Fort Wayne Destinations: The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo #4
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is a zoo in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Since opening in 1965, the 1,000-animal zoo has been located on 40 acres in Fort Wayne's Franke Park. The zoo continuously ranks among the top zoos in the U.S., TripAdvisor named it the seventh best zoo in the nation.
On July 3, 1965, the new Fort Wayne Children's Zoo opened on 5.5 acres with 18 animal exhibits. In 1976, a major expansion of the zoo was the African Veldt attraction, where savanna animals grazed in open fields east of the Central Zoo. In 1987, the Australian Adventure premiered, showcasing animals from the Outback. A domed Indonesian Rain Forest exhibit opened in 1994, with Orangutan Valley opening a year later, and Tiger Forest in 1996.
On July 1, 2015, the zoo celebrated its 50th anniversary with about 400 guests. The 47th Three Rivers Festival parade honored the occasion, with the theme "Here's to Zoo."
Offering rides, animals, exhibits and adventure the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is a big favorite. Your family will love 40 acres of animals, rides and beautifully landscaped grounds. Four distinct sections offer rides and hands-on experiences.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo can trace its origins to 1952 when 54 acres were added to Franke Park in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to establish a nature preserve. Local popularity of the preserve led to Fort Wayne officials deciding to build a full-fledged zoo by 1962. The zoo's mission was to educate children about animals.
The Australian Adventure features the Reef, Kangaroos, Pet a stingray, ride a surfboard, and explore the outback, mate! Climb into your own dugout canoe and explore The Outback on the Crocodile Creek Adventure Ride. You’ll observe the life cycle of a crocodile while you float past dingoes and eastern grey kangaroos. Sit back and enjoy this relaxing canoe ride.
The African Journey features lions, hyenas, monkeys and more! Hand-feed giraffes and enjoy play spaces all across the continent including sitting behind the wheel of a real Land Rover and zooming in on zebra and wildebeest with the Savannah Viewers. You can even choose to Relax and Ride: Tickle your toes in the treetops as you glide 38 feet into the air on the Sky Safari! Get a bird’s eye view of lions, zebras, wildebeest, and ostrich in the African Journey exhibit.
The Indonesian Rain Forest offers a cool escape amidst jungle life. Come nose-to-nose with tigers, orangutans, and reptiles! There is so much more to see and do here. And snacks zoo animals (and visitors) enjoy their snacks.