Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is home to more than 700 animals of all shapes and sizes.  From the smallest animal (milkweed bug) to the largest (Asian elephant), the zoo offers unique viewing opportunities for its guests. Begin your journey in the U.S.S. Antiquities, home to a variety of fish, reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates.  Walk through the submarine cave to learn how life forms changed over time and explore present day habitats of the plants and animals that live here. Continue through the Diversity of Birds Aviary where you will catch a glimpse of the colors, shapes, sizes and lifestyles in our diverse world of birds.  This free-flight aviary is home to dozens of birds from nearly two dozen different species. Your next stop is a visit to the animals in Adaptation - Natural Selection at Work. As many of these animals are nocturnal, this section of the zoo is frequently referred to as the "dark" area.  Here you will learn about various animals that have inherited unique features over time, which help them survive and reproduce. Pass through Lion Corridor where our three lions, Joshua, Kierha and Mindine, reside and enter the Ecosystems building. You're sure to enjoy the lemurs, monkeys, apes, meerkats and fossa (among others) that live here. As you venture outdoors, you'll see dozens of birds residing on the main pond and in several exhibits.  Members of the outdoor bird community include a variety of ducks, raptors, flamingos and other birds. At Penguin Coast watch the penguins as they dive, swim and waddle about their exhibit.  There are six viewing windows which provide a number of angles to see the birds in action. Continue around the 1/2-mile path on the Wildlife Trail where you'll encounter grey wolves, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, Amur tigers, red wolves, white-lipped deer, red pandas, snow leopards, spectacled bears and more! Don't forget to check out the pachyderm residents at Asian Elephant Preserve. The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is home to seven elephants: Indy, Siri, Romani, Kirina, Targa, Mali and Chuck.  During the summer and on school breaks, guests will have the opportunity to meet one of our elephants in person and experience what it's like to feel the unique texture of an elephant's trunk at Elephant Encounter. Complete your animal viewing at the Domestic Animal Barn where you can feel wool in your hands and meet our barn dog, Emma.  You might even catch a training demonstration with our Guinea hogs, Gus and Briggs.