Images courtesy of the San Antonio Zoo
San Antonio Zoo has earned another major honor—this time on the international stage.
Condé Nast Traveler has named San Antonio Zoo one of the Best Zoos in the World, placing the Texas attraction alongside a select group of zoological institutions recognized for their conservation programs, research and efforts to restore wildlife populations and habitats.
The recognition adds to a growing collection of national and international accolades for the San Antonio institution, but it also shines a spotlight on something visitors may not always see during a day at the zoo: conservation work taking place both here in Texas and thousands of miles away.
Why Condé Nast Traveler Recognized San Antonio Zoo
Condé Nast Traveler’s updated list, The Best Zoos in the World for Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!, includes zoological institutions from the United States and countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Singapore and Spain.
Rather than focusing solely on visitor attractions and animal exhibits, the publication highlighted institutions contributing to animal and habitat restoration through conservation programs, research, fieldwork and long-term partnerships.
For San Antonio Zoo, that includes two particularly noteworthy programs: the Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project and Project Selva.
The Texas Horned Lizard Reintroduction Project works to help restore one of Texas’ most recognizable native reptiles. The zoo’s conservation team combines research, habitat management, propagation and strategic releases with partnerships involving wildlife experts and Texas landowners.
Project Selva takes the zoo’s conservation work much farther from home. The collaborative initiative works alongside Indigenous communities in the Amazon River basin on conservation efforts.
Together, the projects demonstrate how the work of a Texas zoo can have an impact both in its own backyard and internationally.
Conservation at the Heart of the Recognition
For San Antonio Zoo President and CEO Tim Morrow, the conservation emphasis makes the latest honor particularly significant.
“To be recognized as one of the best zoos in the world is an incredible honor, but what makes this recognition especially meaningful is the focus on conservation,” Morrow said.
He added that the zoo’s vision is to help secure a future for wildlife whether those efforts are happening in Texas or alongside communities thousands of miles away, crediting the zoo’s staff, conservation partners, supporters and guests for making the work possible.
It’s an important distinction. While zoos are popular destinations for families and travelers, many modern zoological organizations also participate in research, breeding programs, habitat restoration and field conservation that visitors may never encounter directly.
The Condé Nast Traveler recognition puts those efforts front and center.
Images courtesy of the San Antonio Zoo
Another Major Award for San Antonio Zoo
The international honor continues an impressive run of recognition for San Antonio Zoo.
Earlier in 2026, the zoo ranked No. 7 among the Best Zoos in America in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, marking its second consecutive year of national recognition from USA TODAY.
The zoo has also recently received local honors for Best Family Attraction and Best Tourist Attraction.
In 2025, Condé Nast Traveler included San Antonio Zoo among its Top 10 Best Zoos in the U.S., while Newsweek ranked it No. 2 in the United States.
Altogether, San Antonio Zoo reports receiving more than two dozen honors over the past several years, including five “Best Zoo in Texas” awards from three different organizations, five Top 10 Zoo distinctions in the United States and recognition as a No. 1 local tourist attraction.
The zoo has even received international visitor recognition, with Tripadvisor previously ranking it among the Top 10 for sightseeing tickets sold worldwide.
Big Changes Are Underway at San Antonio Zoo
The latest recognition also arrives during a period of significant change and expansion at the zoo.
San Antonio Zoo has been investing in new habitats and visitor experiences as part of a broader transformation of the property.
Recent and upcoming additions highlighted by the zoo include Naylor Savanna, an immersive African savanna habitat, along with Spekboom Lodge, which introduces an overnight lodging experience.
The zoo has also added The Ralston, a premier event venue, while Congo Falls is being developed as a world-class gorilla habitat.
These projects follow the addition of a new state-of-the-art front entrance designed to accommodate the zoo’s continued growth.
According to Morrow, the projects are part of an effort to create the kind of zoo San Antonio deserves while continuing to invest in animal care, education, conservation and memorable experiences for guests.
Video courtesy of the San Antonio Zoo
More Than a Million Visitors Each Year
San Antonio Zoo has been operating since 1914 and today welcomes more than one million visitors annually.
The nonprofit zoo is open year-round and is part of the San Antonio Zoological Society, which also operates the Center for Conservation and Research, Kiddie Park and Will Smith Zoo School—the country’s largest nature-based preschool.
San Antonio Zoo also holds accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Zoological Association of America and is Humane Certified by American Humane.
Those credentials, combined with ongoing investment in new habitats and conservation programs, help provide context for why the San Antonio attraction is increasingly receiving attention well beyond Texas.
A Texas Zoo Making a Global Impact
For Texas zoo fans, the Condé Nast Traveler honor is more than another award to add to San Antonio Zoo’s collection.
It represents international recognition of conservation work that ranges from helping native Texas horned lizards recover in the Lone Star State to supporting communities and wildlife conservation in the Amazon River basin.
And as San Antonio Zoo continues adding new habitats and experiences, visitors will have even more reasons to see what is happening at one of Texas’ most recognized zoological destinations.
Plan Your Visit to San Antonio Zoo
Ready to see San Antonio Zoo for yourself?
Check out the San Antonio Zoo guide on TexasZoos.com for more information about the zoo and to start planning your visit.
With more than a century of history, major new attractions and conservation programs reaching well beyond its gates, San Antonio Zoo continues to give Texans—and now an increasingly international audience—plenty of reasons to take notice.
