Reasons Why You Should Visit The Virginia Zoological Park

A trip to the zoo is always a fun and educational way to spend the day as a family. Our Virgina adoption agents love visiting the Virginia Zoo on the weekends, and our kids love it even more. This large zoo is home to a wide array of wildlife from all over the world. Some of our favorite exhibits here include:

Africa – Okavango Delta

The zoo’s Africa – Okavango Delta section features landscapes and animals from all over Africa. This exhibit is open year-round and is home to a variety of African wildlife, both big and small. This is one of our favorite exhibits at the zoo, as you get the opportunity to watch some exotic creatures not found in North America.

Animals found in the Africa – Okavango Delta section of the zoo include:

African Lion
African Pancake Tortoise
Aldabra Tortoise
Cheetah
Common Ostrich
East African White-throated Monitor
Eastern Bongo
Egyptian Goose
Egyption Spiny-tailed Lizard
Fennec Fox
Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra
Masai Giraffe
Meller’s Chameleon
Painted Agame
Radiated Tortoise
Red River Hog
Rock Hyrax
Slender-tailed Meerkat
Southern Ground Hornbill
White Rhinoceros
Stanley Crane
Taveta Golden Weaver
Watusi Cattle
White-headed Buffalo Weaver
Yellow-backed Duiker

Asia – Trail of the Tiger

The Trail of the Tiger exhibit recreates Asia’s vibrant landscape and rich biodiversity. A variety of wildlife from all over this massive continent can be found in this exhibit, and you’ll enjoy watching them from an accurate recreation of their natural habitat, with waterfalls, green foliage, and more. There are 25 exotic creatures on display here – some are close cousins to animals we’d find here in North America, while others will likely be completely new to your child.

This collection includes the following animals:

Asian Fairy Bluebird
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Asiatic Black Bear
Azure-winged Magpie
Binturong
Black-naped Fruit Dove
Bleeding Heart Dove
Bornean Orangutan
Chestnut-breasted Malkoha
Cinerous Vulture
Collared Finch-billed Bulbul
Crested Wood Partridge
Green-naped Pheasant Pigeon
Malayan Sun Bear
Malayan Tapir
Malayan Tiger
Purple-tailed Imperial Pigeon
Red Panda
Rhinoceros Hornbill
Sarus Crane
Siamang
Southern Cassowary
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
White-cheeked Gibbon
White-crested Laughing Thrush

World of Reptiles

World of Reptiles is a brand new section which just opened on June 4, 2018. The Virginia Zoo’s reptile building has been completely renovated and now features a diverse habitat with a wide range of different reptiles. You can get up close with massive reptiles and watch newborn reptiles hatch.

Inhabitants of World of Reptiles include:

Siamese Crocodile
Gray’s Monitor Lizard
Frilled Dragon
Emerald Tree Boa
Goliath Birdeater
Green Tree Monitor
Iranian Newt
Blue Tree Monitor
Peruvian Red Tail Boa
Giant Gecko
Bamboo Racer
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Magnificent Tree Frog
Panamanian Golden Frog
Utila Iguana
Sailfin Dragon
Reticulated Python
Saki Monkey
Black Tree Monitor
Roti Island Snake-necked Turtle
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake
Tentacled Snake
Gila Monster
Green Basilisk
Red Pigmy Rattlesnake
Jeweled Lacerta
Golden Mantella
Crocodile Monitor
Anthony’s Poison Arrow Frog
Banded Rock Rattlesnake
Lemur Leaf Frog
Yellow Tree Monitor
Surinam Toad
Strawberry Poison-dart Frog

Australia Walkabout

Walk through a simulated Australian outback and get a close look at some of the most famous animals from this part of the world. Australia Walkabout is only open on Saturdays and Sundays and well worth a visit if you’re at the zoo on a weekend.

Animals inhabiting Australia Walkabout include: