What are the opening hours?

Monday 9:30am - 4pm Tuesday 9:30am - 4pm Wednesday 9:30am - 4pm Friday 9:30am - 4pm Saturday 9:30am - 4pm Sunday 9:30am - 4pm

The Virginia Zoo

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United States
Norfolk, VA
The Virginia Zoo

Official page of The Virginia Zoo, home to 700+ animals representing 150+ unique species. Meet lions, orangutans, a crocodile and more.

Visit the Zoo online (http://www.virginiazoo.org) or follow us on Instagram & Twitter ()! Mission Statement

The Virginia Zoological Park seeks to increase understanding of the world's flora and fauna and to add to the growing body of knowledge about them; to display animals respectfully, in a way that encourages their natural behavior; to conserve animals and their habitats; and to o

ffer opportunities for learning and enjoyment to the public. It will strive to fulfill this mission through education, conservation, research and recreation. The mission of Virginia Zoological Society is to ensure that the Virginia Zoo thrives as a superior zoological institution, reaching its fullest potential to serve people, animals and the environment through programs that emphasize recreation, education and conservation. A hybrid operation

The Virginia Zoo functions as a true hybrid operation through the joint efforts and constant communication between the staffs of the Virginia Zoological Park (VZP) and the Virginia Zoological Society (VZS). VZP staff maintains all animal exhibits and provides animal care and husbandry, maintains the lush grounds and gardens, oversees most building repair and maintenance, and manages the Zoo's ticket booth. VZS staff operates the Zoo's gift shop, restaurant and concessions, educational programs, special events and parties, membership program, marketing and promotions, and fundraising and grant writing through the private sector. The staffs of both organizations work side-by-side on a daily basis and the operation of the two organizations are not only closely related and complementary, but are mostly indistinguishable. Animal Collection

From the plains of Africa to your own backyard, the Virginia Zoo has a world of discovery for you. Open year round, the Virginia Zoo offers family fun, education and excitement for everyone. The Virginia Zoo is home to more than 700 animals representing 150+ species, on 53 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Welcome to the Gardens

Come see the animals in our gardens! Most visitors come to the Virginia Zoo with animals on their minds, but plants are the first things they see. Our gardens set the stage for guests and Zoo residents. We create naturalistic habitats for exotic and native animals. We design, grow and plant themed gardens, and we provide fresh plant treats for our animals. AZA Accredited

Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things.

12/10/2024

⏰ TODAY'S THE DAY - Spring Break Safari Camp is now on sale! ⏰

Has your 1st-5th grader ever wanted to become a backyard biologist? Sign them up for our Nature Explorers program! Learn all about how scientists and curious community members track, monitor, and study animals in the wild from April 14-April 18, 2025.

Visit the link to learn more about our Spring Break programs: https://virginiazoo.org/zoo-camps/

12/09/2024

Has your loved one ever met Finn, our 9 month-old siamang? How about Tess and Savannah, our new mini cows, or our perentie lizards in the World of Reptiles? 🧐 With so many exciting new additions to our family, this holiday season is the perfect time to give the gift of the Virginia Zoo! 🦁

Gift tickets allow that special someone in your life to visit the Zoo any time and get FREE admission for up to 365 days after purchase. Want them to walk on the wild side year-round? Gift a Virginia Zoo Membership! Members can enter the Zoo for free on most days, receive discounted admission to our special events and educational programs, as well as access exclusive merchandise not available for purchase.

Visit this link to give the gift of the Virginia Zoo today: https://virginiazoo.org/gifts/

12/08/2024

🚨 GIVEAWAY ALERT 🚨 It's the holiday season and we want to give one lucky kid the opportunity to go to the Zoo's Winter Break Safari Camp for FREE!

❄️ If your child has been to Zoo Safari Camp before, comment their favorite moment and if they have never been before, comment what they would be most excited for. All individuals that comment before 10am on Monday, December 9th will be entered into a drawing for a FREE spot at our winter break camp! ❄️

Campers will experience up-close encounters with fascinating species and grow their knowledge about wildlife and the environment while having a blast with new friends. ⛄️ Camp will take place from December 30 to January 3, 2025 and is for 1st - 5th graders. Can't wait? Book your spot here before they're gone: https://virginiazoo.org/zoo-camps/

12/07/2024

Hop on the Virginia Zoo Express (Holiday Edition) with the return of our Train Rides with Santa starting tomorrow, December 8th! 🚂 Climb aboard the Virginia Zoo Holiday Express to savor the magic of the holiday season and take a photo with Santa! 🎅 📸

Holiday train rides will be offered on weekends throughout December from 11am-2pm, weather permitting. ❄️ Photos with Santa are self-serve and included with the price of a train ride. Train rides are $3 and free for ages 2 and below.

12/06/2024

Female rhinoceros hornbills have white eyes with a red ring around them, while male rhinocerous hornbills have red eyes with a black ring around them. Pictured is our female rhinoceros hornbill named Phoenix! 👀

Be sure to say hello to Phoenix and Riobi, our male rhinoceros hornbill, the next time you visit Asia: Trail of the Tiger! 🌏 🐅

12/05/2024

Only TWO MORE DAYS until our first Holidays in the Wild: Holiday Market! Tango is so excited to greet and shop 40+ local vendors with you all. 🐯 Don't forget to visit the Zoo and shop 'til you drop this Saturday, December 7 from 11am-3pm! 🛍️

Click this link to learn more: https://virginiazoo.org/event/holiday-market/

12/04/2024

Cheetahs are always ready for football season 🏈 🐆 - the black tear marks under their eyes play an important role in reducing the sun's glare when they hunt! Football players use "eye black" to absorb light and improve depth perception to catch the ball, while for cheetahs these stripes are a naturally-occurring adaptation for focusing on distant prey.

Don't be fooled though...Cheetahs may be excellent athletes and hunters, but they are much too small to play football. At only 75-140 pounds, these "big cats" (which are technically not big cats!) can weigh less than half the average 245-pound NFL player! The true “Big Cats”, including leopards 🐆 , lions 🦁, and tigers 🐯, all belong to genus 𝘗𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘢 while cheetahs belong to their own separate genus, 𝘈𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘺𝘹.

If you made it this far, be sure to wish Lima, our resident cheetah, a happy in the comments! 🎉 🙌

12/04/2024

The votes are in and the winner of our Giving ZooDay Fundraiser is..... Team Fur! 🦁🐯🐻 With your support, we were able to raise over $12,000 for our Keeper Fund! 🤩 Your gifts will be extremely beneficial to the resident animals at the Virginia Zoo and the keepers that enthusiastically care for them.

We couldn't be more grateful for all the support we received during this year. Thank you to everyone who donated or shared our links on their social media accounts, and we hope you will join us again next year! 💚

12/04/2024

Time is running out to make your donation! ⏱️ 😱 Every dollar donated to Team Fur, Feathers, or Scales will go towards our Keeper Fund, providing enrichment to our animals and continuing education for our keepers. Help us provide the absolute best care for our animals and outstanding opportunities for their enthusiastic keepers!

Visit this link 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more and make your donation to support your favorite team before the day is over! ❤️

12/03/2024

Clover the mini zebu cow is over the moon with all the support you've shown to Team Fur this Giving ZooDay! 🐮 🌕 Right now, Team Fur is in 1st place with $1972.50 raised for the Keeper Fund 🎉

🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨

But don't stop now! There's still plenty of time left to make your donation in support of our furry friends 🐐 Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation to Team Fur before the day is over!

12/03/2024

Shilling is not emu-sed because Team Feathers hasn't won yet! 🤨 Currently, Team Feathers has raised $1,765 for our Keeper Fund and the number keeps soaring! 🦅

🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨

Continue showing your love for Shilling and his feathered friends by donating this Giving ZooDay to Team Feathers! Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation! 🪶

12/03/2024

Slow and steady wins the race, or at least that's what our Aldabra tortoises like to say! 🐢 Even if Team Scales wins by a hare 🐰 , so far they have raised $1,525 for our Keeper Fund! 🎉

🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨

But the day isn't over yet, there is still plenty of time to make your donation in support of the scaley animals that call the Zoo home. Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation to Team Scales! 💚

12/03/2024

The anticipation of who will win Giving ZooDay 2024 is just unBEARable. 🐻 That's why we're here with an update from Team Fur!

So far, Team Fur has raised $1,272.50 for our Keeper Fund, which supports animal enrichment and zookeeper education programs. We're not lion! 🦁

Keep up the great work and support our furry friends by donating to Team Fur today using this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5! 🎉 ❤️

12/03/2024

Will Team Feathers rule the roost this Giving ZooDay? So far, this team has raised $825, which puts them in 3rd place and almost halfway to their goal! 🦚

Help Team Feathers soar to new heights by clicking here 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to learn more about Giving ZooDay and donate! 💸

12/03/2024

Don't sleep on Team Scales this ! 💤 So far, this team has raised $1,000 for the Virginia Zoo's Keeper Fund, making them halfway to their fundraising goal.

Will you slither your way to victory with Team Scales? Click here 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to learn more and donate to your favorite scaley friends!

12/03/2024

We're not horse-ing around this Giving ZooDay - it's time to earn your stripes by joining Team Fur! 🦓 🚫 🐴

Enrichment is a crucial element in caring for all the animals that call the Virginia Zoo home, but it can be a challenge to keep everyone engaged in their habitat when toys for our larger species such as the lions, zebras, or giraffes can cost over $150 per item! Help us give our magnificent mammals more exciting environments by donating to Team Fur. 🎉

Visit this link 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more and make your donation to Team Fur today! ❤️

12/03/2024

A little birdie (or two, actually - Robin and Wembley) told us that caring for chicks 🐣 is tough! Support our bird team in keeping up with the most up-to-date best practices for hand raising chicks, like Inala, or guiding inexperienced parents by donating to Team Feathers.

Click here 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more about Giving ZooDay and make your donation to Team Feathers today! 🪶

12/03/2024

We know you're CHOMP-ing at the bit to know how Team Scales will do this Giving ZooDay...🐊 All funds raised for our scaley pals will be going towards enrichment and keeper training!

Your donation to Team Scales could help send our dedicated reptile keepers to crocodile school in St. Augustine, Florida. 💚 Click here 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more about our Giving ZooDay Fundraiser and make your donation to Team Scales today! 🐢

Address

3500 Granby Street
Norfolk, VA
23504

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 4pm
Tuesday	9:30am - 4pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 4pm
Friday	9:30am - 4pm
Saturday	9:30am - 4pm
Sunday	9:30am - 4pm

Website

http://www.virginiazoo.org/

Alerts

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The votes are in and the winner of our Giving ZooDay Fundraiser is..... Team Fur! 🦁🐯🐻 With your support, we were able to raise over $12,000 for our Keeper Fund! 🤩 Your gifts will be extremely beneficial to the resident animals at the Virginia Zoo and the keepers that enthusiastically care for them. We couldn't be more grateful for all the support we received during #GivingZooDay this year. Thank you to everyone who donated or shared our links on their social media accounts, and we hope you will join us again next year! 💚

Clover the mini zebu cow is over the moon with all the support you've shown to Team Fur this Giving ZooDay! 🐮 🌕 Right now, Team Fur is in 1st place with $1972.50 raised for the Keeper Fund 🎉 🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨 But don't stop now! There's still plenty of time left to make your donation in support of our furry friends 🐐 Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation to Team Fur before the day is over!

Shilling is not emu-sed because Team Feathers hasn't won yet! 🤨 Currently, Team Feathers has raised $1,765 for our Keeper Fund and the number keeps soaring! 🦅 🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨 Continue showing your love for Shilling and his feathered friends by donating this Giving ZooDay to Team Feathers! Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation! 🪶

Slow and steady wins the race, or at least that's what our Aldabra tortoises like to say! 🐢 Even if Team Scales wins by a hare 🐰 , so far they have raised $1,525 for our Keeper Fund! 🎉 🚨 Double your donation right now, as a generous donor is matching every dollar up to $5,000 today 🚨 But the day isn't over yet, there is still plenty of time to make your donation in support of the scaley animals that call the Zoo home. Visit this link 🔗 https://bit.ly/3BjOon5 to make your donation to Team Scales! 💚

We're not horse-ing around this Giving ZooDay - it's time to earn your stripes by joining Team Fur! 🦓 🚫 🐴 Enrichment is a crucial element in caring for all the animals that call the Virginia Zoo home, but it can be a challenge to keep everyone engaged in their habitat when toys for our larger species such as the lions, zebras, or giraffes can cost over $150 per item! Help us give our magnificent mammals more exciting environments by donating to Team Fur. 🎉 Visit this link 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more and make your donation to Team Fur today! ❤️

A little birdie (or two, actually - Robin and Wembley) told us that caring for chicks 🐣 is tough! Support our bird team in keeping up with the most up-to-date best practices for hand raising chicks, like Inala, or guiding inexperienced parents by donating to Team Feathers. Click here 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more about Giving ZooDay and make your donation to Team Feathers today! 🪶

We know you're CHOMP-ing at the bit to know how Team Scales will do this Giving ZooDay...🐊 All funds raised for our scaley pals will be going towards enrichment and keeper training! Your donation to Team Scales could help send our dedicated reptile keepers to crocodile school in St. Augustine, Florida. 💚 Click here 🔗 https://virginiazoo.org/event/giving-zooday-2/ to learn more about our Giving ZooDay Fundraiser and make your donation to Team Scales today! 🐢

We're back with some more Ron-tent for you feed! 💁‍♂️ What are your favorite spots to visit at the Zoo when you're pressed for time? 🤔

Jk jk...unless 👀 While our goats may want you to scratch them all day every day, remember that during the colder months the Goat Yard is only open on the weekends. 🐐 Hope to see you all this weekend!

International Red Panda Day

Not all red pandas are pandas... actually none of them are! Red pandas are actually in a taxonomic family all of their own called "Ailuridae". Surprisingly, unlike their name and diet preferences suggest, they are not related to giant pandas! 🐼 Now enjoy #InternationalRedPandaDay with this meme featuring our red pandas 😜

Orangutan Baby Naming 2024

In June of this year our baby female Bornean orangutan was born to parents Dara and Solaris. This morning we got to watch as Dara picked her baby's name! 🦧 Thank you to everyone who submitted their names for consideration in the fundraiser - you rose over $500 to support our Keeper & Enrichment fund! And a special thank you to the Asia Team for helping narrow down to the final three names, as well as making today possible. Drumroll please.... 🥁 Everyone meet.... Poppy! ❤️ Poppy is a beautiful red flower. The person who submitted the name chose it to reference how orangutans are often referred to as the "red apes." We also think it's the perfect name for our little red-headed girl! This weekend is the perfect time to stop by the Zoo and visit Poppy in person! We hope to see you soon!

Wild Wendy is back and she's getting the scoop on one of our more elusive residents, the cinereous vultures! As today is International Vulture Awareness Day, she's getting you answers to all your hard hitting vulture questions and sharing some interesting vulture facts that you may not have known. The more you know! 🪶 Visit the Zoo today to learn more about vultures and experience a keeper chat with one of our bird keepers at 11am & 2pm!