Fort Worth Zoo Hits Record Number Of Visitors
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – As of September 30th the Fort Worth Zoo celebrated more than 1 million Zoo guests this year, an attendance benchmark that vaulted the Zoo's 25-year attendance total to 25 million visitors.
Zoo officials attribute this year's attendance to the birth of the Zoo's first-ever western lowland gorilla and the 14,000-square-foot water park Safari Splash
"Gus, our baby gorilla, continues to delight guests as he grows," said Michael Fouraker, Zoo executive director. "Guests have enjoyed watching him reach developmental milestones throughout the year and his birth is also a major conservation success story, as it raises awareness about the critically endangered species."
Thanks to community support and dedication to conservation, the Fort Worth Zoo has flourished since its founding in 1909 with a handful of animals from a traveling carnival to the diverse collection of nearly 7,000 animals representing more than 500 species.
The nationally acclaimed Fort Worth Zoo has been ranked the Best Zoo in Texas by Yahoo Travel, the No. 5 zoo in the nation by USA Travel Guide, the No. 1 attraction in the DFW Metroplex by Zagat survey and a top 10 zoo or aquarium by FamilyFun magazine.
The Zoo is home to more than 500 animal species and a world-famous reptile collection, housed in the Museum of Living Art. The institution's focus on education and conservation is second to none, enhancing the lives of more than one million visitors a year.
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