The Memphis Zoo is a delightful zoo that is home to more than 3500 animals from around the world. It was built in 1906 as part of Overton Park, and sets on 76 acres. It began with 23 simple cages and a row of concrete dens for the bears, expanding over the years by adding an elephant house, a primate habitat, aquarium, and much more.
There are four zones in the Memphis Zoo that visitors can spend a day or two roaming through, such as:
1. The African Veldt is a large, grassy area featuring the large animals from Africa, such as giraffes, rhinos, elephants, and even ostriches and antelopes.
2. The Butterfly garden contains a wide variety of plants that the butterflies love to land on, and some of the most beautiful butterflies in the world.
3. The Denizens of the Deep South features the American Alligator – say hello to 'Beta' at this habitat!
4. The Northwest Passage features the wonderful polar bears along with the very popular sea lions.
5. The East Zone features a pleasantly popular exhibit – YaYa and LeLe, those wonderfully enchanting Panda bears.
6. Cat Country is a three acre open air habitat devoted to the big cats – the lions, tigers, cheetahs, cougars, and leopards all live here.
7. Another very popular habitat is the Penguin Rock with 30 adorable little penguins.
8. No zoo would be complete without the primates, so be sure to visit the Bonobos in the Central Zone.
The Memphis Zoo is a great place for the entire family.