North Carolina Zoo, Zoological park in Asheboro, United States
The North Carolina Zoo sits in the Uwharrie Mountains and covers roughly 2,600 acres of wooded terrain, where enclosures for more than a thousand animals from Africa and North America have been built. The exhibits connect through about five miles of walking paths that wind through forests and over gentle hills, passing several themed zones along the way.
State lawmakers approved the creation of this park in 1967, and the first residents, including two Galapagos tortoises, arrived in 1974. Over the following decades, new sections opened gradually until the park reached its current size.
Families from across the region visit this park on weekends, using its paths to explore exhibits while children stop to watch animals at close range. The layout encourages slow walking and observation, with benches placed near viewing areas where people often rest and talk about what they see.
The grounds stay open nearly every day of the year, and visitors should plan several hours for a full walk-through. A tram service runs between the farther sections, reducing the need to walk if the distances feel too long.
The acreage of this park ranks among the largest of any zoo worldwide, with most enclosures designed to resemble the natural habitats of the animals. Visitors often notice that the animals have more room to move than in many other facilities of this kind.
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