North Carolina Zoo

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North Carolina Zoo The North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC is the World's Largest Natural Habitat Zoo, with over 2,800 acres.
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Official account of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Celebrating our Golden Anniversary of 50 wild years! 1947-2024 ✨

World's largest natural habitat zoo. At the North Carolina Zoo, connect with wildlife from two different continents as you explore 500 acres of animals in natural habitats. Walk from Africa’s grasslands to North America’s Arctic coast. Escape to the forests and streams of North Carolina’s beautiful Central Piedmont. Located at the foot of the Uwharrie Mountains, the Zoo is just outside the charming southern town of Asheboro. Discover more than 1,700 animals and 52,000 plants along five miles of shaded pathways.

It’s International Gibbon Day! The Zoo's new Asia region features Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons, a critically endangere...
10/24/2026

It’s International Gibbon Day! The Zoo's new Asia region features Northern White-Cheeked Gibbons, a critically endangered small ape native to Southeast Asia. Yes, they are apes, not monkeys!

Males are black with white bushy cheeks. Females are orange, beige, blonde or golden in color with a black spot on top of their head. Each group of gibbons have a unique “song” that helps in social bonding and serves as a territorial display. The male and female parts of the song are distinct from each other! 🎶 🌿 ✨

Enjoy this sneak peek of one of the THREE gibbons at the North Carolina Zoo. 👀 😜 See these unique primates for yourself in Asia opening March 1, 2027 at noon! We can’t wait to see you! 💚

It’s time to name the Visayan warty piglets and we need your help! 💚🔗 Click the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MH5...
10/23/2026

It’s time to name the Visayan warty piglets and we need your help! 💚

🔗 Click the link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MH5MQR5 to help name the litter of quadruplet piglets born in the Zoo’s new Asia region opening March 1, 2027!

💕 Buddy (mom) and Makaio (dad) welcomed four piglets, one male and three females, all in need of names! Name options were thoughtfully selected by the piglets’ keepers, and your vote will help determine the winning set. Each name is inspired by the plants, cuisines, and/or languages of the Philippines, where the last of these critically endangered pigs roam wild.

👀 Keep an eye on our socials for the winning names announcement on Monday, November 2nd! The naming poll ends Friday, October 30th at 5pm EST. Remember, one vote per device! Happy voting and may the best names win! 🏆✨

Commented names are not counted as votes.

✨Bestowing a digital Alligator BOOP upon you this Thursday! ✨ 🐊 ➡️
10/22/2026

✨Bestowing a digital Alligator BOOP upon you this Thursday! ✨ 🐊 ➡️

10/21/2026

To celebrate Reptile and Amphibian Awareness Day, we asked the h**p keepers the hardest question of their entire career: Reptile or Amphibian? 🤔

Here are their answers…🐍 🐸 🐢

10/21/2026

Tort v. Turtle: Meet Wallace the Galapagos Tortoise and help us shell-abrate World Reptile Day! 🐢🐍🦎🐊

10/21/2026

We have the one and only, Dustin Smith, our Curator of Herpetology here for Reptile and Amphibian Awareness Day! 🦎 🐢 🐸 🐍 Even if reptiles and amphibians are not your favorite, we hope you learn something today and can respect them as living beings! 🫶

10/20/2026

Our Beloved Pet Ofrenda returns for its third year 🧡 The bond we share with our pets never truly goes away, and we invite you to join us in honoring the beloved companions who have crossed the rainbow bridge.

In the spirit of Día de los Mu***os, the North Carolina Zoo’s Beloved Pet Ofrenda is a special place to remember the pets who have touched our lives and left paw prints on our hearts. 🐾

Guests are invited to bring a 4” x 6” photo of a beloved pet who has passed away, decorate a colorful frame, and leave their photo on the Ofrenda altar. If you’re unable to bring a photo, we will have a limited variety of pet printouts available for you to decorate in memory of a special companion. 🌼

Whether they had paws, feathers, scales, or hooves, our pets hold a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to remembering them with you. ❣️

📍 Location: North America Plaza 📅 Dates: October 28 through November 2 ⏰ Time: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 🎟️ Cost: Free with Zoo admission

We hope you’ll join us for this meaningful tradition as we celebrate the lives, love, and lasting memories of the pets who will always be part of our families. 💛

10/20/2026

Lioness Mekita has got some lungs! 🫁 Ever wonder why a lion’s whole body seems to shake when it roars? 🦁

Roaring is literally a full-body workout! Lions use their powerful diaphragm and abdominal muscles to push huge bursts of air from their lungs, which is why you can actually see Mekita’s sides pumping as she roars.

Even crazier? Lions can vocalize while both inhaling and exhaling, helping them create that long, rumbling sound.

Specialized muscles pull the larynx downward, lengthening the vocal tract and giving the roar its incredible bass-like resonance. Basically, a lion doesn’t just open its mouth and roar, it puts its entire chest, lungs, and vocal system to work. 🔊 🦁

A little appreciation for our Zoo veterinary technicians for National Veterinary Tech Week🩺 ❤️🐾We are so grateful for th...
10/19/2026

A little appreciation for our Zoo veterinary technicians for National Veterinary Tech Week🩺 ❤️🐾

We are so grateful for the compassion, dedication, and hard work our veterinary technicians put into caring for the animals every single day.

So much of what they do happens behind the scenes, but their impact is felt throughout the Zoo and, most importantly, in the lives of the animals they care for. This work comes with its challenges, but their patience, kindness, and commitment never go unnoticed.

Thank you for showing up for the animals, no matter the reason. We are incredibly lucky to have such a dedicated team and we hope they know just how valued and appreciated they are, not just today, but every day! 👏

It’s time for an update on the Eastern Creekshell mussel conservation project! Recently, we joined the NC Wildlife Resou...
10/18/2026

It’s time for an update on the Eastern Creekshell mussel conservation project! Recently, we joined the NC Wildlife Resources Commission for a morning of mussel tagging.

Mussel tagging is a crucial step in their conservation. By tagging these Eastern Creekshell mussels, we can track their growth, monitor their health, and study their behavior in the wild. This research helps us understand their needs and improve strategies for their protection. Each tag represents a commitment to preserving our freshwater ecosystems!

Swipe to the last photo to see how much the Mussels have grown! 👀

Address

4401 Zoo Pkwy
Asheboro, NC
27205

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

(800) 488-0444

Website

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