Mac Rating: 0.00 | Votes: | Date: 03/06/2026 00:58:00

Spread across 58 oak-shaded acres in Uptown New Orleans, the Audubon Zoo grew out of animal exhibits that date back to the 1884 World Cotton Centennial and the flight cage and grounds developed in the decades after; the zoo itself is generally dated to 1914. It takes its name from the artist and naturalist John James Audubon, who lived in the city in the 1820s, and it occupies a corner of Audubon Park between Magazine Street and the Mississippi River. For much of the twentieth century the zoo had a poor reputation, its animals kept in cramped cages, and a determined push in the 1970s rebuilt it around naturalistic habitats, turning what critics had called an animal ghetto into one of the country's better-regarded zoos. The signature exhibit is the Louisiana Swamp, complete with rare white alligators and a Cajun-themed setting, while Jaguar Jungle, an African savanna and an Asian section round out a collection of more than 2,000 animals. Generations of local children know Monkey Hill, a small rise built, by local legend, so that children in flat New Orleans would know what a hill looked like. Run by the Audubon Nature Institute, the zoo is tied to the institute's downtown aquarium, and a seasonal water-play area and a narrated train help fill out a family day. The setting itself is part of the draw: the great live oaks, lagoons and early-twentieth-century architecture give the grounds a distinct character beyond the animal exhibits. It tends to be busiest on mild weekends, and the shaded paths make it a more comfortable warm-weather option than many open zoos, with two gift shops and Cajun food stands scattered along the route. The zoo drew national attention in the 1980s as its naturalistic habitats won awards, and its white alligators became signature residents that have since featured in coverage of New Orleans. A small carousel, animal-feeding stations and keeper talks fill out the day for younger visitors, while the Mississippi levee at the back of the park offers a quiet river view. Like the rest of the Audubon Nature Institute, the zoo balances family entertainment with breeding and conservation work for threatened species.