The Memphis Zoo: Wild Fun in Memphis, Tennessee!

The Memphis Zoo is a zoo located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is home to more than 3,500 animals representing over 500 different species. The Zoo was founded in 1906 and resides on 70 acres in the middle of Overton Park. The Memphis Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The zoo hosts state-of-the art exhibits that mimic the animals' natural habitats, such as Once Upon A Farm, Cat Country, Primate Canyon, Animals of the Night, Northwest Passage, and CHINA.

The Once Upon A Farm exhibit is the home to a variety of farm animals, most of which are close enough for visitors to touch. There are barns for visitors to go inside of, models of cows and eggs for children to climb on, and a building that contains historical farm artifacts for visitors to view.

The Cat Country exhibit contains a wide variety of members of the cat family, such as lions, tigers, and cheetahs to name just a few. The animals in this exhibit have rock ledges for shade or sun and lots of brush, as in their natural habitats. Seeing the meerkats pop out of their underground burrows is always fun!

Primate Canyon contains several types of monkeys and gorillas. Monkeys can be seen hanging from and swinging on special climbing structures. It is common to hear the primates communicate as you pass through their home.

The building that houses the Animals of the Night exhibit is very dark so that you can see the activity that takes place when nocturnal creatures are awake. Armadillos, aardvarks, different types of bats, and cockroaches are just a few of the animals that can be seen in this exhibit.

The Northwest Passage is one of the newer exhibits at the Memphis Zoo. The main attractions within the Northwest Passage are the polar bears and sea lions, which you can view swimming through the glass. Both of these animals have been known to occasionally interact with zoo visitors through the glass. The sea lion show is an opportunity for two of the sea lions to show their intelligence as they do tricks, follow a zookeeper's commands, and answer a zookeeper's questions by nodding their heads appropriately.

The China exhibit is home to two giant pandas, Ya Ya and Le Le. On May 23, 2007, the female panda, Ya Ya, was discovered to be pregnant after undergoing an ultrasound. She is expected to give birth by mid-June. Zoo visitors are also able to view a short film before entering the China exhibit.

On May 26, 2007, Butterflies: In Living Color opened up to visitors. In this exhibit, butterflies fly freely and may even land on the zoo visitors briefly between flights. The exhibit contains a pond with fish living inside, and beautiful flowers for the butterflies to land on. The exhibit is expected to house as many as 1,000 butterflies and have 35 species of butterflies and 56 varieties of plants for the butterflies to feed on.

There are other activities to enjoy while visiting the Memphis Zoo. Visitors can take a guided tour of the zoo while riding on the Zoo Tram. There are several amusement park style rides for children. In the China exhibit, zoo visitors may ride the carousel. In the Once Upon A Farm exhibit, children can ride the farm train. Visitors may bring a picnic lunch and use any of the available picnic areas or purchase food from Backyard Burger and eat inside the air conditioned restaurant. Outside of the restaurant, there is a large playground area for children.

When visiting the Memphis Zoo, there are many things to learn, see, and do. It would definitely take more than just one visit to enjoy everything the Memphis Zoo has to offer. Whether you're visiting for the first time or the hundredth, you're sure to have some wild fun at the Memphis Zoo!