San Antonio Zoo is celebrating its one millionth guest of 2026, reaching the major attendance milestone two months earlier than last year.
The exciting milestone comes during a landmark year for the zoo and, more importantly, reflects the incredible support of the San Antonio community and visitors from around the world who continue to show up for wildlife in a big way.
On Friday, the Ibarra-Lorenzo family of six received a wild surprise as they walked through the zoo’s gates! The family was greeted with a special celebration featuring Cowboy the Rhino, complimentary zoo memberships for a year, animal encounter tickets, and a gift basket to commemorate the milestone.
For Jenny Ibarra, a mother and grandmother whose family has visited San Antonio Zoo for generations, the celebration was especially meaningful. Friday marked her first visit with both grandchildren, continuing a cherished family tradition during the zoo’s Community Locals Day. The family’s connection to the zoo runs even deeper. Jenny’s daughter, Gabby Lorenzo-Rodriguez, is a former Zoo Crew member who worked in the zoo’s gift shop in 2021, while Gabby’s father helped bring two of the zoo’s major attractions, Pantera Walk and Congo Falls, to life through his work in construction.
“For generations, San Antonio Zoo has been a place where families come together, create lasting memories, and share their love of wildlife,” said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. “What makes this milestone especially meaningful is celebrating it with a local family whose connection to the zoo spans generations. It’s a special reminder of the role the zoo plays in so many family traditions and childhood memories. We’re incredibly proud to be part of those cherished moments and look forward to helping families create new memories for generations to come.”
Helping make this year extra wild is Congo Falls, San Antonio Zoo’s largest habitat expansion to date. Since its grand opening in December 2025, Congo Falls has invited families to experience a world-class habitat featuring expansive views of seven western lowland gorillas. Through unforgettable, up-close encounters, guests have connected with this endangered species while learning how they can help protect gorillas and their habitats in the wild.
Behind the one-millionth milestone are one million individual moments: a child seeing a gorilla for the first time, families continuing generations-long zoo traditions, students discovering a new favourite animal, and guests leaving inspired to care a little more about the wild world around them.
“Reaching one million guests two months earlier than last year is something worth celebrating, but this milestone really belongs to our community,” said Morrow.
“Whether you came to experience Congo Falls, brought your kids for their first zoo visit, became a member, or have been visiting us for generations, you are part of this story. Every visit supports our mission to secure a future for wildlife, and we couldn’t be more grateful to have San Antonio along for this wild ride.”
And the year isn’t over yet. With more adventures, family traditions, and unforgettable animal encounters still ahead, San Antonio Zoo is ready to keep the momentum going and see just how wild 2026 can get.