How have you been?
Here's another post on Michigan zoos. Last year, I visited John Ball Zoo, Potter Park Zoo, and Binder Park Zoo in one day. This year, I visited John Ball Zoo and Potter Park Zoo in honor of International Red Panda Day. The following week, I made a brief pitstop at Potter Park Zoo after spending the weekend in Cleveland and driving back through Michigan while visiting the Saginaw Children's Zoo and Binder Park Zoo.
These are my Michigan posts thus far:
L2: Potter Park Zoo (2026) (this post)
I still have a sizable Michigan backlog though, which I am gradually working on:
Binder Park Zoo (2026)
Saginaw's Children Zoo
Detroit Zoo
University of Michigan Museum of Natural History
SEA LIFE Michigan Aquarium
Museum of Contemporary Art
Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry
Kelsey Museum of Archaeology
Argus Museum
Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum
University of Michigan Museum of Art
Ann Arbor Art Fair
John Ball Zoo (2025)
Potter Park Zoo (2025)
Binder Park Zoo (2025)
All of the pictures in this post were taken by me except for the map of the zoo. If you want to use any of my photos, please contact me to first obtain permission.
POTTER PARK ZOO
1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Lansing, MI 48912
Website: https://potterparkzoo.org/
Hours:
November 1 through March 31: 10 AM - 4 PM
April 1 through Labor Day: 9 AM - 5 PM (closes early at 2 PM during Zoo Nights and Zoo Clues event days)
After Labor Day through October 31: 9 AM - 4 PM on weekdays (open an extra hour until 5 PM on weekends)
Cost (as of 2026):
November 1 – March 31
All Adults: $6.00
All Children (Ages 3-12): $5.00
All Children (Under 3): FREE!
April 1 – October 31
Resident Adult: $10
Non-Resident Adult: $17
Resident Senior (60+) or Military: $8.00
Non-Resident Senior (60+) or Military: $15.00
All Children (Ages 3-12): $7.00
All Children (Under 3): FREE!
Resident refers to anyone living in Ingham County.
Residents are admitted on non-holiday Mondays from 9 AM to 12 PM for FREE.
Parking is $7 for most guests but $5 for residents.
Potter Park Zoo participates in the AZA reciprocity program at the 100% level. Members of institutions participating at 100% get free admission at other institutions participating at the 100% level and 50% off admission at institutions participating at the 50% level. Members of institutions participating at 50% get half off admission at all participating institutions.
Since I was a member of Buttonwood Park Zoo, I got free admission and did not need to pay the $17 admission. I did, however, have to pay $7 for parking.
Estimated Time: 1 hour.
Potter Park Zoo is a small zoo and you could cover most of it in about an hour. On International Red Panda Day, I spent about 2 hours. On World Rhino Day, I spent 30 minutes, focusing on animals I didn't see on my previous visit.
SUMMARY
Potter Park Zoo is a small-sized zoo whose highlights are the red pandas, a black rhino, Pallas' cat, okapi, snow leopards, and arctic foxes.
They do not seem to have any daily activities like keeper chats, trainings, or feedings. However, they do participate in a surprising number of special events, including both SAFE's International Red Panda Day and SAFE's World Rhino Day Celebration, offering unique opportunities to obtain SAFE trading cards.
I had a better experience in 2026 than I did in 2025. Last year, it felt like I didn't get to see many of the animals (e.g. only got a glimpse of the red pandas sleeping) and as such, I felt like it was just an average, 2-star zoo given the standard admission price + parking compared to the size and scope of the zoo. If you can get free entry (through 100% reciprocity) and only have to pay the parking cost, then it's worth visiting and the rating would be closer to a recommended 3 stars. It's still great for a local zoo, especially with exotic species like red pandas, okapi, and snow leopards, but it isn't quite at the level of medium-sized or large zoos with plentiful activities where you can spend much of the day.
I would have to check my notes but I believe in 2025, I didn't see many of the animals.
When I visited on Red Panda Day in 2026, it was rainy so many of the animals were not around. I did not see the Pallas' cat, binturong, tufted deer, bongo, and African spurred tortoise at that time but I was able to see them all the following week during World Rhino Day. This year, I was not able to see the black rhino (I think I saw it last year), Northern tree shrew (last year I saw them in the Feline & Primate House; right now they are off exhibit), Patagonian cavy (I have never been able to see them on any of my visits), spider monkey, and cotton-top tamarin.
If you want to compare Potter Park Zoo to other zoos:
5 stars:
- San Diego Zoo (San Diego, CA)
- Brookfield Zoo (Brookfield, IL)
- Taipei Zoo (Taipei City, Taiwan)
4 stars:
- San Diego Safari Park (San Diego, CA)
- Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (Cincinnati, OH)
- Oklahoma City Zoo (Oklahoma City, OK)
- Milwaukee County Zoo (Milwaukee, WI)
- Houston Zoo (Houston, TX)
- Oakland Zoo (Oakland, CA)
- Toledo Zoo & Aquarium (Toledo, OH)
3 stars:
- Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, IL, Free)
- Zoo Atlanta (Atlanta, GA)
- Buttonwood Park Zoo (New Bedford, MA)
- Butterflies of Cape Cod (Bourne, MA)
- International Crane Foundation (Baraboo, WI)
- Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison, WI, Free)
- Indianapolis Zoo (Indianapolis, IN)
- Sacramento Zoo (Sacramento, CA)
- Santa Barbara Zoo (Santa Barbara, CA)
- Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX)
- Fort Wayne Zoo (Fort Wayne, IN)
- Zoo Knoxville (Knoxville, TN)
- ZooTampa (Tampa, FL)
- Busch Gardens (Tampa, FL)
- Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens (Los Angeles, CA)
- Detroit Zoo (Detroit, MI)
- Virginia Zoological Park (Norfolk, VA)
- Virginia Living Museum (Newport News, VA)
- Minnesota Zoo (Apple Valley, MN)
- Tulsa Zoo (Tulsa, OK)
- Roger Williams Park Zoo (Providence, RI)
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Cleveland, OH)
2 stars:
- Audubon Insectarium (New Orleans, LA)
- Audubon Zoo (New Orleans, LA)
- Sarasota Jungle Gardens (Sarasota, FL)
- Save Our Seabirds Wild Bird Learning Center (Sarasota, FL, Free)
- San Francisco Zoo & Gardens (San Francisco, CA)
- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Vallejo, CA)
- Franklin Park Zoo (Boston, MA)
- Capron Park Zoo (Attleboro, MA)
- Taylor-Bray Farm (Yarmouth Port, MA, Free)
- Racine Zoo (Racine, WI)
- Ochsner Park Zoo (Baraboo, WI, Free)
- John Ball Zoo (Grand Rapids, MI)
- Potter Park Zoo (Lansing, MI)
- Antalya Zoo (Antalya, Turkey)
- Marine Mammal Center (Sausalito, CA, Free)
- Santa Ana Zoo (Santa Ana, CA)
- San Antonio Zoological Society (San Antonio, TX)
- Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX)
- Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX)
- Caldwell Zoo (Tyler, TX)
- Peoria Zoo (Peoria, IL)
- Miller Park Zoo (Bloomington, IL)
- Scovill Zoo (Decatur, IL)
- Potawatomi Zoo (South Bend, IN)
- Como Park Zoo & Conservatory (St. Paul, MN, Free)
- Akron Zoo (Akron, OH)
1 star:
- Cosley Zoo (Wheaton, IL)
- Stone Zoo (Stoneham, MA)
- Timbavati Wildlife Park (Wisconsin Dells, WI)
- Binder Park Zoo (Battle Creek, MI)
- Happy Hollow Park & Zoo (San Jose, CA)
- CuriOdyssey (San Mateo, CA)
- Columbian Park Zoo (Lafayette, IN)
- Saginaw's Children Zoo (Saginaw, MI)
INTERNATIONAL RED PANDA DAY
This year, I visited Potter Park Zoo on International Red Panda Day, which is technically the third Saturday of September. However, some zoos, including Potter Park Zoo, celebrated the event on a different day. Potter Park Zoo had its events the following day (Sunday) so I didn't actually get to see the special activities. I did ask if they could please give me a set of the red panda trading cards for Degan-Reid and Maliha, which they were willing to do. When I visited the zoo a week later on World Rhino Day, I was able to get another set of red panda trading cards.
RED PANDA
Potter Park Zoo is fortunate to have two red pandas, though both are elderly. Degan-Reid is 15 years old (born June 16th, 2011) while Maliha is 12 years old (born June 9th, 2014).
Both pandas like to sleep in an elevated attic area, which makes it hard to see them. This was the case when I visited last year and during my Rhino Day visit. So typically this is all you will see....
Himalayan Red Panda
Ailurus fulgens fulgens
When I visited on Red Panda Day, one of the red pandas spent the whole time sleeping, as above. However, the other red panda was more active - I caught them eating and walking around before settling down for a nap.
WORLD RHINO DAY CELEBRATION
I briefly stopped by Potter Park Zoo again the week after International Red Panda Day, primarily to pick up some more red panda trading cards.
Coincidentally, it happened to be World Rhino Day, so I did take a quick look at the various rhino activities, and also received some rhino trading cards as well! Unfortunately, I didn't actually see the rhino on these two recent visits!
There was free face paint that was mainly geared towards kids.
The picnic area was turned into a rhino graveyard to convey the severity of poaching.
There was an informational table which included three grisly and illegal rhino keepsakes (horn, skin, hoof), which had been confiscated by customs.
And this is the SAFE rhino trading card that was being given out during the event.
FELINES
Pallas' cats tend to be shy and hard to see at zoos, so I was happy to catch this one napping on World Rhino Day!
Pallas’ Cat
Otocolobus manul
Canadian Lynx
Lynx canadensis
The zoo has two snow leopards. One of them was inside the Feline & Primate House while the other one was in an outdoor enclosure.
Snow Leopard
Uncia uncia
The zoo used to have a lion and a tiger but they have since died and those habitats are currently being renovated. One of the employees said that once the new habitat is finished, they are hoping to get a breeding pair of big cats.
Besides the snow leopards, the Feline & Primate House also has porcupines, snakes, lemurs, and monkeys. When I visited last year, there were some Northern tree shrews which are currently off exhibit, according to the keepers.
MAMMALS
(Not including the Red Pandas and Kitties which are covered above, and the Farm Animals which are in a separate section).
Potter Park Zoo is the home to two arctic foxes. One of the foxes likes to sit right out in the front, allowing for some great close-up pictures. However, if you get too close or stick around too long, the fox gets skittish and runs away!
Arctic Fox
Alopex lagopus
Binturong
Arctictis binturong
There are two cape porcupines in the Feline & Primate House. One of them is in a caged area in the center of the building while the other is behind a glass enclosure along the side.
Cape Porcupine
Hystrix africaeaustralis
The glass to the giant anteater exhibit is notoriously dirty, which limits the quality of photos you can take. There is also supposed to be Patagonian cavies in this exhibit but I have never seen them on any of my visits.
Giant Anteater
Myrmecophaga tridactyla
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
This is a wet kangaroo!
Red Kangaroo
Macropus rufus
Ring-Tailed Lemur
Lemur catta
This photo (completely natural and unaltered), of a "phantom" okapi, turned out surprisingly well! The okapi was not outdoors but was instead in its indoor enclosure. There is a window for visitors to look inside but the glass is highly reflective, which actually makes it harder to fully see the animal. There were some seasonal Halloween decorations behind me. So the reflective glass resulted in making the okapi appear ethereal while juxtaposing the image of a skeleton from the background. I took 5 pictures but this was the only one that turned out nicely - the other 4 had the okapi too out of focus.
Okapi
Okapia johnstoni
No, this isn't a vampiric deer! Tufted deer have small tusks that look like fangs and a prominent tuff of hair on its forehead (hence the name).
Western Tufted Deer
Elaphodus cephalophus
Eastern Bongo
Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci
Elk
Cervus canadensis
BIRDS
Magellanic Penguin
Spheniscus Magellanicus
King Vulture
Sarcoramphus papa
Southern Ground Hornbill
Bucorvus leadbeateri
Trumpeter Hornbill
Bycanistes bucinator
Eurasian Eagle-Owl
Bubo bubo
Lunch (mice) for the eagle-owl!
Emu
Dromaius novahollandiae
North American Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Broad-Winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
These peacocks were freely roaming the zoo. One was outside the Welcome Center building while the other was in the exit corridor. I guess they were there to say hello and goodbye?
Peafowl
Pavo cristatus
Raven
Corvus corax
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS
African Spurred Tortoise (Sulcata Tortoise)
Geochelone sulcata
Blanding’s Turtle
Emydoidea blandingii
These two snakes were in the Feline & Primate House.
Emerald Tree Boa
Corallus caninus
Possibly a Rainbow Boa
Epicrates cenchria
The remaining reptiles and amphibians were in the Reptile House.
Eastern Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina carolina
Texas Rat Snake
Elaphe obsoleta lindheimeri
Madagascar Giant Hognose Snake
Leioheterodon madagascariensis
Blue-Tongued Skink
Tiliqua scincoides
Common Chuckwalla
Sauromalus ater
Madagascar Day Gecko
Phelsuma grandis
Henkel's Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Uroplatus henkeli
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog
Dendrobates tinctorius
Gray Treefrog
Hyla versicolor
Red-Eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas
FARMYARD
Huacaya Alpaca
Lama pacos or Vicugna pacos
Sicilian Donkey
Equus africanus asinus
Goat (includes American Pygmy, Kinder, and Nigerian Dwarf varieties)
Capra aegagrus hircus
Dexter Cow
Bos taurus
Guinea Hog
Sus scrofa domesticus
NATURE PLAY
Children's play area
Insect hotel
View of the neighboring Red Cedar River
HALLOWEEN
ART
Bamboo mural along the Red Panda building
Hummingbird mural near the Farmyard
Bee mural near the Nature Nook
Butterfly mural near the Nature Nook
Lion painting in the Discovery Center
Animal painting in the Discovery Center
Tiger painting in the Discovery Center
Lion painting in the Discovery Center
Tiger Car outside the Feline & Primate House
Donated by Williams Auto World
Snow Leopard located in Corvid Corner
by Dace Koenigsknecht
The Snow Leopard perches atop strata of snow covered rock, depicting the often barren and remote habitat this species calls home.
Presented by Lansing Lions Club
River Song located in Corvid Corner
by Lee J. Kronenberg
A Whimsical Bird of Paradise.
Presented by Lansing Lions Club
Giraffe sculpture outside the Feline & Primate House
Bear sculpture in the Nature Play
OTHER
Animal Health Facility
Nature Nook
Picnic area near the rhino
Picnic area near the kangaroos
Gazebo near Corvid Corner
Only $3 for a wind experience but still not worth it when you can get it for free at many science museums!
Quarters for Conservation. In terms of cuteness:
Pallas Cat > Black Rhino > Blanding's Turtle
but the black rhinos probably need the most help and are in the most danger (critically endangered)!
Pollinator Garden
Red Panda Vending Machine
Ice cream stand featuring red panda art
Possibly Globe Amaranth
Gomphrena globosa
PHOTO OPS
GIFT SHOP
Red Panda Paraphernalia
Red Panda Squishy Plush
$6.60
Nature Planet Red Panda Plush
Petting Zoo Red Panda Plush
$26.99
Palm Pals Red Panda Plush
$11.95
Petting Zoo Red Panda Plush
$59.99
Wild Republic Red Panda Poppykins Plush
$55.95
Nature Planet Red Panda Backpack
$42.50
Wild Republic Red Panda Backpack
$37.95
Red Panda Pal Chocolate Bar
$10.50
Assorted Plushes
Zoologee Alpaca Plush
$25.50
Red Panda Ornament
Cheetah Ornament
Tiger Ornament
Animal sculptures
$18.95 - $31.95
Animal-themed signs