The Abilene Zoo is a city-owned, AZA-accredited zoo at 2070 Zoo Lane in Grover Nelson Park, on the east side of Abilene, Texas. It opened at this site on July 2, 1966, replacing an older zoo elsewhere in the city. The Abilene Zoological Society, a nonprofit, supports it. Wikipedia lists its attendance at about 255,000 visitors in 2021, which is large for a mid-sized West Texas city.
The zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1985. Its site has an unusual history. The parking lot was once part of the city’s former airport runway, and local accounts say Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart landed there. Today the zoo is best known for letting visitors feed giraffes, and it is growing well beyond its original footprint.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Grover Nelson Park, Abilene, Texas
- Opened: July 2, 1966 (current site)
- Size: About 16 acres, with an expansion under way
- Animals: More than 800 animals, over 175 species (Wikipedia figure)
- Annual visitors: About 255,000 (2021)
- Accreditation: AZA member since 1985
- Famous for: Giraffe feeding at the Twiga Giraffe Terrace
The Zoo Experience
The giraffe feeding deck is the main draw. It opened in 2016 and lets guests hand-feed giraffes at close range. Other exhibits include Caribbean Cove, a Journey to Madagascar area with lemurs and fossa, and an Elm Creek Backyard section devoted to native Texas wildlife. A large reptile and amphibian house and an accredited bird rehabilitation center, opened in 2018, round out the visit.
History and Expansion
The current zoo grew out of a 1960s effort by the Abilene Zoological Society to build a larger zoo on the city’s former airport land. It opened with 156 species in 1966. The zoo later gained a reputation for reptile husbandry. Wikipedia credits it with the first captive breeding of Wirot’s pit viper in 1983 and of Storr’s monitor in 1984. A 2022 land swap with the city added roughly 19 acres, including a third lake. The zoo describes a new expansion beginning in 2026 as its largest to date.
Explore more: More zoos and aquariums.
Abilene Zoo FAQs
Where is the Abilene Zoo?
The Abilene Zoo is at 2070 Zoo Lane, Abilene, TX 79602, in Grover Nelson Park on the east side of the city.
Can you feed the giraffes at the Abilene Zoo?
Yes. The Twiga Giraffe Terrace, which opened in 2016, lets visitors feed giraffes by hand. Check the zoo’s website for current hours and feeding prices.
Is the Abilene Zoo accredited?
Yes. The zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1985.
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Photo: mr_t_77 / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.