Austin Zoo

10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin, TX 78736, USA

Address:	10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin, TX 78736, USA
Phone:	+1 512-288-1490
Site:	austinzoo.org
Rating:	4.1
Working:	9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM 9:30AM–6PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 5

A Private User

This was my first time to go. Very cool place. The animal selection is not as wide as most zoos in which I have frequented. However, you get to be much closer to the animals than I have ever been in many cases. For instance, I had a black bear only about 5 feet from me, humongous tortoises only about 2-3 feet from me (hissing - very neat), several kinds of monkeys about 1-2 feet away, and Bengal tigers only about 10 feet away! Closest I have also ever been to a lion. The best thing about this zoo is the close proximity you can get to the animals. Most animals seemed pretty happy, and they all had LOTS of food (this surprised me)! Note: Only 1 indoor facility exists. This is for the reptiles, and it is relatively small (no Gila monsters for instance) being only one room. The rest is outdoors on gravelled tracks. Took me about 2-3 hours to slowly walk through. Also, several vending machines exist throughout serving drinks and Dip N Dots ice cream. 1 concession stand serves snow cones, drinks, burgers, etc. If I remember, a burger was about 3 bucks and the snow cone was 2 bucks for a good size. Not bad pricing. If you live in Austin, I definitely recommend checking this out sometime. If you are outside Austin, I only recommend it if you have a couple of hours to kill and want to get really close to dangerous animals like bears and tigers. Loved it! BTW, the staff was very nice too. The lady that took my money at the counter was very sweet, and at one point, we asked another lady that was helping a parrot what she was doing. That worker happily explained that she was putting a feather inside the cage to prevent the parrot from plucking its own feathers. No one was rude at all. We did not ride the train. So, I cannot comment on that. I did not feel like riding it because I heard it is not operated by the zoo, and consequently, the zoo does not see any of that money.

A Private User

First off: to anyone reading the negative reviews and to the dimwitted authors of these negative reviews: 1. if you open your eyes and read anything (if you are literate) you would have read that this is a special and Honorable zoo unlike most because its a rescue zoo/sanctuary. ..and if you didnt know what the terms "rescued animal" or "sanctuary" meant you should have googled those too or gotten out the websters because maybe you dropped out of kindergarten 2. were you expecting to go to a "day spa" or 5 star restaurant??!! W the F is up with all the "bad customer service" comments??!! this is a zoo, where you go to observe wild animals without having to spend thousands traveling to their native habitats all over the planet, not get your balls massaged and fed caviar while bears ice skate for your entertainment!! 3. if you did get rude looks from any staff its probably because you or your children were throwing sticks/trash/tapping on glass, yelling at animals right in front of the numerous signs telling you of the zoos "zero tolerance policy" for taunting of its animal residents with that out of the way, this is by far the best zoo Ive ever been too, all zoos should be run this way, there are more than enough animals in need of rescuing from endless torture in research laboratories, circuses, other "flashy" zoos who dont treat their animals right, and idiot owners who thought a tiger was a great pet, so there is no need for city zoos to be taking anymore wild animals from the wild, leave them be, defend their habitat and turn all zoos in sanctuaries for all the current animals we have in our possession that need to be retired and taken care of peacefully to live out the rest of their lives. Austin Rocks

James Beswick

We were lucky enough to get a private tour thanks to a GHA/Omni Local Experience and really enjoyed meeting its Director, Patti Clark.The Zoo has the admirable mission of not existing at all since without abused, injured and abandoned animals to rescue, it wouldnt need to be here. Patti could relay every story of each animal on our tour, and although many of its inhabitants were transfers from closed pet stores and zoos, the majority were exotic pets from owners who never considered what happens when a bear, panther or alligator grows up. This zoo is the final destination for these animals where they get to live out the rest of their days without transfer. While there are no giraffes, polar bears or theme park rides, theres an enthusiastic and friendly staff caring for several hundred animals that otherwise most likely would have been euthanized. This non-profit is continuously building new enclosures and facilities and hosts daily programs and talks for kids and adults alike, in its effort to house animals from the 40-50 calls they get every month. Austin Zoo is not a flashy place and doesnt have multi-million dollar enclosures and exhibits. You can see your entrance fee and donations in action, and the focus is on providing the best possible support for rescued animals. Id strongly recommend visiting - kids will always love a trip to the zoo - but for adults the ethical mission is the real draw.

A Private User

I think what the Austin Zoo is doing is a good thing and by no reason do I not appreciate the place. All of the animals are rescue animals in one way or anything. They have large animals, lions, tigers, bears, mountain lions, leopards, pretty much anything smaller than a Rhino... They have a ton of parrots and several primates as well. The organization cares for unwanted or uncared for animals from a variety of rescues. They are certainly doing a great service and their facilities are pretty good considering the cost of caring for so many animals. With that being said, I think the term "Zoo" is used a little loosely here wherein also lies the poor ratings it gets. If you are searching for your typical zoo with acres of animals and elephants and elaborate enclosures, youre not going to find it. The Austin Zoo is much more of a public animal sanctuary than anything that could be described as a zoo. This isnt necessarily a bad thing but the "Zoo" in the title is certainly misleading. Add in the fact that it costs about the same for admission as the San Antonio Zoo, and youre bound to get some poor reviews. As long as you understand that your money is going directly to help the animals they care for, and that youre not going to the "big zoo" this place is more than fulfilling especially for younger children whom are often just overwhelmed with the crowds and sheer size of a large zoo.

Mary Thevenot

For young kids and people with a heart for rescuing animals, this is an ideal zoo. Its a bit small, but well designed, with ample shade for people and animals--a must in this climate. Zoo staff are friendly and give scheduled talks--we caught the monkey one and it was great. The train is fun, and you see animals from it that you would otherwise miss. My kids like the lizard house, feeding the goats, the talking birds, lions, tigers and bears. My toddler son and I went one day in the winter, and the wolfdogs were howling, which was memorable and cool. Theres a food truck that sells snow cones, hot dogs and other snacks, and there are vending machines. I think I saw a selection of strollers that you could borrow. Speaking of strollers, youd want to use one with more rugged tires, large wheels, etc. The trails throughout arent paved, and are frequently rocky or uneven. There are some cute photo ops. Overall its a nice place, and Im sure the kids and I will be back. I like that vendors arent all over the place, and its a rescue zoo. They have bios up for just about every animal, and have made efforts throughout to educate the public about the realities of caring for exotic animals. For older kids or adults looking for a bigger zoo, more variety of animals and environments, check out the Camden Park Zoo in Waco, or the San Antonio or Houston Zoo.