The Chattanooga Zoo surpassed its all-time annual attendance record by 49,576 attendees in 2016, attracting a total of 249,928 visitors. The Chattanooga Zoo also set a new single day attendance record on March 26 for Hug-a-Bunny Day with 6,072 visitors.
“I am so thrilled to report that for the third year in a row the Zoo’s attendance continues to grow allowing us to educate and connect more visitors to our animals,” says Dardenelle Long, Chattanooga Zoo president and CEO. “Thank you to our community for your continued support.”
In 2016, the Chattanooga Zoo had many things to enjoy that officials attribute with the record attendance. This past year, the Chattanooga Zoo added new program options to educational offerings, new events requested by visitors, new components to reoccurring events, exhibit renovations, rare births, and new animal acquisitions.
New animals that joined the Zoo in Chattanooga this year include pied tamarins, Francois langurs, domestic chickens, alpacas, and multiple tortoise species. The Chattanooga Zoo also had its very first hellbender hatchlings and birth of two red panda cubs.
This year, the Chattanooga Zoo will celebrate its 80th Anniversary. The Chattanooga Zoo was established in 1937 when two rhesus monkeys were exhibited in Warner Park. Since then, the Chattanooga Zoo has grown to 14.5 acres housing over 900 animals representing over 150 different species.