East Texas Zoos Grow and Expand
The zoo in Lufkin just added a rare baby animal. And in Tyler, a big expansion is making progress and should be finished this spring.
Our zoos in East Texas may not be the biggest in Texas, but they're unique, interesting, and they keep on growing.
Lufkin's Ellen Trout Zoo just announced on its Facebook page the birth of a new bay duiker. That's a small antelope that won't get any bigger than 40 pounds or so and only stands 20 inches tall. The baby isn't on display to the public yet to give it time to adapt to the new surroundings, but that could happen this spring.
Ellen Trout Zoo says 2016 was a record-setting year for attendance, with almost 150,000 people passing through the gates.
In Tyler, the Caldwell Zoo is making progress on the spot for the elephants to take a dip to cool off. The elephant pool is expected to be ready this spring, The zoo says on its website that construction crews are working on bathrooms and a cafe now, and all of it will be ready for the spring crowds. They're working on a $6.7 million renovation of the African Overlook portion of the zoo that will bring new feeding decks for the giraffes too.
The weather is nice today, so if you're looking for outdoor ideas, there you go! If the improvements and additions are any indication, it will be a good spring at the zoos too.