When the Fort Worth Zoo opened in 1909, it had one African lion, two bear cubs, an alligator, a coyote, a peacock and a few rabbits.

After being refurbished in 1949, this exhibit became a sea lion pool, and by 1970, it had been converted to house small South American mammals.

Boasting the largest exhibit of reptiles and amphibians in the world (with 175 vivaria and about 200 species), the facility also included a zoo hospital and quarantine room.

During the rest of the decade, the zoo opened Raptor Canyon, Asian Rhino Ridge, an education center in 1993, a cheetah exhibit in 1994, Flamingo Bay, a Komodo dragon exhibit, Insect City in 1995, Meerkat Mounds in 1997, a new veterinary center in 1998, and Thundering Plains (now closed) in 1999.

The okapi is the very first announced new species for the Forests & Jungles section, with a relocation of the Sumatran orangutans, jaguars, and the bongo.

[7] Current zoo exhibits include Penguins, World of Primates, the brand new Predators of Asia and Africa, Raptor Canyon, Flamingo Bay, Elephant Springs, Australian Outback, African Savanna, Texas Wild!

The atrium is a tropical rainforest that has since been turned into an aviary, in which visitors can observe several different bird species from around the world and mantled guerezas.

Once through the atrium, visitors take a winding boardwalk past other primates including the zoo's western lowland gorilla troop, Sumatran orangutans, mandrills, bonobos, and Northern white-cheeked gibbons.

The half that was formerly Asian Falls still displays Sumatran tigers, striped hyenas, as well as the new addition of clouded leopards.

There are also several aviaries that are home to a variety of African and Asian birds, such as the lesser flamingo, as well as a yard for red-crowned cranes.

There are also several paddocks for southern black rhinos, an above and underwater viewing area of the hippopotamus, a greater flamingo pond, the zoo's meerkat mob, and an aviary of several different species of African birds.

It is home to swift foxes, greater roadrunners, burrowing owls, and black-tailed prairie dog, white-tailed deer, and wild turkey.

This section includes bobcats, cougars, coyotes, jaguars, ocelots, ring-tailed cats, and white-nosed coati, as well as several native species of birds of prey such as the bald eagle.

A furious 40-foot iguana sculpture named Iggy, was lowered by helicopter onto the roof of the animal hospital in June 2010.

Created by Austin artist Bob "Daddy-O" Wade, the sculpture is owned by Fort Worth oilman Lee M.