Inside Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona, the Reid Park Zoo cares for more than 500 animals across 24 acres. Founded in 1967 and unofficially established in 1965 by Gene Reid, the parks and recreation director at the time, this zoo cares for more than 500 animals and welcomes approximately 500,000 visitors each year. It is accredited and certified with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and the layout reflects that careful stewardship: four zones organized by habitat and animal type.
In the Adaptation Zone you’ll find animals like the grizzly bear and the Aldabra giant tortoise; the South America zone showcases creatures such as the jaguar and the spectacled bear; and the African Animals zone features lion and giraffe. The African Animals zone includes a 7-acre expansion called Expedition Tanzania, opened to the public in 2012, which now houses an all-female herd of five African bush elephants, including Semba, the matriarch, and Lungile, an unrelated female who serves as an allomother. A large aviary named Flight Connection hosts dozens of bird species from Australia, Africa, and Asia.
Notice the Flight Connection aviary and the 7-acre Expedition Tanzania, home to Semba the matriarch and her herd.