Knoxville Zoo
For the young and young-at-heart, visiting the Knoxville Zoo has been a favorite area activity for several decades. Located in East Knoxville, the zoo spans 53 acres and provides for over 215 species – over 800 animals! Home to a long list of endangered species and a number of birds, mammals, and reptiles, many indigenous to the area, the Knoxville Zoo is a unique experience that can be enjoyed 364 days of the year. Some of the most popular exhibits?
- Since 1978, the zoo has successfully bred over 90 red pandas, making the Knoxville Zoo the Red Panda Capital of the World! Thanks to the generosity of an area family, the zoo’s six pandas were treated to a new home in October, The Red Panda Village.
- The zoo is also home to one of the largest reptile collections in the nation; the zoo cares for over 500 reptiles representing over 100 species of turtles, lizards, and snakes.
- In 1978, the Knoxville Zoo welcomed Little Diamond, the first African Elephant to be bred and born in captivity in the Western Hemisphere. Although Little Diamond now lives in North Carolina, The Stokley African Elephant Preserve, which opened in 2002, is home to three very talented elephants who, when they aren’t throwing mud on their backs, produce paintings which are sold to support the zoo.
- Black Bear Falls is home to four Smoky Mountain native bears. The one-of-a-kind bear exhibit opened in 2000, featuring four waterfalls with over 20-foot drops, a 40-foot long tunnel that offers views of the bear dens, and a forest of trees native to the area.
A number of events are offered each year. Feast with the Beasts is an August event for adults over twenty-one. Area restaurants and drink vendors offer their best to visitors who taste, sip, and browse the animals, a silent auction, and live bands. More than 400 guests attended the 2007 Zoofari, the twentieth anniversary of the zoo’s most important fundraising event of the year. A bit more upscale than Feast, Zoofari guests were treated to a seated dinner, live music, and a special auction. What about the kids? This year, over 10,000 visitors turned out to celebrate the twenty-first annual - eight nights of “not-too-scary fun.” Kids enjoyed trick-or-treating at treat stations, checking out the character costume shows, and participating in games, rides, and “monsterific music and fun.”
Through the efforts of volunteers, community partnerships, and the support of private and public sector sponsors, the Knoxville Zoo is an active and respected participant in the East Tennessee community. With its family-friendly environment and its commitment to “the highest standards in animal care and well-being, ethics, conservation, and education,” the zoo is a worthwhile destination, a great place to visit, and a great place to be a kid..jpg)
