North Carolina Zoo

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• Learn more about art, biology, ecology, environmental science, geography, marine biology, North Caarolina, and visual learners.

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“Located in Randolph County, south of Asheboro, the North Carolina Zoological Society is committed to wildlife conservation and supports a variety of programs including plant and animal purchases, habitat construction, educational programs, and conservation studies. There are numerous indoor exhibits, including the Sonora Desert, the African Pavilion, the R.J.Reynolds Forest Aviary and Streamside habitats in which they would live in the wild. Among the Zoo’s more popular animal attractions are its polar bears, seals, sea lions, seabirds, river otters, bison, elk, alligators, elephants, rhinoceros, chimpanzees, baboons, gorillas, giraffes, zebras, ostriches and tropical birds.”

When visiting the zoo online, users will discover an amazing array of resources. Check out the Animal Finder to find out everything you ever wanted to know about the animals in the Zoo’s collection: characteristics, diet, reproduction, environmental connections, and what you can do to preserve the species.

Or take a photo tour of the North America, Africa, or Australia exhibits where see a 360-degree view, learn about the animals and their habitats, and learn about the culture of the countries. Visit the photo gallery for even more exciting images of animals, their babies, and lots of plants. For those visitors interested in plants, there is a plant list, divided into rare, desert, and streamside categories.

Education resources and opportunities abound at the NC Zoo and the website, is THE place to find out about them. Learn how to arrange for a zoo keeper to visit your classroom, what programs are available on-site for visiting students, and about the workshops designed for teachers. The Educational Resources is a list of great tools for teachers, which include downloadable games that guide students through learning about biodiversity, ecotourism, and biomes as well as basic information about these topics that teachers can share with their classes.

Many of the resources on this site are available in Spanish.

Professional development offerings

The Zoo’s professional development choices provide learning opportunities for teachers to learn how to incorporate the zoo and nature into their curriculum. Courses offered span all grades and subject areas, and are often aligned with the NC Standard Course of Study. Refer to the Teacher & Professional Development section for more information.

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