Dallas Zoo
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Largest zoo in TX. Home to 2000+ animals 400+ species. Committed to Engaging People & Saving Wildlife Welcome to the Dallas Zoo!
We are the largest zoological park in Texas, home to over 2,000 animals representing 406 species. The Dallas Zoo is 106 acres located south of downtown Dallas, Texas, in Marsalis Park. We welcome guests from near and far to visit and experience the history and excitement that lives throughout the zoo grounds.
Here’s a full minute of our tiger cubs attempting to master the art of climbing. 🐯
09/25/2026
The cutest family photo you ever did see. 🥹🐘There’s nothing quite like watching this herd grow together, especially with little Matope right in the middle of it all.
P.S. Don’t miss your opportunity to help support baby Matope and the rest of our elephant herd through a limited-time Adopt-An-Animal package. Hurry — these special levels are only available through September 30, 2026. Adopt now: bit.ly/4hLLlXI
Well, look who’s getting big! 🥹🦍
Our little gorilla, Mbeke, is becoming more independent by the day, and we’re loving watching this little guy grow and get into all kinds of gorilla business. This World Gorilla Day, we’re celebrating Mbeke and gorillas around the world!
And there’s a simple way you can help protect gorillas, too. Through Gorillas on the Line, our year-round recycling program, we collect old cell phones and small electronics to help protect gorillas and their habitats in Africa. And this year, you’ve helped us collect more than 900 devices! Electronics contain coltan, a mineral mined in regions where gorillas live. Recycling used devices helps reduce the need for new mining and can help protect important gorilla habitat.
Have an old or broken phone sitting around? Bring it to the Dallas Zoo and give it a second life for gorillas in the wild.
09/22/2026
SAVING OUR STATE REPTILE – PART 1: We’re working to help save one of Texas’ most iconic native species: the Texas horned lizard. And saving them starts in the wild.
Since 2010, we have worked with our partners, Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and other zoos to monitor wild Texas horned lizard populations. Each year, over the course of several months, our team heads into the field at Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch to find individual lizards and collect important information that helps us track them over time.
Some of the lizards we find are fitted with a tiny PIT tag, a microchip about the size of a grain of rice that allows researchers to identify individual lizards if they’re found again. Returning to the field and finding those same individuals over time gives us valuable information about the population.
While monitoring the population, our team also looks for gravid females, or females carrying eggs. These females are an important part of our Texas horned lizard breed-and-release program. We carefully collect gravid females from the wild and bring them back to the Zoo to lay their eggs. After they lay, the females are returned to the same areas where they were found. This fieldwork is the first step in our breed-and-release program.
Over the next few weeks, we're taking you with us to show what Texas horned lizard conservation looks like in action, from finding and collecting gravid females to raising and releasing the next generation back into the wild. Stay tuned for more!
09/21/2026
DOG DAYS: Our rescheduled Dog Days event is happening Oct. 9, and we still have limited tickets available for you and your pup! Hurry, grab yours now and get ready for a day at the Zoo together before they’re gone: bit.ly/3V5JuUq
We could watch little Matope chase big brother Oki around all day 🥹💕
📸: Olivia C.
Thank you for showing up for our herd this North Texas Giving Day!
Together, we raised $249,105 this North Texas Giving Day and unlocked a $75,000 challenge match from our friends at The Eugene McDermott Foundation. Your generosity helps make a difference every day, from giving our baby elephant the care he needs to grow and thrive to supporting the health and well-being of the animals who call your Dallas Zoo home. Thank you for being a part of our herd and helping make this work possible!
09/18/2026
Wild Encounters are getting a little more… wild!
As we prepare for construction on our African Shorelines habitats, our Wild Encounters Stage will be going away. But that doesn’t mean you’ll have to say goodbye to our ambassador animals. We’re bringing the encounters to you! Our animal care team has already begun bringing ambassador animals out for roaming encounters in different areas of the Zoo. There won’t be a set schedule or location, so you might come across an encounter while exploring the Zoo. For now, encounters may still take place at the Wild Encounters Stage as we get ready for construction to begin, but these will not follow a set schedule.
Keep an eye out during your visit. You never know who might stop by!
09/17/2026
There’s still time to make a difference for our baby elephant!
Make a big impact this North Texas Giving Day. Your gift helps provide the nutrition, care, and expert veterinary support our newest herd member needs to grow and thrive. Give before midnight, and your gift can go twice as far thanks to a generous match from The Eugene McDermott Foundation. Give now: bit.ly/4xZxB0m
09/17/2026
North Texas Giving Day is here!
This year, our newest herd member gives us an extra special reason to give. Caring for a growing elephant comes with a lot of daily needs, from nutritious meals and enrichment to expert veterinary care. Your North Texas Giving Day gift helps provide that care. Plus, all donations to the Dallas Zoo today will be matched, thanks to The Eugene McDermott Foundation. Give now: bit.ly/4xZxB0m
A big day for our herd! 🐘
Today marked a big milestone for our elephant herd as mama Mlilo and baby Matope went out on habitat with dad Tendaji for the first time! Matope stayed close to mom for most of the day, but he made a few trips over to Tendaji to check out dad before heading back to mom’s side. Big brother Oki, as well as Zola, joined in on the fun, too. And it looks like Matope is already learning that having a big brother can be pretty fun! He spent some time following Oki around as the family explored and enjoyed time together on habitat.
It was a big day of exploring, getting to know dad, and spending time with the herd.
Hot weather calls for a warthog-approved cool down! 🐗 Arlen is keeping cool by wallowing in the mud. Mud helps warthogs regulate their body temperature while also protecting their skin from the sun. Meanwhile, Weela and Amina are taking it easy during the hottest part of the day. Looks like the heat is sticking around, so stay cool, everyone!
09/14/2026
Your gift could go 3X further today! 🐘💚
We're celebrating North Texas Giving Day at the 3rd Annual Downtown Dallas Day of Giving! Stop by Pegasus Plaza to say hi to our ambassador animals and help us reach our goal. Every gift to Dallas Zoo could be TRIPLED today thanks to our friends at Communities Foundation of Texas and The Eugene McDermott Foundation, so don't miss your chance to make a BIG impact. Give now: https://bit.ly/4xqodCj
Hope your weekend is this much fun. These little chimps are clearly having a good one!
09/11/2026
The votes are in…
You helped us narrow it down, and the winning name for our Rüppell’s griffon vulture chick is… Semira! Thanks to everyone who cast a vote and helped us celebrate this special chick for International Vulture Awareness Day. We think this name is pretty perfect!
09/11/2026
DOG DAYS UPDATE: We’ve been keeping a close eye on the weather, and while forecasts can vary, the temperatures we’re currently seeing for Sept. 18 are higher than we’d like for an event that welcomes dogs to the Zoo.
To help make sure our four-legged guests can enjoy their day safely and comfortably, we’re rescheduling Dog Days to Oct. 9. We’re hopeful that moving the event into October will bring cooler temperatures and a more comfortable day for you and your pups to enjoy the Zoo.
Have tickets for Sept. 18? Keep an eye on your email for instructions on how to reschedule your tickets for Oct. 9 or Oct. 30, our previously scheduled Dog Days date.
We know you and your pups were looking forward to Dog Days, and we appreciate your understanding. We can’t wait to see you this fall!
It takes a herd. And we need you in ours.
North Texas Giving Day is one week away, but you don’t have to wait to give. Our baby elephant has a lot of growing to do, and caring for him comes with some big costs. Your tax-deductible gift today helps provide the care he needs to thrive. And thanks to a generous match from The Eugene McDermott Foundation, your gift can go even further. Give today: bit.ly/4xZxB0m
09/09/2026
Tiger cub update: a little bigger, a little bolder and still ridiculously cute. 🐯
Stop your scrolling. The elephants are having a pool day. 🐘💦
📸: Avery R.
09/05/2026
How it started vs. how it’s going. 🥹🦅
From a tiny, fluffy chick to a growing vulture, this little one has come a long way!
Vultures play an important role in healthy ecosystems, helping clean up carcasses and reduce the spread of disease. But many vulture species are facing serious population declines, making it more important than ever to learn about and protect these incredible birds.
With International Vulture Awareness Day today, we thought it was the perfect time to celebrate this incredible species and, of course, give our chick a name!
We’ve narrowed it down to three meaningful options: Semira, Shambe, or Sanaa. Which one do you think fits her best?
Cast your vote here: bit.ly/4gqOGut Voting closes tonight at 11:59 p.m.
A good nest takes practice.
Metallic starlings build enclosed nests with steep entrance and exit tunnels, creating a cozy space for their growing chicks. But like any new skill, nest-building takes practice.
When our starling parents began nesting earlier this year, they were still learning the ropes of both parenthood and nest-building. Their first nests weren’t quite as sturdy as they needed to be, so our zoologists stepped in and hand-raised their chicks behind the scenes until they were ready to fledge and join the adult flock.
As the breeding season continued, the parents got better at their craft. Their nests became stronger, with steeper tunnels that helped keep their chicks safely inside. And by the end of the season, they had successfully raised chicks on their own! It’s a pretty great reminder that even the best parents have to start somewhere.
Come see our metallic starlings at Travis and Zach’s Birds Landing on your next visit!
09/04/2026
We’re in our Safari Nights era. And what better way to kick it off than with , a Taylor Swift tribute band? Come sing along to your favorite Taylor hits, enjoy beer from , now pouring at the Zoo for the first time, and enjoy a night under the stars. Safari Nights is included with your general admission to the Zoo.
09/03/2026
Grandparents deserve a wild day out! Join us for Grandparents Day Presented by Humana on September 13 and celebrate the special seniors in your life. Purchase one general admission ticket and receive up to two FREE senior tickets, making it easier than ever to bring the whole family to the Zoo. Plan your visit today!
09/02/2026
Midweek mood 🥱
📸: Olivia C.
Caring for an animal as complex as a gorilla sometimes means bringing together expertise from across the veterinary and human medical worlds. And that is exactly what happened when our 23-year-old western lowland gorilla, Asha, recently underwent a specialized procedure.
Earlier this year, our team was excited to learn Asha was pregnant following a recommendation by the Species Survival Plan. Because she had previously experienced both a successful pregnancy and a miscarriage, our teams closely monitored her health. As the pregnancy progressed, Asha began gaining weight more rapidly than expected, her abdomen became increasingly distended, and changes in her behavior also suggested she was uncomfortable, prompting our teams to investigate further.
Sadly, the pregnancy was not viable, but further testing revealed a significant buildup of fluid in her abdomen and chest, along with multiple fluid-filled masses affecting both ovaries. We’re grateful to the team at MedVet for partnering with our team on additional testing, including advanced imaging, that helped us better understand Asha’s condition. Because of the amount of fluid and concerns for her health, surgery was needed.
Our veterinary team partnered with specialists from the human medical community to develop a plan for Asha’s procedure, bringing together expertise in anesthesiology, OB-GYN, and gynecologic oncology. We’re incredibly grateful to Dr. Joseph Beckham, Dr. Jamie Erwin, Dr. Devin Trousdale, Dr. Ayoola Martins, Dr. Eric Siu, and Dr. David Pham for sharing their expertise and helping provide Asha with the specialized care she needed.
During surgery, the team discovered multiple cysts on both of Asha’s ovaries and removed them. Based on her clinical signs, the ovarian abnormalities and fluid buildup, the team diagnosed her with pseudo-Meigs syndrome, a rare condition associated with ovarian abnormalities that can cause fluid to accumulate in the abdomen and chest. Our team has not found any documented cases of pseudo-Meigs syndrome in gorillas, making Asha’s case especially unusual.
Today, Asha’s discomfort has resolved, she has returned to a healthy weight, and she is thriving once again! Her recovery is a testament to the incredible collaboration between our Dallas Zoo team and the medical specialists who came together to give Asha the care she needed.
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650 S R. L. Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX
75203
Opening Hours
| Monday | 9am - 5pm |
| Tuesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Wednesday | 9am - 5pm |
| Thursday | 9am - 5pm |
| Friday | 9am - 5pm |
| Saturday | 9am - 5pm |
| Sunday | 9am - 5pm |