Elephants, rhinos, lions, giraffes, gorillas and chimps trumpeting, roaring, growling and napping…Yes, it’s Africa! Not to be outdone by its northern cousin, Africa features incredible wildlife and entertainment in one of the most beautiful and open spaces in the country.

My favorite is the elephant exhibit, a relative pachyderm paradise. Although is not the wild African savanna the zoo offers plenty of free roaming grassland, trees, a pond, mud holes and dust showers.

You can’t help but adore this gentle giant silverback. Look at him now…”she loves me, she loves not!

The Acacia Giraffe Feeding Station gives you an up close and personal, eye-level encounter with the spotted long necked ballerinas. Access to the deck is free, fist come first serve, but you have to pay for food.

One can’t escape the skirmishes below the wooden bridge leading to African exhibits entrance. There are fish, ducks, and the stone-age alligator snapping turtle. Did you know it has one of the world’s most powerful bites? More than lion, hyenas, and the great white!
So watch your fingers…

Kids fun activities and Fall Events

Toddlers and young children go nuts for a $2 carousel ride, while older kids will get a kick at the 4D Wild Earth Africa Theater. You will get poked, sprayed, trumpled and shaken…and you will love it! Admission is $3. Both attractions will run daily 10AM - 3PM till November 30.

Celebrate “the exotic, the endangered and the mysterious” every Saturday in October! All ZooFest events are included with regular Zoo admission.
• October 3 “Native American” and October 10 “Africa” theme. Enjoy art, live dance and music, myths and mystery tales.
• October 17 “HOWL-O-Ween”. Hear the howls and legends of the elusive red wolves.
• October 24 and 25 “BOO at the ZOO”. Take part in a magical weekend featuring games, music, face painting, treats, costume contests and plenty of Halloween fun.

Are you a blood sucker? Do you have a thing for vampires? No? Then “Batology” on October and November 1 is the thing for you! Come discover the good nature of bats at Sonora Desert.

Feeling artsy? Looking for standout gifts? Take the short to Seagrove to admire close to 200 pottery galleries and open to public workshops. At minimum visit the NC Pottery Center where every Saturday there are live free artist demos.

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