Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo Visitors Guide

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is not your typical zoo, and has an incredible story to tell! The park was created in 1989 as a private facility named Zooland Animal Park by Gulf Shores entrepreneur, Joey Ward. In 1991, the Ward family created The Zoo Foundation, Inc., to operate the park as a non-profit, and in 2000, it was renamed the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo!

In 2004, when Hurricane Ivan struck Alabama’s Gulf Coast, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo gained national recognition, as it became the first zoo in the country to evacuate its animals during a natural disaster. The zoo’s incredible story was turned into a hit television series that aired on Animal Planet in 2006 and 2007 entitled, “The Little Zoo That Could.” This documentary contributed to the success of this once tiny zoo, as it has since skyrocketed!

The zoo was able to construct a new facility for its animals, just four miles away from the original park, which encompasses 25 acres of land! Now, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is home to nearly 200 species of animals, 31 subspecies, and eight endangered species. This amazing zoo not only creates unforgettable memories and family-fun for its visitors, but also works to educate, conserve, and build a community that strives to protect nature, and the wonderful wildlife that inhabits it.