San Antonio Zoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
San Antonio Zoo

Date opened	May 13, 1914
Location	3903 N. St. Mary's Street San Antonio, Texas, United States
Land area	57 acres (23 ha)
Coordinates	29°27′53″N 98°28′19″W / 29.4648°N 98.4719°W / 29.4648; -98.4719
No. of animals	3,500+
No. of species	750
Annual visitors	1.1 million+
Memberships	AZA, ZAA

The San Antonio Zoo Eagle train (4-2-4T locomotive pictured, since retired) carries visitors throughout Brackenridge Park.

Several refreshment outlets, including Crossroads Café, are available at the San Antonio Zoo.

A carousel nearing completion was scheduled to open in 2014 in the San Antonio Zoo.

Desert plant and terrain exhibit at the San Antonio Zoo

The San Antonio Zoo is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo in Midtown San Antonio, Texas, United States. It is located in the city's Brackenridge Park. San Antonio Zoo is a 50+ acre zoo home to over 750 species, some of which are endangered or extinct in the wild, and an annual attendance of more than 1 million. It also runs non-animal attractions, such as the 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge San Antonio Zoo Eagle train ride, which first opened in 1956.

The Richard Friedrich Aquarium was opened in 1948. It was the only aquarium in the city until SeaWorld San Antonio was opened in 1988.

History

What is now known as the San Antonio Zoo began in 1914 when Colonel George Washington Brackenridge, one of the city's leading citizens, placed bison, deer, monkeys, African lions, and bears on land he had deeded to the city. The land became Brackenridge Park and Golf Course.

The San Antonio Zoo opened two of the first cageless exhibits in the United States in November 1929 that offered visitors views of the animals not available in caged exhibits. The Richard Friedrich Aquarium was dedicated in 1948, and the Hixon Bird House, funded through the efforts of Colonel Frederick C. Hixon, opened in 1966.

The San Antonio Zoo housed the first herd of addra gazelle in captivity in 1969 and continues to be active in the breeding program for this critically endangered species. Due to the former hoofstock quarantine point in San Antonio, the San Antonio Zoo has historically had a wide variety of hoofstock species.

The zoo is involved in breeding a number of endangered species including black rhino, leopard, golden lion tamarin, dama gazelle, Attwater's prairie chicken (housed and bred off-exhibit), black mangabey, African lion, black-footed ferret, Komodo dragon, Andean condor, and Caribbean flamingos.

The zoo opened Phase II of Africa Live in 2010. Phase I, which opened in 2007, brought a new exhibit for hippos with underwater viewing area and one for new Nile crocodiles as well as many other smaller animals. Phase II contains Angolan colobus monkeys, okapi, African hunting dogs, rock hyrax, and various species of birds contained in the second largest aviary in the world. On June 18, 2013, a two-headed turtle, along with three one-headed turtles hatched. The two-headed turtle was later named Thelma and Louise after the 1991 film. Thelma and Louise later died on July 29, 2014, from unknown causes.

Josh the African lion was permanently transferred to the Birmingham Zoo in April 2022 as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Species Survival Plan.

Species

Mammals

Lemur at the San Antonio Zoo

Birds

Reptiles

Crocodile at the San Antonio Zoo

See also

In Spanish: Zoológico de San Antonio para niños

• Brackenridge Park
• City of San Antonio
• SeaWorld San Antonio