Austin Zoo

About Austin Zoo

Austin Zoo sits on the southwest edge of Austin, Texas, off Highway 290 West and Circle Drive, in the Hill Country. It opened in 1990 and is described by the zoo as the only Zoological Association of America (ZAA) accredited zoo in the Austin area; it is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo currently occupies about 15 acres of developed land and owns another 40 acres reserved for future expansion.

Unlike a zoo built around a curated collection acquired for display, Austin Zoo describes its mission as assisting animals in need through rescue, conservation, and education. Its more than 300 animals, representing over 100 species, include animals retired from other facilities due to age or health, animals seized in cruelty cases, retired laboratory research animals, and exotic pets individuals could no longer care for. The zoo operates as a private nonprofit, relying on admissions, memberships, donations, gift shop sales, grants, sponsorships, and fundraising events rather than public funding.

History

Austin Zoo began in 1990 as a goat ranch known as Good Day Ranch, taking in primarily goats, pigs, fallow deer, donkeys, and ponies in need of homes. By 1994, the ranch had grown to include a number of exotic animals, and it was officially renamed Austin Zoo to reflect the change. In 1999, the ranch's owners decided to donate the animals and facilities into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, a transition that was completed in 2000, and the zoo has been operated by a Board of Directors since that time.

Exhibits and habitats

Austin Zoo is organized around walkable animal habitats, a Hoofstock Feeding Area where guests can interact with and feed sheep, deer, goats, llamas, and alpacas, and a Picnic Grove where visitors may bring their own food and drinks. A train ride operates on every day the zoo is open, running from about a half hour after opening until an hour before closing, with tickets purchased separately at the Train Depot inside the zoo.

Zookeeper chats and scheduled animal feedings run throughout the week, covering residents such as brown lemurs, spider monkeys, silver foxes, porcupines, and giant tortoises, along with a Black Bear keeper chat and reptile-focused sessions in the Discovery Center. Guests can also book more intimate paid encounters, including sessions to meet the zoo's Galapagos tortoises up close or spend time with its capybaras, each led by a staff member in small groups.

Animal highlights

Austin Zoo is home to more than 300 animals representing more than 100 species, according to the zoo. Species named across the zoo's own materials include Galapagos tortoises, capybaras, brown lemurs, spider monkeys, silver foxes, porcupines, and a black bear, alongside hoofstock such as sheep, deer, goats, llamas, and alpacas that guests can feed directly. Many of the zoo's animals arrived after being retired from other facilities, seized in cruelty cases, or surrendered as exotic pets, giving the collection a rescue-driven rather than acquisition-driven character.

Planning your visit

Hours as listed on the zoo's website vary by day: the zoo's home page lists Monday through Friday hours of 9:00am to 3:00pm and Saturday, Sunday, and holiday hours of 9:00am to 6:00pm, while its visit page separately lists daily hours of 8:30am to 2:00pm on weekdays and 8:30am to 5:00pm on weekends and holidays. Because these figures differ across the zoo's own pages, confirm the current schedule directly before visiting.

Ticket pricing as listed on the zoo's website includes a children's rate (ages 2 to 12) of $16.95, a discounted rate of $18.95 for current military service members, and $12.95 for a guest visiting with a zoo member; a standard adult general admission price was not available in the materials reviewed here. As of September 1, the zoo has discontinued online ticket sales, and tickets must be purchased at the Admission Gate on the day of the visit; sales are not limited and are not refundable. Nonprofit and civic groups of 15 or more can request a group rate by calling ahead for a reservation.

The zoo's train ride costs $5.00 plus tax and runs every day the zoo is open, weather permitting. Guests may bring their own food and drinks for a picnic in the Picnic Grove. The zoo is located at 10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin, TX 78736. As always, check the official Austin Zoo website for current hours, pricing, and any closures before planning a visit.