Saturday and Sunday mark the last chance for zoogoers to see African penguins at the Dallas Zoo before a temporary move.
The colony will head to Cameron Park Zoo in Waco while their habitat gets a makeover.
The zoo said it’s part of the African Shorelines renovation project, which will allow the colony to quadruple in size from 13 birds to more than 50. The expansion will create new opportunities for breeding and conservation, as well as education.
The weekend’s farewell will include keeper chats with caretakers and more special features.
Dallas ZooDallas Zoo
The African Shorelines project is part of a multi-year, multi-million dollar expansion called Safari Trail. Renderings show it will also create new habitats for lesser flamingos that will allow them to fly free in a netted area, along with a new cafe and educational experiences.
Dallas ZooDallas Zoo
The zoo expects to break ground in October and the exhibit should open in 2028.
“African Shorelines represents everything we believe the modern zoo experience should be,” said Dallas Zoo CEO Lisa New, at the time of the announcement in July.
The broader Safari Trail project aims to open new experiences every 12 to 18 months until 2030. In addition to African Shorelines, the zoo plans to build Wild Grasslands with a combined cheetah and rhino habitat, as well as a multi-species aviary. The Okapi Forest section will feature monkeys overhead and endangered okapi, along with a treehouse classroom.