Baton Rouge Zoo

About Baton Rouge Zoo

The Baton Rouge Zoo sits at 3601 Thomas Rd in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, inside Greenwood Community Park. It is owned and operated by BREC, the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge, a public government agency created by an act of the Louisiana State Legislature in 1946 and governed by a nine-member appointed commission. The zoo is funded through ad valorem taxes, fees and charges, and grants, gifts, and donations, and the BREC park system carries accreditation from the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies. The zoo itself is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

At least 125 species are listed on the zoo's website, and the zoo describes its collection as more than 500 animals, with an internal figure putting the number closer to 800. More than 200,000 guests visit each year, making it, by the zoo's own account, the top year-round family attraction in Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, supports the zoo's capital projects, fundraising, and community events alongside BREC.

History

The Baton Rouge Zoo traces back to 1960, when the Recreation and Parks Commission first envisioned a zoo for the parish. In 1965, voters approved a millage election that allocated more than three-quarters of a million dollars to build the facility, and a zoo director was hired to design and carry out the plans, with matching funds secured from the federal Bureau of Outdoor Recreation. Construction began in 1966, and the zoo opened to the public on Easter Sunday in 1970.

Local television personality Buckskin Bill helped rally community support around the project with the call "Baton Rouge needs a zoo," and residents of East Baton Rouge developed a strong sense of ownership over the new facility. The zoo and the broader BREC system went on to win the National Gold Medal Award for excellence in Recreation and Park Administration in 1975 and 1991, and was a finalist for the award again in 1998.

More recently, the zoo has undergone what it calls Phase 1 of a larger construction plan. That phase added seven new exhibits, including a North America section featuring bison, elk, and deer, and Sapo Springs, a West African expedition area with underwater viewing of pygmy hippos alongside colobus monkeys and endangered birds. A new giraffe exhibit was also completed, giving guests closer views of the animals, and the zoo's train received new tracks and an updated depot along with structural safety upgrades. Behind the scenes, new plumbing and electrical systems were installed and new night houses were built, including larger, specialized spaces for pygmy hippos with pools designed for birthing and care. Phases 2 and 3 are planned to add exhibits for lions and gorillas, plus an Atchafalaya exhibit built around Louisiana's own bioregion, wildlife, culture, and history.

Exhibits and habitats

The North America section, part of the recent Phase 1 expansion, houses bison, elk, and deer. Sapo Springs, described as an immersive West African expedition, offers underwater viewing of pygmy hippos and includes exhibits for colobus monkeys and endangered bird species. The new giraffe exhibit lets visitors get closer to the zoo's giraffes than in the past, though the giraffe feeding station itself was closed at last check while the animals settled into the habitat, with plans to sell lettuce for feeding once they are out more regularly.

Daily animal programming ties several exhibit areas together: a Giraffe Chat runs at 10:30 a.m., an Otter Chat happens at the Otter Pond at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., a Black Rhino Chat runs at 2:30 p.m., and a seasonal chat inside the Tortoise exhibit runs at 1:30 p.m. from May through August. At the Kids Zoo, the "Running of the Ducks" takes place an hour before the grounds close each day.

The zoo's train, refurbished with new tracks and an updated depot during Phase 1, winds through some of the zoo's most scenic sections and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for $3 a ride. The Serengeti Cyclone offers a hurricane simulator with wind speeds visitors can experience for $3, payable in cash or by card. Dining is split between the Flamingo Café, reached by walking past the tortoises and turning at the Wayfinder, and Cool Critters, past the giraffe circle. The Adventure Market Giftshop and the Safari Post Gift Shop round out the retail side of a visit.

Animal highlights

At least 125 species are listed on the zoo's website, spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Big cats include Malayan tigers, Sumatran tigers, jaguars, and cheetahs, while the zoo's larger mammal collection features an eastern black rhinoceros, an Indian rhinoceros, a reticulated giraffe, a pygmy hippopotamus, and a bongo. Primates on the list include lion-tailed macaques, Sulawesi macaques, siamangs, and eastern black-and-white colobus.

Birdlife ranges from Chilean flamingos, gray crowned cranes, and a southern cassowary to macaws including the blue-and-yellow, green-winged, red-fronted, and scarlet varieties, plus raptors such as bald eagles, Andean condors, and king vultures. The reptile and amphibian side of the collection includes Aldabra and Galapagos tortoises, an American alligator, and a run of native and exotic snakes from copperheads and cottonmouths to ball pythons and corn snakes. Smaller North American natives on the list, such as the bobcat, American bison, and white-tailed deer, tie into the zoo's newer North America section.

Conservation and programs

The zoo participates in nearly 30 international Species Survival Plans for critically endangered species, and it points to three successful reintroductions to the wild through that work: the Guam rail, the Arabian oryx, and the golden lion tamarin. Through the Baton Rouge Zoo Foundation, the zoo has directed donations toward Species Survival Plan efforts for tigers, black rhinos, and jaguars, as well as toward rescue and assurance-colony work for the critically endangered Panamanian golden frog. The Foundation also supports Monarch butterfly conservation through native milkweed planting and pollinator garden creation, songbird conservation education and habitat work, and the installation of artificial nest boxes for cavity-nesting birds such as hornbills in Southeast Asia. Internationally, the Foundation backs the Chipangali Wildlife Orphanage in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, which rescues and rehabilitates orphaned, injured, and abandoned wild animals.

On the education side, the zoo runs in-house and outreach programming reaching thousands of children in school groups each year, including reading programs, day camps, weekend classes, teacher workshops, and on-site animal and artifact encounters. Field trip programming aligns with state curriculum requirements and draws school groups from as far as 250 miles away. The zoo also collaborates with the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine on research involving several species.

Planning your visit

As listed on the zoo's website, the Baton Rouge Zoo is open daily, with gates open from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and grounds closing at 5 p.m. From April through August, weekend hours extend, with gates open until 5 p.m. and grounds closing at 6 p.m. The zoo closes only on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day, and it stays open during inclement weather, so refunds and rain checks are not offered.

Every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m., admission drops to $3.00 plus tax per person, with grounds closing at 5 p.m. that day. Former and current military members get free admission on the zoo's observed Veterans Day, and $8.50 plus tax any other day. Group rates of $5.00 per adult and $4.00 per child are available Monday through Friday, August through May, for school-level groups of at least 15 that reserve at least 14 days ahead and pay in one combined payment by cash, check, or Visa/Mastercard.

Parking is reached through Greenwood Community Park; from the roundabout near the park entrance, guests take either the first or second right into the zoo's main lot. If that lot is full, an overflow lot sits between the dog park and the roundabout, connected to the entrance by the Bayou Promenade walking path. Strollers and wheelchairs rent on a first-come, first-served basis with a driver's license required, and electronic conveyance vehicles are also offered. Outside food and drink are not permitted for groups of 15 or more, though individuals may bring bottled water, dry snacks, and even an ice chest. Trained service animals are welcome; pets, bicycles, skateboards, and alcohol are not. As always, check the zoo's official website for current hours, prices, and closures before visiting.