Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas: An In-Depth Look

Exhibits

The Sedgwick County Zoo features 3,000 individual animals from over 400 species that are housed in natural and geographically relevant habitats from around the globe, including Asia, Africa, Australia, and North and South America. Theme-specific enclosures include Amphibians and Reptiles, the Cessna Penguin Cove, the Koch Orangutan and Chimpanzee Habitat, the Downing Gorilla Forest, Tropics, the Slawson Family Tiger Trek, and Children’s Farms.

The Downing Gorilla Forest features a replica of a small Congo village with walkover bridge and moat and has a large gorilla enclosure with several gorillas. Other animals in the exhibit include pink and white pelicans, colobus and De Brazza’s monkeys, saddle-billed storks, okapis, and black crowned cranes.

Designed to replicate a kopje with massive boulders, the Pride of the Plains exhibit takes visitors on a journey to Africa where they can see large African lions, meerkats, red river hogs and African painted wild dogs. See Eye to Eye with Giraffes is another African-themed exhibit that features reticulated giraffes, hippos, Eastern black rhinos, African bush elephants, and bonteboks.

More Things to See

Opened in 2007, the Cessna Penguin Cove was the zoo’s first marine exhibit and features a 42,000-US-gallon pool with rocky areas and coves for the Humboldt penguins that call this display home. Tiger Trek is an Asian-themed naturalistic exhibit that houses Amur and Malayan tigers, bar-headed geese, red pandas, and brow-antlered deer.

The Amphibians & Reptiles exhibit is designed to represent the Yangtze River, one of the most endangered river systems in the world and is home to Chinese alligators, yellow pond turtles, prehensile-tailed alligator lizards, golden thread turtles, and Russian cobras.

The Children’s Farm is designed to give children the opportunity to interact with a variety of interesting farm animals from around the world, including Watusi cattle from Africa, karakul sheep from Asia, and milking Devon cows from America.

Visitors can take a walk about in the Australia exhibit, which is filled with a variety of fauna and flora from Australia, New Zealand, and the southern Pacific region. Animals and birds include Kookaburra, orange-bellied fruit doves, double-wattled cassowary, rainbow lorikeets, Tammar wallabies, and tree kangaroos.

Conservation and Education

The mission of the Sedgwick County Zoo is to inspire appreciation, inspiration, and respect for animals, nature and the surrounding environment and does this through outstanding exhibits designed to promote experiential learning. The Zoo’s exhibits are designed for visitors to be immersed in the animal's world, allowing them to experience the animals' natural behaviors and enjoy an empathetic learning experience. Many of the Zoo’s exhibits include areas in which visitors can walk freely among the animals and plants.

Educational programs offered by the Zoo include a variety of learning programs for both adults and children, coffee connections, workshops and informal chats for adults, field trips, overnights at the zoo, and adventure backpacking.

Internationally acclaimed for its award-winning field conservation and rare breeding programs, Sedgwick County Zoo works in conjunction with several world-renowned organizations. Conservation groups include Amur Leopard and Tiger Alliance, African Predator Conservation Research Organization (APCRO), Center for the Conservation of the Humboldt Penguin, and the Diane Fossey Gorilla Fund International. The Zoo also has unique Species Survival Plan®, which is a cooperative population management and conservation program that manages the breeding 161 individual species of endangered animals, including the African Painted Dog.

The Sedgwick County Zoo is located at 5555 Zoo Boulevard in Wichita and is open daily from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm year-round. Visitors can explore the Zoo in several ways – by walking, hopping on a tram with five stops at different locations around the Zoo, or on a relaxing seasonal boat tour. Signature events are held at the zoo throughout the year, including ‘Easter Eggstravaganza,' ‘Night of the Living Zoo’ ‘Father’s Day Car Show,' and ‘Zoobilee.’

Visitors can enjoy a range of fun keeper chats and feeding times where they can interact with zookeepers and learn more about the animals that are taken care of at the Zoo. Keeper Chats and Animal Encounters include American Farm Cow/Oxen Encounters, Snake Demonstrations, Bald Eagle Chats, Aldabra Tortoise Training, Tiger Chats, Chimpanzee Chats, and Penguin Demonstrations, among others. Attractions at the Zoo include a Giraffe Feeding Station, relaxing boat tours and free tram tours.

Other facilities at the Zoo include the Plaza Bistro Restaurant, as well as four food and beverage stations located around the zoo. Visitors can also bring their own picnic baskets to enjoy at one of several picnic spots around the property.

5555 Zoo Boulevard, Wichita, Kansas 67212, Phone: 316.660.WILD (9453)