Journey to Madagascar Opens at Abilene Zoo

Abilene, TX- The Abilene Zoological Society is excited to announce the opening of the newest exhibit series at the Abilene Zoo; Journey to Madagascar. A ribbon cutting ceremony will take place on Saturday April 10, 2021 at noon. The entire community is invited to discover this amazing new zone of the zoo. 

The Madagascar outdoor exhibits feature ring-tailed lemurs, black & white ruffed lemurs, and a fossa; all surrounded by beautiful rolling landscape at the southwest corner of the zoo. 

Madagascar’s new indoor exhibit, Malagasy Water’s Edge, provides a brand new experience that includes reptiles, invertebrates, amphibians, and small mammals. Highlights include a Malagasy giant hognose snake, tenrec, panther chameleon, radiated tortoise, day gecko, and more. 

Journey to Madagascar also features a state-of-the-art aviary and indoor/outdoor space for hosting future events along the edge of Nelson Lake. 

Interactive education stations, known as ZooCrew:Expedition Madagascar, provide the final touch for this kid friendly zone along with a new chameleon sculpture play area, handcrafted by local artist Steve Neves. 

The opening of Journey to Madagascar is the culmination of a two-million-dollar fundraising campaign for the Abilene Zoo. Launched in 2019, the campaign aimed to expand the zoo and bring some of the world’s most endangered animals to Abilene. 

“This has been the biggest project I have worked on since joining the Abilene Zoo in June of 2019,” stated Jesse Pottebaum, Abilene Zoo Director. “There are a lot of moving parts to building an entirely new exhibit; from construction, zoning permits, color schemes to finding and receiving the animals, all while dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

About Abilene Zoo 

Abilene Zoo was founded in 1966 as a collaborative partnership between the City of Abilene and the Abilene Zoological Society, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving wildlife and protecting wild places. Through its passion and expertise in animal care, conservation, and education, the Abilene Zoo’s mission is a place of learning and adventure where people make memories, share in the joy of discovery, and become inspired to save wildlife. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1985, this West Texas Zoo sees 129 school districts from over 51 Texas counties in addition to over a quarter of a million guests each year. To learn more, visit abilenezoo.org. 

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Please contact the Abilene Zoo at 325.676.6085 for additional information about the facility, including special events and activities for visitors and its ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation and science education.