Located in the City Park, Denver Zoo is home to over 4,000 animals from 600 species which live in a variety of natural habitats across 80 acres of zoo land. Founded in 1896, the zoo was started with an orphaned black bear cub called Billy Ryan and has since grown into one of Denver’s most popular attractions.Boasting species from all over the world, ranging from primates, pachyderms and carnivores to reptiles, birds and fish, the zoo is designed in a circlular loop, which covers a variety of habitats and animal enclosures, including Bear Mountain, Primate Panorama, Predator Ridge, Giraffe House, Toyota Elephant Passage, and Bird World. If you are wondering what to do in Denver with kids on a beautiful sunny day, the zoo is a great choice. Other facilities at the zoo include the Endangered Species Carousel, showcasing some of the many endangered species, the Pioneer Train, which offers an exciting trip around the zoo’s carousel meadow and flamingo lake, and the Wild Encounters outdoor amphitheater, which is designed for wildlife presentations and educational programs.

With over 4000 animals comprising of approximately 700+ species, Denver Zoo is fourth most popular zoo in the country. Each exhibit at Zoo, whether it is about Mammals, Reptiles, Fish, Birds or Plants, is fun to watch and learn. Get a glimpse of Asian Elephants at Toyota Elephant Passage, See pride of lions at Predator Ridge and cuddly Polar Bears at Northern Shores, See how apes and monkeys live at Primate Panorama, Explore exotic varieties of reptiles, fish and amphibians at Tropical Discovery; Be overwhelmed with over 200 species of birds at their own special exhibit; Visit Bear Mountain – home of grizzly bears, Asiatic black bears and coati; Get a chance to see majestic creatures like Snow leopards, stripped hyena and foosa at Felines or hop onto Pioneer Train for a trip along Pachyderm Park.

The Denver Zoo is not jut a fun outing, but also an educational one for children of all ages. Curious what's new at the zoo? In 2017, the Denver Zoo welcomed the birth of two red panda cubs and a rare okapi.The outdoor zoo may be too large to take in all at once for younger children, so plan for more than one trip to see the entire zoo. Daily events such as feeding the sea lions also teach children about the animals, while the carousel and train provide entertainment options. During the holidays, Zoo Lights is a local favorite, with the the zoo lit up. Snack bars offer kid-friendly favorites, but parents can also bring food as well. Diapers can also be purchased at the gift shop if supplies of that critical item run low.

The Denver Zoo is an 80-acre facility located in City Park of Denver, Colorado, USA. Founded in 1896, it is owned by the City and County of Denver and funded in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. It was the most popular paid attraction in the Denver metropolitan area in 2005. The Denver zoo was started with the donation of an orphaned American black bear. With the construction of Bear Mountain, it became the first zoo in the United States to use naturalistic zoo enclosures rather than cages with bars. It expanded on this concept with Primate Panorama with its huge mesh tents and open areas for apes and monkeys, and Predator Ridge, which has three separate areas through which animals are rotated so that their overlapping scents provide environmental enrichment. Toyota Elephant Passage is divided into five areas for rotating the various species. Early years The Denver zoo was founded in 1896 when an orphaned American black bear cub named Billy Bryan – short for William Jennings Bryan after the contemporary American politician – was given to Thomas S. McMurry as a gift. McMurry gave the hard-to-manage cub to the keeper of City Park, Alexander J. Graham, who started the zoo with this animal. Other animals at the young zoo included native waterfowl at Duck Lake, native prairie dogs and antelope which roamed the park, and a flock of Chinese pheasants, which later populated the eastern plains of the state. Mid-20th century The zoo was a motley menagerie until 1906, when Mayor Robert W. Speer declared that the zoo's rison bars can be done away with" in favor of "concrete rocks, waterfalls, trees, etc." Speer hired the city's landscape architect, Saco R. DeBoer, to draw up the plans for his renovation and appointed Victor H. Borcherdt as zoo director. Exhibits The Denver Zoo houses species from all over the World, including hoofed mammals, carnivorous mammals, primates, pachyderms, birds, reptiles, and fish. The zoo is laid out in a large loop, with exhibits both inside and outside the loop. Current exhibits include the following: Bear Mountain This historic exhibit, originally opened in 1918, is one of the first natural-style zoo exhibits in North America, and the first to use simulated concrete rocks. It underwent a $250,000 restoration between 1987 and 1989, and is now home to grizzly bears, Asiatic black bears, and coati. Primates Primate Panorama spreads over 7 acres and primarily houses apes and other larger primates. Tree-dwelling apes and monkeys live in open-air wire mesh tents that soar four stories high and cover more than an acre of ground. Inside these tents, the primates can play and climb on twisting vines. Gorillas roam freely, climbing ropes and taking afternoon hammock naps in one of the largest Gorilla habitats in the world. Orangutans have their own outdoor habitat where they can climb trees and swing in hammocks. Other facilities The Endangered Species Carousel features hand-carved wooden replicas of some of Denver's most popular residents including a polar bear mom and cubs, giraffes, okapi and baby gorilla, along with many other endangered animals. The Pioneer Train offers a quick trip around the zoo’s carousel meadow filled with beautiful lush foliage, under the shade of 100-year-old trees. Visitors can see American and Chilean flamingos and other waterfowl just outside the Primate Panorama exhibit. Denver Zoo’s Pioneer Train is the first natural gas-powered zoo train in the United States.

A short story about a long history and a promising future... It all began with a special gift to the mayor of Denver, a black bear named Billy Bryan. Today, Denver Zoo is one of the most popular zoos in the United States. With an exciting 15-20 year master plan in place, the 21st century will see Denver Zoo transformed into an exciting conservation center that will continue to further the evolution of superb zoo exhibitory. Denver Zoo is home to more than 3,500 animals representing 650 species. A leader in conservation, Denver Zoo has championed 495 conservation and research projects in 53 countries.

The Denver Zoo is an 80-acre facility located in City Park. Founded in 1896, it is owned by the City and County of Denver and funded in part by the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District. It was the most popular paid attraction in the Denver metropolitan area in 2005. The Denver zoo was started with the donation of an orphaned American black bear. With the construction of Bear Mountain, it became the first zoo in the United States to use naturalistic zoo enclosures rather than cages with bars. It expanded on this concept with Primate Panorama with its huge mesh tents and open areas for apes and monkeys, and Predator Ridge, which has three separate areas through which animals are rotated so that their overlapping scents provide environmental enrichment. The latest Asian Tropics exhibit will be divided into five areas for rotating the various species.