NC Zoo announces record attendance in 2019

The North Carolina Zoo is celebrating a year of record attendance.

According to a press release, 917,309 people visited the zoo in Asheboro in 2019 — 85,000 more people than 2018 when 831,748 visitors walked through. Last year's attendance also is up from 2017 when the zoo counted 860,148 visitors. Attendance was down in 2018, according to the zoo, because of record rainfall in North Carolina and multi-day closings caused by hurricanes Florence and Michael and Winter Storm Diego.

“We are thrilled to welcome so many guests from North Carolina and around the world to our zoo,” Zoo Director Pat Simmons said in the press release. “We have plans to keep improving our programs and guest experience so that even more people can enjoy the zoo in the future.”

Said Susi H. Hamilton, secretary of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources: "The North Carolina Zoo continues to increase visitation year after year by providing outstanding events, programs and experiences. Congratulations to the Zoo staff for continuing to find new and exciting ways to make the Zoo a destination for North Carolina residents and visitors.”

In 2019, the zoo launched some new attractions, including a butterfly garden and virtual reality experience. It became a certified sensory inclusive venue, making it a more welcoming place for visitors with autism and sensory disorders. And it welcomed some babies, including chimps in March and November.

Zoo staff also mourned the loss of some beloved animals — Stanley, a rhino, in February, Yepani, a grizzly bear, in September, and Holly, a black bear, in November.

The zoo in Asheboro is about 90 minutes from the Triangle.