Granby Zoo traces its roots back to 1944, when Pierre-Horace Boivin, the longtime mayor of Granby, Quebec, began assembling a small personal menagerie. That collection grew into an official zoo in 1953 after the local Notre Dame parish donated a 60-acre parcel of land to house it, laying the foundation for what has become the largest zoo in the province of Quebec.
Today the zoo is home to more than 1,800 animals representing roughly 230 species, drawn from Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania. It holds accreditation from both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), one of only a handful of Canadian institutions to carry AZA status, and draws over 500,000 visitors a year to its Eastern Townships location.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Granby, Quebec, Canada
- Opened: 1953 (menagerie founded 1944)
- Size: About 60 acres
- Species/Animal Count: Over 1,800 animals, about 230 species
- Annual Visitors: About 516,000
- Famous for: A 1962 geodesic dome designed by Granby architect Paul-O. Trepanier with engineering help from Montreal architect Victor Prus, built as a polar bear enclosure years before Montreal’s Biosphere and designed independently of it
What to See at the Zoo
The zoo is organized into continental zones, including Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania, each grouping animals native to that region. The Oceania area features interactive experiences such as touching stingrays and feeding lorikeets, while the Asia section houses a distinctive geodesic dome enclosure designed by architect Paul-O. Trepanier, with structural help from architect Victor Prus, in 1962, originally built to house polar bears before later becoming home to species such as Japanese macaques. Alongside the animal exhibits, the site also includes the Amazoo water park and an amusement park, making it a multi-attraction destination rather than a zoo alone.
Conservation and Growth
More than a quarter of the animals at Granby Zoo belong to species considered endangered in the wild, reflecting the institution’s stated focus on conservation alongside public education and entertainment. A 2022-2030 master plan has committed roughly $51 million toward modernizing and expanding the facility, continuing a growth trajectory that began with Pierre-Horace Boivin’s original backyard collection more than 80 years ago.
Explore more: Explore more zoos and aquariums.
Granby Zoo FAQs
When was Granby Zoo founded?
Its origins date to 1944 as a small private menagerie kept by Granby mayor Pierre-Horace Boivin, and it was formally established as a zoo in 1953 after the local parish donated land for the site.
How many animals live at Granby Zoo?
The zoo is home to more than 1,800 animals representing about 230 species, according to Wikipedia, sourced from Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania.
Who designed the geodesic dome at Granby Zoo?
The geodesic dome in the Asia section was designed by Granby architect Paul-O. Trepanier in 1962, with engineering assistance from Montreal architect Victor Prus. It predates Montreal’s Biosphere, which was designed separately by Buckminster Fuller for Expo 67, and was originally built as a polar bear enclosure.
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Photo: (User:Boréal) / CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.