Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Zoo in Gulf Shores, United States.
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo occupies about 25 acres two miles north of the Intracoastal Waterway, holding more than 300 animals such as giraffes, baboons, Barbary lions, tigers, lemurs, sloths, wolves, bears, kangaroos and alligators. Its grounds contain a petting zoo, a reptile house and an aviary, with daily animal shows in summer. The current site opened in early 2020.
The facility opened in 1989 and faced significant damage from multiple hurricanes over the following years. Staff worked to rebuild and continue caring for animals despite these natural disasters.
The zoo's name comes from its setting on Alabama's Gulf Coast, and its national profile comes from The Little Zoo That Could, a thirteen-episode Animal Planet series that first aired in February 2006. The series followed staff as they reopened after Hurricanes Ivan, Dennis and Katrina, with a one-hour follow-up broadcast in February 2007.
The grounds are walkable with paths connecting different animal areas, and shaded spots offer rest during your visit. Bring water and comfortable shoes since you will spend time on your feet.
This facility developed a complete hurricane evacuation procedure that moved all animals inland, an achievement that caught national attention. The process became a model that other zoos studied for their own emergency planning.
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