Critters from Texas prairies are migrating to the Fort Worth Zoo.
Construction is expected to start in February on the new High Plains & Prairies exhibit featuring prairie dogs, foxes and deer.
The zoo will demolish a building and remove some existing trees for the 24,000-square-foot exhibit that will feature a new waterfall, a modified fire lane, new paving and maintenance paths, according to a Jan. 6. filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
Construction, which will cost about $1 million, is expected to be completed in December.
The exhibit will feature animals native to Texas, including the black-tailed prairie dog that originates from West Texas. No opening date has been announced.
A zoo spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Fort Worth Report.
Located at 1989 Colonial Parkway, the Fort Worth Zoo opened in 1909 and draws about 1 million visitors annually to view 542 species at the facility. The zoo’s average annual economic impact was about $228.5 million, including direct and indirect spending, officials told The Business Press in 2022.
Deer roam near the bison pastures at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge on April 27, 2023. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)
The zoo is among North Texas’ most popular attractions and was ranked as the nation’s No. 5 zoo by USA Travel Guide.
In recent years, the zoo has opened exhibits on predators of Asia and Africa and rejuvenated the Texas Wild! exhibit that focuses on state wildlife.
Last year, the zoo opened the Mountains & Deserts portion of Texas Wild! Plans call for a larger project that showcases six eco-regions of Texas, Ramona Bass, chair of the Fort Worth Zoological Association’s board of directors, said in a statement.
“Construction and renovation plans are still in the works, but this project is in motion,” Bass said.
Zoo officials said they recently made “substantial improvements,” including new restrooms, shade structures, walkways, picnic areas and habitat space.
A $130 million A Wilder Vision project was announced in 2016 that included new habitats, renovated spaces, an event pavilion and dining areas. So far, three of four habitats are complete with the final one, Forest & Jungles of the World, scheduled to open in 2027.
“This spectacular vision allows the zoo to put a renewed focus on conservation, a cornerstone of our mission, to aid in the survival of many endangered species and inspire the next generation,” the zoo said on its website.
The Fort Worth Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Zoological Association of America and the American Humane Society.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
News decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/07/new-zoo-venue-foxes-deer-and-more-headed-to-native-exhibit/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&quality=80&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>
<img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://fortworthreport.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=358534&ga4=2820184429″ style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/07/new-zoo-venue-foxes-deer-and-more-headed-to-native-exhibit/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”//cdn.parsely.com/keys/fortworthreport.org/p.js”></script>