The Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary is situated in the countryside on the outskirts of the city of Austin, Texas and is an ideal spot among things to do for children in Austin. The zoo has over 300 animals and more than 100 separate species. Austin zoo is a non-profit organization, dedicated to the preservation and protection of animals unable to survive in the wild. The Austin Zoo is one of the main Austin attractions due to which it draws thousands of visitors annually, offering an exciting zoo experience, and allowing visitors to see the wide variety of animals from a close distance. Austin Zoo was inaugurated in 1990 as a goat ranch called the Good Day Ranch, created to shelter and protect animals in need of special assistance and unable to care for themselves, until eventually becoming a signature visiting spot as one of the things to do in Austin for all types of visitors.
The zoo provides a habitat for different big cats such as cougars, Bengal tigers, African lions, Jaguars, and recently two Barbary lion specimens believed to be extinct in the wild were given to the zoo. Some of the monkeys that can be seen at the zoo include the Capuchin monkey, Colubus monkey, and common Marmoset. The reptile inhabitants of the Austin zoo include the Iguana, Galapagos Tortoise, Leopard Gecko, Leucistic Texas Rat Snake, Northern Blue Tongued Skink, and the Albino Corn Snake. Other species of animals include amphibians such as the big and irritable African Bullfrog, along with a variety of bird species like the Chattering Lory, Blue and Gold Macaw, African Gray, Malaccan Cockatoo, Umbrella Cockatoo, as well as large peacocks and emus. Other less exotic and more domestic animals are sheltered at the zoo, such as the Llama, pot-bellied pig, miniature donkey, and longhorn.
The zoo is reasonably clean and well-maintained by its staff, providing an excellent opportunity for a family outing.