The Dallas Zoo recently announced a $26 million expansion, which is set to include a new Safari Trails exhibit. It’ll be the first phase of a larger redevelopment project, Wild Horizons, tentatively set to break ground toward the end of 2026. The vice president of marketing and communications at Dallas Zoo, Kari Streiber, told Chron, “The Zoo’s current Wild Horizons capital campaign is the most ambitious undertaking in its history—a $119 million, multi-phased effort that will transform the Zoo into a leading destination for conservation, education, and community connection.”
Safari Trails sits within the framework of that effort and will encompass roughly 10 acres of hands-on learning environments and dynamic habitats. The $26 million allotted to the project will go toward building five new structures, including a 1,726 square-foot covered canopy, a 5,160 square-foot cafe, a 2,721 square-foot flamingo space, a 3,046 square-foot penguin space, and a 528 square-foot viewing shelter, totaling around 13,217 square feet of space altogether.
This initial phase of Safari Trails’s construction is scheduled to begin in October and will be completed at the end of March 2028. Funding was approved by the Dallas City Council in December 2025. Councilmember Chad West said he’s “very excited, personally, as a family that goes to the zoo regularly. The Safari Trail is a major new attraction that’s going to be funded through this and will activate several additional acres of campus that are currently underutilized.”
In March, a new five-story, 580-space parking garage was opened at the Dallas Zoo to help accommodate more visitors, which the organization is hoping to increase even further with this expansion.
What you can expect to see
According to initial reports, Safari Trails will include space for cheetahs and rhinos, plus an Elephant Great Room and a designated event space. Kari Streiber told Chron, “Guests will encounter African penguins and lesser flamingos in thoughtfully designed, immersive settings. The all-new penguin habitat will feature one of the largest flocks in the nation and offer multiple opportunities for close observation.”
The space designated for the flamingos will create a habitat similar to the natural estuaries where they typically reside. Visitors will be able to take a closer look at these majestic birds, along with others, through encounter areas that are led by interpretative staff and zoologists.
WFAA notes that 24 species will be housed in Safari Trails, and it will have the only cheetah and rhino mixed species habitat in the county. As an added bonus, funding will go toward building a full-time pre-school, Wild Earth Discovery Center, that will be nature-based. Security upgrades are included in the project’s overall budget as well.
And while this particular exhibit is still several months away from being accessible to the public, the Dallas Zoo is home to countless creatures you can visit between now and then. Some notable experiences include feeding giraffes and tortoises, and chatting with zookeepers. Current animal exhibits include lions, alpacas, goats, chimpanzees, capybaras, hippos, and more.
Tickets start at $18 per person but vary depending on the date of your visit. Click here for more information. Children two years old and younger are always admitted to the Dallas Zoo for free. If you receive benefits from Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) or Texas’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), you’re eligible for discounted tickets. You’ll need to present both a photo ID and your EBT card to receive this offer. Additional details can be found here.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
