Wild Ambition
Reid Park Zoo Continues to Flourish After 60 Years
By Valerie Vinyard
Erik and Isabella Fredrickson were part of a steady stream of Reid Park Zoo visitors one April weekend.
The couple’s 2-year-old boy, Timothy, was safely ensconced in a stroller, batting his hands with anticipation.
It was the family’s first time at the zoo, and they wondered aloud about the extensive construction taking place near the entrance. After being told it was preparation for the zoo’s new Pathway to Asia exhibit, which will expand the zoo to 28.5 acres, the family was happy for the community.
“I wish it was already ready, but I’ve heard great things about this zoo,” said Isabella Fredrickson, a 32-year-old landscape architect from Chicago who was visiting family in Tucson. “I’ve always liked going to zoos, and this will be our first time here.”
Reid Park Zoo just celebrated its 60th anniversary. Much has changed since Gene C. Reid received 18 donated prairie dogs from Texas in 1965. Reid had been the head of the Tucson Parks and Recreation Department, and he and his team established a “Prairie Dog Town” where the zoo’s current World of Play is located.
After a year, the Randolph Park Children’s Zoo had accumulated a small collection of birds, farm animals, two squirrel monkeys and a 2-year-old elephant named Sabu. The zoo continued to welcome a variety of species, and by 1978, the newly named Reid Park Zoo had grown to 15 acres.
Last year, the zoo welcomed 622,500 visitors, its highest attendance to date. The zoo, which is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, also has been awarded Green Certification by Local First Arizona.
All this is done by a hardworking team of roughly 140 employees. Of those, 80 are year-round workers. The zoo is open daily except for Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Nancy Kluge, the zoo’s president and CEO, was quick to praise the more than 550 volunteers who helped out last year. She especially is proud of the growth of the zoo’s teen program, Zoo Crew, which has about 80 members.
“They are amazing,” said Kluge, adding that the more than 100 docents and other volunteers add to the experience, making it “extra special. They provide an added dimension.”
Today, more than 400 animals from around the world call Reid Park Zoo home. Species include a 52-year-old Southern white rhino—the oldest in North America—24 flamingos, and the fan-favorite six elephants and four giraffes.
Adam Ramsey has been the director of animal care for Reid Park Zoo for 12 years. He calls the zoo “an oasis in the desert.”
“The animals always come first here,” said Ramsey, who grew up in Tucson. “If the animals need it, we’re going to provide it for them.”
With Tucson’s extreme climate, introducing new species isn’t always easy. When the zoo decides to acquire new animals, the staff asks itself a series of about 40 questions, including what the conservation message is.
“They must be a good fit for us, and we must be a good fit for them,” Ramsey said.
When the new Pathways to Asia exhibit opens in Fall 2026, it will feature a number of species, including red pandas, Komodo dragons, gibbons, two small-clawed otters, and Egyptian fruit bats. A new breeding and conservation center will be established for tigers.
Deborah Carr, the zoo’s director of marketing and communications, said Pathways to Asia will be “transformative for the zoo.”
“You can learn about the animals and get close to the animals,” added Kluge, who estimated the average visitor can see everything in about two hours. “It’s a very easy zoo to visit.”
Two full-time veterinarians and 30 animal keepers are among the main caretakers of the animals. Ramsey makes sure all of the animals enjoy regular enrichment training to combat boredom. Enrichment includes making food- and scent-related changes to the animals’ environments.
Kluge loves the impact that a visit to the zoo provides.
“We can touch the hearts of the people that visit,” she said. “They care about the animals. They love them.”
The zoo will feature Summer Safari Nights Fridays and Saturdays through Aug. 9 from 6 to 8 p.m. Summer hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Admission is $11.25 for ages 15 to 61; $9.25 for seniors 62 years old and older; $7 for ages 2 to 14; and free for kids younger than 2.
For more information, reidparkzoo.org.
Pictured above – Nancy Kluge, President & CEO, Reid Park Zoo. Photo by Brent G. Mathis
