The Abilene Zoo broke ground on March 26, 2026 on the largest expansion in its history, and the centerpiece of the first phase is a Lockheed C-130E Hercules parked in a lion habitat.
Half of the aircraft will extend into the lions’ space. The other half is for people: guests enter through the cargo ramp, and glass panels set beneath the fuselage put them at eye level with the pride.
Abilene Zoo says it will be the only AZA-accredited zoo in the country, and the only one anywhere, with an aircraft that size built into an animal habitat.
Where the plane came from
The C-130E stood at the entrance to Dyess Air Force Base until the zoo, the base and Abilene Wrecker Service arranged to move it. The wrecker company donated the hauling. Dyess is putting a newer C-130H in its place.
The wings and tail reached the zoo first, in October 2025, with the fuselage following. Inside the aircraft, interactive displays will cover the history of C-130 missions, including the ones that have moved elephants and bison across the world in the cargo bay guests are standing in.
There is a local reason for all of it beyond the base. The land the zoo occupies was an airport before it was a zoo.
What else is in Phase One
The phase is called Wild Encounters and Ferocious Eats, and it reworks the entire Africa region. Completion is scheduled for late 2027.
The rhino habitat gets bigger, which the zoo says will let it take a more active part in black rhino conservation, including breeding recommendations through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Black rhinos are critically endangered.
The giraffe yard becomes a multi-species habitat where compatible animals share ground, viewed from a new elevated boardwalk. The giraffe bridge, which Abilene guests will remember, comes back with it.
Two species arrive that the zoo has not kept: cheetahs and meerkats. The meerkat habitat is built around viewing bubbles reached through tunnels, so a visitor can surface inside the exhibit. The cheetah habitat is designed for 360-degree viewing from an elevated boardwalk and several points at ground level.
Next to the lions, a two-story café looks out over the habitat, and a new event lawn gives the zoo somewhere to hold community programs.
Sixty years in Grover Nelson Park
The groundbreaking landed in the zoo’s 60th anniversary year, which is not an accident of scheduling.
“This expansion represents an exciting step forward for the Abilene Zoo,” said zoo director Jesse Pottebaum. “A Bold Adventure will allow us to deepen our impact in wildlife conservation, create meaningful educational experiences, and provide new ways for our community to connect with animals and nature.”
A Bold Adventure is planned in multiple phases. Wild Encounters and Ferocious Eats is the first of them.
It joins a heavy year for construction at mid-sized zoos: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo opens a new giraffe center in September and Brandywine Zoo opened its $2.5 million Hidden Falls habitat in July.
