The Animals of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo

Here you will find information about the animals at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo and what we are doing to ensure these animals enjoy a prosperous future. In addition, you can find information on what you can do to help conserve the Earth's natural resources.

Biodiversity is an integral part of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. The Zoo demonstrates the scope of biodiversity through our extensive animal and plant collection. Each area of the Zoo addresses the broad concept of biodiversity.

Click any of these to view a list by category of the animals of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park:

Wildlife Trail - Enjoy the 63 animals of 20 different species that reside on our half mile outdoor trail.

Outdoor Birds - View the many species of aquatic birds that live together in our pond community.

Outreach Animals - See the various animals that take part in the Rosamond Gifford Zoo's educational outreach program.  During Zoo to You visits, many of these animals visit local and regional classrooms, day cares, community groups and senior centers. 

Social and Rainforest Area - From creepy crawlers, to leaping lemurs, to swinging primates and brightly colored macaws, these animals thrive in groups.

People and Animals - Feel the unique texture of an elephant’s trunk, hold sheep’s wool in your hands or pet the goats. These animals interact with visitors on a regular basis and provide hands-on fun.

Diversity Aviary - Catch a glimpse of the amazing sounds, colors, shapes, sizes and lifestyles in our diverse world of birds.

Antiquities Aquariums - Walk through the submarine cave to learn how life forms changed over time and explore present day habitats of the plants and animals that live here.

Adaptation-Natural Selection at Work - Learn about various animals that have inherited features over time, which help them survive and reproduce.

The Diversity Bird Aviary

If you think rain or snow is a reason to avoid the Zoo, think again!  More than half of the Zoo's exhibits are indoors.  What's more, the Diversity of Birds aviary offerss a tropical, relaxing environment.  The aviary is home to more than 20 different species of brightly colored birds and the temperatures are kept in the 70’s year-round.

The aviary allows zoo visitors to observe many different amazing birds, no binoculars required. The exhibit encourages wonderful species interactions, as spoonbills and ibis’ fly from treetop to treetop and luzon bleeding-heart pigeons scurry across the walking path to bathe in one of the exhibit’s ponds.  Simon, the harlequin macaw, is a crowd pleaser from his perch in the center of the exhibit.

Make sure to look down and find George and Mortoise, two rare radiated tortoises, crawling along the ground. This species is the largest of the “starred” tortoises. Their highly domed carapace, or upper shell, is dark brown or black with yellow or orange radiating stripes.

Visit the aviary and the rest of the indoor animals anytime, rain or shine!

Click here to read more about the Rosamond Gifford Zoo's "In the Wings" Bird Show.

Diversity of Animals and Exhibits

The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park hosts a number of interesting plants and animals. Here are just a few facts on the animals at our Zoo:

Smallest Animals - milkweed bugs, feather duster worms and star polyps

Largest Animal - Asian elephant

Animal with shortest life span - milkweed bug, which lives only 2 months

Animal with longest life span - hyacinth macaw

Longest animal - Reticulated Python, which is 16 feet long!

Oldest animal - Conrad, a male condor, who is 55 years old