tropical Aviary is a climate controlled indoor aviary that is home to the zoos tropical birds. The zoo also has Bird Gardens which house other birds in its possession.
Completed in 2009, this area houses species native to the Elm Creek area of Texas, including cougars, coyotes, porcupines, raccoons, bobcats, ringtails, armadillos, skunks, and river otters, as well as a some birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians.
An elevated boardwalk that lets visitors get a close look at animals that inhabit the wetlands exhibits at the zoo. The various wetlands exhibits are home to a variety of wetland dwellers including alligators, flamingos, waterfowl, and Attwater's prairie chicken.
This $300,000 project opened in March 2018. As soon as guests walk through the gate, they'll see this new exhibit, which houses African birds: lesser flamingos and yellow-billed ducks.
The Adventure Center, which opened in 2007, is a 12000square feet complex that includes admissions, customer relations, and a gift shop, as well as administrative offices and classrooms that can hold up to 150 people.
The current master plan, developed by Parkhill, a Texas-based Architecture and Engineering firm, created in 2022 includes four phases. The first three phases build out on 23 acres of undeveloped zoo property to the North of the current zoo. Cost of the new master plan has yet to be released. In summer 2022, a news story unveiled additional growth for the zoo. Adding newly acquired land adjacent to the undeveloped 23 acres. The newly added land totals 18 acres and the zoo announced plans to convert it into a native grassland habitat and wetland, featuring American bison and pronghorn antelope.