African Savanna

Explore the African Savanna

It’s a new day on the African Savanna, one of Earth’s most iconic wild places. Here in this legendary landscape, all life is connected – with surprising connections to us here at home. Join the journey, featuring an all-NEW experience at our renovated African lion complex, opened in April 2025!

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guests watching lions sleep at zoo lion habitat

lion laying on rock structure in zoo habitat

Elephant Kelly splashes water from a pond on herself with her trunk.

Three elephants stand around the pool in their habitat with guests watching from the other side of cables behind the elephants.

Pond in front of elephants in African Savanna

Four meerkats explore their zoo habitat with one sitting on top of concrete termite mounds in the middle.

Two elephants facing the Zambezi Center and waterfall

Two giraffe with the elephant center in the background.

A guest feeds lettuce to an elephant that has its trunk stretched through the bars of its habitat while two animal care professional look on.

Elephant Wild Encounters return!

A new home for lions

Elements include around 1,500 square feet of new habitat space for the lions and an in-habitat pool.

A newly updated habitat for African lions Hondo, Hatari, and Azizi includes special design features for lion wellbeing and behaviors. Elements include around 1,500 square feet of new habitat space for the lions and an in-habitat pool.

Guest experience upgrades include three different viewing areas, including an expansive viewing deck with seating area promoting views of the entire lion habitat. At our new ground-to-ceiling glass viewing area, appreciate the unforgettable wow factor of looking into the eyes of these majestic predators.

A home designed with elephants in mind

Completed in 2019, the African Savanna elephant environment more than triples the size of the elephants’ former habitat.

The habitat is a dynamic living space for elephants Kelly, Tara, Msholo, and their newest herd-mate, Titan, who arrived in 2025.

Special features of the elephant complex include Abana Pond, the largest of the habitat’s three water features. Other elements include Chishimba Falls and Kalambo Falls; above-ground swing boom enrichment devices encouraging the elephants to use their trunks to access food as they would in the wild; and a feeder enrichment activity wall.

The state-of-the-art indoor Zambezi Elephant Center also features elements incorporated with elephant wellbeing in mind, including sand for the comfort of their feet. The guest experience at the Zambezi Elephant Center offers visitors an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the elephants’ daily care.

A MIXED-SPECIES HABITAT FOR SAVANNA WILDLIFE

Adjacent to the elephant environment, a mixed-species habitat is shared by giraffes, zebras, and ostrich. Guests explore pathways at ground level, looking up to appreciate the true height of a giraffe.

WARTHOG, MEERKAT, AND AFRICAN BIRD ENVIRONMENTS

Naturalistic environments for warthogs, meerkats, and a mixed-species habitat for kori bustards and blue cranes highlight some of the species that make this one of the planet’s best-known wild landscapes.

A redesigned rhino habitat

Across the Savanna, the Delta Air Lines Rhino Habitat has been redesigned for rhinos.

The redesigned habitat is home to southern white rhinos Mumbles, Dakari, Kiazi, and Kiazi’s calf, Zuri, born on December 24, 2023.

More Ways to Explore

Be the Animal, Be the Care Specialist and Be the Conservationist

Interactives allow you to explore these themes with up-close. Visit the Zambezi Elephant Center and utilize technology to see how our animal care specialists provide the elephants with superior care. Spend time with our life-sized interactive elephant statue to find out how elephants flap their ears to cool off, see how you measure up to an elephant’s height, and more.

A signature commitment

Conservation South Luangwa

Learn more about one of Zoo Atlanta’s signature conservation partners, Conservation South Luangwa, and their work to protect African elephants and other species impacted by wildlife trafficking and human-wildlife conflict in Zambia.

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Enter SAVE15 at checkout to receive $15 off + 1 month FREE on a Zoo Atlanta Membership.

Offer ends April 30.

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Animals

African Elephant

Loxodonta africana

Diet Herbivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Eastern Africa, Middle Africa, Western Africa Read More

Giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis

Diet Herbivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Eastern Africa Read More

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

Diet Herbivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Africa Read More

Southern White Rhinoceros

Ceratotherium simum simum

Diet Herbivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Middle Africa, Southern Africa Read More

African Lion

Panthera leo

Diet Carnivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Eastern Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa Read More

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

Diet Omnivore Status In The Wild Not Threatened Range Eastern Africa, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Western Africa Read More

Ostrich

Struthio camelus

Diet Omnivore Status In The Wild Not Threatened Range Africa Read More

Kori Bustard

Ardeotis kori

Diet Omnivore Status In The Wild At Risk Range Eastern Africa, Southern Africa Read More

Slender-tailed Meerkat

Suricata suricatta

Diet Omnivore Status In The Wild Not Threatened Range Southern Africa Read More