Nashville Zoo is currently undergoing several construction projects as part of Phase I of Grow Wild, bringing two new animal exhibits and vastly improve one existing exhibit. These projects will take some time, and we appreciate your patience and support as we grow. We’ve answered a few questions to help you plan your visit.
What animals are off exhibit due to construction?
The vast majority of the Zoo is not affected by our construction.
You can still walk through our popular Kangaroo Kickabout, get up close to our birds in Lorikeet Landing, watch apes play on Gibbon Islands and experience dozens of animal exhibits that have been at the Zoo for years.
Only three of our former exhibits are closed:
- Elephants – Last year, our elephants safely moved to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, TN so we could begin our long-term plans to eventually expand our elephant collection.
- Tiger – This exhibit was built in 1989 and was in great need of renovation. The new plans call for an expanded outdoor area for the cats and closer viewing options for our guests.
- Eurasian Lynx –The exhibit has been closed since early 2015 due to the construction taking place next door at our new Andean Bear exhibit.
Tiger Exhibit Plans
What are you building?
Three construction projects are taking place along our Jungle Loop Trail. With the exception of our tiger exhibit, all of this area was previously undeveloped. Across the way at Savannah Loop, one additional renovation is taking place in the elephant exhibit to prepare for the arrival of white rhinos.
When the work is done, you can look forward to these new exhibits:
- Andean Bears – This is a very large, new exhibit area located near Alligator Cove. When finished, the exhibit will allow guests to step inside a Peruvian lodge to see a hillside landscape where Andean bears and a few other species will be featured.
- Spider Monkeys – Located just past our cougar exhibit, this new exhibit will feature an elevated walkway through the woods ending in a tree-top view of several spider monkeys at play.
- White Rhinoceros- We will be introducing white rhinoceros into the former elephant habitat. There is some work that needs to be done first to ensure the health and safety of the new rhinos.
Andean Bear exhibit building
Spider Monkey Viewing Area
When will the construction be done?
We are working diligently to complete all of our work as quickly as possible. However, our passion for creating outstanding animal environments requires careful thought and attention to detail. This building philosophy makes it difficult to pin down a concrete completion timeline. The end result will be a beautiful zoological park and a source of pride for Nashville. We appreciate your patience as we Grow Wild!
Is there anything new to see right now?
If you haven’t been to the Zoo in a year, you can experience several new features: