Cameron Park Zoo: Where Wildlife Meets Conservation

Last updated on August 29, 2024 at 09:30 AM

Cameron Park Zoo entrance in 1993 before the grand opening.
Photo courtesy of the Zoological & Botanical Society.

Cameron Park Zoo began as a modest dream in the mid-1950s and has culminated into a world-class zoo that has become a beloved cornerstone of Waco. The initial vision of a zoo in Waco started in 1955 when the Waco Grass Roots Commission recommended developing a zoo to contain native Texas wildlife for Cameron Park.

The Road to Cameron Park

The earliest version of a zoo in Waco consisted of an animal exhibit at the 1955 Heart O’ Texas Fair to inspire enthusiasm and support for a larger zoo. The next year, zoo supporters organized the Central Texas Zoological and Botanical Society who were then able to build a permanent zoo in 1956-1957 called the Central Texas Zoo, or Cen-Tex Zoo.

For about the first four years of its existence, the Central Texas Zoo operated out of the former Blackland Army Air Field fire station. After a devasting fire in February 1960, the zoo moved to a permanent home on land near the municipal airport, now Waco Regional Airport. However, the Zoological & Botanical Society continued advocating for a zoo in Cameron Park.

A Zoo is Born

Construction of the Cameron Park Zoo entrance in 1993. Photo courtesy of the Zoological & Botanical Society.

Finally, in 1993, after years of planning, studies, a failed Waco voter bond, fundraising, and construction, Cameron Park Zoo opened its gates to more than 9,000 people attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony. In September 1995, the zoo received accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association after previously using the accreditation carried over from the Central Texas Zoo. To this day, Cameron Park Zoo retains its accreditation, recognizing the zoo’s high quality animal care and welfare.

In the years since it opened, the zoo has grown and added exhibits, including the herpetarium, Lemur Island, the Pride Rock African Lion Exhibit, the Sumatran tiger, Granny Nell’s Children’s Play Area, and more.

In July 2005, the Brazos River Country Exhibit opened displaying animals found in the river basin from the Texas Panhandle to the Gulf of Mexico. Later in 2009, the Asian Forest Exhibit opened with orangutans and Komodo dragons.

Most recently, in November 2019, voters approved a $14.5 million bond to expand the zoo with a new penguin exhibit, education center, and veterinary hospital. The Gloria and F.M. Young Penguin Shores Exhibit was just recently unveiled to the public on Thursday, August 8, featuring 11 pairs of charming South African penguins and a black-footed cat.

The Corwin, Estes, and Jaynes Education Center and the Carol Schmidhauser Veterinary Hospital are expected to open in fall 2024. The education center was named in part by Rosella Estes and Stephen Corwin who were fundamental in moving the zoo from its original location to Cameron Park. The center will feature classrooms, offices, and event rental spaces.

These adjoined facilities will offer a new hub for public education and professional development in animal care for years to come. The hospital will house surgical suites, pharmaceutical storage, and environmentally controlled holding spaces for animals under care or observation.

A Zoo for the Future

Cameron Park Zoo in 1997. Photo courtesy of the Zoological & Botanical Society.

Nearly 70 years after the initial vision of a zoo in Waco and 31 years after Cameron Park Zoo opened, it continues to be a source of pride for our city and one of Waco’s most popular tourist destinations. Today, Cameron Park Zoo rests on 52 acres and is home to over 1,700 animals, representing 300 species. It’s our second most visited attraction in town with over 300,000 visitors every year.

As Cameron Park Zoo continues to thrive, it continues to serve as a place where education, conservation, and recreation converge, creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.

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