The Detroit Zoo has surpassed its all-time annual attendance record with two months remaining in 2016, attracting 1,478,760 visitors as of October 31. This marks the second year the Zoo has seen record-breaking attendance – last year’s 1,476,378 visitors broke the previous record set in 1997 when 1,364,905 guests passed through the gates. This is also the 11th consecutive year the Zoo’s attendance has exceeded one million.
“We’ve had a great year so far,” said Detroit Zoological Society Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan. “We appreciate the nearly one and a half million visitors who have already supported the Detroit Zoo this year, not only with their feet by walking our 125 acres but also with their votes on the millage renewal in August.”
Guests have flocked from around the globe to catch a glimpse of the Polk Penguin Conservation Center – the largest facility in the world for penguins – which opened at the Detroit Zoo in April. The 33,000-square-foot facility features a 326,000-gallon, 25-foot-deep aquatic area where visitors can watch as more than 80 penguins of four species explore their habitat. More than a million visitors have explored the new penguin center during its first six months of operation.
With Wild Lights kicking off November 18, strong visitation is expected to continue. The Detroit Zoo’s annual holiday light display, presented by Bank of America, features five million LED lights illuminating trees, buildings and more than 200 animal sculptures throughout the front half of the Zoo. The event is expected to draw more than 150,000 visitors during its 29-night run.
The Detroit Zoological Society – a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo – is recognized as a leader in conservation, animal welfare and sustainability as well as providing sanctuary for animals in need of rescue. With an annual regional economic impact of more than $100 million, the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak is one of Michigan’s largest paid family attractions, hosting more than 1.4 million visitors annually. Its 125 acres of award-winning naturalistic habitats are home to 2,400 animals representing 255 species. In recognition of its environmental leadership, the Detroit Zoo received the top Green Award from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, and was named Best-Managed Nonprofit by Crain’s Detroit Business. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo sits on a 5-acre site surrounded by undisturbed forested wetlands on Belle Isle State Park in Detroit and provides year-round educational, recreational and environmental conservation opportunities for the community. For hours, prices, directions and other information, call 248-541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.
Detroit Zoo breaks all time attendance record
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