Lowcountry Zoo
Located on the Brookgreen Gardens sculpture garden and wildlife preserve, the Lowcountry Zoo is one of only five accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in South Carolina. It features native animals found in the swamps, woods, and waters of South Carolina’s Lowcountry. See our home page.
This year, the zoo welcomed its first-ever red wolves to the four-acre Red Wolf Ridge habitat. The three male wolves are part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Red Wolf SAFE program.
Admission
While Brookgreen Gardens is not dedicated to one traditional museum discipline, it does embody a mission to “collect and exhibit American figurative sculpture in a cultivated garden setting; preserve and display the native plants, animals and cultural materials of coastal South Carolina; and educate a broad public audience about sculpture, horticulture, ecology, and history.”
The on-site Lowcountry Zoo features a mixture of captive animal residents and injured wildlife rescued from the wild. You can expect to see alligators, bald eagles, river otters, and frisky fox squirrels among the animals on the property.
The zoo also hosts a daily Mother Nature’s Cafe walk-through zoo tour that includes feeding of the resident animals. This 50-minute tour is included with your general admission ticket to the gardens.
Feeding the Animals
At the Lowcountry Zoo, a part of Brookgreen Gardens in Murrells Inlet, visitors are treated to a picturesque zoo and wildlife habitat. Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, it houses animals bred and raised in captivity or who have sustained major disabilities that would prevent them from living in the wild.
One of the most popular exhibits is the Cypress Aviary, a massive net enclosure over pristine swampland. Black-billed herons, Snowy Egrets, and other birds flock here as they do in the wild.
It’s easy to see why the zoo is popular. You can watch a zookeeper feed the birds and otters while you enjoy the scene. The otters are especially entertaining, loping and sliding through the woods as they glide into the water for their fish tossed by zookeepers. Browse around this site.
Bird Watching
Whether it’s the freshwater marshes of Huntington Beach State Park or the coastal waters surrounding Pawleys Island, this area is a birder’s paradise. The pristine nature preserves are home to hundreds of species and are popular with wildlife watchers from all over the nation.
The wood stork is one of the most recognizable residents of the park and is a favorite for visitors to photograph. You can also spot herons, ibis, Eurasian widgeon ducks, and more on a tidal excursion to the Murrells Inlet MarshWalk or nearby Bear Island Management Area.
Brookgreen Gardens hosts a wide array of animal activities, including Zookeeper for a Day, which allows children to assist staff in daily care duties. The botanical sculpture garden and former rice plantation also feature a zoological exhibit with native animals and historic rare breeds of farm animals like Dominique chickens and Marsh Tacky horses.
Petting the Animals
Registered as a National Historic Landmark, Brookgreen Gardens showcases historic rare breeds of farm animals like Dominique chickens, Marsh Tacky horses, Red Devon cattle, and Tunis sheep that were brought to South Carolina in the 1700s along with the largest collection of outdoor figurative sculpture by American artists. The garden’s Lowcountry Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that houses native wildlife such as alligators, river otters, and birds of prey.
The zoo also takes care of animals that have been bred and raised in captivity or who have sustained major disabilities from injury. Soon the zoo will feature a special habitat for endangered red wolves. The park hosts a number of classes, excursions, and exhibits throughout the year.
Exhibits
Brookgreen Gardens is a 9,100-acre destination that blends sculpture, wildlife, and Lowcountry history into a single Grand Strand attraction. It’s a peaceful, beautiful place that will inspire you and your family.
Located within the gardens is the Lowcountry Zoo. It is one of only five zoological institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in South Carolina. The zoo only houses animals that have been bred and raised in captivity or suffered a major injury that would make them unable to survive in the wild.
You’ll also see South Carolina’s native wildlife at the zoo. This includes river otters, foxes, and bald eagles as well as deer, horses, and exotic species. All animals in the zoo are protected and live at the zoo as part of a conservation program. Next article.
Driving directions from Clean Image Pressure Washing to Lowcountry Zoo
Driving directions from Lowcountry Zoo to The Murrells Inlet Marsh Walk
