Ellen Trout Zoo, Municipal zoo in Lufkin, United States
Ellen Trout Zoo is a public zoo in Lufkin, in East Texas, housing a wide range of animal species across a large, park-like property. The enclosures are designed to resemble the natural habitats of the animals, and the grounds are divided into different zones.
The zoo was founded in 1967 after a hippopotamus named Hippie arrived in Lufkin as a Christmas gift and needed a proper home. What started as an improvised solution grew over the years into a full zoological garden.
The zoo is named after founder Walter Trout's mother. Since 1977 it has run school education programs, now including "Wildlife on Wheels" classroom sessions on endangered species, animal adaptations, taxonomy and rainforests, plus a Junior Zookeeper summer program for seventh to ninth graders who work alongside keepers.
The zoo sits beside City Lake in Lufkin, about 4 km from the city centre, and is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. The grounds are flat and walkable, so allow time to cover the exhibits on foot. Educational programmes for schools have been offered since 1977, including in-classroom "Wildlife on Wheels" sessions.
The hippopotamus enclosure has viewing areas both above and below the waterline, so visitors can watch the animals from two different angles. The underwater view shows how they move and breathe in ways that are not visible from above.
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