Zoo Knoxville, formerly Knoxville Zoo, is a 53-acre zoo located just east of downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, near exit 392 off Interstate 40. The zoo is home to about 800 animals and welcomes over 470,000 human visitors each year. Zoo Knoxville is notable for having bred the first two African Elephants born in the Western Hemisphere in 1978. Zoo Knoxville is a leader in Red Panda conservation and recently awarded “Best Exhibit” for the new Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Campus.