DeYoung Family Zoo
Wallace, MI
- Admission
- —
- Opened
- 1990
- Accreditation
- None listed
not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Everything below is directory information drawn from public sources and the zoo's own site. It hasn't been through our edit pass yet.
Animals at DeYoung Family Zoo
2 confirmed
Feathers & Fangs from visitors
What people who've been to DeYoung Family Zoo say
A Feather is something this zoo does well; a Fang is something it gets wrong. Left by people who've been, and read by us before they appear.
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About DeYoung Family Zoo
The DeYoung Family Zoo is a privately owned zoo in Wallace, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, about 15 miles north of Menominee. Wikipedia and a 2019 WFMK radio station profile both name the owners as Bud DeYoung and Carrie Cramer. The zoo opened to the public in 1990 and operates seasonally, from May to October each year.
Wikipedia describes the collection as about 450 animals of 125 species and says the facility has many exotic felines. The radio profile describes a wider mix, and says the zoo aims to entertain visitors while educating them about protecting animals, whether local, wild, tame, domestic, or international.
The zoo is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
History
The zoo opened in 1990, according to both sources. Wikipedia reports that in 2008 the zoo bred two Siberian tigers, described there as endangered, and that the pairing produced a litter of four cubs.
The zoo has been the subject of a television series. My Life Is a Zoo aired on National Geographic Wild and was filmed at the zoo, according to Wikipedia and the radio profile.
Exhibits and habitats
The 2019 radio profile lists big cats including lions, tigers, and leopards; primates including chimpanzees, spider monkeys, and olive baboons; reptiles including anacondas, pythons, and boa constrictors; and exotic mammals including a hippopotamus, camels, and kangaroos. It also mentions a liger, Russian grizzly bears, and wolves. The collection may have changed since that profile was published. The zoo's own website currently promotes a bear program, its wolves, and a baby sloth introduced at a daily 12:30 p.m. animal encounter.
Visitors can hold some animals and interact with others. The profile describes a petting zoo of domestic animals that visitors can pet and feed. Wikipedia says the zoo offers visitor interactions and baby animals to pet and bottle feed, and the zoo's website invites visitors to feed and meet animals.
Conservation and programs
Both sources say the owners rehabilitate local wildlife such as white-tailed deer and raccoons, along with other animals in distress or in need of help.
Planning your visit
The zoo's website gives its address as N5406 County Road 577, Wallace, Michigan, and describes the location as about an hour north of Green Bay and an hour south of Escanaba. Wikipedia and the radio profile describe a May-to-October season. As listed on the zoo's website for September 2026, fall hours were Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Central Time. Ticket details and current hours are on the zoo's website.
What we haven't confirmed
Everything above came from public sources. These specifics we haven't stood behind yet:
- Opening dates for the next season
- Ticket details
- Current animal list
- Parking
- Phone number
DeYoung Family Zoo compared with nearby zoos
How DeYoung Family Zoo lines up against the closest zoos we have details for — useful if you're deciding between them for the same day out.
| Zoo | Distance | Admission | Hours | Size | AZA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeYoung Family ZooThis zooWallace, MI | — | — | — | — | No |
| Northeastern Wisconsin ZooGreen Bay, WI | 50 mi | $14.50 | 9:00 am – 6:00 pm | 43 acres | Yes |
| Kewaunee County Bruemmer Park and Zoo, WI | 59 mi | Free | 7:00 AM to sunset, year-round. | — | No |
| Lincoln Park ZooManitowoc, WI | 83 mi | Free | 9am – 7pm | — | No |
Distances are straight-line. A dash means we haven't confirmed that detail yet, not that the zoo lacks it.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
DeYoung Family Zoo: common questions
When is the DeYoung Family Zoo open?
Sources say it operates seasonally from May through October each year.
Where is it?
It is in Wallace, Michigan, in the Upper Peninsula, about 15 miles north of Menominee.
Is it AZA accredited?
No. It is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Who owns it?
Wikipedia and a local radio profile name Bud DeYoung and Carrie Cramer as the owners.
Was the zoo on television?
Yes. My Life Is a Zoo, which aired on National Geographic Wild, was filmed there.
Something wrong here? Tell us — we correct in place, with a dated note.