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Tag: Fort Worth Zoo

  • Spend a day of spring break outside at the Fort Worth Zoo. What to expect

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    Danny Miles, 3, touches a Texas Horned Lizard held by Robyn Doege, an assistant curator for aquatic ectotherms, during a media event for the grand reopening of the reimagined Mountains & Desert exhibit in the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday June 20, 2024.

    Danny Miles, 3, touches a Texas Horned Lizard held by Robyn Doege, an assistant curator for aquatic ectotherms, during a media event for the grand reopening of the reimagined Mountains & Desert exhibit in the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday June 20, 2024.


    Chris Torres

    ctorres@star-telegram.com

    Why spend spring break inside ?

    Fort Worth ISD’s spring break is from March 16 to March 20. From Stockyards crawfish boils or kayaking at the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, it’s the time to be outside.

    One way to do so is by visiting the Fort Worth Zoo.

    Last year, the zoo saw more than 158,000 guests from March 8 to March 23. This year, between spring break camp and half-off Wednesdays, guests can expect it to be crowded once again.

    Here’s what spring break zoo-goers should expect.

    Spring break camp at Fort Worth Zoo

    During spring break, the Fort Worth Zoo is offering an all-day camp for children to learn more about animals and wildlife conservation. Families have until March 12 to register.

    The camp will be Monday, March 16 until Friday, March 20 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a day off on Wednesday, March 18, when camp will not take place.

    Campers can go for one of the days, or all four. It costs $85 per day or $335 for all four days.

    To register, you must create a family profile on the Fort Worth Zoo website. Once you are logged in, you can register for zoo camps.

    Two gharial hatchlings are revealed at the Fort Worth Zoo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. This is the zoo’s third year in a row to successfully hatch gharial newborns, a critically endangered species.
    Two gharial hatchlings are revealed at the Fort Worth Zoo on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. This is the zoo’s third year in a row to successfully hatch gharial newborns, a critically endangered species. Chris Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com

    When are tickets cheapest at Fort Worth Zoo?

    The Fort Worth Zoo offers half-off Wednesdays year-round.

    Admission for non-member adults (ages 13 to 64) is $22. Children (12 and under) and seniors (65+) are $18.

    On Wednesdays, these prices are cut in half. An adult ticket is $11, and children and seniors are $8.

    Once you buy a ticket ahead of time online– which is what the zoo recommends, especially during spring break– it is valid for 30 days.

    Parking is $5 and can be purchased at ticket booths located in the parking lots.

    Advice for spring breakers at Fort Worth Zoo

    • Note that between March 14 and March 22, ticket booth lines will be longer than normal. Buy tickets online ahead of time.
    • Zoo parking lots are located at 1989 Colonial Parkway. Do not park in surrounding neighborhoods or commercial parking lots. 
    • Allow extra time for traffic. 
    • A zoo spokesperson told the Star-Telegram they plan to have police officers help direct traffic and parking.
    • The zoo is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. They recommend visiting right at opening or making an afternoon trip, as the crowds are biggest during lunch time.
    • Guests can see the whole zoo within four hours. 
    • Outside food and drink in small coolers are allowed in the park.
    • No glass, alcohol, or disposable lids and straws are allowed.

    Siblings Imara, left, and Tamu at the Fort Worth Zoo. The lion cubs were born on June 29, 2025.
    Siblings Imara, left, and Tamu at the Fort Worth Zoo. The lion cubs were born on June 29, 2025. Courtesy of the Fort Worth Zoo

    Animals to see at the Fort Worth Zoo

    The Fort Worth Zoo has more than 7,000 animals to see.

    In September, the zoo welcomed a baby elephant named Lady Bird. She lives with her mother Bluebonnet, father Romeo and 4-year-old brother Brazos. Visitors can see her daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    Other zoo babies, who were all born in October 2025, are Pancake, Imara and Tamu. Pancake is the nearly 6-foot giraffe calf. He’s the smallest calf born at the Fort Worth Zoo, which inspired his name. And Imara and Tamu, are a pair of lion cubs. Another juvenile worth seeing is the 2-year-old gorilla named Bruno.

    For interactive activities, the Zoo has a Herpetarium (the Museum of Living Art, MOLA) that guests can visit daily from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., where they can learn about and interact with reptiles. There is also a Bait Shack touch tank down in Texas Wild exhibit.

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  • Fort Worth Zoo prepares to keep animals safe during winter storm

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    Preparations were in full swing at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday and Friday to keep the animals safe and warm during the upcoming winter storm.

    Zookeepers are adding nesting material to bird houses, stocking barns with extra hay and collecting enrichment items for the animals to use indoors, spokesperson Avery Elander told the Star-Telegram in an email. Some of the animals that live in outdoor habitats, including the critically endangered Pan’s Box Turtle, have been moved inside.

    Fort Worth Zoo staff move Pan’s Box Turtles indoors Thursday, Jan. 22, in preparation for the upcoming winter storm. The turtles, which are bred at the zoo, are considered a critically endangered species.
    Fort Worth Zoo staff move Pan’s Box Turtles indoors Thursday, Jan. 22, in preparation for the upcoming winter storm. The turtles, which are bred at the zoo, are considered a critically endangered species. Fort Worth Zoo

    The nutrition team is prepping and delivering food to the zookeepers so each animal will have exactly what they need available.

    “Whether it’s the hot, hot days in the summer or the frigid air in the winter, our teams expect extreme temps throughout the year and this week, have sprung into action to take the necessary steps to ensure the animals are appropriately cared for and the park is prepared during this storm,” Elander said.

    A member of the Fort Worth Zoo’s nutrition team prepares food for the animals Thursday, Jan. 22, ahead of the expected winter storm forecast to bring freezing cold temperatures, ice, sleet and snow. Zookeepers are working hard to make sure the animals stay safe and warm over the next several days.
    A member of the Fort Worth Zoo’s nutrition team prepares food for the animals Thursday, Jan. 22, ahead of the expected winter storm forecast to bring freezing cold temperatures, ice, sleet and snow. Zookeepers are working hard to make sure the animals stay safe and warm over the next several days. Fort Worth Zoo

    A zookeeper makes sure the duck houses at the Fort Worth Zoo are ready on Thursday, Jan. 22, ahead of the expected winter storm.
    A zookeeper makes sure the duck houses at the Fort Worth Zoo are ready on Thursday, Jan. 22, ahead of the expected winter storm. Fort Worth Zoo

    Members of the Zoo’s engineering and operations teams are fueling generators, testing heaters throughout the property, taking down awnings that could be damaged by ice and insulating exposed water lines.

    “As always, our security team is onsite 24/7 and we will have additional zookeepers and animal care staff staying overnight to care for the animals,” Elander said.

    ❄️🌡️ Winter storm in North Texas:

    A critically endangered Pan’s Box Turtle was moved indoors from its outdoor habitat at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Jan. 22. Zookeepers are preparing for the winter storm expected to hit Friday.
    A critically endangered Pan’s Box Turtle was moved indoors from its outdoor habitat at the Fort Worth Zoo on Thursday, Jan. 22. Zookeepers are preparing for the winter storm expected to hit Friday. Fort Worth Zoo

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  • Viral Video Shows Fort Worth Zookeepers Trapped in Enclosure With Gorilla

    Viral Video Shows Fort Worth Zookeepers Trapped in Enclosure With Gorilla

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    A video of two Fort Worth Zoo zookeepers is going viral after the pair found themselves in an enclosure with a 34-year-old silverback gorilla.

    The video shows a male gorilla named Elmo suddenly running back into his enclosure with the two zookeepers still inside. One zookeeper is able to quickly make it back outside of the gorilla habitat and hide behind a door as Elmo knocks over a bin of food. The other zookeeper had to wait out Elmo from the other side of a tree in the enclosure until she was able to sprint toward the door and close it from the other side.

    The viral TikTok video was posted by a former Fort Worth Zoo security member named Ben under the account @Ben306069. The post has now reached over 19 million views. Filming from the visitors’ side of the habitat glass, the video’s audio reveals the patrons’ reaction, as many gasp and others begin to pray.

    “God protect her. God, animals obey the sound of your voice,” one woman can be heard saying.

    @ben306069 Shocking moment two keepers where left in an enclosure with Elmo a male silverback at the fort worth zoo #shocking #fortworthzoo #silverback #scary #zoo #zookeeper #gorilla #fyp #fortworth #elmothegorilla #exposed #coverup ♬ original sound – Ben306069

    Ben told Fox News Digital that he was the “responding security officer” and posted a follow-up video this afternoon. In the update, Ben said the video is from Oct. 23, 2023, and that the two zookeepers and Elmo were OK after the incident. Ben answered some frequently asked questions in the comments, including why tranquilizer darts were not used in this situation.

    “As security officers, we don’t carry them, that’s going to be up to vet staff because they have to mix it according to animal body weight and the animal itself,” Ben said. “I know that was a common thing that was brought up, is that we could have just tranquilized it. We could have, [but] if we would have waited that long, it would have put the keepers at more risk.”

    Ben also said that the keepers did train for unfortunate situations like this. He explained that Elmo was able to get back into the enclosure because a lock was left unsecured and the gorilla was able to open the cage that led into the exhibit while the keepers were doing a routine feeding. Out of respect for the zookeepers, Ben did not share their names but said that both of them and Elmo are still at Fort Worth Zoo.

    At the end of his video, Ben also addressed comments saying that “zoos are bad” due to the lack of safety for both animals and staff, and he defended the fact that without zoos, many of the species there would be extinct.

    “[Zoos] are a major player in conservation efforts across the world,” Ben said. “The Fort Worth Zoo especially donates a lot of time, money and research toward conservation efforts. […] Most of these animals were born and raised in captivity, so their safest option is being at the zoo so y’all can enjoy them as a continued species.”

    Fort Worth Zoo has not yet responded to the Observer for comment.

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    Samantha Thornfelt

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