NC Zoo Trip Overview
Africa
Your African safari will take you from dense forests to wide-open grasslands. Enjoy watching and learning about the exotic and diverse animals and plants of Africa. Plan on two to three hours to tour the Africa region.
· Watani Grasslands: elephants, rhinos, antelope, gazelles, waterbucks, ostriches
· Bushlands: lions, red river hogs
· Kitera Forest: chimpanzees
· Forest Glade: western lowland gorillas
· African Pavilion: baboons, tropical plants
· Forest Edge: zebras, ostriches, giraffes
Aviary
The R. J. Reynolds Forest Aviary at N.C. Zoo displaysmore than three thousand gorgeous tropical plants and dozens of exotic birds.Also, three dozen tropical frogs, sporting some of the most vibrant colors in the animal kingdom, are on display. Four species of the three-inch long frogs, native to the jungles of Central and South America, are hopping around two new exhibits installed in the Aviary’s entrance lobby. Find out why these tropical frogs are endangered and what you can to to help.
The North Carolina Zoo's Aviary Field Guide provides full color drawings, the names of the birds along with tips for finding and identifying them in the Zoo's Aviary.
Ecosystem: Tropical Forest - Hot, humid conditions characterize these biologically productive ecosystems. Supporting a large amount of biodiversity, rainforest soil is actually very poor. Most soil nutrients are quickly taken up by plants or washed away with heavy rain. Rainforests are being quickly destroyed by slash and burn agriculture, livestock production, logging, fuelwood collection and other human development.
North America
From the hot and dry Sonoran Desert to the icy Rocky Coast, the North America region of the NC Zoo showcases the major habitats found in this geographic area. Plan on two to three hours to tour the North America region.
· Cypress Swamp: cougars, alligators, ducks and reptiles
· Marsh: native insects and animals, such as beaver, muskrat, birds, snakes and frogs
· Rocky Coast: polar bear, arctic fox, puffin, auklet, sea lion, and harbor seal
· Streamside: bobcats, otters, fish, snakes, frogs, owls
· Northwoods: grizzly bears, black bears, red wolves
· Prairie: elk and bison
· Sonora Desert: ocelot, roadrunner, hummingbirds, lizards, tarantulas and bats