Zoo Knoxville

last week

Hey, y'all!

Today we'll be featuring Zoo Knoxville, the unofficial red panda capital of the world! With more than 110 red panda births, more red pandas have been born at Zoo Knoxville than at any other zoo. Zoo Knoxville is recognized internationally as experts in the care of red pandas and plays a critical role in the conservation of these noble and beautiful creatures!

While this is the first of my Tennessee posts:

I1: Zoo Knoxville (this post)

I do have a small backlog which includes:

McClung Museum of Natural History and Culture
Knoxville Museum of Art

All of the pictures in this post were taken by me except for the map of the zoo. If you want to use any of my photos, please contact me to first obtain permission.

ZOO KNOXVILLE

3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive
Knoxville, TN 37914

Website: https://www.zooknoxville.org/

Hours:

Open Daily, 9 AM - 5 PM.

Last tickets sold at 4 PM.

Cost (as of 2026):

Adults: $26.95
Children (Ages 3 - 12): $21.95
Seniors (65+): $21.95
College Students: $21.95
Children (2 & Under): FREE!
Members: FREE!
Active Military & Veterans: FREE!

A $2 per ticket in-park service fee is added to all in-person ticket sales.

There is a discounted rate for groups of 15 or more which amounts to a savings of $5 per person.

Zoo Knoxville participates in the AZA Reciprocity program at the 50% rate. Members of all other participating zoos (whether those zoos participate at 50% or 100%) get 50% off the admission rate at Zoo Knoxville. And Zoo Knoxville members get 50% off the admission of all participating zoos (regardless of whether that zoo participates at 50% or 100%).

AZA Reciprocal tickets need to be bought in person (i.e. there is no online option) but do not incur the $2 in-park service fee.

Since I was a member of Buttonwood Park Zoo, I got 50% off admission so I only had to pay $13.48 instead of the full $26.95.

Parking is $5 (free for members).

Estimated Time: 2 - 4 hours.

I spent 4.5 hours but I attended 4 of the free animal encounter chats and visited several areas (red pandas, tigers) multiple times.

As a medium-sized zoo, you can go through the entire zoo in under 2 hours. But if you want to attend any of the free animal encounters (which can be as often as every 30 minutes) you need to budget time not only for the actual session but to also criss-cross across the zoo.

SUMMARY

Zoo Knoxville Map.jpg

The highlights of Zoo Knoxville are the red pandas, the baby lion and gorilla, the otters, and the bears. Since my May 2026 visit they also now have 2 red panda cubs.

Zoo Knoxville is a medium-sized zoo known for its red pandas, of which it had 5 during the time of my visit. Despite that, you may be wondering why I only rated it as 3 stars.

While the red pandas are certainly cute, the Red Panda Village exhibit itself could use some improvements. One exhibit was empty (was not able to see Khyana), the second exhibit had reflective glass that made it hard to take pictures without glare, and the third exhibit had a chain link fence which was even harder to take pictures without focusing on the fence. There is also a video camera of the Panda Den but it's a grainy black and white video monitor.

Besides that, the zoo isn't that big and there could be a larger variety of animals.

I was able to see the majority of the animals at the zoo. The map shows a second otter enclosure in the west loop but that was empty - all the otters seemed to be at Otter Creek at the entrance. I didn't see any langurs or the duiker, the tigers and sloth were always sleeping, the Southern ground hornbill was hiding in a cave and could barely be seen, and the red wolf habitat wasn't open yet. Some of the older maps also show an Appalachia section with a Timber Loop path but that was closed off during my visit. Looking online it seems to be part of an evening event.

To briefly summarize the layout of the zoo:

I would character the central area near the entrance as including Red Panda Village, Otter Creek, and Black Bear Falls, along with the Zoo Shop.
The west loop has Asian Trek (including Tiger Temple), the Kid's Cove Play Zone, and then a handful of monkeys, birds, and tortoises.
The larger east loop includes the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Campus, the Wee Play Adventure Area with more reptiles, the Heart of Africa (Chimp Ridge + Gorilla Valley), Southern Savannah, and Valley of the Kings (lions/baboons). The upcoming Red Wolf habitat and evening Timber Loop are also here.

Zoo Knoxville does offer a variety of free animal encounters spaced throughout the day. You can view the full list here:

https://www.zooknoxville.org/plan-your-visit/animal-encounters-free/

Previously, the website showed days and times but it doesn't currently. On my visit, I participated in:

1:30 PM Great Apes (chosen over Ostriches)
2 PM Lions or Baboons (it's one session and it varies which animal it features)
2:30 PM Rhino
3 PM Red Pandas

The Rhino event was just a talk with a zoo keeper. The Great Apes event was mainly a talk with a gorilla keeper about the baby. They provided some food for the gorillas at the beginning of the session. The baboon session was the most interactive. A pair of keepers were regularly training two baboons to present themselves for medical inspection in exchange for apple juice. While I would have preferred a lion session instead, there was a separate volunteer near the baby lion willing to answer any questions. The red panda session was great! A keeper was constantly feeding the 3 red pandas lined up for treats and telling the crowd about the critters. I enjoyed that event and the only downside is that the fence made it hard to take good pictures.

Zoo Knoxville is still a solid zoo that is worth a visit, especially for the red pandas. Some needed renovations at Red Panda Village to improve visibility and a bigger emphasis on red pandas as a unique feature of the zoo would go a long way towards earning a 4 star rating from me.

Comparing Zoo Knoxville to other zoos:

5 stars:

San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA)
Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield, IL)
Taipei Zoo (Taipei City, Taiwan)

4 stars:

San Diego Safari Park (San Diego, CA)
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, OH)
Oklahoma City Zoo (Oklahoma City, OK)
Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, WI)
Houston Zoo (Houston, TX)
Oakland Zoo (Oakland, CA)

3 stars:

Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL, Free)
Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford, MA)
Butterflies of Cape Cod (Bourne, MA)
International Crane Foundation (Baraboo, WI)
Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison, WI, Free)
Indianapolis Zoo (Indianapolis, IN)
Sacramento Zoo (Sacramento, CA)
Santa Barbara Zoo (Santa Barbara, CA)
Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX)
Fort Wayne Zoo (Fort Wayne, IN)
Zoo Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)

2 stars:

Audubon Insectarium (New Orleans, LA)
Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, LA)
Sarasota Jungle Gardens (Sarasota, FL)
Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center (Sarasota, FL, Free)
San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (San Francisco, CA)
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA)
Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, MA)
Capron Park Zoo (Attleboro, MA)
Taylor-Bray Farm (Yarmouth Port, MA, Free)
Racine Zoo (Racine, WI)
Ochsner Park Zoo (Baraboo, WI, Free)
John Ball Zoo (Grand Rapids, MI)
Potter Park Zoo (Lansing, MI)
Antalya Zoo (Antalya, Turkey)
Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, CA, Free)
Santa Ana Zoo (Santa Ana, CA)
San Antonio Zoological Society (San Antonio, TX)
Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX)
Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX)
Caldwell Zoo (Tyler, TX)
Peoria Zoo (Peoria, IL)
Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington, IL)
Scovill Zoo (Decatur, IL)
Potawatomi Zoo (South Bend, IN)

1 star:

Cosley Zoo (Wheaton, IL)
Stone Zoo (Stoneham, MA)
Timbavati Wildlife Park (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
Binder Park Zoo (Battle Creek, MI)
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (San Jose, CA)
CuriOdyssey (San Mateo, CA)

RED PANDA VILLAGE

Knoxville's first red pandas were Buster and Bernice, who arrived in 1977. The first cubs born at Zoo Knoxville were Dave and Kitty back in 1978. Over the years, more than 150 pandas have made their home at the zoo.

This red panda statue is part of a tree trunk that kids can play in.

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This is a separate habitat that is supposed to house a red panda named Khyana who was born with a congenital deformity with her left hind leg which resulted in amputation. She has adapted well to her unique circumstances. Unfortunately, she was never around the three times I stopped by the Red Panda Village!

A single red panda could be seen through the window of this middle interior enclosure. The window glass actually had quite a bit of glare so only in very specific positions and very specific angles could you get clear shots. However, the best red pandas pictures I was able to take were here!

Himalayan Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens fulgens

This enclosure houses Sisu, Doofah, and their family. Last year (June 2025) Sisu and Doofah had a pair of male cubs - the first time in five years that Zoo Knoxville has had babies. One of the cubs has since moved to a different zoo. When I visited Zoo Knoxville in May 2025, Sisu and Doofah were with their other son. The zoo keeper has said that they need to keep food and water outside because on some occasions when she has felt the need to be protective, Sisu has blocked Doofah from entering the building. The red panda keeper also said that normally, red panda males are not involved in raising their cubs. However, Doofah has been an active father by playing with his son, which provides Sisu with time to rest. Since my May 2026 visit, Sisu has given birth to another pair of sons on June 7th, 2026. Zoo visitors may be able to see them soon through the Panda Den video monitor.

Unfortunately, the chain link fence of this enclosure makes it hard for me to take good pictures because my phone always focuses on the fence!

On most days at 3 PM, there is a free animal encounter where a zoo keeper will feed the red pandas, talk about them, and answer any questions. It was fun watching Sisu, Doofah, and their nearly 1 year-old son lining up for food.

Playing on a swing. This is the closest I got to seeing one of these red pandas stand on their hind legs!

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VALLEY OF THE KINGS

Zoo Knoxville has an adult pair of lions along with a young male cub. Here are the parents, Zahra and Maji.

African Lion
Panthera leo

This is Bisky, who was born on February 17th, 2026. During my May 2026 visit he was 3 months old. Unfortunately, Zahra was not able to provide enough milk and Bisky's sibling died. Zookeepers decided to hand-rear Bisky to ensure his well-being. The plan is to eventually introduce Bisky's scent to Zahra and Maji and, if they respond positively, eventually re-integrate them. Until then, zoo visitors can view this adorable sleepy lion cub in his private quarters.

GORILLA VALLEY

The gorilla exhibit features silverback father Bantu, new mother Kumi, baby Cletey who was born November 20th, 2025, and an older female. When I visited in May 2026, Cletey was 6 months old.

Western Lowland Gorilla
Gorilla gorilla gorilla

OTTER CREEK

Zoo Knoxville is home to 3 male otters - Clayton, Pascal, and Reed.

North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis

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TIGER TEMPLE

The tigers were always sleeping during my visit. You could often see them slumbering from multiple angles and elevations.

Malayan Tiger
Panthera tigris jacksoni

BLACK BEAR FALLS

North American Black Bear
Ursus americanus

ASIAN TREK

This section technically includes the tiger temple, which was covered earlier. For the sake of simplicity, I'll also lump together the birds and tortoises in the north here.

White-Handed Gibbon
Hylobates lar

White-Crested Laughingthrush
Garrulax leucolophus

Western Burrowing Owl
Athene cunicularia hypugaea

American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos

Harris's Hawk
Parabuteo unicinctus

Aldabra Tortoise
Aldabrachelys gigantea

White-Naped Crane
Antigone vipio

KID'S COVE

Oberhasli Goat
Capra hircus

Narragansett Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo

Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus

North American Beaver
Castor canadensis

HEART OF AFRICA

This section also includes Gorilla Valley, which was covered earlier. I'll also add the upcoming Red Wolf Habitat and the Hamadryas Baboons (technically part of Valley of the Kings) here due to physical proximity.

Chimpanzee
Pan troglodytes

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African Painted Dog
Lycaon pictus

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This section currently dead-ends. It is a future Red Wolf habitat that is still under construction.

While the Hamadryas Baboons are located in the Valley of the Kings, I didn't want to distract from the adorable baby lion.

There was a 2 PM free animal encounter where trainers demonstrated how they have trained the baboons to expose their buttocks and receive injections for medical purposes. In exchange, the baboons are fed delicious apple juice.

Hamadryas Baboon
Papio hamadryas

That feeling of sweet relief when you finally get to relieve yourself!

Being rewarded with apple juice.

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SOUTHERN SAVANNAH

Reticulated Giraffe
Giraffa reticulata

Giraffe sculptures at the adjacent Safari Splash.

Bat-Eared Fox
Otocyon megalotis

Ostrich
Struthio camelus

Southern White Rhino
Ceratotherium simum

WEE PLAY ADVENTURE AREA

Big Al the Aldabra Tortoise is quite possibly the oldest resident of Zoo Knoxville at 150 years old and weighing in at 525 lbs.

Scarlet Macaw
Ara macao

Blue-Throated Macaw
Ara glaucogularis

Blue-and-Yellow Macaw
Ara ararauna

Madagascar Ground Boa
Acrantophis madagascariensis

Neon Day Gecko
Phelsuma klemmeri

Angolan Python
Python anchietae

Rote Island Snake-Necked Turtle
Chelodina mccordi

Komodo Dragon
Varanus komodoensis

AMPHIBIAN AND REPTILE CONSERVATION (ARC) CAMPUS

Fly River Turtle
Carettochelys insculpta

West African Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus tetraspis

East African Mud Turtle
Pelusios subniger

Linne’s Two-Toed Sloth
Choloepus didactylus

Cuban Crocodile
Crocodylus rhombifer

Probably Boeseman's rainbowfish
Melanotaenia boesemani

Congo Tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus

Mangshan Pit Viper
Protobothrops mangshanensis

Titicaca Water Frog
Telmatobius culeus

Probably Bog Turtle
Glyptemys muhlenbergii

Prehensile-Tailed Skink
Corucia zebrata

Reticulated Python
Malayopython reticulatus

Golden Dart Frog
Phyllobates terribilis

Fiji Banded Iguana
Brachylophus bulabula

Rio Rauca Caecilian
Typhlonectes natans

Boelen's Python
Simalia boeleni

Gila Monster
Heloderma suspectum

The next 5 turtle enclosures were unlabeled, so I am guessing at their species based on the results of Google Images searches.

Possibly a Vietnamese Flowerback Box Turtle
Cuora galbinifrons

Possibly a Chinese Stripe-Necked Turtle
Mauremys sinensis

Possibly Japanese Pond Turtles
Mauremys japonica

Possibly a Russian Tortoise
Testudo horsfieldii

Possibly Asian Giant Tortoises
Manouria emys

Outdoor ponds

Wood Turtle
Glyptemys insculpta

TOPIARY

These impressive examples of topiary can be found outside the entrance of the zoo.

FLORA

Pollinator Garden

Probably Southern Magnolia
Magnolia grandiflora

Probably Oregon Grape Holly
Mahonia aquifolium

RIDES

Carousel

Zoo Choo Train

Soaring Eagle Zip Line

ART

African animals mural

North American animals mural

Pollinator Garden murals near Kid's Cove

Great Smoky Mountains mural

Tiger photo in Beastro's Cuisine

OTHER

Photo op

Collectible penny machine

Red panda vending machine

That's a raccoon - not a red panda!

Tiger vending machine

ScooterPals rentals

Icee cutout prop

GIFT SHOP

Red Panda paraphernalia

Red Panda Short Sleeve Tee
$32

Smoky Outfitters Shirts designed by Matt Brass
$24 - $35

Stickers
$5

Red Panda Adult Cap
$30

Squish Bean Plush
$27

Bestie Youth Water Bottle
$35

Giraffe Character Hood
$75

Youth Giraffe Cap
$37

Giraffe Popper Hat
$20

Red Panda Backpack
$62

Red Panda Travel Mug
$40

Red Panda Slippers
$37

Slapstix Fox
$22

Shoulderkin Fox
$14

Earth Pals Red Panda Plush

Eco Pals Red Panda Plush

Red Panda Blanket Buddy

Red Panda & Tiger Crossbody Bags
$40

I already had the big $9 Red Panda Magnet (same type but bought at Lincoln Park Zoo). So instead I bought the $15 magnet with dangly red panda, giraffe, and rhino charms.

Red Panda Magnets
$9 - $15