Birmingham Zoo has welcomed visitors to Lane Park in Birmingham, Alabama since it opened on April 2, 1955. What began as a modest municipal menagerie known as the Jimmy Morgan Zoo has grown into the state’s premier zoological institution, now spread across 122 acres of rolling hills just minutes from downtown Birmingham.
As the only zoo in Alabama accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Birmingham Zoo is home to about 450 animals representing around 165 species at any given time. The zoo operates today as an independent, nonprofit organization following a public-private restructuring in 1999 that helped it regain its accreditation and expand exhibits like Trails of Africa.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Birmingham, Alabama
- Opened: April 2, 1955
- Size: 122 acres
- Species: About 165 species
- Animal count: About 450 individual animals
- Annual visitors: Several hundred thousand annually
- Famous for: Trails of Africa elephant habitat and Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter
The Zoo Experience
Birmingham Zoo’s signature Trails of Africa exhibit, opened in 2011, gives guests close-up views of a bachelor herd of African elephants alongside other African species in expansive, naturalistic habitats. Nearby, the Kiwanis Giraffe Encounter lets visitors hand-feed reticulated giraffes from an elevated platform, one of the zoo’s most popular interactive experiences.
The zoo also features a Children’s Zoo highlighting native Alabama wildlife, giving younger visitors a chance to connect with regional species alongside the zoo’s broader global collection.
History and Accreditation
The zoo traces its roots to a small firehouse menagerie before relocating to its current Lane Park site under the name Jimmy Morgan Zoo. After a period of financial and operational struggle, a 1999 restructuring into an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit helped the zoo regain and maintain accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a distinction it still holds as the only AZA-accredited zoo in Alabama.
Explore more: Explore more Zoos & Aquariums.
Birmingham Zoo FAQs
When did Birmingham Zoo open?
Birmingham Zoo opened on April 2, 1955, in Lane Park in Birmingham, Alabama.
How many animals live at Birmingham Zoo?
At any given time, Birmingham Zoo is home to about 450 animals representing around 165 species across its 122 acres.
Is Birmingham Zoo accredited?
Yes, Birmingham Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is the only AZA-accredited zoo in Alabama.
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Photo: Ralph Daily / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.