News | North Carolina Zoo

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Press Releases

Small brown warty piglet with dark brown stripes down its back follows behind its mother across a grassy meadow inside its garden habitat.

Help Name Zoo’s Critically Endangered Piglets

Earlier this month, the North Carolina Zoo announced the birth of six critically endangered Visayan warty piglets within its new Asia region, which is set to open March 1, 2027. Now, the Zoo is asking for the public’s assistance to name one of the two litters.

Four small, sleepy warty piglets snuggle in a pile as they rest in a bed of hay near their watchful mother. The babies have a mixture of light brown fur, dark brown stripes along their backs, and deep brown eyes and snouts.

North Carolina Zoo Piglets Make History

North Carolina Zoo announces the birth of six critically endangered Visayan warty piglets in its new Asia region, including four piglets from a single litter--the largest ever recorded under the Species Survival Plan (SSP).

Staring right into the majestic face of a Tiger, with its piercing green eyes and distinctive orange fur with black stripes. There are tufts of white fur around its jowls and ears and it is standing in a lush, tropical forest.

Asia Opening Date Announced

The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) will open the North Carolina Zoo’s new Asia expansion on March 1, 2027. The new continent will be the Zoo’s first major development in more than 30 years.

A diverse group of Zoo volunteers stand together in red shirts holding a sign celebrating one million volunteer hours and counting.

North Carolina Zoo Celebrates One Million Hours of Volunteer Support

Volunteers at the North Carolina Zoo recently surpassed 1 million hours of service.

The North Carolina Zoo's entrance sign. The sign features a large, horizontal brown panel with "North Carolina Zoo" in white text. Above this panel is a curved silhouette of various animals—including a giraffe, elephant, bear, and several others—set against a bright orange and yellow sun disk. It is surrounded by tall, dry grasses under a blue sky with fluffy white clouds.

North Carolina Zoo Council Meeting

The North Carolina Zoo Council will meet in person on Wednesday, May 13, beginning at 10 a.m.

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Dr. Mark Penning Named Director of North Carolina Zoo

Dr. Mark Penning will begin as Director of the North Carolina Zoo this August.

C'sar elephant walking through lush green grass against a cloudless blue sky.

North Carolina Zoo Mourns Death of Oldest African Bull Elephant in the U.S.

The North Carolina Zoo is mourning the death of 51-year-old C’sar, the Zoo’s longest-tenured resident and the oldest African bull elephant in the United States.

Lumbee tribe dancers participate during a Powwow

North Carolina Zoo to Host Indigenous Powwow

The North Carolina Zoo and Botanical Gardens will host an American Indian Powwow at its Solar Pointe picnic area this weekend.

The entrance sign for the North Carolina Zoo is visible, featuring a large, curved sign with "North Carolina Zoo" written across it. Above the text, silhouettes of various animals (including an elephant, giraffe, and bears) are depicted against a yellow sunrise. The sign is set into a grassy mound surrounded by tall reeds and trees under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Villa Named Interim Director of North Carolina Zoo

Diane Villa is named the North Carolina Zoo's Interim Director.

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