general zoo guide.print
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COMMON QUESTIONS
Hours: 9AM-6PM (8AM for Members)
Can I bring outside food and drink in? The only outside food and
drink allowed within zoo grounds are bottled water, small snack-
sized items, and baby food/formula.
Does the Zoo sell food inside? Yes! Feel free to dine at the
Beastro Restaurant, Longnecks Bar and Grill, and the Riverview
Restaurant, as well as multiple ‘to-go’ style eateries such as the
Bear Den, Crossroads, Fun Farm, Lory Café, and Train Café.
Do you accept credit cards? Yes! The San Antonio Zoo accepts all
major credit cards as well as cash. No checks, please.
Can I rent a stroller or wheelchair? Stroller and wheelchairs are
available for rental at the zoo, but guests are encouraged to
bring their own.
CONTACT US
The Zoo is located next to Brackenridge Park and UIW
3903 N. St. Mary’s Street
San Antonio, TX 78212
Phone: (210) 734-7184
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sazoo.org
GENERAL INFORMATION GUIDE
ZOO RATES
ADMISSION – OPEN YEAR ROUND
Members: FREE
Military Discount: $3.00 Off
Adults: $14.25
Senior Citizens 62 and over: $11.25
Children 3 - 11 years: $11.25
Children ages 2 and under: FREE
Parking: FREE
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
San Antonio Zoo Eagle (Train) $3.50
Butterflies! Caterpillar Flight School: $1.50
Lory Landing (Nectar to feed Lories): $1.50
Carousel Ride $2.50
Giraffe Feeding (3 leaves of lettuce): $5.00
SAN ANTONIO ZOO FACTS
1. Established in 1914 2. 501(c)(3) non-profit organization 3. Spans 56 acres, 35 of which are public pathways and
exhibits 4. Home to 750 species of animals 5. One of the first ‘cage-less’ zoos in the country 6. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums with
twenty-five plus years of continuous accreditation status 7. Accredited by the Zoological Association of America 8. One of the largest bird collections in the country 9. Acclaimed breeding programs for endangered and
threatened species 10. Received numerous awards for captive propagation and
participates in over 230 endangered species programs 11. First in the country to breed endangered Whooping
Cranes 12. First zoo to reproduce the endangered White Rhinoceros
in North America 13. First to hatch and rear Caribbean Flamingos 14. Successfully bred 53 endangered Snow Leopards since
1970 15. First to build an amphibian conservation center 16. 1,000,000 guests annually and growing 17. Visited by nearly 80,000 school children each year 18. Specialized education adventures offered for all ages 19. Only zoo in the country to have separate children’s zoo
area 20. Only zoo in the country to have a senior veterinarian on
staff that is double boarded in zoo medicine and in reptile and amphibian medicine
ZOO MISSION
We are dedicated to providing the highest standards of care for our animal and plant collections, a diverse and high quality recreational experience for all visitors, and all the resources at our disposal for conservation of the Earth’s flora and fauna.
“It is the mission of the San Antonio Zoological Society to foster appreciation and concern for all living things.”
ZOO HISTORY
San Antonio's first zoo consisted of a collection of animals
assembled in San Pedro Park in the 1800’s. In 1914, Colonel George
W. Brackenridge placed buffalo, elk, deer, monkeys, a pair of
lions, and four bears on land he had deeded over to the city in
what is now known as Brackenridge Park. This collection became
the San Antonio Zoo. Much about the San Antonio Zoo has
changed since Colonel Brackenridge assembled his collection of
animals in 1914. While the Colonel may not have imagined what
the San Antonio Zoo would become, we can only hope that he
would appreciate all that the Zoo has accomplished. For over 100
years, the collective efforts of dedicated individuals have helped
the San Antonio Zoo become one of the best in the nation.
EXCITING EXHIBITS
GIRAFFES AT THE SAVANNA
The San Antonio Zoo lets you get eye-to-eye and even feed the
world's tallest land mammal. The Savanna features an exciting
redesigned giraffe exhibit and daily interactive feeding
station! Learn all about these majestic creatures under a shaded
overlook supervised and interpreted by Zoo staff and volunteers.
AMAZONIA
This lush outdoor area, encompassing a
large segment of the zoo's waterway, is
home to more than thirty species of
tropical animals and many types of
tropical plants including orchids and
bromeliads. Animals housed in the
Amazonia exhibit include large and
small cats, such as the jaguar and the
ocelot. Cotton-topped tamarins,
marmosets, capuchins, white-faced saki
monkeys, armadillos, bats, fish, and
birds such as macaws and the giant
Andean condor also reside in this area of the zoo.
TOADALLY
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums designated 2008 as the
Year of the Frog to raise awareness of the amphibian extinction
crisis and engage the public in related conservation efforts. Frogs
are going extinct and so are toads, salamanders, newts, and the
intriguingly unusual caecilians.
SUPPORT THE ZOO
VOLUNTEER
If you are passionate about animals and conservation then
volunteering for the Zoo will be a fulfilling experience. The Zoo is
open 365 days a year so our volunteer opportunities are flexible.
Volunteer opportunities include Youth Volunteer (age 14-18),
Docents (adults), Interns, and Corporate or Military Group
Volunteers.
SPONSOR
A partnership with the San Antonio Zoo offers opportunities for
corporate partners to capitalize on the Zoo’s universal appeal
and not only “reach” their audience, but to support one of the
community’s greatest cultural resources. No other sponsorship
opportunity in this market offers such a positive response and
enthusiasm like sponsorship opportunities at the San Antonio
Zoo.
ADOPT-AN-ANIMAL
The San Antonio Zoo is home to a wide variety of animals
representing 750 species of invertebrates, fish, amphibians,
reptiles, birds, and mammals. You can help us provide for the
care and feeding of the Zoo’s living collection by sponsoring an
animal for one year through our Adopt-an-Animal program. You
can adopt any animal in the Zoo. In return for your donation, we
will send you or your gift recipient the sponsorship package that
accompanies that particular gift level.
DONATE
Donations are accepted in the following categories: Annual Fund,
Animal Hospital, Zoo School, Honorarium, and Memorial.
Conservation Fund.
PRIVATE EVENTS
HOST A PARTY
The San Antonio Zoo is a wonderful place to hold your after-hours
meetings, company picnics, family reunions, holiday parties, or
receptions. We have even recently hosted a large-scale wedding!
Enjoy home-style meals prepared especially for you by our full-
service caterer. As a complimentary service, a San Antonio Zoo
catered-event consultant will simplify the planning process by
facilitating all event logistics. Our catered-event consultant will
help you plan a memorable dining experience to accommodate
groups of 70 to 150 people.
CUSTOM PROGRAMS
Do you have your own group of 15 or more participants? Book a
custom program today! The Education Department can design a
special program to meet your needs. Night tours, overnights, scout
programs, team building events and behind the scenes
opportunities can be arranged; as scheduling permits.
EXCITING EXHIBITS
GIBBON FOREST
A naturalistic enclosure that spans the rock quarry wall located
next to the Komodo dragons and the langurs' exhibit. Guests can
closely examine the gibbons' behavior through glass panels that
provide an uninterrupted site line. Wire fabric secures the
enclosure and natural landscaping with ropes and vines give the
gibbons opportunity for movement and play. In addition, graphics
explain their endangered status and the Zoo's efforts in
conservation.
ELEPHANT EXHIBIT
The San Antonio Zoo’s home for Asian elephants exceeds the
space and design standards for multiple elephants as established
by both of its accrediting organizations, the Association of Zoos
and Aquariums and the Zoological Association of America.
Recently, the zoo completed a project that extended the existing
rain garden along the front of the elephant habitat, enlarged the
elephant pool, and added an access yard
HIXON BIRD HOUSE
One of few fully enclosed and cooled exhibits in the San Antonio
Zoo, the Hixon Bird House is a great place to sit, relax, cool off and
enjoy the company of some of the world's fascinating feathered
creatures. Each glass-fronted has been painted, planted,
landscaped and decorated to house birds in an environment as
close as possible to their natural habitat.
EXCITING EXHIBITS
GIBBON FOREST
A naturalistic enclosure that spans the rock quarry wall located next
to the Komodo dragons and the langurs' exhibit. Guests can closely
EXCITING EXHIBITS
CRANES OF THE WORLD
Cranes of the World is home to whooping crane, blue crane,
Manchurian crane and hooded crane. The exhibit is a lush
environment constructed on the Zoo's existing waterway that
allows guests to be immersed in the cranes' habitat - an
opportunity that is becoming increasingly rare in the wild.
AFRICA LIVE!
As home to some of the world's
most extraordinary animals.
Africa is a continent like no other
because more animals are
threatened by loss of habitat
than any other factor. Due to this,
it is especially important for
people to view these magnificent
animals in their natural habitat. It
is our goal to transport Zoo
visitors into this majestic land.
Hippos, crocodiles, and African cichlids from Lake Tanganyika and
Lake Malawi are visible through underwater viewing windows that
allow guests to see these creatures in the environment where
they spend much of their lives.
LION EXHIBIT
The San Antonio Zoo will be opening a new, expanded Lion Exhibit
in October 2016. This will feature glass walls, allowing visitors to
view the lions much closer. The Zoo also plans to facilitate a tug-
of-war game of lions versus guests through the wall to encourage
interaction.
CONSERVATION
FIELD CONSERVATION
The San Antonio Zoological Society participates in a wide variety
of field conservation efforts locally and around the world! On
average, the San Antonio Zoo contributes over $175,000.00 through
direct funds and research grants dedicated to programs geared
towards species population status, habitat preservation, and
potential causes for declines. The San Antonio Zoo is also involved
in local community training and stewardship projects as well as
participating in species reintroductions into wild habitats!
SPECIES SURVIVAL PLANS
Species Survival Plans were developed by the American Zoo and
Aquarium Association in 1981 to manage the breeding of captive
animal populations in order to maintain healthy, self-sustaining
populations for endangered taxa in zoos and aquariums
throughout North America. The goal is to maintain a genetically
diverse and demographically stable population for each
population. Since its conception, the SSPs have evolved to become
more holistic cooperative conservation programs encompassing a
wide variety of activities such as research, public education, fund
raising, field projects and reintroduction. The mission of the
program is to help ensure the survival of selected wildlife species
into the future and to provide a link between zoo and aquarium
animals and the conservation of their wild counterparts.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
The San Antonio Zoological Society is dedicated to the research
and conservation of both in situ and ex situ conservation initiatives
that take place all over the world.
EDUCATION
ZOO SCHOOL
Started in 2004, Zoo School is a fully licensed preschool. It is one of
the only preschools in San Antonio that uses nature as the
integrating thread tying together the school’s philosophy,
methodologies, classroom design and outdoor spaces.
ZOO CAMP
All summer camp themes include up-close animal encounters and
Zoo tours, as well as themed games, projects, and activities in a
fun, nature-play based environment. To provide age appropriate
experiences, campers will be grouped based on the grade level
they will be entering in the fall.
EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS
EVERYDAY ENCOUNTERS
1 0:00 - Gibbons 10:00 - Giraffe Feeding 10:30 - Aldabra Tortoises 11:00 - Rhinoceros 11:30 - Elephant 1:00 - Fun Farm 1:30 - Tigers 2:00 - Giraffe Feeding 2:30 - King Vultures 3:00 - Hippos 4:30 - Animal Close Up
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
ZOOTENNIAL CAROUSEL
This dazzling carousel features four Texas favorites—the
endangered whooping crane, the white-tailed deer, the Texas
horned lizard, and even the jackalope. Each animal on the
carousel is unique and the Texas natives are joined by a
menagerie of real and imaginary animals like the white ostrich, a
sea-dragon, the hummingbird, a tiger shark, and a polar bear.
Two chariots, including a spinning “bird’s nest,” complete the
collection of carousel rides.
TINY TOT NATURE SPOT
While visiting Kronkosky's Tiny Tot Nature Spot, children will be
encouraged to get out of their strollers (and in many cases their
shoes and socks) for a hands-on encounter with real, wild, life!
Specially designed areas and well-trained staff, called Play
leaders, will help children and their families immerse themselves
in nature. To enhance your trip for children five and under, check
the schedule posted near the Nature Spot entrance for daily
animal presentations.
SPECIAL ATTRACTIONS
ZOO TRAIN
Since 1956, the San Antonio Zoo Eagle (formerly known as the
Brackenridge Eagle) has chugged along the tracks skirting the
banks of the San Antonio River as it makes its way through one
of San Antonio's most popular parks. Today, various stops
include the Witte Museum, Kiddie Park, and the Japanese Tea
Gardens (also known as the Sunken Gardens). All stops are
weather permitted and may change without notice.
BUTTERFLY! CATERPILLAR FLIGHT SCHOOL
Guests experience a spectacular butterfly garden where they
are immersed in a lush butterfly habitat surrounded by hundreds
of butterflies from an assortment of different species moving
freely throughout the exhibit.
LORY LANDING
An Australian rainforest
environment that engages Zoo
guests with hundreds of brightly
colored, nectar-eating lorikeets.
Visitors come in close contact
with these beautiful and
gregarious small parrots.
Guests can purchase a cup of
nectar from which the lorikeets
feed while perched on their
hand or resting on their
shoulder.