I visited the Abilene Zoo in February 2022, so about a year ago. I’ve been meaning to write up a review of it for a while, but was busy or got sidetracked every time I thought about it. I did make a species list and uploaded all of my photos, which I’ll reference here; however, I was really surprised by how solid a medium-sized zoo this is and I’d like to give it some attention. The zoo is less than 15 acres in size and not particularly crowded with enclosures, yet it has ~200 species on display and I spent 3 hours there. The zoo is about 2 to 2.5 hours outside the Dallas-Fort Worth area, just off I-20; therefore, while I don’t expect it to ever become super well-visited on here maybe more people in the Metroplex or traveling west through Texas will make the pit stop if they know more about it!
My review is over 2,000 words and will use 40+ photos, so I’m going to split it up into three posts – this one today, then two more over the next few days.
Zoo Map:
Note: all photos used in this review are my own.
This first post today will cover the Pink, Dark Green, Teal and Blue zones along the lake end.
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Right past the entrance is Nakuru Lagoon; this is a low-key grassy exhibit for flamingos, a popular choice of “entrance animal”. Abilene opens with Lesser Flamingos though, the least common of the four species here. Unfortunately the Lesser Flamingos were all inside their glass-fronted indoor enclosure (I can’t remember the reason why), but a few Coscoroba Swans were dozing outside to fill their place. There were also a few wild Great-tailed Grackles pecking about; the zoo was absolutely blanketed with these birds, buzzing and trilling everywhere!
Past the first enclosure is Wetlands of the Americas, a series of marsh enclosures viewed from an elevated walkway. Along the first portion of the boardwalk is a large fenced-in pond - decorated with palmettos and a boat - for American Alligator and Whooping Crane, which rotate seasonally. As it was still winter I saw no alligators, so a single crane was patrolling the fence perimeter. On the other side was a smaller, narrower enclosure for more Whooping Cranes.
Further down the boardwalk were a pair of pond enclosures for waterfowl; more Coscoroba Swans, a flock of Caribbean Flamingos, and a small assortment of wild Mallards and captive waterfowl (Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Northern Shoveler, and Greylag Goose). A cacophany of grackles were present here too. Along the boardwalk was some theming in the form of random colorful shacks, one with the sign “Mike’s Bait-and-Tackle”. I thought this extra touch wasn’t really necessary, but otherwise this is a nice set of enclosures – and Whooping Cranes are a species you don’t see every day!
Further down the path is a rather unique exhibit called Caribbean Cove, featuring a number of species from Central America and northern South America. This area was another example of notable but not over-the-top theming: colorfully-painted small structures, white poles supporting strings of lights, and thatched-grass roofs on mesh cages. Thick mesh cages made up most of the enclosures in this small area – though attention was paid to having adequate furnishings, privacy, sun protection and usable area.
Some unusual species inhabit this part of the zoo: a highlight for me was my first Tayra, which was actively roaming around and feeding. A Guianan Toucanet would have also been a highlight, though unfortunately it was not on display - actually, many species in this area were not on display when I visited for whatever reason. Caribbean Cove also has toucans, macaws, monkeys, dwarf caiman, turtles and an aviary with half a dozen aquatic birds. A wall of eight terrariums labeled for amphibians were boarded up, for reasons unclear to me (but again may have been seasonal). The end of this area overlooked Nelson Lake on the zoo’s edge, which added a bit to the “seaside Caribbean village” aesthetic. I came away thinking it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing complex I’d seen, but it was novel and had a nice array of smaller species so I appreciated it nonetheless.
Species (italics means unseen)
Past Caribbean Cove is a Madagascar complex just built in 2021. This is a very small and simple area – two large wood-and-wire enclosures for lemurs (Ring-tailed and Black-and-white Ruffed) and Fossa, along with a small building and indoor-outdoor bird enclosure – yet it had a surprisingly comprehensive display of African birds and Malagasy herps. In total there were 15 species of reptile and amphibian from the island:
A single mammal – a Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec – also dozed inside a log. Only two of the birds – Crested Coua and Bernier’s Teal – were actually from Madagascar, the remaining few were continental African species - Superb Starling, Blue-bellied Roller, Spur-winged Lapwing, White-cheeked Turaco and Lady Ross's Turaco. Given the few Malagasy species available in American zoos though, this made some sense. The building interior was nicely designed with potted plants, bamboo roof, diamond-thatched walls and a large display board of pinned insects; my only complaint was that - likely due to the large windows letting in sunlight - glare was a notable issue on most of the glass-fronted enclosures.
Outside was also an inexplicable giant colorful statue of a chameleon – can’t argue that’s an innovation!
Fossa Exhibit
Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake
I'll post the second part tomorrow, covering the outdoor African and South American areas at the back of the zoo.
My review is over 2,000 words and will use 40+ photos, so I’m going to split it up into three posts – this one today, then two more over the next few days.
Zoo Map:
Note: all photos used in this review are my own.
This first post today will cover the Pink, Dark Green, Teal and Blue zones along the lake end.
--------------------------------
Right past the entrance is Nakuru Lagoon; this is a low-key grassy exhibit for flamingos, a popular choice of “entrance animal”. Abilene opens with Lesser Flamingos though, the least common of the four species here. Unfortunately the Lesser Flamingos were all inside their glass-fronted indoor enclosure (I can’t remember the reason why), but a few Coscoroba Swans were dozing outside to fill their place. There were also a few wild Great-tailed Grackles pecking about; the zoo was absolutely blanketed with these birds, buzzing and trilling everywhere!
Past the first enclosure is Wetlands of the Americas, a series of marsh enclosures viewed from an elevated walkway. Along the first portion of the boardwalk is a large fenced-in pond - decorated with palmettos and a boat - for American Alligator and Whooping Crane, which rotate seasonally. As it was still winter I saw no alligators, so a single crane was patrolling the fence perimeter. On the other side was a smaller, narrower enclosure for more Whooping Cranes.
Further down the boardwalk were a pair of pond enclosures for waterfowl; more Coscoroba Swans, a flock of Caribbean Flamingos, and a small assortment of wild Mallards and captive waterfowl (Black-bellied Whistling Duck, Northern Shoveler, and Greylag Goose). A cacophany of grackles were present here too. Along the boardwalk was some theming in the form of random colorful shacks, one with the sign “Mike’s Bait-and-Tackle”. I thought this extra touch wasn’t really necessary, but otherwise this is a nice set of enclosures – and Whooping Cranes are a species you don’t see every day!
Further down the path is a rather unique exhibit called Caribbean Cove, featuring a number of species from Central America and northern South America. This area was another example of notable but not over-the-top theming: colorfully-painted small structures, white poles supporting strings of lights, and thatched-grass roofs on mesh cages. Thick mesh cages made up most of the enclosures in this small area – though attention was paid to having adequate furnishings, privacy, sun protection and usable area.
Some unusual species inhabit this part of the zoo: a highlight for me was my first Tayra, which was actively roaming around and feeding. A Guianan Toucanet would have also been a highlight, though unfortunately it was not on display - actually, many species in this area were not on display when I visited for whatever reason. Caribbean Cove also has toucans, macaws, monkeys, dwarf caiman, turtles and an aviary with half a dozen aquatic birds. A wall of eight terrariums labeled for amphibians were boarded up, for reasons unclear to me (but again may have been seasonal). The end of this area overlooked Nelson Lake on the zoo’s edge, which added a bit to the “seaside Caribbean village” aesthetic. I came away thinking it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing complex I’d seen, but it was novel and had a nice array of smaller species so I appreciated it nonetheless.
Species (italics means unseen)
Red-footed Tortoise, Military Macaw
Blue-and-gold Macaw
Tayra
Keel-billed Toucan
Cottontop Tamarin, Linne’s Two-toed Sloth
Several unsigned amphibian tanks (covered up)
Black Wood Turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea), Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus sp)
Channel-billed Toucan
Scarlet Ibis, Cattle Egret, Lesser Scaup, Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-cheeked Pintail, Southern Lapwing, North American Ruddy Duck
Guianan Toucanet
Red-crested Cardinal
Prehensile-tailed Porcupine
Common Squirrel Monkey
Blue-and-gold Macaw
Tayra
Keel-billed Toucan
Cottontop Tamarin, Linne’s Two-toed Sloth
Several unsigned amphibian tanks (covered up)
Black Wood Turtle (Rhinoclemmys funerea), Dwarf Caiman (Paleosuchus sp)
Channel-billed Toucan
Scarlet Ibis, Cattle Egret, Lesser Scaup, Fulvous Whistling Duck, White-cheeked Pintail, Southern Lapwing, North American Ruddy Duck
Guianan Toucanet
Red-crested Cardinal
Prehensile-tailed Porcupine
Common Squirrel Monkey
Past Caribbean Cove is a Madagascar complex just built in 2021. This is a very small and simple area – two large wood-and-wire enclosures for lemurs (Ring-tailed and Black-and-white Ruffed) and Fossa, along with a small building and indoor-outdoor bird enclosure – yet it had a surprisingly comprehensive display of African birds and Malagasy herps. In total there were 15 species of reptile and amphibian from the island:
Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake (Leioheterodon madagascariensis)
Madagascar Tree Boa
Madagascar Ground Boa
Cuvier's Madagascar Swift (Oplurus cuvieri)
Panther Chameleon
Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma grandis)
Neon Day Gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri)
Common Flat-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus)
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
Northern Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides brygooi)
Radiated Tortoise
Tomato Frog (Dyscophus sp)
Golden Mantella
Green Mantella
Brown Mantella
Madagascar Tree Boa
Madagascar Ground Boa
Cuvier's Madagascar Swift (Oplurus cuvieri)
Panther Chameleon
Giant Day Gecko (Phelsuma grandis)
Neon Day Gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri)
Common Flat-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus fimbriatus)
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus)
Northern Spider Tortoise (Pyxis arachnoides brygooi)
Radiated Tortoise
Tomato Frog (Dyscophus sp)
Golden Mantella
Green Mantella
Brown Mantella
A single mammal – a Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec – also dozed inside a log. Only two of the birds – Crested Coua and Bernier’s Teal – were actually from Madagascar, the remaining few were continental African species - Superb Starling, Blue-bellied Roller, Spur-winged Lapwing, White-cheeked Turaco and Lady Ross's Turaco. Given the few Malagasy species available in American zoos though, this made some sense. The building interior was nicely designed with potted plants, bamboo roof, diamond-thatched walls and a large display board of pinned insects; my only complaint was that - likely due to the large windows letting in sunlight - glare was a notable issue on most of the glass-fronted enclosures.
Outside was also an inexplicable giant colorful statue of a chameleon – can’t argue that’s an innovation!
Fossa Exhibit
Malagasy Giant Hognose Snake
I'll post the second part tomorrow, covering the outdoor African and South American areas at the back of the zoo.
