BATON ROUGE — Ever wanted to travel the world and see exotic animals without leaving Louisiana? The Baton Rouge Zoo offers a shortcut to a global adventure.

For visitors like Bonnie Kate Zoghbi, the zoo is the perfect local escape.

“We love it. It’s so nice because it’s so close. And especially on days like today, it’s just amazing to get outside, see some cool animals and be together,” she said.

Zoo Director Jim Fleshman, who has dedicated 33 years to caring for animals, described the zoo as “sort of like a small city.”

“We have parking, food and retail, classrooms, we actually operate our own water treatment plant, but I think the most exciting thing you can do is make that connection with nature,” he said.

The zoo allows visitors to explore animals from around the globe.

“Hopefully, we can show people a snapshot in time of what an area in another world looks like,” Fleshman said. He explained that each exhibit is designed to give a sense of the ecosystems where these animals live, so visitors can see how animals interact in their natural spaces.

The zoo also offers fun facts along the way, such as that flamingos aren’t born pink, but instead get their color from their diet.

For a different perspective, visitors can ride the zoo train and see the animals from a new angle. With so much to explore, it’s easy to spend a full day wandering through the zoo’s exhibits and connecting with nature.