Zoos in North Carolina

North Carolina has fourteen listed zoos, ranging from state-run habitats to roadside animal parks in the mountains and on the coast. North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, opened in 1974 on 500 developed acres, is part of the state's Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and holds AZA accreditation. Durham has two very different options: the Duke University Lemur Center, founded in 1966, which is visited by reservation for guided tours, and the AZA-accredited Museum of Life and Science, on 84 acres. Greensboro Science Center combines a zoo, aquarium and museum. Smaller places include Conservators Center in Burlington on 45 acres, Cherokee Bear Zoo in the western mountains, and OBX Lizard Land in Currituck on the Outer Banks.