Founded in 1927, the 64 acre Rio Grande Zoo, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a facility of the Albuquerque Biological Park. The zoo offers visitors a pleasant stroll highlighted by close encounters with more than 250 species of exotic and native animals. Popular species include seals and sea lions, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, hippos, camels, tamarins, koalas, Mexican wolves, mountain lions, monkeys, jaguars, zebras and rhinoceros. State-of-the-art exhibit design and eye-pleasing landscaping enhance zoo animal husbandry by creating naturalistic habitats complete with trees, grasses, water features and rockwork. Sights include an Africa exhibit area, an Australia exhibit area, the "Cat Walk", and Tropical America. A narrow-gauge railroad connects the zoo to the other facilities of the Albuquerque Biological Park. Walking distance through the zoo is 2.27 miles (3.65 km).
