North Carolina Zoo Areas

[RaleighLover]

Unless I'm mistaken the NC Zoo currently has two areas: "Africa" and "North America."

So my question is this: If the zoo was to expand to add a new area, what continent, region, area or even country should that area represent?

Or, should the new area be completely different and not be related to a continent, region, etc. but to something else? If so, what?

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

Unless I'm mistaken the NC Zoo currently has two areas: "Africa" and "North America."

So my question is this: If the zoo was to expand to add a new area, what continent, region, area or even country should that area represent?

Or, should the new area be completely different and not be related to a continent, region, etc. but to something else? If so, what?

There is also an Australian section as what seems like a special exhibit within the NA part of the zoo. It says on the zoo site it is in it's last season.

http://www.nczoo.org/tour/photo_au1.cfm

This too is a special exhibit there:

http://www.nczoo.org/deepsea/index.cfm

Personally if they were to do another continent, Asia would probably give them the greatest variety of animals that possibly are not there within either of the other two sections.

[rooster8]

If I remember correctly the original plan was to add a continent every decade or so. A few years back the zoo management said they were going to focus on the N. America and Africa exhibits and not add other continents. I'd personally like to see them add Asia, S. America, etc., but the costs are probably prohibitive.

[DanRNC]

I think any future expansion of the zoo most likely will not happen. They had talked about Asia but the money isn't there and attendance has been awful. I guess thats what you get when you use the "build it and they will come" philosophy.

[Damien]

Asheboro is a pretty centrally located area, but from the times I've been there Asheboro doesnt seem to have much else besides the zoo and some strip malls. I figure this was probably one of those things were politicians said "Hey that there town Asheboro ain't got much development going on, so lets build the state zoo there and hope that people actually come to it." Maybe it would have been better if they had built the zoo just outside Greensboro.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

Actually, I think the zoo is perfect right where it is. Centrally located means that people from all over the state can have some sort of ability to visit it at least once or twice in their lifetimes (at least as a school child).

Nearby is Seagrove-and for many art minded people, this area is rich in art history where pottery is concerned.

In the fall, they have one of the best arts and crafts festivals IMO in the state.

Not every town has to feed into every person's interest. Sometimes it is enough to have one or two main attractions and let who you are as a town shine through. I think that they fit just right in the space they fill in the state...especially given the rural atmosphere around them.

[Tayfromcarolina]

I think the Charlotte area and the Triangle Area will eventually get there own major metro zoo's going on in the future. And hopefully and aquarium. Because really it's too far to drive to the beach to visit the aquarium for many North Carolinians.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

I think the Charlotte area and the Triangle Area will eventually get there own major metro zoo's going on in the future.

Why does The Triangle area and Charlotte need their own zoo when there is a perfectly good one in Asheboro that belongs to the whole state...The North Carolina Zoo?

[Roadgeek]

Why does The Triangle area and Charlotte need their own zoo when there is a perfectly good one in Asheboro that belongs to the whole state...The North Carolina Zoo?

You're right. About two years ago, I took a trip to Asheville. I was riding down I-40 outside of the Black Mountain area heading toward Asheville and I saw a billboard advertising the NC Zoo about 200 miles away from the actual zoo.

[MR-2]

It's a great zoo, but while it is centrally located for 'everyone', it's also a long drive for everyone. Greensboro would've been a much better home for it under the central motto. Most zoo visitors don't know about the Uwharries, and there aren't exactly good accomodations if they did.

[ILoveCallingNCHome]

It's a great zoo, but while it is centrally located for 'everyone', it's also a long drive for everyone. Greensboro would've been a much better home for it under the central motto. Most zoo visitors don't know about the Uwharries, and there aren't exactly good accomodations if they did.

Greensboro would have been too far North for some...adding an additional 45 minutes to their drive to the zoo. Also there was probably a lot more land...that could be bought cheaper in Asheboro. It's a beautiful part of the state. There is camping nearby and hotels. (if someone needs to stay overnight) I am actually quite proud of our state's zoo, and the habitats they have spend time and energy developing as much as they could to resemble the "real thing". This zoo was meant to be unique...and North Carolina did a great job when they built it IMO.

[triadcat]

Greensboro would have been too far North for some...adding an additional 45 minutes to their drive to the zoo. Also there was probably a lot more land...that could be bought cheaper in Asheboro. It's a beautiful part of the state. There is camping nearby and hotels. (if someone needs to stay overnight) I am actually quite proud of our state's zoo, and the habitats they have spend time and energy developing as much as they could to resemble the "real thing". This zoo was meant to be unique...and North Carolina did a great job when they built it IMO.

Very true. The NC Zoo is very nice; haven't been in many years.

Asheboro is pretty centrally located. I also think Greensboro would be a bit far north for people in southeast NC. Chatham County is actually right smack in the middle of the state like Randolph County and would have also been a great location for the zoo. I think we did good putting the zoo in Asheboro/Randolph County.

[Plasticman]

My wife is a children's clothing maker (seamstress) and I use some of my vacation time at work to travel with her around the SE doing craft shows. We have done the Fall Festival in Asheboro sine 1994. We went to the zoo the first time three years ago. I thought it was awesome....way...way..better than the Atlanta zoo. In fact, no comparison. My kids loved the polar bear exhibit, the seals, the snakes, and of course the African exhibit.

The only negative part was when we wasted the money to see that dinosaur 3D film thing. The dinosaurs looked like the old Land of the Lost...cheap...cheap.

Other than that, we will go back again.

[cityboi]

for years Greensboro had a petting zoo at the Natural Science Center but from what I understand it is closed for remodeling and the zoo is suppose to be a much bigger zoo sort of like a mini metro zoo. But nothing to the scale of the state zoo in Asheboro. I dont think that zoo really needs to be in Greensboro because Asheboro is part of the Greensboro metro. The NC Zoo is in the Triad. Its a short drive from Greensboro. Its so close, The Greensboro Chamber of Commerce uses the NC Zoo in its propomtional material.

[Pillsbury]

My wife is a children's clothing maker (seamstress) and I use some of my vacation time at work to travel with her around the SE doing craft shows. We have done the Fall Festival in Asheboro sine 1994. We went to the zoo the first time three years ago. I thought it was awesome....way...way..better than the Atlanta zoo. In fact, no comparison. My kids loved the polar bear exhibit, the seals, the snakes, and of course the African exhibit.

The only negative part was when we wasted the money to see that dinosaur 3D film thing. The dinosaurs looked like the old Land of the Lost...cheap...cheap.

Other than that, we will go back again.

Yeah, North Carolina Zoo blows Zoo Atlanta and Riverbanks (Columbia) out of the water.