<Tr> <Th> Major exhibits </Th> <Td> African Pavilion, Forest Glade, Sonora Desert, Watani Grasslands Reserve </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Website </Th> <Td> www.nczoo.org </Td> </Tr> <P> The North Carolina Zoological Park is located in Asheboro in Randolph County, North Carolina in the Uwharrie Mountains near the geographic center of the state, approximately 75 miles (121 km) west of Raleigh, NC, United States . At over 2,000 acres (810 ha), it is the largest walk - through zoo in the world, and one of only two state - owned zoos in the United States . The NC Zoo has over 1,600 animals from more than 250 species primarily representing Africa and North America . The zoo is open 364 days a year and receives more than 700,000 visitors annually . </P> <P> In 1967, the North Carolina legislature created the NC Zoological Garden Study Commission to examine the feasibility of a state zoo . The nine - member commission found that a zoo was both feasible and desirable . The next year, the North Carolina Zoological Society was formed with the goal of raising funds and public support for the zoo project . The same year, the legislature created the NC Zoological Authority to oversee the project . The site in Randolph County was selected from 6 sites after a 2 - year search by the zoo commission, led by State Representative Archie McMillan of Wake County . After the selection of the site, its 1,371 acres (5.55 km) were donated to the state . A $2 million bond was passed and Governor Robert W. Scott dedicated the site in spring 1972 . Construction of the North Carolina Zoo began in 1974 with the official opening date of August 13, 1976 . The first animals, two Galapagos tortoises arrived in 1973 and an interim zoo was opened in 1974 . In 1978, Ham the Chimp, the first hominid in outer space, was moved to the zoo from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. He lived there until his death in 1983 from a heart attack . After construction delays and difficulty securing private funding, an additional $7 million were given by the General Assembly, and the first permanent exhibit opened in 1979 . </P>

Who has the largest zoo in the united states