The Memphis Zoo - Home
The Memphis Zoo, in the State of Tennessee, is a well-regarded zoo that is perhaps most famous for being one of only four zoos in the United States with giant pandas. The zoo was founded in 1906, is on 70 acres of land, and has over 3,500 animals in its collection.
Exhibits:
China
Ya Ya and Le Le, who arrived in early 2003, are the giant panda pair and the stars of this immersion set of exhibits. There is a Chinese courtyard, garden, pagodas, marble lions, and a theater that shows a movie on giant pandas. Besides the famous pandas there are asian small-clawed otters, white-cheeked gibbons, Francois' langur monkeys, white-naped cranes, Pere David's deer and a number of different species of pheasants.
Northwest Passage
A series of exhibits that opened in 2006, and the inhabitants here are polar bears, sea lions, bald eagles and black bears.
Cat Country
Ten different felines from three different continents, and the 2008 book "America's Best Zoos" claims that the Memphis Zoo has the #2 best cat collection in the United States. According to the book only the Cincinnati Zoo's cat collection and exhibits are more noteworthy. In Memphis there are african leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, bengal tigers (including a white one), jaguars, cougars, ocelots, caracals, cheetahs and lions. Interspersed closely to their natural enemies are muntjac deer, red pandas, capybaras, fennec foxes, klipspringers and meerkats.
Primate Canyon
A 5-acre set of exhibits for gorillas, orangutans, siamang gibbons, colobus monkeys, Sulawesi macaques, and others.
Animals of the Night
Over 25 animal species, including aardvarks, armadillos, vampire bats and naked-mole rates in this acclaimed nocturnal house. There is a cave with over 400 bats in one section of the building.
Tropical Bird House
Two walk-through aviaries and two long hallways filled with birds.
Dragon's Lair
Three Komodo dragons.
Herpetarium
A decent collection of reptiles and amphibians that include king cobras, chinese alligators and 9 species of pythons.
Other exhibits include an African Savannah set of habitats (bongo, Grant's gazelle, crowned cranes, ostrich, zebra, bontebok, Nile lechwe, scimitar-horned oryx, giraffe, african elephant, white rhino and various other antelope species). A large troop of bonobos, hippos, flamingos, alligators, african black-footed penguins, gerenuk gazelles, red river hogs, warthogs, etc, are all scattered in exhibits through the zoo.
Future Exhibits
The Memphis Zoo - Future Projects
Teton Trek
A 3-acre set of exhibits that will mimic Yellowstone National Park. A 25-foot geyser will entertain children, a two-storey lodge will dominate the landscape, and grizzly bears, timber wolves, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes and a herd of elk will be the animal species on display. Due to open in 2009.
Zambezi River Hippo Camp
Possibly 2010 or 2011, depending on finances and construction costs. Nile crocodiles, hippos, flamingos and okapis are due to be in this set of exhibits.
The Memphis Zoo, in the State of Tennessee, is a well-regarded zoo that is perhaps most famous for being one of only four zoos in the United States with giant pandas. The zoo was founded in 1906, is on 70 acres of land, and has over 3,500 animals in its collection.
Exhibits:
China
Ya Ya and Le Le, who arrived in early 2003, are the giant panda pair and the stars of this immersion set of exhibits. There is a Chinese courtyard, garden, pagodas, marble lions, and a theater that shows a movie on giant pandas. Besides the famous pandas there are asian small-clawed otters, white-cheeked gibbons, Francois' langur monkeys, white-naped cranes, Pere David's deer and a number of different species of pheasants.
Northwest Passage
A series of exhibits that opened in 2006, and the inhabitants here are polar bears, sea lions, bald eagles and black bears.
Cat Country
Ten different felines from three different continents, and the 2008 book "America's Best Zoos" claims that the Memphis Zoo has the #2 best cat collection in the United States. According to the book only the Cincinnati Zoo's cat collection and exhibits are more noteworthy. In Memphis there are african leopards, snow leopards, clouded leopards, bengal tigers (including a white one), jaguars, cougars, ocelots, caracals, cheetahs and lions. Interspersed closely to their natural enemies are muntjac deer, red pandas, capybaras, fennec foxes, klipspringers and meerkats.
Primate Canyon
A 5-acre set of exhibits for gorillas, orangutans, siamang gibbons, colobus monkeys, Sulawesi macaques, and others.
Animals of the Night
Over 25 animal species, including aardvarks, armadillos, vampire bats and naked-mole rates in this acclaimed nocturnal house. There is a cave with over 400 bats in one section of the building.
Tropical Bird House
Two walk-through aviaries and two long hallways filled with birds.
Dragon's Lair
Three Komodo dragons.
Herpetarium
A decent collection of reptiles and amphibians that include king cobras, chinese alligators and 9 species of pythons.
Other exhibits include an African Savannah set of habitats (bongo, Grant's gazelle, crowned cranes, ostrich, zebra, bontebok, Nile lechwe, scimitar-horned oryx, giraffe, african elephant, white rhino and various other antelope species). A large troop of bonobos, hippos, flamingos, alligators, african black-footed penguins, gerenuk gazelles, red river hogs, warthogs, etc, are all scattered in exhibits through the zoo.
Future Exhibits
The Memphis Zoo - Future Projects
Teton Trek
A 3-acre set of exhibits that will mimic Yellowstone National Park. A 25-foot geyser will entertain children, a two-storey lodge will dominate the landscape, and grizzly bears, timber wolves, trumpeter swans, sandhill cranes and a herd of elk will be the animal species on display. Due to open in 2009.
Zambezi River Hippo Camp
Possibly 2010 or 2011, depending on finances and construction costs. Nile crocodiles, hippos, flamingos and okapis are due to be in this set of exhibits.
