North Carolina Zoo

12/08/2025

OPERATIONS UPDATE! 🚨⚠️
The North Carolina Zoo will be operating on a two-hour delay on Tuesday, December 9, 2025 opening at 11 a.m.
Stay warm and safe!❄️

12/08/2025

A fan favorite!😻 Sand cats are located in The Desert at the Zoo!🌵 We’re open through the Winter 9am to 4pm daily.✨

12/06/2025

With heavy hearts, we share the recent passing of cherished Zoo resident Ayita. At 13 years old, she was the oldest American Red Wolf here at the Zoo. Ayita was a champion for her species, giving birth to 13 pups throughout her life. Ayita was also a grand-mother with at least 10 grand-pups! She was an important ambassador for her wild counterparts, perfectly symbolizing the strength and perseverance of Red Wolves.

Ayita lost her leg due to an injury at a previous facility before coming to the North Carolina Zoo in 2017. Impressively, the loss of limb didn’t slow her down! She was a wonderful mother to her pups and a fierce protector of them. Despite having warm den boxes (and only three legs), she was known for digging her own dens, a welcomed natural behavior that charmed her keepers.

Ayita had a long and fruitful life despite the challenges she faced. She was admired by staff and guests alike who visited her on habitat where she lived with her son, Thor (who also shares a limb difference).

Ayita continues to hold a special place in our hearts and will always be remembered as an incredible mother and symbol of resilience among her species! ❤️

12/05/2025

We’ve got some room left in our December Day Camps at the Zoo! Check out the Camps below… ⬇️ 💙

❄️ Arctic Awareness - 12/22, Kidzu, 3rd-8th grade - Brrrr! Spend the day at the Zoo as we learn about our Arctic animal friends. How do they stay warm? What do they eat? We’ll explore these questions and more through games, crafts, and habitat visits!
*Kidzu camps are designed for 3rd-8th graders with Autism, ADHD, or campers who need a smaller group size and a more guided, sensory-sensitive experience!*

🎁 Animal Wrappings - 12/23 K-2nd grade - Is it hair? Scales? Skin? Come and investigate how animals keep themselves covered and protected! We will end the day by wrapping a holiday take-home craft.

👀 Looking Forward - 12/29, 3rd-5th grade - Predator or prey? Join us in exploring what adaptations relate to an animal’s role in the food chain. We will use our own forward-facing eyes to investigate!

🧭 Moving On - _12/30 6th-8th grade -_Time flies when you’re having fun! Or does it gallop? Swim? Climb? Before heading into the new year, join us to investigate how animals move their bodies!

All times are 9am-4pm for $75 (unless otherwise noted), morning and afternoon snack provided. Lunch is not included.

🔗 More info on our website: https://www.nczoo.org/education/camps/seasonal-day-camps

12/05/2025

We 💛 our North Carolina Zoo Volunteers!

December 5th is International Volunteer Day and we're so grateful for our incredible team of volunteers. From interpretation to guest services, wildlife rehabilitation, and more, they go above and beyond to make sure your visit to the Zoo is a memorable one!

Want to volunteer? Visit our website nczoo.org/volunteer 🔗 for more info. Make a difference today! ✨

12/04/2025

It’s World Wildlife Conservation Day! 🌍 🐾 Conservation work is everywhere at the North Carolina Zoo! From conducting on-site salamander surveys, to housing the second-largest pack of breeding American Red Wolves in the world, to traveling across the globe to train rangers on SMART, conservation is truly at the heart of what we do. Your visit to the Zoo supports our conservation mission! Swipe to see conservation in action. ➡️

Learn more about conservation at the Zoo by visiting our website:
🔗 https://www.nczoo.org/wildlife-conservation-zoo

12/03/2025

It’s International Baboon Day! So, let’s talk about the North Carolina Zoo’s ONLY monkeys, Hamadryas baboons! 🐒 Baboons exhibit intricate social structures, forming One-Male Units (OMUs) where a single male oversees a group of females, multiple OMUs create a band, multiple bands form a troop! The North Carolina Zoo is home to multiple OMUs, establishing a lively environment for visitors to observe their behaviors, which include foraging, grooming, chasing, and playing. Swipe to see the Hamadryas baboons at the Zoo up to their usual antics! 🌿

12/02/2025

Happy Giving Tuesday! ✨🐾

🎁 TODAY IS THE DAY! Giving ZooDay & Giving Tuesday!

It's Tuesday, December 2nd, and it's our biggest giving day of the year! Join the NC Zoo Society for Giving ZooDay and Giving Tuesday to champion the health, care, and conservation of animals around the world.

You have two powerful ways to make a difference:

✅ Direct Donation: Support the Zoo's most pressing needs, furthering our work in animal well-being, education, and global field conservation.
✅ Amazon Wish List: Directly purchase enrichment supplies, puzzles, toys, and other critical items requested by our Zoo Keepers to ensure the animals stay physically and intellectually stimulated.

Every gift, big or small, goes straight toward enriching the lives of the animals you love!

Click here to donate: https://nczoo.com/donation-dashboard/

Or shop the Keepers' Wish List: https://nczoo.com/20252-2/

12/01/2025

It's almost time to Jingle in the Jungle! 🔔✨Celebrate the season with a limited time, special $5 admission to the Zoo, December 15–19! 🎄🐾 Purchase tickets in-person at the North America entrance; no online sales or additional discounts apply.

We’re open 9 a.m.–4 p.m., last entry at 3 p.m. You must park and enter the Zoo through North America, where the entire park, including Africa is still accessible. 💙 🩵 ❤️

Stay in touch with the Zoo! Follow us on social media for updates on everything from our wildlife conservation efforts to your favorite animals. Share your photos, stories, and videos with us as we celebrate 50 WILD years in 2024.

11/28/2025

Today’s post-leftovers mood. 😴 😋 🍽️

11/27/2025

At the North Carolina Zoo, we’re thankful every day for the incredible animals we care for, the wild places we work to protect, and the amazing community that supports our mission!

From our dedicated staff and volunteers to the guests and members who bring curiosity, joy, and wonder through our gates, THANK YOU! You make everything we do possible.

As our team spends today appreciating the things that matter most, the Zoo is closed so our staff can enjoy time with their loved ones and take a well-deserved break. The animals continue to receive the same high-quality care from essential Zoo staff on-site, and we’ll be ready to welcome you back when we reopen tomorrow.

We are especially thankful for the essential staff who are spending the holiday away from their families to care for our amazing animals!

Thank you for being part of our Zoo family and for joining us on our mission to save wildlife and wild places.🧡🌿