Welcome to the Sedgwick County Zoo

Welcome to the Sedgwick County Zoo!  When the Zoo opened in 1971, it was home to only a handful of farm animals. In the over fifty years since opening, the Zoo has grown to 247 acres and is the home of over 3,000 individual animals of more... Read more

SCZ is home to two species of flamingo- the Caribbean flamingo and the greater flamingo. Caribbean flamingos get their bright pink color from the shrimp that they eat. Caribbean flamingos secrete a pigment through a gland near their tail. A... Read more

Welcome to the Children’s Farm. When the Sedgwick County Zoo opened in 1972, it opened with two exhibits: the American Farm and the Asian farm. Now called The Children’s Farm, it’s home to more than 40 different breeds of animals. The... Read more

The Arapawa goat varies in color. Its pied coloring is often found in fawn or mid-brown with a dark line down the spine and black marks on the legs. These goats have flat, curling horns that run parallel to the ground. Their tails are relat... Read more

The Gloucester old spot pig originated in England in the 1800s. Due to the commercialization of the swine industry and its emphasis on indoor breeds, this pig is in danger of becoming a lost breed. It has one or two spots per side, but used... Read more

The Milking Devon Cow is known for its beautiful ruby red color. Its white horns are tipped with black. This cow is all-purpose, and bred for milk, beef, and draft work. Brought to North America by the pilgrims, it is the oldest continuousl... Read more

A Mule is a cross between a male donkey and a female horse. Because donkeys and horses have differing chromosome numbers, Mules rarely produce offspring and are usually sterile. They are less susceptible to the rain and sun because their sk... Read more

The dromedary camel has one hump and a long, curved neck. Camels are adapted for desert living. Broad feet enable them to walk on sand, thick eyelashes provide protection from the blowing sand, callouses protect their knees, and their nostr... Read more

The Asiatic Water Buffalo has a thin face with small ears and two tightly curled horns. They’re dark grey to black with white legs up to their knees. Social by nature, they can found in herds of ten or more. Because they have minimal swea... Read more

The Domestic Yak is smaller and has shorter horns than its wild counterpart. Large lungs and a complex muscular apparatus allows them to inhale and exhale rapidly, making them well-adapted for living in higher elevations. Their shaggy wooly... Read more

The Cessna Penguin Cove was built to replicate the coast of South America. Here, you can find Humbolt penguins, Inca terns, and grey gulls. Inca terns can be distinguished by their bright red beaks and white feather mustaches. Grey Gulls bu... Read more

Humboldt Penguins spend up to 75% of their time in the water. Looking for a meal, they search the cool nutrient-rich water for small schooling fish to chow down on. To avoid predators, they sometimes huddle together under the water’s surf... Read more

The Amphibians and Reptiles habitat is home to- as you might have guessed, the Zoo’s amphibians and reptiles. If it’s creepy and crawly, you’re sure to find it here in our herpetarium. Did you know that amphibians, reptiles, and fish ... Read more

The Aldabra Giant Tortoise can be found both individually and in herds. They’re one of the more social tortoise species. In the past, at least 18 giant tortoise species lived throughout the islands of the western Indian Ocean. But over-ex... Read more

The Chinese alligator dig tunnels with multiple chambers, entrances, and pools. This gives them a place to stay during the day and during the cool winter months. It also allows them to hide from threats. Due to habitat loss, increased agric... Read more

The Okinawa newt is found only in the Ryukyu Archipelago off the southern coast of Japan. They are also called the sword-tailed newt due to the shape of their tale resembling a sword, or fire-bellied newts due to the orange coloring on thei... Read more

The King Cobra can live for 20 years and reach a length of up to 18 feet. Drop for drop, king cobra venom is actually less potent than that of many other venomous snakes. However, due to the snake’s large size, they are able to inject a h... Read more

Welcome to the Tropics- it’s a jungle in here! As you trek through the tropics, you’ll encounter all sorts of wild life. Over 50 different bird species live here. Benches are available throughout the habitat. Take a break and see how ma... Read more

The Guam Kingfisher can no longer be found in the wild due to the introduction of the brown tree snake, domestic cats, and other non-native predators into its habitat. In 1986, the last 29 Guam kingfishers were brought in to captive care to... Read more

The wrinkled hornbill lives in the forests of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. The bony crest on top of their large bill is called a casque. The function of the casque is unknown. It is theorized that it might be used to define so... Read more

The Fly River turtle has flipper-like legs and skin-covered shell. These features make them resemble sea turtles. These turtles live in streams and rivers, and get their name from the Fly River in New Guinea. They’re sometimes called pig-... Read more

Cuban crocodiles are endemic to Cuba. Using powerful tail thrusts, they can leap from the water to catch prey from overhanging tree branches. They sometimes hunt as a pack, making them especially dangerous. As a top predator in its environm... Read more

Reticulated giraffes is blond to light brown in color with darker brown patches. Both males and females have horns, called ossicones, which are covered with skin. Its long neck is a specialized adaptation that allows it to reach leaves in t... Read more

Welcome to North America. Such a wide variety of animals call this continent home. Grizzly bears and cougars make themselves at home in the forests, while Bison and Prairie Dogs are at home in the prairie. Our North American exhibit showcas... Read more

Grizzly bears have a keen sense of smell and hearing, but they have poor eyesight. A heavy, fleecy undercoat and coarse guard hairs protect them from the cold. They can run up to 30 miles per hour on land for long distances and are excellen... Read more

The North American black bear isn’t always black- their fur can also be gray or brown. They aren’t aggressive unless provoked and are known for their ability to climb in order to escape threats. They eat all through the spring, summer, ... Read more

The river otter’s body is built for a semi-aquatic lifestyle. They swim by moving their hind legs and tail. Their ears and nose automatically close when diving and they can stay submerged for up to eight minutes. Their thick water-repelle... Read more

Black-Footed Ferrets were once thought to be extinct, but in 1981, a very small population was rediscovered in Wyoming. Unfortunately, a disease was spread to them and by 1987, only 18 remained. Seven of those were bred and able to keep the... Read more

American Elk can live for 15-20 years and are found in the mountains of North America. Male elk have antlers that can be up to 6 feet long and weigh up to 40 pounds. Their bugle, which sounds like a loud scream, can be heard from miles away... Read more

The Mexican wolf is the smallest subspecies of the gray wolf. Social creatures, they live in packs of 5 or 6 members. The strongest and most resourceful members are at the top of pack hierarchy. The pack leader, the alpha male, decides wher... Read more

The cougar is large in size with a powerful, slender, build. Its long tail makes up more than half of its body length. A generally solitary cat, cougars only join up to mate. Kittens are born with spotted coats to help them blend into their... Read more

The Bison is the state mammal of Kansas. Although they look slow and docile, they can become aggressive if threatened or startled. They can run at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour and are extremely agile. The bison nearly became extinct du... Read more

The Black-Tailed prairie dog is tan with streaks of grey and a white belly. Their tails are black at the tops. While prairie dogs are not in danger of extinction, many other species are directly dependent on the prairie dog population. For ... Read more

The Slawson Family Asian Big Cat Trek is home to leopards, tigers, and red pandas. Stroll past leopards resting in the shade, tigers splashing in the pools, and red pandas perching in their favorite tree. This unique habitat allows you to s... Read more

Amur Leopards are brown to golden in color with hair that is an inch long in summer, but grows to nearly three inches long in winter. It has widely-spaced spots and a long bushy tail. Nocturnal and solitary by nature, it spends most of its ... Read more

Snow Leopards are the smallest of all big cats. They are perfectly adapted to the high, steep, rocky terrain of their native habitat in the mountains of central Asia. They can even be found on Mt. Everest. Their fur varies in color from whi... Read more

The Amur Tiger is the largest of the tiger subspecies. They have the palest orange fur and the fewest stripes out of all tigers. Each tiger’s stripes are unique and act as identifiers. The scruff of fur around its neck helps protect it fr... Read more

Red Pandas have been considered members of the racoon family or bear family, but it turns out its related to neither. DNA analysis puts the red panda in a family of its own. They sleep most of the day, usually in trees, and are more active ... Read more

The Downing Gorilla Forest is built to replicate eight acres of central African forest. Be surrounded by a lively and authentic atmosphere, starting in Nganda village and leading to the Gorilla forest, home to our western lowland gorillas. ... Read more

The eastern black-and-white colobus’ long fur acts as a parachute when it jumps, allowing it to jump distances of 20-25 feet in a single leap. “Colobus” is Greek for “mutilated,” which is a reference to the fact that unlike most p... Read more

The Western Lowland Gorilla is a very social creature, living in family groups called troops. These troops consist of a dominant male, who decides when the troop will eat and sleep, several adult females, and their young. Males can also liv... Read more

Okapi have a chestnut-colored coat with white legs and stripes on their legs. Although resembling a zebra, the two are not related. The okapi’s closest living relative is actually the giraffe. They are generally solitary, with males and f... Read more

The Black Crowned Crane lives in the shallow wetlands and grasslands of Sub-Saharan Africa. They mate for life. During mating season, they perform courtship displays that involve calling, bowing, and dancing. Once the eggs are laid, both pa... Read more

The Reed Family Elephants of the Zambezi River Valley is the third largest elephant habitat in the country. With more than five acres of sprawling outdoor space and access to an indoor facility, there’s plenty of room for our elephants to... Read more

African Elephants are the largest living land animal. Their skin is a dull brownish-grey with scattered black bristly hairs. African Elephants have large, flat ears, and both males and females have tusks formed by large incisor teeth in the... Read more

The Pride of the Plains provides an unobstructive view of animals from the African savannah. Spot a lion perched on Pride Rock, observing the activities of the other animals in its domain. Meerkats dig in the dirt and red river hogs splash ... Read more

Red River Hogs usually have bright russet brown fur, but this varies based on the animal’s geographic location. Their head is mostly black with white areas around the mask, making it look like the hog is wearing a mask. They also sport a ... Read more

The slender-tailed meerkat is part of the mongoose family and are around 20 inches long. They can drive off much larger predators through aggressive displays. Highly social, they live in colonies of up to 30 individuals which are dominated ... Read more

African Lions are the only big cat to live in family groups called prides. These prides can have up to three males and dozen females. The females are usually all related because they stay with the pride while the male cubs leave once they r... Read more

African painted dogs are named for their coat, which appears to be painted in red, brown, yellow, and black. No two dogs’ coats are the same. They have large rounded ears, a thin body, muscular legs, and only four toes on each foot. Nomad... Read more

The Blue Crane is named for its distinct blue color. However, chicks are born dark gray with brown heads. As juveniles, their feathers darken to a pale gray color, and finally become its iconic blue upon reaching maturity. Living in the dra... Read more

The Warthog’s name is very appropriate. It’s a member of the pig family and it has warts. These warts are actually fleshy bumps near the eye and further down the muzzle. Males have larger warts, which help cushion the blows from tusks d... Read more

Grevy’s Zebra is the largest of all wild equids, reaching a height of 5 feet at the shoulder. Its coat of black stripes against a white background is bisected by a long thick black stripe that runs from the base of the mane to the base of... Read more

The hippopotamus is almost hairless with very thick skin. The skin secretes droplets of an oil-like substance that works as a moisturizer and sunblock. The substance is red in color and is sometimes mistaken for blood. Hippos can live alone... Read more

Welcome to Australia, the land down under. This lively habitat is home to many birds, from ducks to swans and parrots. Be serenaded by birdsong as you have a walkabout. But there’s more than birds here. Keep an eye out for Tammar wallabie... Read more

The Southern Cassowary can be found in the rainforests, mangroves, and savannahs of northern Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. These large birds cannot fly due to their small wing size. Instead, they have powerful legs. Cassowarie... Read more

The Emu is the second largest living bird reaching heights of more than six feet.  They can be found in the grasslands, savannahs, and deserts across the entire continent of Australia. An inflatable neck sack allows the birds to communicat... Read more

Wallaroos can live in groups of up to 30 individuals on the northern coasts of Australia. Though not as large or tall as their red and gray kangaroo relatives, the wallaroo is more muscular. Their tail serves as a rudder and provides balanc... Read more

The Laughing Kookaburra lives in loose family groups. When a mating pair is incubating its eggs, the other family members hunt and defend the family’s territory. The whole family helps care for the chicks once they’re hatched. Native to... Read more

The Tamar Wallaby is native to the savannahs and forests of southwestern Australia and has a diet of succulent plants. Wallabies, wallaroos, and kangaroos all belong to the same family of marsupials and macropods, and they all go by differe... Read more

The South America habitat is home to more than 150 birds! Many of these birds can be seen in the free-flight area, allowing guests to get a closer look at these colorful creatures. But this habitat isn’t all birds. It’s also home to one... Read more

Red Legged Scariamas feed in insects, amphibians, reptiles, rodents, and grains. Native to forests and savannahs in South America, they can live for 20 years. Territorial, these birds threaten intruders with aggressive calls, running, and a... Read more

The Capybara is the world’s largest rodent. It spends most of its time in or around water. The high position of their eyes, ears, and nostrils, as well as their webbed toes make them perfectly equipped for the water. A shiny black gland o... Read more

White Nosed Coatis are on average just over 3 and a half feet long- but about half of that length is made up by their tails. This long tail is used for balance and signaling. Their upturned nose can rotate up to 60 degrees in any direction,... Read more

Squirrel monkeys live in groups of up to 300 in the tropical rainforests of the northern Amazon Basin. Female squirrel monkeys form strong social bonds, each female having another female they remain in close contact with. This girlfriend is... Read more

Scarlet Macaws on average live for 40-50 years and can be found in forests and savannahs from southern Mexico to northern Bolivia. Once a pair of these birds form a pair, they’re bonded for life and rarely seen alone. They show affection ... Read more

Eastern Black Rhinoceros range in color from dark brown to dark gray. Their skin color depends on the color of the soil where they live and how much they like to wallow in the mud. Their upper lip is pointed and prehensile, which allows the... Read more

The Koch Orangutan and Chimpanzee Habitat is home to areas. Get an intimate view of orangutans and chimpanzees from our multi-level viewing areas. Observe them play, climb, and interact with one another. Here at the Sedgwick County Zoo we c... Read more

Chimpanzees are distinguished by their prominent ears, protrusive lips, and arms that are longer than their legs. They also don’t have tails. Chimps can live in groups of up to 125 individuals, but on average live in groups of 15-40. Thes... Read more

Sumatran Orangutans are highly intelligent and adept at problem solving. They even make tools to probe for food and use leaves to hold water and protect themselves from rain. Solitary animals, orangutans make nests out of leaves and twigs h... Read more

We hope you enjoyed your time at the Sedgwick County Zoo. Maybe you got to see your favorite animal, or you learned something new. Our mission is to inspire respect and conservation of wildlife and wild places. Every time you visit the Zoo,... Read more