The Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park has been a fixture of downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee, since 1937, when it opened with little more than two small cages for rhesus monkeys. Nearly nine decades later, the AZA-accredited facility has grown into a compact but densely packed wildlife destination, proving that a small footprint doesn’t mean a small experience.
Tucked into just 13 acres of Warner Park, the zoo has carved out a niche with immersive, continent-themed exhibits rather than sheer size. Its Himalayan Passage, which opened in 2004, houses the largest indoor red panda exhibit in the country, while Gombe Forest gives chimpanzees an indoor-outdoor habitat and Corcovado Jungle brings jaguars and spider monkeys to the heart of Tennessee.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Warner Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Opened: 1937
- Size: About 13 acres
- Species/Animal count: About 148 species, roughly 860 animals (2012 figures)
- Annual visitors: About 150,000
- Accredited: AZA-accredited since 1998
- Famous for: Largest indoor red panda exhibit in the United States
What to See at the Zoo
The Himalayan Passage is the zoo’s signature exhibit, opened in 2004 and billed as the largest indoor red panda facility in the country. It was expanded in 2006 to add snow leopards and Hanuman langurs, and the red pandas gained a new outdoor habitat with climbing structures in 2022. Gombe Forest, an indoor-outdoor habitat that opened in 2001, is home to the zoo’s chimpanzees, while Corcovado Jungle showcases jaguars, spider monkeys, macaws, and capybaras drawn from Latin American ecosystems.
More recently, the zoo added Makazi Ya Twiga in May 2020, a giraffe habitat that introduced reticulated giraffes to the collection. The zoo also runs an intake wildlife rehabilitation facility and takes part in AZA Species Survival Plans aimed at conserving endangered species.
A Small Zoo With Outsized Ambitions
At just 13 acres, the Chattanooga Zoo is among the smallest AZA-accredited zoos in the country, a fact its staff have leaned into by prioritizing dense, immersive exhibits over sprawling grounds. Since earning AZA accreditation in 1998, the zoo has steadily modernized its habitats while keeping its roots in downtown Chattanooga, making it an easy stop for families exploring the city.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Chattanooga Zoo FAQs
When did the Chattanooga Zoo open?
The zoo was established in 1937 by the City of Chattanooga, starting with small cages for rhesus monkeys before growing into its current form.
How big is the Chattanooga Zoo?
The zoo covers about 13 acres in Warner Park, making it one of the smallest AZA-accredited zoos in the United States.
What is the Chattanooga Zoo known for?
It’s best known for the Himalayan Passage, home to the largest indoor red panda exhibit in the country, along with snow leopards and Hanuman langurs.
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