Zoo Review Updates, 2025 - Part II

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore broke ground on a new habitat for red pandas, the first project in the planned renovation of the zoo's historic Main Valley.  The exhibit is slated to be opened next year as part of the celebration of the zoo's 150th anniversary.

Milwaukee County Zoo just completed the last step in its ambitious Adventure Africa project to renovate its pachyderm exhibits with a new indoor/outdoor habitat for black rhinos.  The zoo also announced an exciting new masterplan which will see many new projects, including renovation of the reptile house/aquarium and a new Central American rainforest exhibit.  As part of the renovation process, the old Small Mammal House has been shuttered.

Nashville Zoo opened its new Leopard Forest, featuring Amur leopards (as a stand-in for the African subspecies) with side exhibits of klipspringer antelope and colobus and DeBrazza's monkeys. Guests can see the cats for various viewpoints, including from below as the leopards use an elevated bridge to pass from enclosure to enclosure.  Compared to other big cats, leopards are seldom highlighted in major exhibits, so this new exhibit is a real treat.  Next year, the zoo will be breaking ground on a two-story orangutan habitat, the anchor for a Southeast Asian exhibit that will also feature langurs, birds of paradise, tree kangaroos, otters, and a new habitat for Nashville's iconic clouded leopards.

Photo Credit: Nashville Zoo

Slowly but surely, the development of Asia is underway at the North Carolina Zoo, with animals already trickling in.  The exhibit complex is supposed to open next year - and then on to Australia!

Oglebay's Good Zoo will be adding a lion exhibit, having broken ground this year for an anticipated opening in 2026.

The Philadelphia Zoo opened a new aviary habitat for greater flamingos.  Construction on the renovated bear habitats also continues.

Phoenix Zoo opened its new habitats for Big Cats of Arizona, featuring jaguar and puma.

The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium is kicking off its masterplan with the first project, a state-of-the-art new barn for giraffes, which will feature indoor and outdoor viewing of the world's tallest mammals.

Potawatomi Zoo is expanding by two acres, using the new land for Big Cat Tracks, which will provide new habitats for Amur tigers and Amur leopards, as well as Asian deer and cranes.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park opened Elephant Valley, a renovated home for its African elephants.

Tulsa Zoo opened its expanded new Asian elephant habitat.  Construction is in progress for the new African area, which will see new habitats for lions and African wild dogs, as well as the return of zebras and the Zoo's first pygmy hippos.

WCS Bronx Zoo reopened its World of Darkness after being closed for almost twenty years.  The building features aye-aye, bats, caiman, and more!  Nocturnal houses are something of a rarity in zoos these days, so the opening of a new (well, returning) nocturnal building is a big deal, especially when it's from a facility that excels in exhibitry like the Bronx does.

Woodland Park Zoo opened Reptile Realm, featuring its Komodo dragons as well as a small handful of other southeast Asian herps, such as Philippine sailfin lizards and giant forest tortoises.  It's a pretty tiny reptile collection, but considering how small Seattle's reptile collection was to begin with, it's a pretty dramatic increase and a definite improvement in the collection!

And, lastly, some of the most eagerly anticipated US zoo news of the year, giant pandas are once again on display at the Smithsonian National Zoo!