Zoo Atlanta is Atlanta’s oldest cultural institution and one of Georgia's most beloved family destinations. Founded in 1889, the Zoo is one of the 10 oldest zoos in continuous operation in the U.S. Known for its leadership in the movement to provide naturalistic habitats for animals, Zoo Atlanta began a multimillion- dollar redevelopment campaign in 1985. Today, the Zoo environment is designed to give guests a tour of exotic global destinations without ever leaving Atlanta. A leader in formal and informal education, the Zoo is also a dynamic living laboratory for students of all ages. Zoo Atlanta is one of only four zoos in the nation housing giant pandas and is home to the nation’s largest collection of gorillas, as well as North America’s largest zoological collection of orangutans. The Zoo is the only zoological organization ever to breed the critically endangered Arakan forest turtle and also houses the world’s most endangered lizard species, the Guatemalan beaded lizard.
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