Audubon Zoo Ranks Among the Country's Best Zoos

Audubon Zoo is officially one of the country’s top 10 Zoos for the eighth straight year. Results have just been announced in the annual USA Today 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards, and Audubon Zoo ranked #7 in voting to select the Best Zoo!

A team of travel industry experts selected nominees for the competition, but readers cast votes for their favorites in online voting earlier this year.

“We are thrilled to receive this ranking in the 10Best competition,” said Ron Forman, Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO. “We want every guest to have a memorable time visiting our attractions, and our teams work extremely hard to provide outstanding experiences.”

Located in historic Uptown New Orleans’ Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo is consistently one of the country’s top-ranked zoos. The Zoo offers more than 50 acres of pathways and boardwalks in a beautifully landscaped gardenlike setting, including innovative natural habitat exhibits and a wide variety of more than 1,700 animals representing more than 350 species. Audubon Zoo’s Louisiana Swamp exhibit features three young black bears who delight guests with their antics as they explore their habitat.

The latest exhibit at Audubon Zoo is the new Wings of the World located in the newly restored and much beloved Tropical Bird House and is part of the historic Odenheimer area of the Zoo dating back to 1924. It is the largest and most immersive experience of its kind in the region. It includes a walk through free-flight aviary with more than 60 birds from around the world, including endangered species like the Guam Kingfisher and Bali Myna. The exhibit features many bird species that are nearing total extinction in the wild. Zoos like Audubon are critical to the survival of these species that now require human care to survive.

All nominees are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.