The North Carolina Zoo - Asheboro, NC

For Over Fifty Years

Saving Wildlife and Wild Places

What we do

The North Carolina Zoo protects wildlife and wild places and inspires people to join us in conserving the natural world.

Giraffa camelopardalis

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What's New at the Zoo

Something NEW and exciting is always happening at the world's largest natural habitat zoo.

• Canine Champions for Conservation

• Air Hike Ropes Course

• Kidzone

A medium sized brown dog leaps gracefully over an orange hurtle. There is a wooden fence in the background with three large posters, the closest has a picture of a black and white dog holding up its paw with text underneath that reads "Cinema". The furthest one has an image of a brown and white dog over the text "Lemonade", while the third is covered by the jumping dog.

Canine Champions for Conservation

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Air Hike Ropes Course

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Kidzone

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Plan Your Visit

Today at the Zoo

Feeding Times

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Canine Champions for Conservation

Tuesday – Friday - 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Weekends/Holidays - 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.

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Garden Friends Playground

Open daily

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Air Hike Ropes Course

10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Last entry 3:00 p.m.

Weather Permitting

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Acacia Station Giraffe Deck

10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Weather Permitting

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Kaleidoscope Butterfly Garden

10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

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Treehouse Trek

10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

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Connect with us

Instagram @NCZoo

Stay in touch with the Zoo! Follow us on social media for updates on everything from our wildlife conservation efforts to your favorite animals. Share your photos, stories, and videos with us as we celebrate 50 WILD years in 2024.

Visit the Zoo's Instagram

The Run Wild 5k at the North Carolina Zoo is fast approaching! 💨
Although this exciting event is SOLD OUT, we still want YOU to know what's going on and how the Run Wild 5K supports our mission of saving wildlife & wild places. 🐾
Registration fees directly support the Zoo's efforts to protect and preserve the American Red Wolf, the world's most endangered canid, with fewer than 20 individuals remaining in the wild. Together, we are making strides…literally and figuratively…for the American Red Wolf! 🏃‍♂️
The Run Wild 5K was made possible through donations from Fahlo, The Table, EmergeOrtho, FleetFeet, Hampton Inn of Asheboro, NC, and Pepsi to the NC Zoo Society. Thank you! 🙏 Your support helps us create unforgettable experiences and promotes a healthy, active community. We couldn't have done it without you! 🌟
Swipe for sponsors 🫶 ➡️
https://www.nczoo.org/events/run-wild-5k

Want to have a memorable Father’s Day? Bring Dad on an adventure he will remember at the North Carolina Zoo, voted Best Zoo by Newsweek TWO YEARS RUNNING! 🥇🥇 Dad can receive $2 off his admission when you mention this offer at the gate on Father’s Day, June 15, 2025. 🎟️
https://www.nczoo.org/events/fathers-day

🐻‍❄️ The Arctic Waters habitat at Polar bear is temporarily closed. But, don’t worry! Polar bear, Anana, will still have access to the Tundra Habitat with room to roam and a cool pond to swim in. 🥶💦 The Tundra habitat has two viewing areas - The Ice Cave and Piper’s Den - located at the end of the Rocky Coast section, just past the Arctic Fox habitat.
🐾 Remember, now that warmer weather is here, Anana has access to air-conditioned behind-the-scenes areas and is able to choose where she would like to be during the day. So, if you do not see her check back again later. It pays to be patient! 👀

Zookeepers aren’t the only ones who carry a heavy emotional burden and mental load — wildlife rehabbers do too. 🧠🐾
The North Carolina Zoo has a wildlife rehab center onsite, the Valerie H. Schindler Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Our wildlife rehabilitation staff cares for sick, injured, and orphaned native wildlife from across North Carolina. Every day, they face stressed and wounded patients, many of whom arrive from heartbreaking circumstances. Knowing that you may be an animal’s last hope for survival is an overwhelming responsibility.🤕🩺
In the wild, animals are experts at hiding pain or illness, it’s a survival mechanism. So when one ends up in rehab, it’s often in critical condition and suffering from significant trauma. These animals don’t understand that we’re here to help them; a calm wild animal in care is often one that’s near death.😢🏥
Rehabbers are taught not to form attachments, knowing that every patient will leave their care… either through release back into the wild or release from suffering. Still, it’s almost impossible not to grow fond of the animals they raise from infancy or nurse back to health. Wild animals don’t bond with their caregivers, and that’s by design, it’s essential for their successful return to the wild. But that doesn’t make the emotional investment of the rehabbers any less real.💞
Every day presents new challenges. Rehabbers work with concerned and emotional finders, care for dozens of unique patients, and often face heart-wrenching decisions. Choosing humane euthanasia for animals that cannot be rehabilitated is one of the most difficult parts of the job, a decision made only out of compassion and responsibility.❤️‍🩹
Wildlife rehabilitation is deeply meaningful work. But it comes with a cost — physically, emotionally, and mentally. And those who do it carry that weight quietly, with unwavering dedication, and we sure are glad that they do.🌟

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums

A Commitment to Excellence

Volunteer

There are many rewarding ways to volunteer your time at our park. Opportunities range from gardening to greeting to helping guests feed giraffes!

Kidzone

Nature Play Area for families to explore, get wet, get muddy, meet Animal Ambassadors, build a survival shelter, walk the Treetop Trail and more! Our play areas feature a stream, a fort making zone, a mud cafe, and more. Available year-round and free with admission.

Zoo Tours: Family Activities for All

Join a behind-the-scenes tour of our animal habitats and have a close animal encounter with the North Carolina Zoo Society!

Spring Break Alert