Racine Zoological Society

The Racine Zoo, a 501(c) nonprofit located in Racine, Wisconsin, was established in March 1923 by Jacob Stoffel, Jr. That winter, the Racine Zoological Society was formed to work with the park board and to increase interest in the Zoo. The Zoo’s first animals were donated by Stoffel himself. After that, many organizations throughout Racine donated animals such as badgers, foxes, and mountain goats to add to the collection. Currently, the Racine Zoo cares for approximately 75 different species and over 300 individual animals from Wisconsin and around the world. The Racine Zoo is one of only 238 zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Each year, more than 140,000 guests visit the Racine Zoo’s 32-acre park on the shores of Lake Michigan. The Racine Zoo maintains a staff of 25 full-time employees including animal care specialists, administration, and facility managers.

The Conservation Education Department of the Racine Zoo is dedicated to promoting awareness of conservation issues through engaging, educational, and entertaining Zoo experiences. The Racine Zoo Conservation Education Department offers a multitude of popular programs to spread a positive message about wildlife including: live animal educational programs, birthday parties, Zoo Slumber Safaris, holiday events, the Wildlife Explorers school program, Zoo summer camps, scout programs, and Behind-the-Scenes Encounters and Tours. Conservation and Animal Care The Racine Zoo is involved in many local, national, and international conservation initiatives including the ornate box turtle head-start program, Frog Watch USA, population monitoring of the Johnstone’s frog, and many others.