Preparing for change at the Amarillo Zoo

The future of the Amarillo Zoo is beginning to take clearer shape as the City of Amarillo continues exploring a potential partnership with Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WWWRC). While no final contract will go before the city council until January, both the city and WWWRC appear to be laying groundwork for what could become a significant shift in how the zoo operates.

A Nonprofit Approach to Zoo Management

Under the possible agreement, WWWRC would take over zoo operations, bringing a more specialized nonprofit model to the facility. The idea, supported by both city leaders and WWWRC, is to improve animal care, expand education programs, and give the zoo room to grow in ways that may be harder under direct municipal management.

In anticipation of the council’s final decision, WWWRC Executive Director and Founder Stephanie Brady has already begun preparing her team. According to Brady, the organization has been training “side-by-side with zoo staff” to learn the existing routines and the layout of each animal zone. She noted that recent training took place “in section 4, and section 4 is the cat building,” where species range from lions and a jaguar to bobcats, a badger, a coyote, and red wolf mixes.

Supporting Current Zoo Staff

A major priority for Brady is ensuring that the zoo’s current staff remains part of its future. She has been meeting with employees individually, saying, “I have been interviewing some of the team members out there for retention and those have gone really well. I’m very, very hopeful and very excited.”

Brady has emphasized that their experience and familiarity with the animals will be central to a smooth transition if the partnership is approved. She acknowledged the uncertain position staff may feel during the process, saying, “I think it’s a hard position for the current zoo staff to be in… they love the animals too,” adding that this shared commitment is “what brings us together because at the end of the day we all want to see the Amarillo Zoo thrive.”

Goals for Animal Care and Growth

Both the city and WWWRC appear aligned on a vision to expand opportunities for the zoo. Brady described these goals as a chance “to make a huge difference and be a part of history.” Central to this vision are improvements to animal habitats and enrichment programs—efforts that can be challenging when operating with limited funding or staffing. As she put it, “We all want the animals to have larger enclosures, more enrichment, and that’s hard to do when… you’ve worked in short staffed and there’s just not the funding there for it.”

Welcoming Public Input

The next phase of the process is expected to rely heavily on community feedback. Brady says she wants to hear from the public about what they value most at the zoo, as well as what programs they might like to see return or take shape in the future. “As this moves forward, we’re going to be looking to the community to hear some feedback from them,” she said, encouraging residents to share what they miss, what they enjoy, and what they hope to see added.

What Comes Next

The Amarillo City Council is expected to review and vote on the finalized contract on Jan. 13. Until then, preparation continues—slowly aligning city operations, nonprofit expertise, and public expectations for what many hope will be a new chapter for the Amarillo Zoo.

As the process unfolds, the emphasis on transparency, collaboration, and long-term improvements suggests that—regardless of the final decision—the conversation about the zoo’s future will remain focused on the well-being of its animals and the experience of its visitors.