The Jackson Zoo — Attraction in Jackson

The sweet lady in the "gift shop" was the best part of our visit. For starters, right as we walk through the gate, my 7 year old starts screaming because we were greeted by a 3.5' long snake just crawling around. It's the South, it's warm, snakes are everywhere so, no biggie. We helped with that situation then continued our adventure. It didn't take long to realize over half of the exhibits were empty. Some had signs saying that new animals were coming soon, but they've obviously been posted for a while. The entire area is very grown up, but is supposedly an attempt to keep their exhibits "as natural as possible". Maybe. But that doesn't explain the thick layer of leaves and mud that line the cracked, uneven, and sinking walkways. The zoo sign and official logo feature an elephant and giraffe but don't expect to actually see either of those animals. The otter house is also chained shut so you can't observe them swimming below the surface. Their water is so dirty, I'm not sure if you could see them anyway. The chimpanzees were probably our favorite as it's the cleanest and nicest, but the wood walkway through that area is questionable at best. Playground wasn't accessible and the only options for snacks or drinks were a sketchy hotdog trailer that sold room temperature soft drinks and water or a Dippin Dots/popsicle trailer that seriously overcharged. And good luck finding someone if you have a question. Employees are difficult to come by and the one time we did find some, it was 4 females leaning against a rail too busy talking among themselves to even acknowledge our presence. This once great park is definitely showing it's age, despite the claims of ongoing projects. The animals look malnourished and depressed, especially the big cats. They literally gave me Tiger King vibes. The ONLY reason I'm giving 3 stars is because 1) my youngest son had fun and it was something I was able to do with both of my boys and 2) the gift shop employee. Whatever you're paying her, it isn't enough. I think it may be time for Jackson to say goodbye to the park or commit to getting it back in an acceptable state. I'd rather see it closed than to watch it continue to fall...

This was the most depressing zoo I have ever gone to. Ever see the show “Bar Rescue”? There needs to be a show called “Zoo Rescue” because this place is falling apart & is in need of help. These animals need to find a better place to call their home. They do not have enough room at all & could really benefit from a bigger space. They look so lonely & depressed. At any other zoo there is always staff readily available to help you or educate you on the animals, but here there wasn’t a soul around to talk to. There is no where to get food here as it looks like the cafe shut down years ago. This place could be a really beautiful zoo if someone could take over & re do it. Admission was $8 per person & that won’t even cover food for the day for one animal. I came across a lot of leaks as well near some exhibit inside by the otter statue (which by the way looks like it hasn’t been dusted in a decade) I also noticed A LOT of dead trees that need to be cut / removed because once that tree falls, a person or animal could get hurt. There are a bunch of broken fences as well. There’s a spot by the rhinos “home” that has a spot where you can easily just hop over it & go inside his area. The flamingos need more water as well as the rhino. I have a feeling this place doesn’t give them fresh water often whether it’s the bath in, cool down in, or even drink! I left here feeling so sad & sick to my stomach. Please, someone help this place!! Save these animals from this horrible environment & bring them to a zoo that is qualified to provide for them & a zoo that WANTS what’s best for these creatures….it sure as heck isn’t here!

I also came across a sign that said “The Zoo Keeper. Dedicated to Professional Animal Care. In loving memory of Zoo Keeper Richard K. Wells, 1953-1988” I’m guessing the professional animal care died when this guy did unfortunately.

This is such a sorry...

I went on 10/19/25. It felt like walking into a Post Apocalyptic zombie movie. 30% of the enclosures were empty or retired. 100% of them need improvements and landscaping. There is minimal enrichment and every animal looked miserable. The Zebra and Otter were ALONE, these animals are pack creatures and need a buddy. The poor Goose in the "water" exhibit was trying honk and struggling. Also, the "water" exhibit had leaks EVERYWHERE with buckets of stagnant water laying around. The pathways are trip hazards, super uneven and broken grounds. There is a train very close by and every time one went through, the primates would go crazy yelling! The Rhino has no dirt to throw on itself, nothing to do, and laid around looking sad. The only semi-ok animals were the Flamingos!!!!! The dining venue is shut down and boarded up. The reptile enclosure was MISERABLEY HOT and one of the rattlesnakes appeared to be missing. The cougar was pacing and growling and I didnt see anywhere they could hide to cool off. We didnt even get to see the pygmy hippo or hogs because the path was closed. I was there almost 2hrs and saw a total of 10 guests go thru. The "Gift Shop" was miserable with Dollar Store quality items. The Bear habitat had barely a trickle of water for the little valley and he was walking around in small circles favoring his right eye like his vision was off. Now I know why there was a "NO REFUNDS" sign out front. There is no staff anywhere to be found to help educate or guide through exhibits. Looking up ways to report them, I found articles stating they had until 09/01/25 to repair the leaks they so clearly hadnt. Every creature in there deserves somewhere better to live their lives. The "Collins Zoo" would have been a better alternative to the absolute abhorrent state that the "Jackson Zoological Park" is in, and we all know what happened...