Reviews of The Jackson Zoological Park (Zoo)

Stephen Carruthers

Disappointing to see a Zoo run down. The girl who took our money was not the 'face of the zoo I was expecting - sullen. As a veteran I was entitled to a cheap entry rate. I didn't ask for it because it was obvious even before we went through the gate the Zoo was run down and that they need the money. Most of the animals looked depressed. The giraffe walked around in circles while the Asian bear struggled to breathe. Some of the enclosures were so antiquated they were falling apart. We came to Jackson Zoo for a quick stop over and to be honest we couldn't wait to leave. I know that's harsh, but the presentation of the zoo has a lot to be desired. Come on Mississippi you can do better than that! It's clear your city leaders are failing you and with elections coming up demand action to fix your Zoo.

William Holland

Fairly small zoo. Very reasonable price of admission ($10.25) and soda machines ($1.50), but both dining areas were closed by 1pm

Katrina Thomas

Great only $10 great selection of wildlife. It has a gated parking lot so don't worry about the rough neighborhood nearby.. I’ll start with the positives. It is laid out nice with a bit of a nature walk between exhibits; not cage after cage.

Stephen Carruthers

Disappointing to see a Zoo run down. The girl who took our money was not the 'face of the zoo I was expecting - sullen. As a veteran I was entitled to a cheap entry rate. I didn't ask for it because it was obvious even before we went through the gate the Zoo was run down and that they need the money. Most of the animals looked depressed. The giraffe walked around in circles while the Asian bear struggled to breathe. Some of the enclosures were so antiquated they were falling apart. We came to Jackson Zoo for a quick stop over and to be honest we couldn't wait to leave. I know that's harsh, but the presentation of the zoo has a lot to be desired. Come on Mississippi you can do better than that! It's clear your city leaders are failing you and with elections coming up demand action to fix your Zoo.

richard palmer

I grew up going to this Zoo Wish something would get done to renovate Could jave a branch at Leflores Bluff park

MarkinMusic

It was a beautiful zoo, and the added bonus was that my fiancee and I had it all to ourselves! The only issue I had was that some on the animals look mildly depressed and a little pitiful to be honest. These animals are locked up and looked at by thousands each day- the least you could do is make sure they are happy in the meantime.

Robbie Joy Meadows

While the animals are undoubtedly well fed and taken care of, some of the empty exhibits really should have been cleared out and cleaned up. More than a few glass cases had nothing inside but rotting vegetation. Also couldn't understand the point of some of the glass cases that were so high up that I couldn't see in them. A child definitely couldn't see the animals inside those. Staff was very polite when we encountered them

Bobby Scott

Great place to go, love the splash pad!!

Eugene L

Very nice trip to the zoo, large area with a lot of animals. Wish more people would support local zoo. Recommendation to the zoo: install lighting for the descriptions of snakes in the terrarium. It is hard to read, since the indoor area is not very bright.

Gary Gage

Not enough shade. No employees anywhere but entrance and cafe. No one at carasole and we waited for over 30 minutes. Cafe girl was clueless how to turn on ceiling fans. Train wasn't working. Splash pad was the only good thing

Sharon Corbin

I had mixed feelings about this zoo. We have been to a lot of zoos so I admit I have high standards. This zoo is clearly underfunded and not especially important to this city. They have done the best that they could I guess, considering they don't have a lot of animals. It was very underwhelming, and I felt sad for the animals since most were alone. The giraffe was the saddest as it was pacing unhappily in a circle. I'm glad I used Groupon deals.

Patrice Greer

My son had a blast at the zoo! He really enjoyed the parrot repeating after him too!

Marilyn Patterson

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE JACKSON ZOO! I GO EVERY CHANCE I GET!

Unrasiert und fern der Heimat

for where it's located, it's an ok zoo. it is just sad to see how massively underfunded this zoo is.

steven bono

Been going here since I was a kid now taking my own. Live it.

Mike Dayton

Thrivent organized a volunteer workday to help the zoo put down mulch. The group did the 2 play grounds and a small tree area. It was fun and the zoo needs the support.

Tiffany Miller

The kids enjoyed the splash pad an what animals they had. Most enclosures were empty or said they were under construction. We had lunch at the cafe it was good more food then l could eat. Would like to see improvements before l return...

Dasha Peipon

Great variety of animals. Even has a giraffe. It's cool to watch the zoo workers interact with the animals: feed or train them. We've seen something cool every time we went. Loved the pair of noisy gibbons. I've never heard anyone or anything make a sound like that. Ticket prices are affordable, an annual family membership is definitely worth it - you'll be saving a lot of money if you go regularly. We haven't been to the zoo in the summer yet, but I hear the splash fountain is a great hit with the kids.

Scott Nina

Honestly...shut this place down or fix it up and maintain it. Ive never seen such a poor excuse for a zoo.

William Holland

Fairly small zoo. Very reasonable price of admission ($10.25) and soda machines ($1.50), but both dining areas were closed by 1pm

Aaron Johnson

Member. However, it is kind of sad. Horrible area. City insists on holding on to it. But, like the city itself, it is poorly managed, maintained, and people are leaving for options elsewhere. I want it to be awesome. Sigh...

Natasha Ray

This place needs a lot of maintenance attention! But beautiful friendly animals.

Cherri Taylor

Not much there but there was a splash pad and the girls played there for a while

glenn doty vlogs

Worst zoo I ever seen dont waste your money only thing worth anything is talking to the guy that runs the train ...someone should shut this place down

el ez

Liked it but could be more educational. Most information kiosks didn't work

Mac Brown

This place needs help! The only reason it has 2 stars cause it’s actually one of the few places Jackson MS has to offer. Thanks for trying but we have to get better.

Addie Rose Hardin

For a small zoo this place is a lot of fun. I would recommend going here if you enjoy animals, be sure to bring a wheel chair if needed because they cost $9 to rent one for your visit.

Seth Mcdonald

Honestly not impressed at all. The grounds were poorly maintained and the animals, especially the big cats and bears, looked undernourished and very unhappy. The white rhino honestly looked dead or near death. Some of the enclosures were uncomfortably close to the public, I felt like I could have lost a hand to a hungry couger. The water in the enclosures was just nasty even for zoo water , but that being said it didnt have a lot of zoo stink.

Jill Rivera

I really enjoyed this zoo and going around it, I normally find zoos a bit depressing because the animals really don't look happy or healthy, and there are normally lots of people around but I went on a quiet sunday afternoon and it was almost empty except volunteers who were helping clean etc. The only reason I gave this zoo a 4/5 was because my favourite animal is always a tiger (White Siberian preferably, but any tiger will do). And unfortunately these animals simply never seem happy in a zoo environment and this one was no different, he was pacing a lot and unfortunately thats a big sign of stress and unhappiness in these majestic creatures, so I was a little sad about that, but the attraction as a whole is really good and you can get incredibly close to some of the animals and the majority of them look really happy. Definitely somewhere to take your family for the afternoon or to wander around if you have some time.

The Deen Family

We had a good time but it could use a little work!

2 fabulous

We visited when I was in a eight grade in May it was so fun

Maria Adams

Makes me sad. An investment in the zoo is an investment in our youth.

Viktoria Hammer

Very friendly monkey! Good!

Peyton Visner

Its nice it just needs some fixing you know.

Donald Leonard

We enjoyed seeing the animals, they were all easily viewable and seemed pretty lively. The zoo definitely needs some upkeep. There were lots of stagnant water attractions. The Cafe was also not open. Luckily we had packed some snacks and drinks for the kids, which held them over through our walk.

Louana Huddlestun

The Jackson view was very nice. My 15 year old grandson and I went this past Saturday. We thoroughly enjoyed it. It was not over crowded. It was rustic and it was like walking a nature trail as well. We got some good close up pictures of the animals. It's not a real big zoo but just big enough. We will be going again.

Lexie Taylor

Okay let me just say this is the worst zoo ever, there were little to no animals, the water provided for the animals were dirty and quite discusting. Most of the animals weren’t available and it was an overall horrible experience. On the bright side there was shade.

Ajl Lloyd

Staff were wonderful from the young lady at the ticket counter, the sweet one at the carasol, and they young man who ran the train

Antro Johnson

Over all it was nice, not at all what it use to be. Some parts are run down from just 4 years ago. Not many animals left. Great for taking pictures.

Mary Whittle

It looked like the zoo was on the upswing when I moved here in 2015. Sadly, when I went last week, it was more dilapidated than ever. The animals seemed depressed and lethargic. Many of them weren’t even in their exhibits. Buildings are falling in. The staff seems unengaged. We really can do better. It’s time for our community to pitch in and overhaul the zoo if we want to keep it.

Kurt Duitsmann

So sad. The indoor part where the river otters are is dark and leaking. All the animals need more entertaining toys. There was several electrical outlets open to the elements .There was a couple light fixtures that had broken pieces that were extremely sharp sticking out . Over all we still had a good time strolling through the zoo and wish they had better funding.

Jesse Johnson

We had a great day. The zoo was clean and maintained. The zoo is very historic at nearly 100 years old. It has some age issues but the zoo is trying to address these needs and it takes money and patience. I did notice lots of improvements and the zoo was fairly busy. It is extremely important to support this zoo for our state and future generations. I honestly enjoyed the day at the Jackson Zoo and I recommend a trip to the only accredited zoo in the state of Mississippi. If you are a Mississippian and you are not happy with the progression of our zoo. The zoo has ways of donating directly on their website. Plus you can get specialty car tags to help support needs for the zoo. I hope you will go and enjoy tla day and notice all the improvements happening. The zoo is coming back!

Julius Ware

This is the worst zoo we've ever been to. Waste of time & money.

Trevor Williams

Could use some uodates

Lamon Stepney

I had heard so many negative stories about the Jackson Zoo, but I had to go find out for myself and it was the total opposite. The zoo staff was very friendly and the animals were very active. I will definitely be making a return trip to the Jackson Zoo.The animals looked good and healthy.

Crawford Duke

Needs a lot if work.Half the animals were not available

Elizabeth Macaluso

They really need to upgrade most exhibits or move it to a better location. It has really gone downhill since the last time I went.

Jamie McCann

Very disappointed. Lots of closed exhibits. The cafe, train, and carousel were all closed down. Bring bug spray. So much stagnant water means many mosquitoes!

justin mozingo

Half the exhibits are overgrown and trashy. An entire side is abandoned.. only decent thing is the chimpanzee exhibit..

Coleysia Kendricks

I was great the kids and myself had a lot of fun.

Paul Coe

I really enjoyed my time here. I look forward to coming back soon.

Kurtis Sutley

I was blown away by the access to the animals up close. As a photographer I particularly appreciated the glass viewing areas for many of the animals or the open "moated" enclosures. All the animals seemed healthy and well fed. It is an older zoo (opened 1919) and could use some cosmetic improvements, but after reading the complaints about closed exhibits, I was pleasantly surprised that nearly all the exhibits were open. It's not a big zoo but it's well worth the price of admission.

Rachel Harris

I wish I could give the zoo five stars, but this latest visit was just kind of disappointing. Maybe it's just because it was too cold for most of the animals to be out, but a lot of the exhibits were empty or closed. We will revisit in the spring and I'll update my review if I think about it.

Deborah Mccallister

I want say I don't like it. but not good scenery. Or appealing to children. No excitement. And most of all lack of animals. Or assistant. The few animal you did have could be in a petting zoo. And prices to high.

Linda Johnson

No animals was out and no place to get drinks. But we still had a good time thanks

NationWideN8

Had a good time hanging out with my friends.

Pamela Frost

Fun place 4 kidos and also if u love animals.

Erin Mier

Needs some updating and cleaning

Breeanna Baker

The animals here at literally starving and there is trash in the parking lot from the moment you pull up. The staff was nice but the animals looked terrible. I did not have a good experience and actually left feeling sympathy for these animals.

Kate Kersen

Although this is a smaller zoo it is very pretty. The animals are well cared for and the park is beautiful.

Babagadoosh

I have been coming to this zoo off and on for over 20 years. It has always been a great place to spend time with your family. Recently there have been some losses of certain animals like the elephants and orangutans that hasn’t been replaced and there are some exhibits that are in desperate need of repairs. I would love to see the city invest a little more time, money, and effort into this hidden gem that is still located in Jackson. The staff you run into have always been friendly and the keepers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the animals. The snack shop has recently been taken over by Backyard Burger so the menu is a little different and will ONLY accept cash so make plsure you hit the ATM before getting to the zoo. If you are in the city as a visitor or a resident, stop by and support the zoo and say hi to a few animals in the process.

Cassidy Allison

I've been to many zoo's and this is the most disappointing. Please dont waste your time. Theirs hardly any animals and the ones that are there aren't even well cared for. They seriously need new management and a whole new game plan. Sad sad zoo. A waste of a $10, and kids pay $7 for what? A mediocre splash pad that are generally free to the community. You'll have a much greater experience elsewhere

Stony Thomas

We visited this zoo years ago and really liked it. Our recent visit years later (2018) was very disappointing. This zoo has really gone down. So sad :(

Crystal Oliphant

Amazing. Small splash pad, and play area. Animals are close. Loves it.

jessica clayton

Just wish some of the animals had mates/friends. Noone likes to be by themselves. Everyone enjoys a friend! It was a lot better than last year but just wish they'd move to a nicer location and had larger enclosures. Other than that we enjoyed our day.

Antro Johnson

Over all it was nice, not at all what it use to be. Some parts are run down from just 4 years ago. Not many animals left. Great for taking pictures.

Tom Blevins

Zoo looked like it hadn't been maintained. The gift shop a/c didn't work. The cafe looked like it had been closed for a while.

Uros Rocenovic

Quiet and beautiful zoo. Not many visitors,parking lot is clear and variety of animals is good.

Clayton McInnis

This zoo is very obviously underfunded. The animals here are kept alive but do not thrive in their enclosures. Walk ways are extremely worn from years of inconsistent maintenance. Electrical wiring is found strung all around the zoo easily within reach of guests to include small children. That being said this is an adult's perspective. My children LOVED the zoo to death and didn't notice any of the infrastructure issues within the park. This zoo have a broad variety of animals for a zoo of its size and is sure to bring a smile to a young child's face. Finally take note of the area the zoo is in. This is a very rough area and I would not personally want to be in this area by myself, early in the morning or late at night.

Number One girl Callie

Love Animals

shelby simoneaux

If i could I would give this zoo a minus 50. It was the absolutely the worst zoo I have been 2. I didn't think I would ever visit a zoo worse than the one in Baton Rouge La zoo. Jackson is worse and I didn't think that was possible.

Andrew Smith

People overlook the zoo a lot but shouldn't. It may not be as big and impressive as some of the larger metros, but definitely a gem for Jackson. Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable. If you're sitting at home bored one weekend, check it out, it's worth the trip.

Pamela Ware

It was sad.... the animals looked sad like they needed more room to go the giraffes home was so tiny and the big cats and bears needed more room or seems like some of the smaller animals had a bigger area to live in and the big animals didn't have enough. It was real depressing but we need a zoo here just it needs to be better.... the kids had fun though but it really needs to he updated or moved to a better location in the surrounding area

Shawndel Pace

Great place to take the family. Not to big. We were done in two hours but couldn’t find the place to eat at.

Carrie Waller

The zoo was a horrible place to visit. The animals looked terrible and the grounds are so unkempt. I refer to it as animal cruelty. Never again. They need some serious help.

Jen Nooneknows

We went in February and the weather was great. It was a very nice park, smaller but just big enough not to be too big. It had an interesting assortment of critters and information. No where to get food from but had picnic areas. Had a wonderful time!

Mary Whittle

It looked like the zoo was on the upswing when I moved here in 2015. Sadly, when I went last week, it was more dilapidated than ever. The animals seemed depressed and lethargic. Many of them weren’t even in their exhibits. Buildings are falling in. The staff seems unengaged. We really can do better. It’s time for our community to pitch in and overhaul the zoo if we want to keep it.

shel’ lee

Not too busy on Saturday. A fair amount of animals. Over all was worth a trip for grandkids. Train ride & beautiful carousal.

Slurmmp .

I wish it was more donations rolling in to get the zoo back to its thriving days. It needs some upkeep for sure but the animals are pure joy. I enjoyed seeing the giraffe and I loved that tut the ostrich walks along the wall following you. He's cute. I enjoyed the zoo overall.

Keytha Collins

The animals aren't doing so good and parts of the park is closed due to insufficient finances. A lot of things are over grown and broken down. It would be a great idea for them to allow volunteers from churches to help out and clean up things

Elliott

The Jackson zoo is one of the worst zoos in the south. This zoo is an exact image of its surroundings, broken. It’s time for Jackson to give up and either demolish the zoo or relocate it.

Mercedes Miller

My mom went to Zoo Blues and had her first time experience it was fun.

Slurmmp

I wish it was more donations rolling in to get the zoo back to its thriving days. It needs some upkeep for sure but the animals are pure joy. I enjoyed seeing the giraffe and I loved that tut the ostrich walks along the wall following you. He's cute. I enjoyed the zoo overall.

Olethia Newell

Will never go back to this zoo again unless they do some major renovations the indoor aquarium was trash one of the tanks was pitch black and leaking water had me feeling like I was in a scary movie thinking something was going to jump at me there was hardly any staff on site and could use some professional clean up in alot of areas definitely no a good experience

Charlene Bell

My babies was happy so that made me happy

Keytha Collins

The animals aren't doing so good and parts of the park is closed due to insufficient finances. A lot of things are over grown and broken down. It would be a great idea for them to allow volunteers from churches to help out and clean up things

Avery Galtney

I worked here and it was the best job I've had to date! All the events they had were cool too!

Rosie Mays

The worst zoo I've ever been to! Most of the exhibits are closed and they have poor maintenance of the whole place. The grass is high and the couple of animals that they do have you can barely see them for the grass! They didn't have any concession stands or nothing and not much to look at!

Gracie Alford

The zoo was absolutely beautiful. But some the animals were in cages and not in the actual fenced in area. All of the animals looked very upset in a way

Nicole Taylor

The only good thing about the zoo was the price. Majority of the animals’ cages were either overgrown or a muddy mess. I understand it takes a village but if there is not funding to support the facility the right way get the animals to a place where they can have a clean habitat and more room to go. Very sad and disappointing especially since it’s a zoo in a capital city.

Carrie Marie Weber Culpepper

Fantastic little zoo. Beautiful splash pad. My kids loved the train ride. Will do again.

Lauren Byrd

A good place to bring your kid or just wonder around yourself!

Roger Wilcox

While visiting daughter we planned to visit the zoo we truly were amazed at the animals they had and their habitat we also noticed the they are trying to expand for new animals. It was so much fun especially when with family. We cooled off with icee's also visited gift shop , we had a very good day, will visit zoo again hopefully next year

Andrew LaPointe

For a small zoo it's not bad! Took about 2 and a half hours to see! The animals were active however there was only 1 of a lot of them...

Kami Tucker

I'm only giving a 1 star because it won't allow me to give 0. We came in from TN and visited the zoo while we were here. 75% of the exhibits are unavailable. The exhibits that are aquatic/glass are so filthy you can't see the single fish or turtle in them. The snakes they have displayed are labeled incorrectly. One display said it was a rattlesnake but there was no rattle and a rounded head. Rattlesnakes have pointed heads. The other tank had a boa but was labeled cottonmouth. The only thing we truly enjoyed about our $20.50 Zoo trip was L. C. Miller. The amazing gentleman that works the train rides. He was a pleasure to talk to and the only memorable experience at the Zoo.

Barry Gray

Me and my kids enjoyed it but we didn't see any elephants

David Miller

The Jackson Zoo is highly underrated. First, little Jackson Zoo is trusted by a number of agencies with breeding pairs of endangered species. Sumatran tigers are fighting for survival on one small island. Red wolves have been hunted to extinction in North America, but Jackson Zoo is helping efforts to reintroduce them in nature. There are fewer that 40 Amur leopards in the wilds of Siberia, but until Katya died we had a breeding pair. We helped with the endangered Borneo orangutans. Second, it's a great place for the kids. There's a petting zoo, carousel, train, and splash pad, in addition to the regular animal exhibits. There's also a traveling zoo which brings animals to schools and events. Additionally, the park is beautiful and well maintained. It's a peaceful place to stroll and enjoy the ambience. Finally, we have some of the best staff. The keepers take exceptional care of the animals, the educational staff have a number of programs to help the public, especially children, understand the animals, and the administration works tirelessly to keep the zoo going in tough conditions. So many people worry because "it's in a bad part of town," and it hurts attendance, but there's a fire station at the front gate, and the zoo is a safe place, from fire and from crime. What the zoo needs is YOU. Please buy a family season pass and attend regularly. I love it.

Liz Steere

Sunset safari was a fun event.

Charlotte Robison

Wonferful family trip. When I asked random people about the zoo there in town, I got some fishy feedback and everyone said it was a bad part of town. Yes but there was plenty of land all around the zoo and fencing. Didnt even notice the area. But my husband and I decided we were still definitely bringing the kids. We are so glad we did. It was a great, nice, and exciting experience

Jes Truong

My family and I went to a free event, "c u at the zoo". It was ok, our zoo has always needed a little help but the animals seemed lethargic and or skinny. We do not have elephants anymore so that's a disappointment. Monkeys seemed to be the most active animals there. The zoo's location isn't the greatest.

M Ellermann

Good for a small zoo. If you have kids and you're going on a hot day, have them go through the splash pad before walking around the zoo, to stay cool.

Coneal Thomas

It smells really bad but is fun the food is ok but nothing is just good except the snow cones

Jessica Thaxton

Great prices for entrance and food. Could use some cleaning for any and all water tanks. They were all green and dirty.

Karla Reddick

It was hard to see the animals. I expected more animals for the price of admission. The grounds needed alot of tlc.

LoLo M.

So much fun, my boyfriend and his sister went while we were out of town on business, they had such a good time.

Pretty Brown Round

A complete disappointment! The black bear look half dead, panting erratically... Grass is overgrown, there were no zoo keepers around. The poor giraffe looked malnourished and tired. Where is the funding?! Then you have to go through the worse part of town to get to the zoo. Just shut the zoo down if nothing better than this will be done. And stop charging people to get in it should be free!

amy davis

I've been hearing a lot of bad things about the zoo. And yes it does need a lot of clean up. But I was surprised by the animals I saw there. There was actually a good bit. The only thing I didn't see was elephants. The area around the zoo is rundown. I heard but don't know if it's true they were going to move the zoo somewhere else. They have a train ride there, a big carousel, they have a really nice size splash pad for the kids out there too. It looked like they had like a little restaurant out there. I'm not for sure but I want to say Backyard Burgers. The restrooms were clean. We went on a Sunday so it was really dead. I mean there was a handful of people but it wasn't busy which I like that. And it didn't look like there was a lot of staff there working but again it was on a Sunday. And the price isn't bad either $10.25 for each adult. I'm not sure what it was for a kid. A lot cheaper of course. Of course the zoo in New Orleans is a lot nicer and bigger and more expensive per person but for the zoo here in Mississippi I don't think it was that bad. We enjoyed it. Kids would definitely enjoy it. I still would recommend this Zoo as an fun outdoor activity.

Thana Icili

Ghetto but the tiger is awesome he gets the stars 3/3

Victoria

Good for what it is. The cages were smaller though. Memphis zoo is 10x better. The zoo brew is cool though.

suzie mcraney

Need more animals...

Erin Coker

Very sad experience. For the well fair of the animals it's time for Jackson to give it up!

Mark LaValle

It was a bit ruined down but overall a good visit

Michelle Belk

I am totally appalled in the shape of this zoo! I’ve NEVER been to a zoo that actually made me SAD! First if all u have no choice but to drive right in the BAD area of Jackson, the zoo sits dead center of it, then, most of the park is grown up, the “drinking water” for some of the animals was God awful, it was literally stagnant! MOST of the animals were miserable, ones breathing was labored and it was NOT hot out at all, it was MAYBE 70 with a breeze! I saw “workers” and heard them all gathered and LAUGHING like it was just a hang out, there was ONE elderly gentleman I saw working. I cannot believe this place is being ALLOWED to house animals! Also, where’s the gorillas? Saw NONE, And it definitely NEEDS TO BE MOVED to safer area! We will NOT be back as long as it is this way! This I can PROMISE! I would like to know who to call about these issues! My kids brought me here for Mother’s Day this year, and thank you to the person that sponsored mothers! But please please someone do something for these beautiful animals!

Becky Clark

It has potential to be a nice zoo but in its current state it was pretty disappointing. I’ll start with the positives. It is laid out nice with a bit of a nature walk between exhibits; not cage after cage. The majority of walk was shaded which made it much more enjoyable on a warm day. The exhibits themselves allow you to get fairly close to the animals. Now for the negatives. The walking path is dilapidated. The animal enclosures were overgrown. The zebras had Uncle none dry water trough and one that had only a small amount of green, slimy water. The gift shop was tiny and bare. Overall we enjoyed our visit but I can’t give this more than 2-2.5 stars as it is now.

Katie stanton

The animals were pretty much all alone and appeared sad

Dana Nowell

The zoo itself isn't the best, but it's a great place to take my kids. There's tons of shade, you can get really close to the animals, and it's never crowded. The splash pad is so fun in the summer, and the train and carousel are always a hit with my kiddos.

Phillip Russell

We had a great time! The animals were very active. We heard the Gibon monkeys and the Kookaburra birds, Rinos and Hippos moving around. The leopard roaring. Awesome day at the Jackson Zoo.

Mary Ann Darsey

I was very disappointed in the upkeep of this zoo. Building structures need major renovation,landscaping is completely overgrown, there was no staff on hand to assist visitors within the zoo, several exhibits were closed. I have not been to this zoo in about a year and I was very surprised and disappointed at the dramatic decline that I noticed since my last visit.

Milton Aguilar

It still a good place to walk and see exotic animals

Robin Smith

Very nice. Americorps helped them out. Great group of people.

Cathy Williams

It's sad to see how run down the zoo is now when we pulled up we thought it had closed down. I felt bad for all animals they all looked so depressed.

Ahmed Shaibi

It’s a total rip off. Don’t waste your money and time. There’s not that many animals there. I’ve been to zoos that have tribble the size of animals there than this one.

LaTanya Barnes

The poor Zoo could use more animals overall my 5 year old enjoyed it.

Jordan Kimmel

So, there was actually a lot of movement with the animals in the middle of the afternoon. I had fun by myself on lunch and it was really soothing just to walk by myself.

Steven Ashley

I love this zoo! My family does too! I recommend that you visit. They need the business and have made improvement. I do want to see the otter exhibit better with their little waterfall. I also would like to see the prairie dogs back. I think if more people visit it may help get these things better looking

nick kirk

Pretty large zoo. Nice layout. Beautiful greenery. Not a ton of animals but a very enjoyable day.

Kelis Johnson

The zoo was not at all what I was expecting. The animals all looked sad and miserable.. the zoo is very unkept. Needs a lot of work. I felt so sorry for the animals. It was horrible.. I really felt like I had wasted my money after we left. I managed to take some decent photos though..

Kychell Little

Fun for you and the family just to get out and let them see real life is wonderful. Giving them other things to do than sit and not enjoy life

Paul Kalka

We like going but the city should be ashamed at how they have neglected the place over the years.

Carrie Battle

Today my husband and I along with our grandchildren from Tx. Visited the zoo today we had a wonderful time my babies really enjoyed everything especially the water park, in the early 1970my husband and I went on dates at the zoo we also visited a lot with our children today at the zoo brought back lots of memories for us, my hopes and prayers is that the zoo can stay in this area maybe we come together as a community and help .the zoo was nice and clean everyone working there was very nice and friendly we had all ball.

Curtis Martz

Pretty nice smaller zoo. It's apparent that they care for their animals. Enclosures were clean and the animals looked to be in good health. Large portions of the zoo were off limits and dilapidated. Entire buildings collapsing right as you come in to zoo. It's really got a ton of potential, but it's pretty run down. I'll bet In it's day, this was a wonderful zoo.

Tony Lewis

No leadership with fresh ideal about the zoo

Ethan Bossier

This zoo was a wonderful experience. I felt pretty uncomfortable turning off the interstate and driving through the absolute ghetto to get there, but once we got to the zoo itself I felt safe and welcomed. The personal were all warm and professional, from the gate attendants, to animal workers, to the maintenance staff. The animal exhibits seemed much closer than at other zoos, and very visitor friendly. I also found the place fairly well maintained and clean, even the restrooms. No complaints about this visit at all.

Preston Robinson III

It's not the best experience for a zoo, but it's still a fun place to take children. There are plenty of animals to see and don't forget to ride the train. The concessions are pretty good to. I'd recommend this for locals but tourists might have a better experience at other zoological parks.

Montana Wimberly

The animals are super friendly. If you go during the week, it's quiet and peaceful. The enclosures are more "lifelike" and less like a cage. Even the bears and tigers got up front and personal with us. Our little girls enjoyed their trip to the zoo, and loved the giraffes.

Macy Wynn

"Cafe" only takes cash. Stood in line for a long time due to only one person working in a tiny little stand. She was taking orders and cooking all alone!!! This is not a cafe. There is not enough space for the animals. This zoo is very neglected looking. Weeds are everywhere. The surrounding area around the zoo is a horrible area and the road has too many holes. This zoo is not kid friendly. There is no step for children to peer into. Also, this zoo is not handicap accessible AT ALL. I cannot believe this zoo is not shut down solely for that reason. Will not be back. The animals needs more space!!! They are basically in dog pens. Its heartbreaking.

Jonna Saucier

This zoo Is falling apart and not much to it for the price. So sad because it use to be beautiful.

Jb

Super cute place. Enjoyed our visit. We will ne back.

Raven Symone

Love the updates to the zoo ...I enjoyed the animals and train ride

Andrew Sheehan

A good place to bring your kid or just wonder around yourself! Was a little dead, but they do the best with what they have!

Karen Bean

Very sad to see almost all the animals gone. I just wanted to support the zoo before it closes in 2 days.

Tracy Dunn

We had a great time but $10.25 a person and you would think they would have had more exhibits. Not a lot of animals

Frank Zeimetz

Nice little zoo. A real hidden gem hidden in Jackson. Reasonably priced and the enclosures are nice. You can get reasonably close to the animals and take excellent pictures. I really liked this little zoo and I'm glad I visited.

LaShunda Davis

I enjoyed reading the fun facts abt the animals.

Johnathon Bemus

Not the same as it used to be. Needs a revamp.

Bethany Freeman

Ran down and there concessions weren't open the pop machines didnt work drove 2hrs for nothing

William Watkins

Great only $10 great selection of wildlife. It has a gated parking lot so don't worry about the rough neighborhood nearby.

Donna Barnette

Fun friendly atmosphere!

Vickie Jelks

Splash pad during hot months. I like zoos so it would have to be terrible for me to complain.I have been here 5 times and will go again.

Carrie Battle

Today my husband and I along with our grandchildren from Tx. Visited the zoo today we had a wonderful time my babies really enjoyed everything especially the water park, in the early 1970my husband and I went on dates at the zoo we also visited a lot with our children today at the zoo brought back lots of memories for us, my hopes and prayers is that the zoo can stay in this area maybe we come together as a community and help .the zoo was nice and clean everyone working there was very nice and friendly we had all ball.

Kevin Strahan

Half the exhibits are empty, my daughter tripped on the extremely uneven paths and skinned her knee and palms. A few animals were active but 90% were not moving or asleep. It’s not the zoos fault. Oh the train is always broke down. It’s just an embarrassment, I hope it’s because they are moving to a cleaner and better location.

Shawn Batlivala

Great zoo, our 3 year old loves it! The train is fun as well, though has been out of order recently. Just got an Asiatic Black Bear! Great deal to join as a family. The staff are great and the"keeper chats" are informative and a good way to learn about the animals and the logistics of running a zoo. The zoo is a wonderful place for families in the Jackson area.

Melissa Peacock

Well we took our grandson here it was good cant wait to see when the remodel is done

don sayles

There was not enough exhibits they need new exhibits in new animals

Curtis Martz

Pretty nice smaller zoo. It's apparent that they care for their animals. Enclosures were clean and the animals looked to be in good health. Large portions of the zoo were off limits and dilapidated. Entire buildings collapsing right as you come in to zoo. It's really got a ton of potential, but it's pretty run down. I'll bet In it's day, this was a wonderful zoo.

Tanya Miller

Not a very good maintained zoo, they need to get better marketing to bring in more donations

T S

The zoo doesn't have any elephants and gorillas. I hope it does improve in the future, but it was a little disappointing.

Stacey Gershmel

A good place to bring your kid or just wonder around yourself! Must visit.

Amy Rossi

Couldn’t even bring myself to go in. It didn’t even look open as we pulled in since it was so overgrown. I also forgot to pack lunch and he one food vendor wasn’t even open at 1pm on a Monday. I was offered snack machines by the staff. I know I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but when it doesn’t even look open I couldn’t take my kids in

Terri Jones

Always a fun day at the zoo. Love the giraffes

Jerry Thompson

My kids love this place. And it is affordable

Shequita Townsend

This is the city of Jackson's zoo. They have a various selection of animals local foreign and domestic. They also have a nice lake and a mini train that does train rides around the lake. The zoo itself is quite likeable. The biggest downside is the exterior. They could really stand to consider working up the landscaping and the ambiance around the lake like maybe some stone or plaster animals hidden in the surrounding that are kind of hidden for you to look for. Maybe even some dinosaurs and then open that part up as a public park or rentable outdoor space for family reunions. There is a distinct lack of something to look at as you traverse the train ride around the wooded seemingly abandoned and unused lake. Otherwise it is quite enjoyable.

Jennifer Gunter

Would have been better if there was a concession stand or food there. And there wasn't an elephant or alligators. I wish there were more animals

m wynn

I must have been at a different zoo than the people who gave this a 5 star rating. I was hesitant to give it a 2. These animals look sad and not taken care of. They were basically in huge dog kennels. My daughter is 2 and couldn't see anything unless I took her out of the stroller each time. I did not feel safe once I got off of the interstate. Not sure that I'll go back if it's still there in that condition.

Shelley Boudreaux

Such an intimate zoo! We loved everything about it. A few exhibits were closed, but the ones we saw were up close, beautiful, and educational. Highly recommend checking this zoo out!

Raymond Sampson

Not very many animals. Animals looked like they were not being taken care of properly. The grounds looked poorly taken care of if at all. But I have come to expect this from Jackson. The entire city is poorly taken care of so the zoo fits right in. Embarrassing considering jackson is the capital and it's so run down. Time to drain the swamp!

Harry James

I’ll be frank, this place sucks. Our family drove 3 hours to come here and i can say the best part about it was the drive back. The zoo is located in a pretty bad area (don’t believe me then check it out) but that’s not necessarily their fault. The facility itself is pretty barren and looks like it’s in serious need of some TLC and not just for patrons, for the animals as well. I’ll say that about a 1/4 of the mammals were missing from their exhibits and at least half were missing from the aquatic exhibits. A lot of the enclosures showed lack of care and upkeep. It looked as though the zoo itself was hurting on the employee side of things considering we saw 2 employees including the woman at the desk (who was very kind and a saving grace if there is one). This place has a ton of potential but it’s really being wasted. I honestly feel that if it were investigated it would be shut down. If you wanna go to a zoo drive to New Orleans, it’s actually worth it.

My Aesthetician

I expected it to be more grassy, but it was very muddy. There weren't many animals and they looked very unhappy.

Erica Carlson

The lady working the register was amazing! So sweet and helped us pick lunch while we were in town!