One memory I love was from my last trip to the zoo, last year. Some of the employees were feeding and spending time with some of the animals & had the crow out. I believe his name is Poe but my memory is failing me at the moment. Anywho, he was very smart and was solving puzzles to get to treats. The employees also told us that he has his favorites of them that he likes but doesn’t like all of them. I also would like to add that I love the red pandas so much. I think they are so precious.

We have been zoo members for years and have so many memories from visiting myself as a kid to bringing my own children.

My absolute favorite memory however was visiting at the beginning of March 2020.  My kids were 4 and  8 and we always looked for that first semi warm day where we could get out and enjoy time together while strolling the park.

This visit is my favorite because it was an outing literally right before the world shut down. There were very few guests there and we got to take our time and sit with the Pandas (my sons favorite) and the Tigers (my daughters favorite) and just relax. Things were getting scary and we just tuned the news and world out and focused on each other. I will forever remember that day and enjoying every second of my kids being carefree! Little did we know that moment wouldn’t exist again and we would all be a little changed forever.

My daughter, Finley, is on the spectrum and is obsessed with dinosaurs (imagine the joy when they arrived this summer) and every animals. The zoo is her safe space. It is the place we go when she's had a bad week and it is the place we go when she's had a good week. Friends and family often joke with us that we should be on staff. They are "our" animals and we always enjoy catching up with them and meeting new ones! You can usually find Finley practicing for her future in zookeeper vet by telling anyone that will listen every animal fact she knows. We both love learning all we can from the zookeepers and volunteers. I don't think we could pick a favorite anything at Zoo Knox. Each visit there is always an animal or a person that makes that visit special for us. The zoo is such a huge part of our life I don't know what we would do without it!

We have so many wonderful memories of zoo trips with our grand-daughter. We became members when she was a baby and that was 15 years ago. When she was little the two things we absolutely had to see were the Red Pandas and the River otters. She has since moved to NY state, but we make a trip to the zoo every visit. Our last trip was during the Christmas light show and we made great memories there. We now give a gift of a family membership to friends of ours for Christmas with their two girls. It's so hard to just pick one special memory because they are all special.

I love Knoxville zoo because it is a place I can bring all my friends and family to whenever they visit town. I was able to bring my young nephew 2 times in one week and he loved the dinosaurs and the train. Also included is my favorite photo of Nippur, she is the best and our collective favorite. We love her.

I like Turtles!

Any time we get to see Nipper is a real treat! In the same day there was another favorite memory. Georgie put the stuffed animal snake around his neck. The gibbons always a great time. Nevertheless, every animal is the greatest there and Kevin is our favorite keeper.

This summer my favorite cousin came to town to visit from Florida with his child. My kids and I took them to the zoo, and we all had a blast for hours. I will never forget their shrieks of joy at the lions and otters. Then all 3 kids curled up in the monkey net where they caught up on their lives since last seeing each other. One of my favorite memories ever.

I am so proud of Zoo Knoxville!  It has been a part of my life as far back as I can remember. I remember going to the zoo when it was concrete and steel bars on the top of the hill. We would sometimes go on Sunday afternoons. A high school friend lives near the zoo so we would walk over in the evenings and “talk” to Nipper and Ewell Gibbons from the road below them. I loved watching Ravi and Burma playing with their ball in the water.  My daughter loved playing hide and seek with the huge tortoise (not sure if it was Al or the other one).  Nowadays my Mother’s Day gift from my kids is my Senior Citizen Zoo pass!  Attached is a photo from 1961 and a current

When my children were infants, I started taking them to the Knoxville Zoo (KZ) on Saturday mornings to give their Mom a break. Starting in 1991, I watched my children grow right along with Zoo Knoxville (ZK) and Georgie for over 30 years! We love to speak and howl with Georgie and believe in our hearts that he remembers us from when we were all younger and that we are his favorite primates! I currently enjoy going to ZK with my adult children and grandchildren every chance I can (pic of daughter and 2 grandsons).

The legacy of Zoo Knoxville has been an incredible one for our community, but also for me personally. I have been coming to Zoo Knoxville since I was a baby, and this past year I have been so excited to share my love of red pandas and other animals with my new son! It is incredible to be able to see some of the same animals, and take some of the same pictures in the same places with the next generation of animal lovers. In kindergarten I remember going on a field trip to the zoo, and writing in my journal back at school that my favorite animal was a red panda (it still is)! I am now a teacher, and have had the privilege of taking multiple field trips to the zoo with my kindergarteners. When I was pregnant, I would go to the zoo to walk. Now, I take my almost one year old Roger to the zoo every chance I get! Thank you for being a constant joy for our family in this world of change.

The pictures attached are on the turtle statue 30 years apart. The first is my dad with me as a baby (1993), and the second is my dad with me and my son (2023).

I moved here in 2003 and Zoo Knoxville was one of the first places I visited. I always recommend it to visitors. The red pandas are by far my favorite animal on earth, after my fur babies of course. I loved watching the baby twins grow and flourish. When my daughter was younger we regularly went to Boo at the Zoo! And Wild Vine was so much fun! Please bring it back 😊

My favorite Knoxville Zoo memory is taking my wife and daughter to see their favorite animal...the red panda!

My wife and I didn’t grow up in the same town. But we both grew up coming to Zoo Knoxville. My absolute favorite moments were our daughter’s first trip to the zoo. She was just as fascinated as we were when we were young. Now that she’s a toddler, her love for the zoo has only intensified. And I love being beside my wife every step of the way.

My favorite habitats to visit are the Gibbons, Red Pandas, and Budgies. My favorite memory was getting to be right next to Joe the sloth and see him up close. Sloths are my favorite animal so anytime he is awake it’s quite exciting to see. Getting to be right beside him though was the best thing ever!

In summer of 2022 I went with my family to the Knoxville Zoo and was excited to get a good view of one of the tigers in the newly remodeled exhibit. I have a very deep love for animals and when the tiger and I held eye contact for one or two full minutes, I felt such a huge connection to nature and wildlife. It is an experience I will never forget!

I often say that Zoo Knoxville is my favorite place! There is nowhere else outside our family home that means as much to me. My dad remembers going to the Knoxville Zoo as a kid on field trips, and he developed a real love for it. He began taking my siblings and me when were were just babies (over 30 years ago!). I grew up going to Zoo Knoxville and my dad and I have held a membership every year that we've lived in Knoxville. We love that Zoo Knoxville is a place for all ages. We've taken my grandparents there, and my niece and nephews - 4 generations of our family have loved the zoo, no matter where we live, but it all started with Zoo Knoxville, and Al.

My dad still talks about how Al was at the zoo when he was a kid, and to this day - 45+ years later - Al is a family favorite! Every time I visit, I get a picture of myself and my group on the bronze Al statue, and I even have a photo album on my coffee table of just pictures on that tortoise! Watching the zoo change and grow along with me over the last 32 years has been so great to see. To watch improvements be made, new animals and encounters be introduced... "There's always something new at the Knoxville Zoo" and it's a wonderful experience every time; rain, snow, or sun.

I've been so often that I'm convinced Georgie knows me and talks just to me when I visit; he comes over to me when I call his name, and I've perfected my gibbon call over the years, so we're buds for sure! It's things like that, feeling like I know the animals, and being able to interact with them on some level, that make Zoo Knoxville so special. I'm so thankful that the Zoo is going strong and that so many generations of my own family have fallen with love with it. I can't wait to watch the newest generation of my family get to know Al, Georgie, and the rest of the Zoo like I do. I think another Daddy-Daughter zoo date is in order (yes, I'm 32 and my dad still takes me on dates to the zoo, and I cherish each visit)!

My favorite Zoo Knoxville memory is sharing the same childhood zoo experiences that I had with my children. I’ve always loved the zoo and have loved sharing to with my children. I also love that my children have gotten to see precious new little beginnings for the gorillas and the lions. It’s amazing to watch the young ones grow up together.

My very favorite Knoxville Zoo memory was when I was at the zoo with my then 3 year old, Beau. We were lingering at the rhino enclosure because rhinos are his favorite animal. Beau was standing and holding onto the side of the fence because he was too short to see when and a worker walked up to us and asked, "Do you know how to tell which one is Dolly and which one is Polly?" We didn't so she said, "Watch this, " and proceeded to call each rhino by name to which they responded by turning and flicking their long ears when they heard their names. Then it was Beau's turn to try and in his sweet, 3 year old, baby voice he called, "Dol-weeee...Pol-weeee." And much to his delight, they each flicked their ears in his direction in response to his name. Beau never forgot that day because that same 3 year old is 8 now and every time we are at the zoo, we call the rhinos (though sadly, now only one answers). He has gotten taller and doesn't have to climb on the side of the fence to see anymore. His voice has got older and more mature, the baby lisp long gone. But what has never faded is the delight in his eyes and the size of his smile every time he calls and an old leathery ear turns his way. Thanks for the memories. Ps. Unfortunately I don't have any photos but I do have a video I can email should you like to see it. Thanks!

My wife and I first visited Knoxville in October 2021. We were trying to figure out where we felt God was calling us to move. As we were trying to get a feel for the city and it’s culture, we decided to visit the Zoo. We just fell in love with how clean it was, how well keep the animals were, and how friendly the staff was. We loved getting to sit and watch the elephants and the red pandas. They were out favorites. We knew that this would be a staple location for us to visit once we eventually moved to Knoxville. And we knew our 2 year old son would love running around the park and seeing all the beautiful animals. Within the first few weeks of us living here we bought annual passes. Our son absolutely loves the little train and the merry go round. We love having our passes and can’t wait to create more memories!

My sister and I absolutely love Zoo Knoxville; we are more than ten years apart but have a bond more like parent and child. Our favorite moments are spent with animals of all kinds. I’m actually not sure if you could find an animal we couldn’t appreciate. We love almost everything about our zoo: the elephants, the tigers, the new ARC exhibit especially. We usually always have membership passes because we love them so much. Despite loving it all, my favorite memory at Zoo Knoxville was in early 2022. We came to see the new lion cubs, which were absolutely stunning to see. It was a miracle to see them, but honestly it was seeing the gibbons. The day was cold and cloudy, almost the opposite of a “good zoo day”. There was hardly any visitors besides to see the lion cubs, but after we saw them we ventured over to the Asian Trek. We came face to face to some of the gibbons, just inches away. They are beautiful up close, but then they started their calls and almost seemed to respond back to us. They were swinging all around, trying to put on a show for us. We stayed up there for a magical half hour just watching them interact and hoot at us. It was just us and the gibbons in this beautiful little moment. My sister was smiling and laughing and shining so bright. Her spirit was just so happy to be in their presence. I’ll never forget that, so thank you.

My favorite zoo memory is having family time with my son and girlfriend. I love seeing my son admire the red pandas. They’re his favorite animal. We always have a good time at the zoo!

My favorite zoo memory has been getting to experience the zoo in the eyes of my son.  We got a membership when he was only a few months old and I’ve gotten to watch his love for animals grow as he’s gotten older and more aware of the animals.  We try to make it to visit our animal friends at least once or twice a month, and it has been fun for me to get to know the animals more by name and recognize them as we visit.  There is no greater joy than watching my son’s whole face light up as we sit in front of the new otter exhibit and watch the boys swim by, enjoying a snack of our own while watching the gorillas eat their dinner, or visiting our budgie friends. I look forward to building so many more memories with my Ivan at Zoo Knoxville!

It’s been a while since we have been to Knoxville zoo but we have so many great memories there from when I girls were younger. Would love to enjoy another amazing day with them there before they are college bound. Picture is from 2014 when we watched the Red Pandas for what seemed like forever!

This past year I got to be a chaperone for my daughters field trip to the zoo and it was fantastic! There is something special in watching their faces light up when they see their favorite animal or giggling when the animals do something silly. The kids and I especially enjoyed the new otter exhibit and seeing baby Stevie. Knoxville Zoo is such a wonderful place to visit!

When both of our daughters were born, we took them to the zoo for their first birthday. While we were there, we let the girls pick out an animal from the gift shop.Our daughters are now 9 and 10, and they still have their best friends that they got at the zoo on their first birthdays. We have made it a family tradition that every year for their birthdays we come to the zoo. Emma brings “Cheetah” and Olivia brings “Po”.

Finding just one memory for the zoo experience is very hard for me. I love the Knoxville Zoo and all it has to offer. Here is one of my favorite memories. It was a beautiful Thursday evening back when the zoo did zoo nights. My best friend and I were walking through the zoo, as we do because we have zoo passes and we live very close, I lagged behind looking down at the goats from the top of the hill near the old reptile houses. I lost my friend. Searching for him I rounded a corner and there he was with a huge smile on his face. He loves reptiles and Komodo Dragons are one of his favorite. I caught him smiling and I think that is what the zoo is about. Learning and happily going over and over to see new things.

Ps. I love Red Pandas. They’re one of my favorite animals at the zoo.

Pss. Bring back Thursday zoo nights!Thank you for all you guys do.

Seeing the wonders of the animal kingdom right close by has always been a joy and privilege. My favorite memory I have of the Knoxville Zoo would be the first time ever in countering red pandas for the first time. They were beautiful, silly and lovable. Since that day when I was 10 I have loved Red Pandas and they are my forever favorite zoo animal.

I think Georgie is my favorite memory/experience at the Zoo. He’s so fun and playful and listens to his name so well. It’s as if he’s everyone’s personal pet because he really interacts with all of the guest. We all get so excited to go and see him. We took our elf last December to visit all of the animals. The kids loved when it seemed that an animal was acknowledging their elf.

We have so many wonderful memories visiting the Knoxville Zoo! Our favorite memory was one day when our daughter Azlynn who is 8 years old was standing in front of the Red Panda exhibit and showed them her stuffed red pandas. One of the red pandas came right up to the fence to get a closer look at her stuffed animal. It was one of the highlights of Azlynn’s life because Red Pandas are her favorite animal! We love the Knoxville Zoo and would be honored to be chosen for this once in a lifetime experience.

My favorite zoo memory is when me and my boyfriend Joe went to the Knoxville zoo and we got to see an owl up close. Owls are my favorite bird. The Knoxville zoo has the most beautiful, majestic owls. I loved seeing the owl up close. I also love seeing their red pandas. I hope I win this contest because I would love to be up close and personal with the red pandas. I would also love to feed the red pandas and red pandas are so adorable!

My favorite Knoxville zoo memory is from 2 years ago. I had a friend who lived in Florida, but her mom lives near Knoxville so we agreed to meet in person for the first time at the Knoxville zoo. So it was my sister-in-law, this friend, and I that met up. We each had our 2 kids with us. We just spent the day watching our babies get to know each other and play together. So thankful we had the zoo as a meet up place and that they have so much to do there.

I bought my zoo membership two years ago right after I had my baby girl. I enjoyed going to the zoo each day as soon as it opened to walk my daughter around in her stroller and be outdoors to get exercise. Over the last two years, I have still enjoyed taking Peyton to the zoo, as she is continuing to grow her love for all of the sweet animals. Now, when she wakes up on Saturday mornings, it’s the first thing she asked for, if we can go to the zoo, and to ride the train! The red pandas are my husband‘s favorite exhibit so it is something that we stop at each time. My daughter just talks about how cute they are and we truly enjoy watching her obsess over the red pandas. I would think that our second favorite exhibit would be the giraffes. Peyton has enjoyed feeding the on most of our trips.

I am a transplant to the area but have loved zoo Knoxville since the first time I went. I have been dozens of times now and my favorite trip was when I brought my best friend and her son who are from Greenville, SC and led them on a guided tour. We saw Joe Sloth as he came out of the tree in the morning, saw a croc feed, and saw Einstein. We also were there not long after a live birth Skink was born in the exhibit. They were so excited to go because Elephants are her favorite animal and we are the closest zoo to her that has them with Georgia being the next closest. By the time we left her son had completely passed out in the wagon we brought to tow him around in.

When I was in 7th grade in 2005 our school took a field trip to the zoo. We all had our disposable cameras and there were many pictures taken that day, but my favorite is the one of me and my now husband sitting together at lunch at the zoo. We now enjoy taking our son to the zoo so he can enjoy and learn about all the animals and they work you do to care for them!

My favorite zoo memories are from Art Gone Wild events. The animal encounters,  the food,  the art, and,  coincidentally, the red panda encounter we won in a silent auction. Other zoo events are also enjoyable,  but AGW holds a special place in my heart - and on my walls,  they're covered with paintings from pandas, elephants, chickens, penguins, chimpanzees, rhinos, raccoons, and more.

My son who is 7 absolutely loves the Red Pandas at Zoo Knoxville!! We had gotten Zoo passes for the last 3 years just for the Red Pandas! That is his all time favorite place to be. Just sitting and watching the Pandas sleep or eat and just sleep. He informed me he wants to either be a police officer or a red panda when he grows up. We have every red panda at the gift shop and also Santa brought a giant red panda that’s the size of his bed for Christmas! My son Ayden would love to have this opportunity!

My favorite memory is getting married at the zoo in 2012. The Knoxville zoo has always, and will always be a special place for me and my wife Stephani McCarty. In 2018 we moved into a house that buts up to the zoo, making our annual season passes accessible to attend often due to being in walking distance. We are both Animal lovers and always enjoy going to the zoo. Also, bonus the morning calls from the gibbons is my absolute fave.

I have 2 greatest memories.

The first one is the first time I got to experience the zoo with my significant other and stepson. We went during the summer of 2021. My stepson got to admire the red pandas. They’re his favorite animal. My stepson and I also rode  the soaring Eagle together. We left with a stuffed red panda that he sleeps with every night that he is at our house.

My second is when we attended boo at the zoo last October. We loved getting to walk around and trick or treat and see all the cool decorations.

My stepson turns 10 in September and I would love to be able to see him experience a behind the scenes with red pandas for his first double digit birthday.

We love Zoo Knoxville and everything y’all do for the community!

I can remember first visiting the Knoxville zoo with a friend when I was about 7 years old. I have always loved it even when it was a scruffy little zoo back then. My favorite memory was from a time we visited with my daughter. It was in 2015 and my daughter was just 3. Our favorite animal is Georgie the Gibbon. On this particular visit, Georgie came down to the glass to play with us. He had a towel and sat at the glass for a good 20 minutes and played peekaboo with us. It was hysterical! I can still remember my little girl's squeal and laughter that moment created.

When we first moved to Knoxville back in 1986 we didn’t know what there was to do here. Someone my dad worked with said why don’t you take the kids to the zoo. So mom took my brother, his friend, friend of a co-worker of my dads kids along with me off to the zoo. We had no idea it cost money to go to the zoo. Where we were from in Maryland near Washington DC the zoo there was free. When we got to the zoo and found out we had to pay to get in my mom only had enough to get my dad’s co-workers kids me and my brother in to the zoo. She was going to take my brother’s friend and go find an ATM but the lady at the ticket booth felt sorry for us and said give me all the money you have left and you can get in. So mom did and she and my brother’s friend got in with the rest of us. The penguins were  interesting to see at a zoo so were the Polar Bears. Let’s just say over the years we have visited the zoo a lot.

My favorite zoo memories always occur in the ARC reptile exhibit. Every time I come visit, Dolly the reticulated python always says hello to me! Wherever she is in her enclosure, she always lifts her head to look at me and it is absolutely adorable. I also adore other visitor's reactions whenever they see Dolly. The timber rattlesnake and I have had a few interactions through the glass as well! A couple visits have involved the little guy exploring the glass, seemingly following me as I observed him. He was calmly flicking his tongue and just being so curious. It's so magical to see these deadly critters be so gentle and calm, and I have grown incredibly fond of reptiles over the years because of this incredible exhibit.

I had the privilege of working at Zoo Knoxville in both the Warehouse and Exhibit Design departments. Being able to see behind the scenes opened my eyes to how much work goes into running a zoo. The dedication, hard work, and sacrifice that gets made by the employees and volunteers is inspiring and underappreciated, and I take every opportunity to promote Zoo Knoxville and encourage people to support them. A memory that will always be special to me was the day the Elephant Keepers needed an extra pair of hands to offload a hay delivery. Since I had worked on farms, tossing hay bales is familiar for me so I offered to help. Working in the barn tossing and stacking hay bales was exhausting, hot, and dirty, but when we were done, I got to meet Tonka. He shook my hand with his trunk and it was a truly humbling experience to interact with such a powerful, graceful, and gentle creature.

My favorite zoo memory is watching my son Finn fall in love with the Red Pandas! He was mesmerized by them and we spent all day going back to their exhibit so that he could watch them. There is no greater joy than to see the world through the eyes of a child and I got a glimpse into his view that day. Zoo Knoxville has always been our little get away and it’s one of our favorite places to escape reality for a while.

I have been going to the Knoxville Zoo, since I was probably 5 years old, I'm 52 now. I remember the Elephants were when you first walked in. There was 1 that painted pictures. Now I take my grandkids and they enjoy it, just like I always have. About a month ago my cousin and I who is also 52 went and we had a blast looking at the dinosaurs and all of the new wonderful habitats for the animals. Here are two of my favorite pictures from that day.

Hi! I grew up going to the Knoxville Zoo from our home in Johnson City and always loved it. When we were expecting our first child I bought a stuffed red panda in the gift shop hoping that our daughter would love the red pandas as much as we did. It turns out that she loves them even more if it’s possible and Ricky the red panda accompanies us on all our trips to the zoo now as well! I love teaching them to foster a love for animals and conservation through this zoo, and watching our children grow up there. We loveeee not only the red pandas, but the baboons, lions, giraffes, carousel, Nipper, Zoo Lights, and our little statue monkey friend who sits beneath the pagoda at the entrance. Our daughter has to stop and say hi every time and I always get a picture to document her growing up there. Zoo Knoxville has been good to us and we will be supporters of it and its lessons in conservation for a long time to come.

Our family loves going to the zoo! My son loved the Dino exhibit and my daughter loves going to see the animals. We bought a membership so they can go every other weekend. My son always says can we go to the zoom. We just love the zoo and the animals.

Zoo Knoxville is a big part of my daughter’s childhood! As season pass holders we get to experience all sorts of exhibits and activities throughout the year. One of our favorites, though, is Boo at the Zoo. Not only is it a fun way to dress up and get involved, but also to support the Zoo during a time when they aren’t getting as many visitors. Attached is a picture of my daughter Addy Rose last year, dressed as a giraffe and ready to trick-or-treat!

Thinking about my "favorite zoo memory" makes me feel unexpectedly emotional, like the time I was watching Mr. Rogers with my young children and started crying in gratitude that there was something on television so kind to share with my children.

The first time my whole family went to the zoo the kids were in a stroller…about 24 years ago. The last time I went with them was last year with a group of their friends to enjoy spiked hot chocolate and Zoo Lights. They have been many times in the intervening years with me or on their own, including years of “Boo at the Zoo” and that time we spent the whole day there playing Pokémon Go!

My kids grew up learning about and falling in love with animals at the zoo: they learned that otters are “mom’s favorite animal”, that red pandas are the only “real” pandas, that the gibbons will sometimes call back if you make just the right sounds, that a lion’s roar can be heard clear across the zoo, that riding on a camel's back is scary fun, and that tigers can spray pee really, really far. Mostly, they learned that spending quality time together with family and friends is awesome.

So, I have to pick a “favorite" zoo memory? OK. One morning when my children were 2 and 3 years old, we were preparing for a zoo day (which always included singing rounds of Raffi's song "Going to the Zoo", substituting "tomorrow" with "today"). My youngest suddenly choked on a piece of hard candy and turned completely blue as I ran around in a dead panic. Ultimately, all I could think to do was to scoop my child up and run out the door to scream for help: in doing so, I accidentally performed the Heimlich maneuver and out shot the candy, clear across the room. As I collapsed on the floor in a heap crying with relief, my children chimed in unison, “Mommy, we are still going to the zoo, aren’t we”? Nothing is better than a day at the zoo.

My favorite zoo experience is every time I've taken my daughter, Teagan. She has been obsessed with red pandas for years! She is now 12 years old and still sleeps with her stuffed red panda. This girl is red panda obsessed! She loves all the animals in the zoo but her heart is always with the red pandas, she will stay at their habitat all day if we let her. She has studied them and even did a school report on them! I wish I could attach more than two photos to show! Seeing the red pandas would be her dream come true!

As a mother of 5, I have always enjoyed taking my kids here. My oldest will soon be 18 years old and we visit here every other year, sometimes yearly. My favorite time to visit is in the fall when the leaves have began to change colors. Over the past 17 years, I’ve not only watched my children grow but watched the zoo animals grow and watched some become parents themselves. My favorite memory is doing Boo at the zoo and watching my children and other kids dress up and go trick or treating around the zoo! All of my memories from over the years here hold a special place in my heart!

The Knoxville Zoo has been a staple in my life for as far back as I can remember. I have always loved learning about animals and seeing them up close, and the Knoxville zoo has always been a fantastic experience. I’m in my thirties now, but I’ll never forget my middle school days as a zoo volunteer. I spent most of my volunteer hours at the Bird Show, cleaning cages and even running around backstage helping release and corral critters during the performance. I even gave informational talks about koalas when we had a temporary exhibit. I’ve always loved and been proud of our red panda program and tell everyone about how we’re the top program in the WORLD. And recently I took my boyfriend there for the first time (red pandas are his favorite), and seeing his eyes light up at how close you can get and just watching them go about their day was extraordinary. Two enthusiastic thumbs up for Zoo Knoxville.

We discovered the zoo when we moved here during Covid 2020. It was a way for us to be out of the house and be safe because it was outdoors. We visit often but my favorite memory is my daughter who had a cool experience with one of the red pandas. (See picture). Ever since that day a few years ago the red panda has become her favorite animal and she spends the most time in the exhibit area on every visit. I attached one from our most recent visit. She would absolutely love to have a behind the scenes experience with them.

My favorite memories are seeing the turtles. My family is friends with one of the reptile managers and he would always take us to see the turtles, my favorite was always Big Al. It was always so cool seeing all the animals and learning about how the zoo helps them. The red pandas have always been one of my favorites and I would be so cool to see them in person. Zoo Knoxville is awesome and I'm so happy they exist.

Memories of Zoo Knoxville are plentiful. The animals, conservation work, and activities combine to create an enjoyable experience every time we visit. We have spent countless hours (yes, I mean hours) spinning around on the carousel, waving at zoo guests as the train rolls around its path, and we appreciated the resemblance to normalcy on visits during the pandemic.

However, one particular memory stands out from a visit in 2022. It was a chilly, early winter day. A keeper was working with one of the elephants, walking back and forth along the fence line, tossing pieces of pumpkin, which were, impressively, caught by that elegant animal most times. My 4-year-old son sat beside me, cheering with each piece caught and shouting encouragement when the elephant managed to stretch under the barrier to grab the rolled-out pieces. The keeper happily explained why this work was important for the elephants to be active and allowed them to check on them as they moved. He absorbed this conversation deeply, and almost a year later, he still talks about that experience.

Our sadness at the elephants moving on to the sanctuary is minimal when thinking of their joy in having that place to live out their years. But I'm grateful for having had this experience and others, which expands my son's mind and teaches him the importance of conserving the earth and the creatures that live on it.

When I was in medical school at LMU everyone had their own post exam decompression routine. Mine was driving to the zoo and spending an afternoon around the animals. The first time I did this, I ran into a tiger keeper who gave me all kinds of information and background on eat tiger, their care, and their futures. She talked with me for about half an hour and it left me with a sense of excitement and joy that I’d been missing for a while.

We got to celebrate our daughter’s third birthday party at the zoo and had so much fun. Although she most likely won’t remember it, it will always be a memory I will cherish. We picked the option of having the snake come visit because she loves snakes. She also loved the train and frequently asks when we can go back. Thank you Zoo Knoxville for a great time and amazing memories created.

I have enjoyed visiting this zoo since I was a child. Now my husband and I are fortunate enough to bring our daughter and watch her enjoy it too. One of my favorite memories was bringing her to the zoo lights for the first time. It was a really neat experience. My daughter and husband were even photographed and used for promoting the event.

I am 59 years old and have been coming to zoo Knoxville since I was a young child, you asked for my favorite experience or memory but I can’t possibly choose. Is it feeding the elephants peanuts when I was a child and old Diamond was the king of our zoo? Or maybe watching as a mother chimpanzee tried to keep her young chimp close then swatted his bottom and when he squealed scooped him up and kissed him? Howling with the howler monkeys? Or is my favorite memory tied to taking my own children to the zoo? The time my kids played peekaboo with a baby orangutan,  or the time we went behind the scenes with the penguins as zoo members? Watching the polar bear dive for blocks of ice filled with fish and sharing his excitement?  Or maybe my favorite memories are more recent with my grand children who get zoo passes every year from Pawpaw and GiGi for Christmas? Their giggles as the tiger goes swimming right in front of us, their excitement as we hunt for bears or see the red wolves, going on a Dino hunt recently or arriving just in time to watch the red pandas be fed with our oldest whose favorite animal in the world is a red panda?  I would love to write about my favorite experience… but sadly I have too many wonderful memories over too many years and can’t choose just one because every trip to zoo Knoxville is a precious memory made, something learned and another time I get to be amazed by animals I might never otherwise experience.

We had a birthday party at the zoo for my husband’s 30th birthday. It was great. We got to meet Gretel the prehensile tailed porcupine. Three years ago we went to the zoo for our anniversary and fed the giraffes. It was so much fun. Their tongues are really rough.

I have actually never been to Zoo Knoxville but that will be changing in a few short weeks. My husband and I are headed to Tennessee for a much need vacation. He and I both love exploring zoos and aquariums. When I saw Zoo Knoxville wasn’t far away, I knew we had to visit. Red pandas are by far our favorite zoo animal. When I saw that this zoo has invested so much for so long in the care and education of these majestic creatures I knew we had to visit and support their efforts.

By far my favorite memory and habitat at Zoo Knoxville is the Red Panda exhibit. Red Pandas have always been one of my favorite animals, but most zoo's only keep one or two on exhibit. Since my first visit in August 2021, every time I've returned to Zoo Knoxville the Red Pandas have been my biggest draw. Being able to see so many Red Panda's at Zoo Knoxville (and knowing that a zoo so close to my home was a major part of the conservation effort) partially inspired me to get a tattoo of a Red Panda this past July.

I absolutely love the Knoxville Zoo. I'm a huge animal lover and zoos are my favorite place to visit. One of my favorite memories at the Knoxville Zoo was when you guys were doing construction and my boyfriend and I looked over and the rhino was backing up perfectly in sync with the piece of machinery beeping. It's a memory that will make me laugh forever.  Each time I go to the Knoxville Zoo, I enjoy how clean and nice the enclosure are for each and every animal. The animals always seem like they are happy and not miserable because you guys provide environments they are in the wild. Thank you for running such a fun and nice zoo for 75 years!

I don’t really have a story per say. I wanted to submit a nomination if I could through here. My wife, Faith Griffith, whom I know has found a way to submit a story for this because she has always been fond of Red Pandas. If I may just say. This woman deserves the whole world if I could give it to her you all may not know it but she’s an incredible person who does the very most for any person she meets. Anyone like that deserves to do something amazing for themself. I think she would love this experience more than any person you could possibly find for this. Red pandas are her favorite animal and it’s the one animal she has to see at a zoo. I know it would mean the world to her to see them up close. If by chance she hasn’t found this and submitted a story I can say that my favorite zoo memory is going with her and our kids one a weekend where she has everything planned out from what we wear to where we eat and the map drawn for how we tackle the day. However I know if she was given the chance to experience this it would be her very favorite memory in her lifetime, probably topping our marriage. I would like to end this by saying that faith and I live in Kentucky and no matter the miles we travel Zoo Knoxville is one of our favorite places to visit. Even when things we shut down for Covid. We would watch your videos of each animal showcased. Can you guess Faiths favorite video of you bringing the zoo to you. I bet you guessed it. The red panda.

My favorite memory of the zoo was going to zoo camp as a young child. I went several years in a row. From getting close to the giant turtle, seeing smaller animals like hedgehogs up close, and even getting to spend the night at the zoo, zoo camp enriched my childhood and made my summers even better as a kid 🥹. In the picture I’m the girl in the pink crocs. I’m now a sophmore in college, but I still love to visit the zoo.

My favorite zoo memory is hard to think of. I love animals and this zoo is number 1 on my list after the 5 zoos I've visited over the past two years.

Let me take you back to August 21, 2021. I was unaware of there being a zoo in Knoxville, let alone a zoo where you could feed giraffes! This trip was a complete surprise to me, because of my boyfriend planning a day trip for our 6 months. I kid you not, I started to cry when I saw the entrance sign just off of the interstate off ramp. I was so excited, walking through the gates just as they opened, I grabbed a park map and immediately located the giraffe enclosure. Walking past Tonka (the elephant) I was so mesmerized that when I looked forwards and saw Jumbe's head from over the fence I was jumping up and down in excitement. I had never been this close to my favorite animal before, little did I know I was about to get closer. We walked over to the ticket counter and got in line to buy two tickets to feed them! Being 17 at the time, I feel like I was totally freaking out everyone else around me. My excitement grew waiting in line to feed them, I felt like the anticipation was going to kill me. What really almost made me faint was when Jumbe wrapped his tongue around my fingers. After our turn came to an end I was in disbelief if it was all even real. We walked around and took our time reading about and watching all of the other animals before it was time to feed the giraffes a second time. I left the zoo that day more in love with animals than ever before, and with the realization that I would get animal tattoos. Right now I have a giraffe mural, an otter, a red panda and a jellyfish. I will probably make my next decision when I go back to Zoo Knoxville.

I Love You Guys!!

I have been going to Zoo Knoxville for years now. I have seen the zoo change and grow over the years and it has been an amazing evolution. The Red Panda exhibit is one of my favorites at the zoo. I look forward to many more years of events at the zoo. It is indeed “Wildly Fun.”

We love visiting the zoo. We love seeing every animal there is, my little boy does not have a favorite animal yet but he sure does love seeing all of the animals. We have had the best time seeing the brand new exhibits lately. Zoo Knoxville is the best!

The zoo has a cherished spot in my heart. Back in the 90s, going to the zoo with my cousin. The petting zoo has always been a fave. Peep our 90s wear in the picture! We'd always have to stop at the metal tortoise for a picture too. Tuning in on Saturday's to watch New at the Zoo with Tim Adams and Matt Hinkin. I loved Boo at the Zoo as a kid. It was the perfect night of thrills, adventure, and treats. The zoo has always seemed larger than life. I remember standing at the old otter exhibit as a kid and looking at the donor wall thinking one day I'm going to donate money to have a brick so that they can have a better enclosure. I was so proud to attend opening night for the new otter exhibit and beam with joy seeing my "brick" on the wall. As an adult, I've thoroughly enjoyed Vine at the Zoo, Feast with the Beasts, Zoo Lights, and Brew at the Zoo. I even convinced my work to have a retreat at the zoo. Best work day ever and I think the bears enjoyed the PB snack too! I look forward to many more memories being made over the coming years.

Interestingly enough my favorite memories come from school field trips to Knoxville Zoo. Going and seeing all these magnificent animals for the first time was undeniably my favorite thing to experience. There were lions, tigers and bears. Oh my! As a child being so close to them was fascinating watching their habits, seeing them eat, enjoying the time I got to see something I believed to be so magical.

Again, by complete coincidence the Red panda has always been my favorite to go and see and I truly would love to go behind the scenes more than you would ever believe. To this day it’s the one animal I have to see before leaving the zoo and the first one I look to find in any zoo I go visit.

The zoo is a means of a family vacation to me now as I’ve grown past the school age. The excitement of course still lives on with each weekend I get to plan to visit the zoo. The money with annual passes continue to be the very best purchase I make yearly so that my kids can go and enjoy these animals also! The red panda also being one of their favorites as well as elephants and giraffes! The zoo is not just a fun weekend we take as a family it’s a tradition we hold very close and we enjoy doing together.

I would absolutely treasure this once in a lifetime experience and I truly hope I get to be a part of it. Thank you so much for the consideration. See you at the zoo.

My favorite zoo story takes place a couple years ago when my daughter was two. We’ve always frequented the zoo as often as possible, but for some reason that day she really fixated on the baboons. She asked us “What happened to their butt? Why are they so red?” (Keep in mind she is two in the story) to which we responded that the baboons had kept their “diapeys” on too long. She then said that she didn’t want that to happen to her butt and she wanted to keep hers. The next day, she ditched the diapers and has been potty trained since. She’s five now and we still laugh about it. She said she’s going to fill her little brother in when he’s older.

My favorite experience at the zoo was coming this year after not having been since I was a little kid. Over time I started to fall in love with red pandas and they quickly became my favorite animal. I wasn’t able to set aside time for a while, until this summer. I got to see the red pandas and I was so happy. They are so cute when they are asleep and I love their beady eyes. My favorite was the one sleeping on its belly, it was so cute.

Hello there, I have two stories to tell you for the Red Panda Experience. First and foremost I am a freelance illustrator and a big lover of red pandas. So much so that, for a personal art project I've been working on, I made a Red Panda character who is a swashbuckling adventurer. Upon seeing real life red pandas at Zoo Knoxville for the first time, I learned about their traits, nature, habitat and that they are primarily solitary creatures and, ultimately, that they'd be terrible swashbuckling adventurers in real life. Oh well.

My favorite memory of the zoo though, is my teenage son and I making our own reptiles in the reptile habitat screen projector activity game thing, which is clearly meant for kids not big goons like my me and my son. It was there that I made a turtle and a lizard and named them "Hellturt and Burps". I giggled at seeing them appear on the screen for others to see, cause I'm a grown man like that. The names stuck with me though and they too became characters for the same personal art project as my red panda character.

While this is perhaps not a newsworthy story of heroic triumph I thought it should be known that visiting Zoo Knoxville has inadvertently been an artistic inspiration...to me at least! The characters informed and inspired by my trips to the zoo are attached. Thanks!

When I was little, I got to feed a giraffe. It was one of the best parts of my lives. I felt its tongue and it was very wet. It even gave me a kiss. It was a memory I could never forget since it was a first time ever and I have loved giraffes ever since. The first picture was me right after feeding the giraffe and I was so excited about it. The second picture is another memory where me and my family saw the gorillas babies for the first time. They were so little and cute and it was the best time ever. I have loved the zoo ever since I was little and I am 17 now and my love for the zoo, giraffes, and red pandas have only grown.

When I was about 6, my mom would bring my sister and I to the zoo, and we would frequently visit the petting zoo area (before Kids Cove was built). One particular visit, I had a giant lime green bow in my hair, and was happily petting a goat. Suddenly, I felt my mom pulling my hair, but looked up, and realized it was a llama!! Thankfully, it did not swallow the bow, but it was quite the immersion with nature. I don’t have a photo from that trip, but I have included two photos of my fiancé in the petting zoo from our first date and our one year anniversary date at Zoo Knoxville!

I will never forget my 2.5 year old son, Myles, dancing with the red panda at the Knoxville Zoo last year. He stopped in his tracks to dance and watch that panda with pure joy! It was such an innocent and sweet moment I’ll remember forever.

My favorite memory was the first time I actually went to Zoo Knoxville. It was my birthday so it was extra special! It was nice and cool, not many other people there which made the experience a lot more relaxed and enjoyable. I loved seeing all the animals you guys had to offer. I especially loved when I got to the tiger exhibit, the tiger was sitting right up on the glass! It was really amazing.

My favorite zoo memory is spending time seeing our kids enjoy nature and animals. Being able to move away from video games and home life and just be together the Zoo is our favorite place to do that.

The zoo has been a place my husband and I come on days off to enjoy going for a relaxing walk with the incredible benefits of seeing so many incredible animals! One of our favorite memories there is watching the lion cubs when they were little. We stood forever just watching them play and sleep! Now, it’s a joy to continue to come back time after time and watch them grow! The lions and red pandas are our favorites!

Doug and I were still new to the area in 2004 when we decided to have a wedding after years of having been married in a civil ceremony alone. We had been a couple since 1987, but we wanted to wait until we were somewhat settled to have our celebration. We understood that weddings can be pricey and we hoped we'd be able to use our funds to support something we both loved while throwing an awesome party. We got married at the zoo and it was a glorious experience. We had the ceremony on the plaza outside of black bear falls, hired a jazz band, and enjoyed catered snacks and drinks in the conference room above the plaza. Since then, we've maintained our membership, including our son, and we visit often. We used to joke that we had the wedding and hoped no one, including the bears, would object.  Happily, the bears were silent that night.

My husband and I got to attend a Night Safari at Zoo Knoxville this past May and it was everything you could have imagined. The two zoo keepers who gave us our night tour around the grounds were amazing with giving all the great information and perfect details of each animal we visited that evening. We frequent the zoo and have been fortunate to experience some pretty cool sights, noises & meeting friendly staff but I’d have to say the night safari was by far the best experience thus far. We would absolutely LOVE to be chosen to have a behind the scene tour with the red pandas!!!!

Me and my husband just had our first child and we were visiting Tennessee for a weekend he was already around 1, as at the time my husband was active in the US Army. My husband fell in love as well as our 1 year old with the red pandas I think we spent the most of our day admiring them. And we let our son pick his first animal from the zoo and out of all of them he picked the red panda. He is now 8 years old and still sleeps with his Red Panda. My husband is now a Veteran but we love visiting the zoo and this would be so nice to let them have their moment again!

I have so many memories of Zoo Knoxville.  I remember going on my first field trip (kindergarten in 1988). I got to take my first niece to Zoo Knoxville for her first zoo experience.  My mom,  sister,  and I took my nephew for the first time. It was the superhero day.  We had so much fun. My husband and I took our oldest daughter in 2016 for her first of many zoo trips.  Then,  our youngest has been several times also.  We have so many memories, pictures and good times with the zoo.

I love going to the zoo! I have been going there since I was a baby and when the zoo used to be called the Knoxville zoo. I am 27 years old and I still go with my husband and 2 kids. The zoo has inspired me to help out with conservation and help with saving all wildlife and now my oldest wants to be vet for the zoo when she gets older. Thank you so much zoo Knoxville!

In April of 2016, my daughter and I went to Zoo Knoxville to see the Miss Tennessee contestants for their Miss TN Serves day. Before we got to see the contestants, we went over to the Otters to see if Allie & May (Margaret Mayhem) were out. We were the only ones at their enclosure so we had prime viewing of their antics that day. Allie was really showing off with all of her flips and my daughter was having the best time watching her do flips. The more flips Allie did, the harder my daughter Olivia laughed. Afterwards we went over to feed the giraffes and the Miss TN Contestants were so kind and encouraging to my daughter. They helped her feed the giraffes and she was just mesmerized getting to meet “real princesses”.  It was such a special day at Zoo Knoxville getting to see the wonder and amazement through my daughter’s eyes.

One of my favorite zoo memories is from 2021. It was the first time my children and I had seen the tiger exhibit. One of the tigers was lounging up against the glass and behaving like a giant house cat. My kids got an up close look!

The best experience at the zoo was when my daughter was infatuated with giraffes and she got to feed Jumbee! She loved it so much we ended up going up one more time to feed him. My daughter thought the tongue was so funny and giggled and smiled the whole time! Still to this day it is mandatory for us to see the giraffes at the zoo!

We had a Girl Scout zoo sleepover and the night tour of the zoo was amazing! Seeing the animals in the dark and walking through the zoo unhindered by lots of zoo visitors was fantastic. My favorite part was watching the sloth be very active, for a sloth 😂 The lions at night were also super cool!

My son, Olsen, loves to learn about animals and their habitats. In 2017, he discovered his love of red pandas on his kindergarten field trip at Zoo Knoxville. Fast forward to 2019/2020 school year, he had extra opportunities to learn about red pandas at home. We purchased a Zoo Knoxville membership in 2021 and the highlight of our visits were the red pandas. Zoo Knoxville has created core memories for our family. I love his interest in animals and we’ve traveled around to visit different red panda exhibits. There’s no place like Zoo Knoxville’s Red Panda Village. A red panda experience would be an amazing opportunity for my son and a dream come true.

I have been visiting the Knoxville Zoo since I was in elementary school, I’m now 22, my family would come to Tennessee from Michigan every spring break. I specifically adored the red panda habitat. We would save it for one of the last habitats in our trip so I could spend as long as I wanted saying hello to all of them. Then before we would leave my parents would give me some spare change so I could donate it to the red panda conservation efforts and take a picture with the donations box. Seeing “my” red pandas every year was the highlight of our spring break trip. Pictured are just a two times I’ve had my picture taken, 2009 and 2016.

My wife and I celebrate our anniversaries every year by visiting different zoos around the world. We’ve really enjoyed becoming members at the Knoxville zoo when we moved into town this year. Our favorite new tradition is to stop by the tortoises exhibit and give Tex some neck scratches on the weekends!

I have been taking my daughter to the zoo since she was a baby. We have so many found memories at Zoo Knoxville. I think my favorite one is my daughter standing next to the tiger in the glass. He was staring at her and she was staring at him. The excitement on her face was priceless! Pure moment of joy! I’m so happy that she has had multiple zoo experiences with up close encounters with the animals. It makes her want to learn so much more about them. She wants to be a zookeeper when she grows up.

Getting to take my nephews to the zoo has been something I have got to do since they were all little. Watching their faces light up at the sight of the animals, their laughter, and the care that the staff shows for each person. Red pandas have always been my favorite animal and to get to introduce my nephews has been my favorite thing.

My husband and I got married at the zoo in 2018. It was such a unique experience! The zoo has always been special to us, and I love going back and getting to reminisce about our wedding. Each trip is different, and we have a blast every time we visit.

Taking photos of the most photogenic gorillas 😍

My first visit to the Zoo was in 1967. I was 18 years old and my friends and I went the week after graduating from Morristown High School. Interstate I-81 wasn't completed yet, so we drove down Highway 11E through Jefferson City and on to Knoxville. We saw Old Diamond and some of the very first Red Pandas. I remember the Monkey area. It was a sad zoo at that time. Not enough space for the animals and several large birds in small cages. I also know how much progress has happened throughout the years. Private donors stepped up plus the public love for the animals helped to create this now exceptional Zoo Knoxville. The zookeepers have always done a great job with the animals. The success of the breeding program has been phenomenal there. My heart breaks for every animal that has passed. Jumbe the gorgeous giraffe touched me deeply last year.I love Zoo Knoxville and give memberships to my special friends for Christmas. Next year I will be 75 years old and plan on going as often as I can. I will miss the Elephants but know they're going to retire in a wonderful place and be with each other again. Our planet is losing our beautiful creatures at an alarming rate.

Zoo Knoxville gives us hope for perpetuating many endangered species.

Thank you Zoo Knoxville for making this a marquee place to remember the past and celebrate the future of all animals. I must admit Georgie the Gibbon always makes my day. I know that the next 75 years will be even more spectacular.

Obviously my fondest memory is with my Dad, Guy L. Smith III, as Zoo Director. His passion for animals, especially the African Lion, is what started the Knoxville Zoo to become the wonderful zoo it is today. It was quite an extraordinary childhood!!

I used to love our trips to the zoo as a child 25 years ago. Seeing all the animals, learning new things, seeing exciting new things for the first time. I remember how exciting it was seeing tigers, lions, elephants, and so many animals for the first time. How unbelievable it was these animals were so close to our home. Zoo days with the school and with my family were some of the best of my childhood, and now 25 years later being able to go back and share that with my own children is such an amazing experience. I recently brought my 5yr old and the excitement and curiosity was so heartwarming. As we walked through, the memories I had of my childhood were flashing through my mind. When we brought my daughter recently, she loves dinosaurs, so the dinosaurs were so amazing, she was so happy she told everyone about seeing the dinosaurs and taking pictures with them. Zoo Knoxville has been here through generations of families and continues to be an amazing experience and learning opportunity for the children and families of East Tennessee. We will continue to enjoy Zoo Knoxville throughout the generations of our family and for that we are truly grateful to have such an amazing place just an hour from home.

As you celebrate your 75th we celebrate our 25th anniversary as well. We were married at the Knoxville Zoo September 13, 1998! The trees are no longer across from the old petting zoo, and our reception was held in a tent, where the elephant house now stands. We were lucky to have a snake and on of your Toucans in attendance! Our family has always loved coming to the Knoxville zoo! I also got my husband a personal meeting with a Rhino you used to have a while ago. (I have a picture of that as well) We participate with our friends for Boo At The Zoo and also the recent Hear Me Roar fundraiser. The Knoxville Zoo will always be a part of us!

On August 10, 2023, our entire family gathered at Zoo Knoxville to celebrate our dad, Allen's, 75th birthday. Our family had not been able to be together in a year's time, so it was an extra special day. Phil and Colin planned a super special day for us, despite its being wet from the earlier rain.

Phil and Colin presented dad with the gift of a special painting done by Finn, the black bear which dad proudly displays at home.

Then came a behind the scenes tour of the ARC, beginning with Phil calling the Cuban crocodiles by name, and to our surprise, they came out. Phil shared many interesting facts with us and then came the opportunity to hold a snake. Kevin was thrilled, Erin actually  touched it despite being deathly afraid, while Allen, Mary and Adam kept their distance. Later there was a visit with Big Al, a family favorite. Now it was Allen's, Mary's and Adam's turn to "love on" a reptile.

Erin's favorite is always the red pandas, and she got to feed apple slices to Willow. It was a special day for dad and our family. Later that day, dad thanked me for getting our whole family together to make his day memorable. I made him a photo book of the day, and he's proud to share it with his friends.

Zoo Knoxville has made so many memories for our family over the past 33 years, but this was extra special--our dad sharing his 75th year with Zoo Knoxville's 75th year!!