A local zoo maintains its rank as a national destination, according to a recent report.
U.S. News and World Report has named Fort Worth Zoo as one of the 26 best zoos in the nation.
The report praises the zoo for its Museum of Living Art, containing multiple kinds of reptiles and amphibians, its exhibits for two species of rhino and Bonobos monkeys, the cleanliness of enclosures, its Asian elephant conservation efforts, and its colony of lesser flamingos.
Fort Worth Zoo is one of only a handful of zoos in the country to have Bonobos monkeys, which are included among the four great ape species, according to the report.
This is not the only time the zoo has received national acclaim. The zoo reported that it had been named one of the top 10 zoos in the nation in 2022 by lifestyle and travel publication BestLife.
In 2020, the zoo was ranked the best in the nation in USA Today’s 10 Best list, which has experts select nominees who are later voted on by the public. The following year, the zoo came in second.
“We’re honored to have once again had a spotlight shine on the Fort Worth Zoo,” said spokesperson Avery Elander, according to Fort Worth Report.
Jennifer Schneider, one of the zoo’s members, told the Fort Worth Report that she and her family have visited several zoos around the nation but that they always come back to the Fort Worth Zoo. Her daughter, Greta, 15, also said that she enjoyed seeing the zoo grow over the years since her visits as a young child.
The zoo’s newest exhibit, Predators of Asia & Africa, is expected to open on June 22, with members given an exclusive opportunity to visit before and after zoo hours on June 22, June 26, and July 21.
Another exhibit, Forests & Jungles, is expected to open in spring 2025.
Also making U.S. News and World Report’s list of the best zoos was Houston Zoo, which features 6,000 inhabitants and the largest bird collection in the country. Houston Zoo welcomes 2 million guests a year.