Fort Worth Zoo
We knew it all along.
The results are in for USA Today’s 10 Best Zoos, and sitting at the top is none other than the Fort Worth Zoo, named No. 1 in the nation.
“We are humbled and thrilled by this honor,” Ramona Bass, long-time chairman of the board of directors, said in a statement. “It is the work of our dedicated staff and the support from our loyal guests and friends that make the Fort Worth Zoo truly special."
Rounding out the top five are the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, and the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne, Florida.
USA Today created its top 10 list by first assembling a panel of industry experts who chose 20 finalists based on their animal care and enrichment practices, as well as human-animal interactions. USA Today then opened voting to the public to help narrow down the top 10.
This is the first year the Fort Worth Zoo has been named No. 1 — it has finished in the top five for four years in a row.
The zoo, which attracts more than 1 million guests each year, is currently in the middle of its $100 million master plan, A Wilder Vision. The second phase of the project, Elephant Springs, will nearly triple the size of the zoo’s current elephant exhibit, adding splash pools and multiple lush grass settings to enhance the habitat.
To celebrate the zoo, the City of Fort Worth will illuminate Sundance Square, Pioneer Tower, the Lancaster Avenue bridge, and Seventh Street bridge with green lights. The Pier 1 Imports building will also have a scrolling “1” displayed.
In the meantime, enjoy some photos of animals posing with the No. 1.
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