Nashville Zoo
Our Latest Posts
Category: Feature
Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Releasing Hellbenders into the Wild 2025
Last week, Nashville Zoo’s ectotherm team in partnership with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee State University, traveled to a waterway in Middle Tennessee to release a total of 17 eastern hellbender salamanders back into the wild. These hellbenders had been raised at the Zoo as part of a headstart program. Since the start of this conservation initiative, the Zoo has released over 120 hellbenders into local Tennessee streams to help bolster the popu...
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at Wednesday, May 14, 2025
Monday, October 28, 2024
Tiger Cubs Celebrate First Birthday
Happy first birthday to Bulan, Kirana, and Zara who celebrated with pumpkins, ice treats and a Halloween-themed birthday bash! 🎉
As the first Sumatran tigers born at Nashville Zoo, their births are crucial to the species' survival, with only 400 to 600 left in the wild. Help us celebrate the cubs’ first birthday and play a part in helping this endangered species. Your support aids in conserving tigers and their habitats, securing their future in both human care and the wild.
D...
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at Monday, October 28, 2024
Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Year of the Dragon: Nashville Zoo Welcomes Komodo Hatchlings
We're proud to announce our first-ever successful hatching of two Komodo dragons. The new arrivals were born on September 20 and September 23 and weigh about the same as a stick of butter, coming in at ~100 grams. The hatchlings are healthy and are being raised behind the scenes in the Zoo’s Komodo Dragon facility.
About Komodos
Komodo dragons are known for being the largest and heaviest lizard on earth, reaching up to 10 feet in length and weighing more than 300 pounds. They are domin...
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at Tuesday, October 1, 2024
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Nashville’s Purple Martin Phenomenon
Our Avian department continues to participate in conservation work in Middle Tennessee by monitoring and supporting the Urban Bird Treaty and Purple Martin roost. Read the updates on this project below.
You may have noticed flocks of birds flying in a unique pattern in the evenings. Those birds are North America’s largest swallows called Purple Martins. While European Starlings flock and perform a similar murmuration pattern, they are only visible in the fall and winter months once the...
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at Wednesday, August 14, 2024
Loggerhead Shrike Conservation
Our Avian department continues to participate in conservation work in Middle Tennessee by monitoring local loggerhead shrike populations. Read the updates on this project below.
The Zoo collaborates closely with Southeastern Avian Research and the Loggerhead Shrike Working Group to identify research, conservation, and management priorities for these birds.
Since 2013, Nashville Zoo staff and local researchers have surveyed and monitored loggerhead shrikes in Middle Tennessee. Each ba...
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Local Crayfish Conservation 2024
Our Aquatics team continues to participate in conservation work in our Middle Tennessee neighborhood by monitoring local Nashville crayfish populations. Read the updates on this project below.
Our Aquatics team received a grant from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2011 to develop protocols and implement long-term population monitoring for the federally endangered Nashville crayfish. The Nashville crayfish (Faxonius shoupi) is the only animal whose entire range is located only ...
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Meet the Red River Hog Piglets
See them daily at the Zoo
Fig, Peach, Persimmon and Clementine can now be seen! The piglets and mom, Truffles, will be out daily from 9 am to 2 pm although weather and animal care factors may occasionally prevent the cubs from being outside. These are the first red river hogs to be born at Nashville Zoo.
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Red river hogs (Potamochoerus porcus) are native to the rainforests spread across west and central Africa. They have a recognizable red coat a...
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Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Releasing Hellbenders into the Wild
Earlier this week, Nashville Zoo’s ectotherm team in partnership with Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Tennessee State University, traveled to a waterway in Middle Tennessee to successfully release a total of 27 eastern hellbender salamanders back into the wild. These hellbenders had been raised since 2018 at the Zoo as part of a headstart program. Since the start of this conservation initiative, the Zoo has released over 100 hellbenders into local Tennessee strea...
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at Wednesday, May 22, 2024
You can now see the Zoo's three Sumatran tiger cubs!
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See them daily at Tiger Crossroads
Bulan, Kirana and Zara can now be seen at Tiger Crossroads! The cubs and mom, Anne, will be out daily although weather and animal care factors may occasionally prevent the cubs from being outside. These are the first Sumatran tigers to be born at Nashville Zoo. Anne gave birth to the cubs on the evening of October 20, 2023.
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Make Member Reservations
Sumatran tigers are native to the rainforests of Indonesia and are critically end...
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Wild Works Impact: Over $800,000 donated to conservation organizations in 2023
We’re proud to announce we’ve financially committed over $800,000 to conservation and wildlife organizations in 2023 via our Wild Works conservation program. All the selected organizations help further our mission and emphasize the importance of conserving species and their habitats both locally and around the globe. Below is a brief description and link to some of the organizations.
Rainforest Awareness Rescue Education Center (RAREC) - located outside the small town of Iq...
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Monday, December 11, 2023
Vote to Name our Tiger Cubs! 🐯
Our three Sumatran tiger cubs, born on October 20, are ready to be named! The three cubs will be raised by their mother here at the Zoo until they are mature at which time they will move to other zoos to meet their future mates. Help us by voting for your favorite names from the choices below. Your vote comes with a financial commitment of your choosing and every dollar raised will go to the Tiger Conservation Campaign, a non-profit working to save native habitats, curb poaching, elimin...
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Tuesday, February 7, 2023
Let’s Go Girls: Celebrating the Women in Science at Nashville Zoo
The UN named February 11 International Day of Women and Girls in Science, and Nashville Zoo is joining the celebration to recognize the incredible women that have dedicated their professional lives to science and conservation work locally and around the world.
What does it mean to you to be a woman in science?
“To me, being a woman in science means being a part of a steadily growing community. It also means being a mentor and role mo...
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Tuesday, May 3, 2022
Celebrating 25 Years at Grassmere
Nashville Zoo hits 25-year milestone!
Since opening at the Grassmere property in 1997, Nashville Zoo has celebrated tremendous growth over the past 25 years. The Zoo is rated one of the top attractions in the state and has become a staple for Tennesseans and tourists. Viewed as an international force in the world of conservation, Nashville Zoo participates in research efforts around the world and right in our backyard to save threatened species.
Where it all started
The Grassmere prop...
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Wednesday, March 30, 2022
Jungle Gym is Now Open
(Please note: As of 3/22: Some concrete and tile work still needs to be completed in the playground entrance. The “tot lot” (padded toddler area) and a small piece of the original playground structure remain closed as additional repairs need to be made in those areas. There is a chance the Jungle Gym may close again in the coming weeks to complete that work.)
The highly-anticipated, crowd-pleasing, kid-favorite Jungle Gym playground is finally open again at Nashvill...
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Wednesday, September 8, 2021
Releasing Alligator Snapping Turtles
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On August 26, 2021, a team from Nashville Zoo, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA), and the Cumberland River Aquatic Center successfully released 30 alligator snapping turtles into the waters near Wolf River in West Tennessee.
The Release
16 of the 30 alligator snapping turtles released were from Nashville Zoo’s headstart program. These turtles weighed ranging from just under a kilogram to two and a half kilograms prior to release. Each turtle was given a unique individual...
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Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Nashville Zoo Successfully Breeds Rare Species
UPDATE:
Nashville Zoo welcomed one more Central American giant galliwasp (Diploglossus monotropis) born in August 2018. This is the second successful birth of this species at Nashville Zoo.
This species is infamously difficult to breed. Once the females lay the eggs, they go into hiding for about four months until the babies are hatched. In that time, keepers refrain from checking on them, in case the mother becomes startled and defensively eats the eggs, so predators do not eat the eg...
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Thursday, March 29, 2018
Tips for a Great Eggstravaganzoo Experience
We hope you're planning to join us for our annual spring festival featuring the biggest and best egg hunts in town. Historically, this upcoming weekend is a busy one at the Zoo, so we've put together tips and hints to help make your visit the best one yet.
Tips for a great Eggstravaganzoo Experience!
Arrive Early. Plan to arrive at least one hour in advance of the egg hunt for your child's age group to allow plenty of time to park the car and get to Festival Field.
Pic...
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Become a volunteer!
Whether you’re available for a day or are looking for a long-term volunteer opportunity – you can make a valuable contribution to the Zoo’s volunteer team!
Support the Zoo!
Nashville Zoo relies on your support to continue providing extraordinary animal care and education programs for the community, as well as our critical conservation initiatives.