Dallas Zoo

Dallas Zoo
Entrance to the Dallas Zoo
Map
32°44′24″N 96°48′54″W / 32.74000°N 96.81500°W / 32.74000; -96.81500
Date opened1888[1]
LocationDallas, Texas, U.S.
Land area106 acres (43 ha)[1]
No. of animals2,000+[2]
No. of species406
Annual visitors1+ million
MembershipsAZA,[3] WAZA[4]
Major exhibitsGorilla Research Center, Endangered Tiger Habitat, Chimpanzee Forest, Simmons Hippo Outpost, Penguin Cove, Giants of the Savanna
Public transit accessDallas Area Rapid Transit:
Websitewww.dallaszoo.com

Dallas Zoo (also called the Dallas Zoological Park) is a 106-acre (43 ha) zoo located 3 mi (5 km) south of downtown Dallas, Texas, in Marsalis Park. Established in 1888, it is the oldest and largest zoological park in Texas[1] and is managed by the non-profit Dallas Zoological Society. It is home to over 2,000 animals representing 406 species.[5] It is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

In 2009, the Dallas City Council unanimously approved the construction of the 11 acres (4.5 ha) Giants of the Savanna Exhibit, and also voted to privatize the zoo.[6] In recent years, attendance has surged. In 2015, the zoo achieved an annual attendance of 1 million+ visitors for the first time.[6] The Dallas Zoological Society is supported by over 25,500 membership households.[citation needed] The DZS manages all fundraising, membership, special events, food services, retail operation, volunteer programs, marketing, and public relations for the zoo under management contract with the City of Dallas.[7]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference zoo_visit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "About the Dallas Zoo". dallaszoo.com. Dallas Zoo. Archived from the original on June 23, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2012.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference aza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference waza_list was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Meet Our Animals". www.dallaszoo.com. Archived from the original on December 23, 2015. Retrieved January 2, 2016.
  6. ^ a b "Dallas Zoo marks one million visitors for first time in its history". dallasnews.com. The Dallas Morning News. September 23, 2015. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  7. ^ "Dallas Zoo Management Agreement" (PDF). dallascityhall.com. Dallas City Hall. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 14, 2012. Retrieved October 26, 2011.