The Houston Zoo (also known historically as the Hermann Park Zoo and the Houston Zoological Gardens) is a 55-acre (22 ha) zoological park located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The zoo opened in 1922 as a park attraction housing 40 animals. In 2026 it housed around 4300 animals, and as of 2024 the collections included representatives of 575 species. The zoo had 2 million visitors in 2024.
The Houston Zoo participates in ongoing efforts to protect the endangered Attwater's prairie chicken and Houston toad, as well as supporting conservation organizations locally and globally. In 2026 this work included 52 conservation projects across 17 countries. In 2009 the zoo partnered with the Baylor College of Medicine to develop a vaccine for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), a disease affecting Asian elephants, which became available for use in captive populations in 2024.
The zoo has been managed and operated by the non-profit Houston Zoo Inc. since 2002. It was previously part of the city parks department. It is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
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