Willie the polar bear is moving. Willie has been the star attraction at the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro for several years. Zoo officials intend to return Willie from Milwaukee by 2014 after enlarging his habitat and possibly adding more bears to keep him company. The zoo is an on-going work: the most recent large scale addition is the African section. The zoo has numerous exhibits, boasts child-friendly educational activities, but covers a large area, making it difficult to walk to exhibits for elderly guests.
Entrance Areas and Tram Stops
Each of the two ticket booth entrances are connected to a tram stop that only stops at one junction point south of the African exhibits. All three areas feature affordable dining like pizza, hot dogs, and burgers. Souvenir shops sell park mementoes and plush animals. The Junction tram stop has a carousel and theater. Most of the “kid-friendly” venues are geared toward younger children; teens would be bored.
Older students and adults can benefit from special programs allowing them to participate in feeding the animals or taking to animal keepers. These opportunities are detailed on the zoo website and must be prearranged. Local students act as volunteers while zoology is incorporated into school curricula. Programs at Randolph Community College afford interested students "hands-on" work opportunities.
Animal and Specialty Exhibits
The park entrance fee covers all exhibits except a $2.00 fee to watch the feeding of giraffes. Currently, the zoo is hosting the “Swamp Ghosts” exhibit, located in the African section of the park. Swamp ghosts feature two white alligators. The goal is to provide livable habitats that function as close to the real thing as possible.
The African exhibits, located in the “Watani Grasslands Reserve,” contain elephants, zebras, antelopes, and rhinos. Enclosed habitats feature baboons and gorillas. Lions are sandwiched between Chimpanzees and Red River Hogs. Although trams run regularly (every half hour), the round-trip walk to Africa from the Akiba Market ticket booths is approximately two and a half miles.
The North American Section
Exhibits in the North American section are the oldest. The “Rocky Coast” is home to Willie, harbor seals, puffins, arctic foxes, and an owl. An adjacent enclosure features a variety of snakes, otters, bobcats and frogs. The trail ends at the “Prairie” where visitors can gaze at black bears, bison, elk, and grizzly bears. The entire walk is uphill until reading the Prairie Outpost. Park officials recommend starting the walking tour in North America and following the down-hill path to Africa.
The park is open year-round but closes at 4 p.m. between November and March. After Labor Day, park attendance decreases while cooler temperatures make the visit more comfortable. Parking lot shuttles ferry visitors from gate to gate, but this service is discontinued between November to April.
Zoo Proximity to Other Sites of Interest
Asheboro itself boasts a quaint downtown peppered with novelty shops, bistros, and local eateries including the royal pizza feat at Sir Pizza, as profiled in Our State magazine. The renovated downtown is home to “hip new restaurants” and art galleries.
Greensboro, High Point, and Burlington are within driving distance, each community adding to the list of interesting visitor destinations. Greensboro, for example, features the Natural Science Center and the Guilford Battleground Park and museum. The Science Museum duplicates some animals found at the Asheboro zoo and even displays tigers and kangaroos - not see at the zoo. Burlington is well known for its many outlets, including a new Tanger complex.
Interstates 85 and 40 connect many of the destinations; the N.C. zoo is off of state highway 220 south, connecting to both I-40 and I-85. A well planned excursion can include the zoo as well as other area destinations. Ticket prices begin at $14 for adults, $12 for seniors, and $10 for kids ages 2-12. Day passes are also available. The park is closed on Christmas Day.
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