Destination USA Guides

Feature Attractions - Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas
by Carl Burnham

From our visit to the Fort Worth Zoo, we can see why it attracts over a million visitors a year. Variety is everywhere, from koalas to Komodo dragons, harpy eagle to gharial crocodiles, with unique exhibits and special events throughout the year.

Founded in 1909, with less than a dozen animals, the zoo has continued to expand to be one of the top zoos in the country today, exhibiting over 5,000 varieties of wildlife. A rapid expansion took place during the 1990s which included the addition of several permanent exhibits, including Texas Wild!, which contains seven unique areas representing the range of the state's regional wildlife within an 8-acre complex. The most recent exhibit that has been added, Parrot Paradise, allows visitors to walk-through an open aviary to view over 600 exotic birds.

Three species of rhino can be viewed, the black, white and one-horned Asian ones, with the zoo only one of five locations in the world where these can be seen in captivity. Other mammals include all the Great Apes, with the zoo being the only one in the country that exhibits them all.

There is ongoing Asian elephant breeding, one of only four zoos with such a program, and has several noted firsts for captive breeding programs.

Planned behind-the-scenes events and tours can also be scheduled to include a memorable birthday party or overnight stay.

Although the rain shortened our visit, we plan to come back to see more of the zoo's fascinating exhibits.

We would like to thank Lyndsay Nantz, the staff, and volunteers, for making our visit enjoyable and helping with our feature.

Location:
From I-30, exit onto University Drive, then travel south for one mile to Colonial Parkway. Turn left here, and follow the signs to the Zoo.

Hours of Operation:
The Fort Worth Zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with closing hours that change depending on the season.

Admission:
Adults (age 13 and older): $9.75 Seniors (65 and older): $6.25
Children (age 3-12): $7.25 Toddlers (2 and under): Free
Admission is half-price on Wednesdays.
Parking: $5 per car daily

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