I love to go to our Asheboro Zoo, in Asheboro, North Carolina. Until two years ago I went at least once a year with my friends to see what was new or what we may had missed on the last trip. But I always enjoy the familiar, favorite animals.
The zoo covers 2,600 acres (500 of which is developed) with five miles of pathways covering multiple terrains for over 1800 animals and over 52,000 plants. There are two entrances: Africa and North American Wetlands. There is a lot to see there!! There are plans in 2023 to open a new area: Asia complete with Asian animals, including pandas!!
Various natural habitats for several different climates and zones of the world are represented here. The second entrance leads you through an African village with its gift shop, restaurants and then into the vast acreage of the Savannah, grassy plains with rhinoceroses, ostriches, and other antelope family animals.
Zebras, a few ostriches and giraffes have their own section with plenty of trees and tall rocks where the caregivers can feed or take care of the giraffes. In both areas they wander around like it was home and seem quite content to do the things they would do in their home country: walk, run, eat, drink, ruminate and look around.
The elephants have a large field with rocks to hide behind, grassy rolling land, mud bath areas, and ponds for them to bathe in.
At the bottom of a wide, large, grassy pit-like area there is a large cave with an almost hidden entrance for a pair of lions. I was able to go when their cubs came out of the cave and followed their mother.
The first zoo entrance has a similar set up of gifts shops, restaurants and bathrooms; but the theme there is the North American Wetlands. On the way down the walkway into the park there is a huge lake with a bridge from which you can see lily pads, frogs, fish and other swamp vegetation. There are sloping walkways throughout the zoo for wheelchairs, strollers and rented motorized scooters.
Several of my favorite places to see are the actual swampland area complete with alligators…huge ones!! There is of course a safe walkway fenced around securely above the toothy critters. The massive gators were lying so still for so long that people thought they were ornamental concrete ones until the zoo put up a sign (See Photo)
I love the aviary where so many beautiful exotic plants and dozens of exotic birds live. There are walkways through the lush green vegetation where you may see birds eating, running, building a nest or flying over the trees. My favorite bird here is the Scarlet Ibis. There are so many things to see in the climate controlled humid area. There are orchids of different kinds, banana trees, and staghorn ferns and so much more.
Two other areas I enjoy are the gorilla and chimpanzee lands. There are all kinds of trees fallen and standing with hills to climb and grassy plains for them to roam. Several baby gorillas have been born there. The wonderful part is you can see it all through a glass wall. The gorillas and chimpanzees can come right up to the window and look you in the eye, up close and personal. What an experience!
There are two main attractions close to the Wetlands of North America entrance. The harbor seals and the polar bears. They have their own separate areas of course but they have lots of room to swim, climb, hide out, stay cool and there are toys for the bear(s). The seals have frequent daily interactions with the care givers to keep them acclimated to being checked and fed. Guests can go downstairs and watch as seals or polar bears swim right in front of you on the other side of a glass wall.
In between the two entrances are roaming fields for elk, bison, and more of the North American four legged wild life. There are felines too like ocelots, and smaller cat family members. There is also a central area for sitting down to eat, see 4 D shows for kids, a merry go round, and more.
Along the pathways there are iron statues of animals found near the exhibit as you approach their natural habitats. These are wonderful for the children or playful adults to climb up on. There is a huge elephant statue, a panther statue on a large boulder. Just such wonderful backdrops for this adventure!
There are also air conditioned buildings strategically positioned along the meandering walkways. Where you may view live snakes, spiders, bugs and even venomous frogs, each safely behind glass in whatever temperature setting they require.
One of the many niceties is transportation by vehicle pulled cars with open air seats that will take you from one large area to another when you need a break from all the walking. There are several rest stops with bathrooms, food and drinks too. There are cooling misters that you can stand under on hot days to refresh yourself.
This zoo is growing and is such a delightful, educational experience! I recommend going before it gets too hot. That’s when some animals stay in the shade to keep cool, but where you can’t see them as well. I can’t wait to see what will be there next time I go.
joyful2beeblogs 
Love reading your blog! I get busy sometimes so I miss my one here and there, but they do brighten my day and give me food for thought.
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Coleen, you just made my day!! Thank you so much, my friend! I still want to come see your beautiful home some day!!
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Congratulations on completing the challenge!
@ScarlettBraden from
Frankly Scarlett
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Thank you! It was my first challenge like this and I am proud of myself for rising to it! I did it!! Thank you so much!! Great ideas and new friends arose from it. Hope you enjoyed it too.
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Love the pictures–so cute!
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Thank you so much! Delighted that you liked them!!
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You take wonderful photographs. Such a keen eye! I wish I could visit the zoo with you.
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Thank you kindly! So glad you liked my photos!! Sure, come down to NC and I’ll go with you!! You can stay with me!
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Wonderful photos! Our son LOVES giraffes and we are actually heading to Denver in a few weeks and going to both the Denver and Cheyenne Mountain Zoos. We are also hoping to head to the Omaha Zoo later this summer and, while it won’t happen this year, you just put Asheboro Zoo on my bucket list. 🙂
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Great! Let me know when you go and I may be able to come meet you and your family! It is well worth seeing. So glad, I helped you make the decision!!
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See you sometime in the next 5-10 years…lol! We’re an awfully long way from North Carolina up here in South Dakota so who knows when we’ll make it but sounds like a plan! 🙂
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Lol.
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I read the A to Z post sporadicly because I was still recuperating and did not keep up. But tonight I re read and they all I so enjoyed. You are so great in writing and your pictures are so beautiful.. I have no idea how to do a challenge but you really manage this one with ease. I enjoyed reading the entire context at once. I wonder if I could do some similar without a challenge.
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Wow! Thank you Gay Nell!! I am delighted that you enjoyed them so much!! Sure you can do anything you want to on your blog. Go for it! Pick a theme and do it. I would love to see what you come up with!! I would read yours too!
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Congratulations on making it to the end of the Challenge! A lot of us wrote about zoos, but it’s a great subject for Z.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
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I couldn’t think of anything better to use for Z and especially after I have gone to the Asheboro Zoo almost every year for the last 7 years. They always have something interesting going on and there is just so much to see there.
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North Carolina is such a beautiful state anyway, I’ll bet the zoo is one of 5 star quality. I love that you can catch a ride to different areas of the zoo. This also tells me how spacious it is. I often wonder if the animals are being well cared for, and given ample room to flourish in such an environment. Seems so by your pictures. I especially like the giraffe image, because I see the baby giraffe standing with his/her proud parents. And no, I wouldn’t be fooled by the alligators. They are most likely practicing patience. If anything, I want to learn from them!
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Well, I never thought of learning patience from alligators! They were huge. The whole zoo is just incredible! I love animals and hate for them to be in cages. This zoo has more than a dozen different landscapes for each animals. Thank you for your comments.Hugs!!
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You are very welcome. Hugs!
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I visited the Melbourne zoo last week and they also has a giraffe family… amazed by how they can tell who is who for a giraffe as they all look the same!
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I never thought of that question. But now that you brought it to my attention, I wonder how zebras do too.Lol. Probably individual scents help them figure out who’s who.
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Very nive. Lion cub petting at reserves is directly linked to canned hunting and poachers. https://declutteringmylifeweb.wordpress.com/2017/07/11/lion-cub-petting-is-the-ante-room-of-canned-hunting/
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Wonderful photos. This looks like an excellent zoo with good space for the animals.
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Thank you, Anne. I didn’t even post some of the natural sites like a path with over reaching tall bamboo stalks or the unique sun bleached trunk of a dead tree. There was just too much beauty to capture it all. Delighted that you enjoyed the pictures and post!
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Wow you have some lovely photos and good memories! Pity about not being able to get to visit it this last year.
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Thank you, Morag. There is always something to see at the zoo! I hope this spring to make a visit there if my back permits. I can almost always get a scooter to ride on around the park. It is such a beautiful and interesting place to go!
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Thank you for sharing my blog post here, Nelsapy. Hope they enjoy it too.
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