Open Daily 9 am – 4 pm

Education • Conservation • Adventure • Community

Open Daily 9 am to 4 pm

Mission Statement

The mission of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is to create compelling experiences that connect people and community with wildlife, and inspire personal responsibility for conservation of the natural world. Education. Conservation. Adventure. Community.

About The Zoo

The zoo is about 6 miles from the beach. Tucked just off the main highway, visitors feel like they have entered a tropical urban oasis filled with intriguing sounds from our rich diversity of exotic animals. Whether it’s the distinctive call from our peacocks or chatter from our monkeys you are instantly transported out of life’s hustle and bustle into our peaceful kingdom.

Voted the “#1 Zoo in Alabama” for two years running!

If you really want something extra unforgettable, stop in for a one-on-one, up-close experience with a few of our friendliest friends at our Animal Encounters!

Our Team

Joel M. Hamilton

Executive Director

Patti Hall

Director Emeritus

Board of Directors

Board Chairman

Zach Estes

Vice Chair

Ginny Barnas

Treasurer

Rosie Stallworth

Board Members

Michele Finn

Kim Gordon

OG Greene

Andrew Hart

Allyson Pearce

Dr. Julie Taylor

Cheryl Robinson- Secretary

Senior Staff

Curator of Animal Care and Welfare

Cyndi Johnson

Director of Development

Paula White

Executive Assistant and PR/Social Media Manager

Marcale Sisk

Guest Services Manager

Lauren Crochet

Assistant Curator of Animal Welfare and Education

Rachel Gulley

Facilities Manager

Tim Closson

Director of Human Resources

Ruthie Taylor

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is operated by The Zoo Foundation, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, governed by a Board of Directors.

Safety First

The safety of every zoo visitor, our staff, and our animals have precedence over everything at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. We follow every safety protocol as required by law, and receive 100% compliance by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the federal agency that annually inspects our facility. We maintain ongoing safety training procedures in the handling of our animals by our keepers, and stay vigilant in keeping our facility structures secure. We take great pride in our constant efforts to provide the safest and most secure environment we can for your family when you come to visit ours.

Sources of Revenue

As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo relies solely on admissions, memberships, and contributions to remain in business.

Construction of the new Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is an on going project and our Philanthropy Partnership Program plays an extremely significant role.

It ensures that the zoo becomes a prominent member of an ever-growing business and civic community in its new Gulf Shores location, while offering education, entertainment, and cultural activities, especially for families.

By participating in one of the zoo’s many partnership programs, you, your company, organization, or institution can contribute to the zoo’s vibrant, secure standing far into the future.

For more about the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
Philanthropy Partnership Program,
CONTACT:

Director of Development – Paula White
251.256.7008 | [email protected]

The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is operated by The Zoo Foundation Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization governed by a board of directors. Your donation is tax-deductible to the full extent permitted by law. Please consult with your tax advisor.

Get Social With Us

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

15 hours ago

This Saturday, November 23, at 9:30 a.m., the SBLC Reading Time will be inside the classroom in the Gift Shop and will be FREE to all participants. Animal ambassadors planning to join the reading will be Norman, the Eurasian eagle owl, and the box turtles. Access to the zoo will require paid zoo admission or zoo membership.
@South Baldwin Literacy Council @sblc_alabama

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 days ago

Spending the day at City of Orange Beach Employee Benefits and Wellness Fair. The friends joining us today are Lucy, 3-banded armadillo and Machete, bearded dragon.

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 days ago

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

4 days ago

Waylon took his tour out on the road during the quiet afternoon hours! He charmed Boodah the black bear and the aviary birds with his singing.

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

5 days ago

Join us this morning at 9:30 a.m. for another South Baldwin Literacy Council Reading Day at the Zoo. The reading will be inside the Zoo near the Cheetah and Baboons. Reading time is included with Zoo admission. @sblc_alabama South Baldwin Literacy Council

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

6 days ago

Join us this Saturday, November 16, at 9:30 a.m. for another South Baldwin Literacy Council Reading Day at the Zoo. The reading will be inside the Zoo near the Cheetah and Baboons. Reading time is included with Zoo admission. South Baldwin Literacy Council

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

6 days ago

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

1 weeks ago

🌟 Attention Jeep Owners! 🌟We ask for your participation in our upcoming lighting event, Wild Lights: Holiday Jeeps event, at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo on December 7, 5-8 PM. 🚙✨

📅 Register deadline: November 30: Register at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/cp3RTQ?vid=18xqaw

- $25 Registration Fee (includes 2 admissions)
- Decorate your Jeep with lights and holiday decorations
- Compete for the Wild Lights People’s Choice Award!
Details below.👇

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

1 weeks ago

Celebrate Veterans Day at the Zoo!

This Veterans Day, we’re extending our heartfelt gratitude to all the brave men and women who have served our country. As a token of our appreciation, all Veterans and active military will receive free admission to the zoo on Veterans Day! 🇺🇸🦁🐢

Let’s make this Veterans Day memorable and honor those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

Thank you for your service!

#VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #HonoringOurHeroes

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

1 weeks ago

Attention all Veterans!
In honor of Veteran's Day, we are excited to offer **FREE zoo admission** to all veterans and currently serving military personnel this Monday, November 11. This is a small token of our immense gratitude for your bravery, dedication, and service to our country.

Thank you for your service and sacrifice. 🇺🇸

#VeteransDay #ThankYouVeterans #thankyouforyourservice

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Join us this morning, at 9:30 a.m. for another South Baldwin Literacy Council Reading Day at the Zoo. The reading will be in the Domestic Barn inside the zoo and included with Zoo admission. Zoo Open 9am-4pm.
South Baldwin Literacy Council

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

We had a great morning at the Gulf Shores Community Expo. Come join us for the evening session from 4-6 pm

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Happy National Men Make Dinner Day! Seems like an odd way to start a conservation post, but what better way to celebrate a day encouraging men to cook than to highlight some African animal males that do the lion’s share of providing for the family! Male lions don’t always do all the hunting, only about 10% of the time, but they do make sure that the cubs are protected while the female-led hunting party is away, and then they make sure that the cubs get enough to eat. Male African-crested porcupines, like our handsome Blaze and Bruce Quillis, form monogamous bonds and help their mate raise and provide for their porcupettes. Another great example of males providing dinner is the African-painted dog. The endangered carnivores hunt in huge family groups, and males provide more food for the family than females.
Can you help us #ProtectWhatsLeft so we can provide a future for these helpful boys? To support our conservation efforts, please visit https://ZooConservation.givesmart.com. No gift is too small. Your support is greatly appreciated.

(Photos: Bruce Quillis (left), Blaze (right); African-crested porcupines.)

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Hug a Bear Day is here, and our own Boodah is leading the celebration! 🐻❤️ Boodah is loving his stuffed bear, proving that even the mightiest need a cuddle. Whether you're giving virtual hugs or visiting Boodah in person, let's show some bear-y big love today. Share your cozy moments with us using #HugABearDay.

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Come join us tomorrow at the Gulf Shores Community Expo. We can't wait to see everyone.

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Join us this Saturday, November 9, at 9:30 a.m. for another South Baldwin Literacy Council Reading Day at the Zoo. The reading will be in the Domestic Barn inside the zoo and included with Zoo admission.

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Get ready for wild fun! Book our new winter premium experiences today! #AGCZWinterExperiences #WinterFun #HolidayGifts
https://conta.cc/40y0FP3

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

2 weeks ago

Happy Monday and welcome to another Meditation with Boodah. Quite your mind and channel your inner Boodah. #mondaymeditation #meditationwithboodah #meditationmoments

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

SBLC Reading Time this morning at 9:30 am (included with Zoo paid admission)
Reading location inside Zoo near the giraffe and ostrich exhibit. South Baldwin Literacy Council

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

November is Family Literacy Awareness Month, and The South Baldwin Literacy Council is going to the Zoo!

National Family Literacy Month is an opportunity for families to learn and read together. It also celebrates the work literacy programs do to empower families.

Each Saturday in November and Tuesday, November 26, at 9:30 am, the SBLC will partner with the AGCZ for reading time at the Zoo.

Each reading time will begin with a book about an animal in the Zoo and will be followed by a zookeeper chat about an animal featured in the book. An adult must accompany each child at all times. Reading time, including zookeeper chat, will be forty-five minutes to one hour.

The Saturday, Nov 2, 9, 16, and 30 reading times will occur in a designated area in the Zoo and be included with paid general zoo admission. Saturday, November 23, and Tuesday, November 26, will occur outside the Zoo in our classroom in our Gift Shop and will be free to all participants. Access to the Zoo will require paid zoo admission or zoo membership. South Baldwin Literacy Council

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

Sometimes, the scariest part about being alone in the dark is the possibility that we are *not* alone in the dark. But why should the dark be scary? On the African savannah at night, you could hear many animals you may not even see during the day. Some animals are mostly or only active at night, like pangolins, aardvarks, black-footed cats, porcupines, and lions. Lions use the dark to their advantage since their night vision is excellent and their prey’s is not. Lions also use the dark to communicate by making a series of calls to let other lions know they’re nearby. Some animals use the dark to hunt, some use it to communicate, and some use it to give birth, but no matter how the dark is used, it doesn’t have to be scary. But do you know what is scary? In the next 20 years, nights on the African savannah could go silent because the animals are extinct. Will you help us to #ProtectWhatsLeft?
If you want to support our conservation efforts, please visit https://ZooConservation.givesmart.com. No gift is too small. Your support is greatly appreciated.

If you want to help support our conservation efforts, please visit https://ZooConservation.givesmart.com. No gift is too small. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

3 weeks ago

Another Monday, Another Meditation with Boodah. Kickstart your week with calm vibes and clarity as we take a moment to pause and quite our minds with Boodah.

DYK: Bears practice their own form of mindfulness. 🐻 These fascinating creatures spend quiet moments in nature, tuning into their surroundings and practicing a unique kind of bear mindfulness. Their compassionate nature and connection with the environment teach us a lot about living harmoniously. Join us and channel your inner bear! 🧘‍♂️🍃 #MeditationMonday #Mindfulness #meditationwithboodah #BeLikeABear

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Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo

4 weeks ago

Belle and Aurora LOVE fall! Their favorite enrichment is shredding pumpkins overnight— look how excited Belle is!

Fun Fact: Clouded leopards are like the stealthy shadow warriors of the forest, moving with unmatched grace and agility through the treetops. With their long tails for balance and flexible ankle joints that rotate backward, they can climb headfirst down trees and navigate the canopy in near silence, making them masters of their nocturnal world.

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Reviews

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Chad Riehle 6 months ago

Always a must when in Gulf Shores!

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brittny92 6 months ago

We have never been to this zoo, and it sure is the “Little Zoo that Could!” We are on a family vacation with 4 children 5 and under. They all had fun and were so excited to see all the animals. We arrived right at 9am and all the animals were ready to show off!

We even got to watch the keepers interacting and providing enrichment which was such a cool experience. You can tell the workers loved the animals and are really dedicated to the care and treatment of the animals.

It took us around 2-2.5 hours to go around the whole zoo so it won’t be a full day trip, but it will definitely be a wonderful stop to make on your trip to Gulf Shores!

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Thomas Crowley 6 months ago

While visiting Orange Beach decided to visit the local zoo. What a great place, helpful employees who did a lot of explaining of animals feeding. It was a great walk. A great day. All the animals are very interesting and especially loved the herb garden..

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Lynette Keith 6 months ago

I’ve been bringing my children here since they were little and now I’m bringing my grandchildren. I love our little zoo. It’s not too big and by the time the kiddos are wore out, we are all done. Everyone is so hospitable and kind. Cute gift shop and love feeding Ben the giraffe.

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bethany Barlow 8 months ago

We loved our visit! Such an affordable option for a zoo. Plenty of animals to see. Loved how close you get to all of them. Very clean and tidy. Disappointed the tigers weren’t out though. But overall a fantastic experience! Our kids loved it.

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Julia Anne 9 months ago

Such a beautiful zoo! Very clean with ample restrooms and benches. There were so many animals to see which was very unexpected. We saw tigers, lyons, monkeys, giraffes, lemurs, many types of local birds, etc. For an extra fee, you can feed the giraffes and have an opportunity to get up close and personal with several different zoo animals.

There is a great little enclosed bird area with turtles where you can sit and watch the birds. They also have a great gift shop with wonderful gift items.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience. We had a great time watching the animals and will definitely be back!

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