Well, look no further. Pennsylvania is home to plenty of wild life, and I’m not just talking about the critters you’ll find in the woods and forests. Pennsylvania is home to numerous zoos and wildlife parks. Read on to find where the wild things are… 

In the southeast, you’ll find the Philadelphia Zoo. The Philly Zoo is America’s first zoo. The Philadelphia Zoo was originally chartered in 1859 under the Zoological Society of Philadelphia. After much preparation the Philadelphia Zoo opened on July 1, 1874. The zoo has everything from Aardvarks to Zebras. In fact there are nearly 1,800 animals at this historic zoo.

While in the Philadelphia area, you may want to check out the Elmwood Park Zoo, located in Norristown, Montgomery County. The Zoo features more than 15O fascinating wild animals of North America. There's a barn exhibit of domesticated farm animals and, for the little ones there's a "Wild West" pony ride concession.

Moving westward to Dauphin County, you can go wild in a couple different places. ZOOAMERICA® North American Wildlife Park is located in Hershey. ZOOAMERICA®  is an 11-acre walk-through zoo which has animals and plants native to five regions of North America. Lake Tobias Wildlife Park located in Halifax has a safari, petting zoo and a walk around tour, however Safari tours are the main attraction at Lake Tobias. Specially designed cruisers with tour guides take you over 150 acres of land where you’ll see herds of wild and exotic animals from around the world.

Moving up to Lehigh County, you’ll find the Game Preserve in Schnecksville. The Game Preserve claims to have entertained and educated more than five million people inside and outside Pennsylvania. The Preserve also played a significant role in saving the North American Bison from extinction.

A little farther north  in the Poconos is Claws 'N' Paws Wild Animal Park. They have over 100 exotic Species from all around the world including Performing Parrots, a large walk-in petting zoo, “Dino Dig” (where kids can play paleontologist), a “Wildlife Encounters Show” and much more.

If you’re into things that look slippery and slimy, then you don’t want to miss Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland in Allenwood, Union County. From giant alligators to beautiful frogs, more than forty species from around the world await you in the indoor exhibit complex. Tortoises, iguanas and aquatic turtles are exhibited in an outdoor habitat in the summer months. There are self-guided interactive exhibits as well as live shows for visitors to experience.

Living Treasures Animal Park has two locations for you and your family to see, pet, and feed over 500 friendly animals. One location is in Donegal (Laurel Highlands) and the other location is in Moraine. They have a petting zoo for the younguns and exotic animals of interest to young and old alike.

In the Pittsburgh area you can visit The National Aviary and the Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. An aviary is a facility dedicated solely to the keeping of birds and The National Aviary has more than 500 residents, representing over 200 different species of birds. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the country. At The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium there is new 42,000-square-foot aquarium. The state-of-the-art aquarium houses saltwater and fresh-water fish exhibits and l has 4,000 individual aquatic animals. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium is a 77-acre facility that is home to thousands of animals representing hundreds of various species.

Ending our tour of the state in Erie is The Erie Zoo, home to over 500 animals. On exhibit are more than 100 species, from around the world.  While walking the winding walkways visitors can enjoy the beautifully landscaped grounds which feature 2500 specimens from 600 species of plant. 

If you’re interested in visiting any of the above-mentioned parks, take a look at our fact sheet for further information.

Have fun!