Hello Everyone, this is my first species list that I am publishing to this website, and I figured I would do it with my (closest to a) home zoo - the North Carolina Zoological Park in Asheboro, NC.
I know some species lists have been posted for this facility previously, but the most recent ones I can find were two from 2020 from @nczoofan and @redpanda756. There have been quite a few changes to the lineup since, the biggest being the closure of the Rainforest Aviary, of which many of its former residents have left the public collection. There were some other notable changes as well.
This list is based on my most recent two visits on 9/19/2022 and 9/23/2022. This list will not include ambassador or educational program-only animals. It WILL include the Butterfly Garden. In addition to the species list, I will also provide some of my own notes and observations of changes since my last visit in October 2019.
In addition, I have also compiled this species list in the form of an iNaturalist List (where I am known as maelstromus), which you can view here: North Carolina Zoo Species List. Please note that some English names may not match up.
Without any further ado, let's get started. Latin names provided for your convenience. Species are only listed once, even if they occupy multiple exhibits.
North America
Cypress Swamp
Notes - It appears the Gopher Tortoise/Florida Box Turtle exhibit that was across from the first Alligator exhibit (assuming you go right at the fork) appears to be permanently discontinued; it's overgrown and is clearly unmaintained, with parts of the log barrier missing. There was also an empty terrarium inside one of the large rocks/cypress knees inside the Interpretive Center.
Notes - California Sea Lions, which have been a fixture of this exhibit since my earliest visits, have been gone since the last one passed away and there appear to be no short-term plans for the zoo to add new ones as far as I am aware. Currently, the pinniped exhibit has just one Harbor Seal. Also, the Porcupine exhibit was previously occupied by a Peregrine Falcon (and also a Bald Eagle at one point).
Notes - It seems Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake aren't coming back anytime soon. It is nice to see every enclosure being used, though. Also, the Box Turtle is awkwardly exhibited in a terrarium behind a large rock; you have to look through the exhibits on either side to see it.
Notes - The geyser was down for maintainance; the boardwalk surrounding the geyser has visible damage and was blocked off; expect it to be closed for a while.
Notes - Rock Hyrax appear to be gone for good. Also gone are Frill-necked Lizard (replaced with Colorado River Toad which is now in 2 exhibits), Long-nosed Snake (replaced with another Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skink), Desert Rosy Boa (replaced with Baja Ratsnake making a return), and Black-tailed Rattlesnake (exhibit currently empty and unsigned). The Starling and Coua are new neighbors on the block from the Aviary, with the Honeyeater, Golden Weaver, and Warblers being new additions.
Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden
Notes - The signage for this exhibit did NOT include scientific names. I had to do some work and tried to match them up as much as possible, so below is what I have. This should be mostly accurate. Mostly. But if anyone sees any errors, let me know.
Watani Grasslands Reserve
Notes - Bongo and Addra Gazelle are missing from the signage, but are still present; Addra Gazelle are on exhibit and were seen on the Zoofari tour, and the Zoofari Guide confirmed they have Bongo temporarily behind the scenes for breeding. Currently, the Shanti Loop and the Zoofari are the only ways to see the main exhibit until the Baboon/Antelope trail reopens. A Zoofari tour is highly recommended.
Notes - Neither species was seen on either of my visits. There were no signs of an exhibit closure or renovation going on. Perhaps I just got extremely unlucky?
Notes - Ostrich were not present either here or in the Watani Grasslands. They were still signed, but with a "returning soon" banner. I was unaware Ostriches left the collection; can anyone provide further details? Also, the pond next to one of hte viewing areas is home to at least 2 resident snapping turtles.
Notes - As you are all aware, this exhibit has sadly left the mortal plane back in April. It is still standing, but the entrance is blocked off. However, the Flamingo Exhibit outside is still in use and accessible.
Notes - I am grouping these last several exhibits together since these are all just one-offs and are in the same general area. Also, at the zoo proper, the Chimpanzee exhibit is now called the "Kibale Forest", but the website still calls it the "Kitera Forest" (its previous name).
I know some species lists have been posted for this facility previously, but the most recent ones I can find were two from 2020 from @nczoofan and @redpanda756. There have been quite a few changes to the lineup since, the biggest being the closure of the Rainforest Aviary, of which many of its former residents have left the public collection. There were some other notable changes as well.
This list is based on my most recent two visits on 9/19/2022 and 9/23/2022. This list will not include ambassador or educational program-only animals. It WILL include the Butterfly Garden. In addition to the species list, I will also provide some of my own notes and observations of changes since my last visit in October 2019.
In addition, I have also compiled this species list in the form of an iNaturalist List (where I am known as maelstromus), which you can view here: North Carolina Zoo Species List. Please note that some English names may not match up.
Without any further ado, let's get started. Latin names provided for your convenience. Species are only listed once, even if they occupy multiple exhibits.
North America
Cypress Swamp
Notes - It appears the Gopher Tortoise/Florida Box Turtle exhibit that was across from the first Alligator exhibit (assuming you go right at the fork) appears to be permanently discontinued; it's overgrown and is clearly unmaintained, with parts of the log barrier missing. There was also an empty terrarium inside one of the large rocks/cypress knees inside the Interpretive Center.
- American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis) (in 3 separate exhibits)
- Alligator Snapping Turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) (in 2 separate exhibits)
- Cougar (Puma concolor)
- Eastern Indigo Snake (Drymarchon couperi)
- Eastern Hognose Snake (Heterodon platirhinos)
- Carolina Gopher Frog (Lithobates capito capito)
- Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris)
- Eastern Tiger Salamnder (Ambystoma tigrinum)
- Barking Tree Frog (Hyla gratiosa)
- Marbled Salamander (Ambystoma opacum)
Notes - California Sea Lions, which have been a fixture of this exhibit since my earliest visits, have been gone since the last one passed away and there appear to be no short-term plans for the zoo to add new ones as far as I am aware. Currently, the pinniped exhibit has just one Harbor Seal. Also, the Porcupine exhibit was previously occupied by a Peregrine Falcon (and also a Bald Eagle at one point).
- Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus)
- North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
- Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus)
- Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
- Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)
- Parakeet Auklet (Aethia psittacula)
- Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia)
Notes - It seems Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake aren't coming back anytime soon. It is nice to see every enclosure being used, though. Also, the Box Turtle is awkwardly exhibited in a terrarium behind a large rock; you have to look through the exhibits on either side to see it.
- Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)
- Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus)
- Eastern Creek Chubsucker (Erimyzon oblongus)
- Greenfin Shiner (Cyprinella chloristia)
- Greenside Darter (Etheostoma blennioides)
- Rosyside Dace (Clinostomus funduloides)
- Spottail Shiner (Notropis hudsonius)
- Swallowtail Shiner (Notropis procne)
- Yellowfin Shiner (Notropis lutipinnis)
- Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
- River Cooter (Pseudemys concinna)
- Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
- Shortnose Sturgeon (Acipenser brevirostrum)
- Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
- Redbreast Sunfish (Lepomis auritus)
- Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
- Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
- North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
- Barred Owl (Strix varia)
- Carolina Pygmy Rattlesnake (Sistrurus miliarius miliarius)
- Eastern Copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix)
- Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus)
- Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
- Eastern Ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis) (signed as Elaphe o. obsoleta for some reason)
- Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) (signed as Elaphe guttatus)
- Pine Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus)
- Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
- Northern Cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus)
- Spotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata)
Notes - The geyser was down for maintainance; the boardwalk surrounding the geyser has visible damage and was blocked off; expect it to be closed for a while.
- American Bison (Bison bison)
- American Elk (Cervus canadensis) (they FINALLY updated their signage; was signed as Cervas elaphus for the longest time)
- American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
- Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis)
- Red Wolf (Canis rufus)
Notes - Rock Hyrax appear to be gone for good. Also gone are Frill-necked Lizard (replaced with Colorado River Toad which is now in 2 exhibits), Long-nosed Snake (replaced with another Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skink), Desert Rosy Boa (replaced with Baja Ratsnake making a return), and Black-tailed Rattlesnake (exhibit currently empty and unsigned). The Starling and Coua are new neighbors on the block from the Aviary, with the Honeyeater, Golden Weaver, and Warblers being new additions.
- Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
- Taveta Golden Weaver (Ploceus castaneiceps) (Free-flight)
- Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta) (Free-flight)
- House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) (Free-flight)
- White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) (Free-flight)
- Emerald Starling (Lamprotornis iris) (Free-flight)
- Crested Coua (Coua cristata) (Free-flight)
- Inca Jay (Cyanocorax yncas yncas) (Free-flight)
- Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) (Free-flight)
- Beaded Lizard (Heloderma horridum)
- Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum)
- White-headed Buffalo Weaver (Dinemellia dinemelli)
- Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
- Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
- Pancake Tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri)
- Gorongosa Girdled Lizard (Smaug mossambicus)
- Ornate Uromastyx (Uromastyx ornata)
- Giant Plated Lizard (Matobosaurus validus) (signed as Gerrhosaurus validus)
- Pygmy Spiny-tailed Skink (Egernia depressa) (in 2 separate exhibits)
- Desert Box Turtle (Terrapene ornata)
- Chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater)
- Desert Tortoise (Gopherus agassizii)
- Death Feigning Beetle (Asbolus verrucosus)
- Blue-faced Honeyeater (Entomyzon cyanotis)
- Laughing Kookaburra (Dacelo novaeguineae)
- Giant Vinegaroon (Mastigoproctus giganteus)
- Spiny-tailed Monitor (Varanus acanthurus)
- Hosmer's Skink (Egernia hosmeri)
- (Common) Blue-tonged Skink (Tiliqua scincoides)
- Coloardo River Toad (Incilius alvarius) (in 2 separate exhibits)
- Cape Porcupine (Hystrix africaeaustralis)
- Desert Blonde Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) (signed as just "Tarantula". Thank you NC Zoo, very helpful)
- Western Hognose Snake (Heterodon nasicus)
- Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
- Desert Pupfish (Cyprinodon macularius) (Exhibit was drained, but signage still present)
- Baja Ratsnake (Bogertophis rosaliae)
- Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma mavortium)
- Banded Rock Rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus)
- Speckled Rattlesnake (Crotalus mitchellii)
- Desert Hairy Scorpion (Hadrurus arizonensis)
- (Common) Vampire Bat (Desmodus rotundus)
- Grey Mouse Lemur (Microcebus murinus)
- Sand Cat (Felis margarita)
- Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
- Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)
Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden
Notes - The signage for this exhibit did NOT include scientific names. I had to do some work and tried to match them up as much as possible, so below is what I have. This should be mostly accurate. Mostly. But if anyone sees any errors, let me know.
- Atala (Eumaeus atala)
- Banded Orange Heliconian (Dryadula phaetusa)
- Blue-frosted Banner (Catonephele numilia)
- Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia)
- Common Green Birdwing (Ornithoptera priamus)
- Common Morpho (Morpho helenor peleides)
- Cydno Longwing (Heliconius cydno)
- Dirce Beauty (Colobura dirce)
- Doris Longwing (Heliconius doris)
- Eastern Giant Swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes)
- Giant Owl (Caligo telamonius memnon)
- Glasswing (Acraea andromacha)
- Gulf Fritillary (Dione vanillae)
- Hewitsons Longwing (Heliconius hewitsoni)
- Julia Heliconia (Dryas iulia)
- Malachite (Siproeta stelenes)
- Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
- Painted Lady (Vanessa cardui)
- Pipevine Swallowtail (Battus philenor)
- Polydamas Swallowtail (Battus polydamas)
- Postman (Heliconius melpomene)
- Rice Paper Butterfly (Idea leuconoe)
- Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus)
- Silver-studded Leafwing (Hypna clytemnestra)
- Small White (Pieris rapae)
- Starry Night Cracker (Hamadryas laodamia)
- Tiger Longwing (Heliconius hecale)
- True Cattleheart (Parides eurimedes)
- White Peacock (Anartia jatrophae)
- Whitened Bluewing (Myscelia cyaniris)
- Zebra Longwing (Heliconius charithonia)
Watani Grasslands Reserve
Notes - Bongo and Addra Gazelle are missing from the signage, but are still present; Addra Gazelle are on exhibit and were seen on the Zoofari tour, and the Zoofari Guide confirmed they have Bongo temporarily behind the scenes for breeding. Currently, the Shanti Loop and the Zoofari are the only ways to see the main exhibit until the Baboon/Antelope trail reopens. A Zoofari tour is highly recommended.
- African Bush Elephant (Loxodonta africana) (in 2 separate exhibits)
- Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)
- Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)
- Addra Gazelle (Nanger dama)
- Fringe-eared Oryx (Oryx beisa callotis)
- Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
- Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii)
- Thomsons Gazelle (Eudorcas thomsonii)
- Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa)
Notes - Neither species was seen on either of my visits. There were no signs of an exhibit closure or renovation going on. Perhaps I just got extremely unlucky?
- Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
- Red-ruffed Lemur (Varecia rubra)
Notes - Ostrich were not present either here or in the Watani Grasslands. They were still signed, but with a "returning soon" banner. I was unaware Ostriches left the collection; can anyone provide further details? Also, the pond next to one of hte viewing areas is home to at least 2 resident snapping turtles.
- Reticulated Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)
- Grant's Zebra (Equus quagga boehmi)
- Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Notes - As you are all aware, this exhibit has sadly left the mortal plane back in April. It is still standing, but the entrance is blocked off. However, the Flamingo Exhibit outside is still in use and accessible.
- Chilean Flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
Notes - I am grouping these last several exhibits together since these are all just one-offs and are in the same general area. Also, at the zoo proper, the Chimpanzee exhibit is now called the "Kibale Forest", but the website still calls it the "Kitera Forest" (its previous name).
- Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
- Western Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
- Lion (Panthera leo)
- Red River Hog (Potamochoerus porcus)
- Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas) (Exhibit currently undergoing renovations)
- Mammals - 35
- Reptiles - 34
- Insects - 33
- Birds - 19
- Fish - 15
- Amphibians - 8
- Arachnids - 3
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