Pueblo Zoo

What Pueblo Zoo does

Pueblo Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit zoological society operating a 25-acre AZA-accredited facility within Pueblo City Park in Pueblo, Colorado. The site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and houses more than 400 animals representing 125 species, exhibited across historic 1930s PWA/WPA-built structures including Islands of Life, World of Color, and the eagle exhibits. The organization is led by Executive Director Abbie Krause and governed by a 13-member Board of Directors chaired by Kyle Aber, and primarily serves families, children, and educational institutions in Pueblo County and the broader Front Range/I-25 corridor.

The zoo operates a diversified revenue model combining transactional admissions, tiered subscriptions (standard memberships and the Champion's Circle philanthropic tiers at $275–$825), donations, corporate sponsorships, experience add-ons (behind-the-scenes tours, birthday parties, private events, overnight campouts), education programs (Zoo Camp for ages 6–13, Zoo School, field trips, ZooALIVE youth leadership), symbolic animal adoptions ($30–$125 tiers), and on-site amenities (Safari Café, gift shop). It distributes through its own e-commerce store at store.pueblozoo.org, on-site admission, and an active multi-channel social media presence (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok) plus the Animail email newsletter.

The institution's strategic moat rests on AZA accreditation, deep institutional integration with Pueblo County schools and libraries, and global conservation partnerships (Lemur Conservation Foundation, Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, City of Fort Collins bison program, and Rodrigues Fruit Bat Preservation). Current operational priorities include a new POS system rollout, expanded seven-day-a-week operating hours in peak season, and the Chase's Circle membership program to deepen high-value donor revenue.

Name

Pueblo Zoo

Legal name

Pueblo Zoological Society

Website

https://pueblozoo.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1923

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Pueblo Zoo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a 25-acre AZA-accredited zoo in Pueblo, Colorado, housing 400+ animals across 125 species and serving 90,000 annual visitors, families, schools, and conservation supporters through admissions, memberships, education programs, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoo and Wildlife Park

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG)

Keywords

• Wildlife conservation education
• Zoo admissions
• Animal exhibits
• Conservation programs
• Youth education programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Pueblo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: Revenue from selling admission tickets to visitors
2. Memberships: Annual memberships including standard and Champion's Circle tiers providing unlimited visits and exclusive benefits
3. Animal Adoption Packages: Symbolic animal adoptions at $30, $65, and $125 levels supporting animal care, education, and conservation programs
4. Donations: Tax-deductible donations supporting zoo operations, conservation, and education programs
5. Event Rentals: Private events including birthday parties, overnight campouts, and special events
6. Safari Café: On-site food and beverage service
7. Sponsorships: Support from corporate sponsors for events, animals, education programs, and access for low-income families
8. Zoo Camp Programs: Summer camp programs for children ages 6-13

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Pueblo Zoo operates a 25-acre AZA-accredited zoological facility in Pueblo City Park, housing more than 400 animals across 125 species. It sells daily admission tickets, annual memberships (including premium Champion's Circle tiers), symbolic animal adoptions, education programs (Zoo Camp, Zoo School, ZooALIVE, field trips), and experience add-ons such as Behind the Scenes tours, birthday parties, private events, and overnight campouts. Operations are funded through a mix of admission revenue, memberships, donations, and corporate sponsorships.

Product overview

Pueblo Zoo operates as a single-site traditional zoo offering a unified visitor experience centered around animal exhibits and conservation education. The product portfolio consists of core ticketing and membership products, premium philanthropic membership tiers, experience add-ons (behind-the-scenes tours, birthday parties, private events, overnight campouts), education programs (Zoo Camp, Zoo School, ZooALIVE, field trips), an Adopt an Animal symbolic adoption program, and supporting amenities including the Safari Cafe. The zoo's 25-acre facility in Pueblo City Park houses more than 400 animals representing 125 species.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets Day passes allowing visitors access to the 25-acre zoo grounds, animal exhibits, and standard visitor experiences. Sold through the Pueblo Zoo online store and at the on-site entrance.
• Zoo Memberships Annual membership programs providing unlimited visits, guest passes, and member benefits including discounts at the gift shop and cafe.
• Champion's Circle Membership Philanthropic membership program with three tiers (Ambassador $275/year, Protector $550/year, Guardian $825/year) offering behind-the-scenes tours, guest passes, early event access, and other exclusive benefits in support of conservation.
• Adopt an Animal Program Symbolic animal adoption program at three tiers ($30 Advocate, $65 Guardian, $125 Protector) supporting animal care, education, and conservation.
• Behind the Scenes Tours Guided behind-the-scenes experiences offering access to restricted zoo areas and keeper interactions.
• Birthday Parties Private party bookings for children's celebrations held on zoo grounds.
• Private Events Rental of zoo facilities for private gatherings and corporate events.
• Overnight Campouts Overnight camping experiences at the zoo, including wake-up visits with lions.
• Zoo Camp Summer day camp program for children ages 6-13 featuring hands-on animal experiences and conservation education.
• Zoo School School-based educational programming delivered at the zoo and aligned with curriculum standards.
• ZooALIVE Youth volunteer and leadership development program at the zoo.
• Field Trips Guided educational tours for school groups and youth organizations visiting the zoo.
• Safari Cafe On-site food and beverage service for zoo visitors.
• Conservation Programs Local and global wildlife conservation efforts including red panda and North American bison preservation, supported through memberships and donations.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZA accreditation ensures the zoo meets rigorous standards for animal care, conservation, education, and guest experience. The zoo participates in AZA's SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction) program.
• Lemur Conservation FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation partner supporting lemur preservation efforts in Madagascar.
• Mauritian Wildlife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal conservation partner supporting endangered species in Mauritius.
• City of Fort Collins - Bison ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting North American bison conservation through the Laramie Foothills bison conservation herd.
• Rodrigues Fruit Bat PreservationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConservation partnership supporting Rodrigues fruit bat preservation efforts.
• Colorado State University ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership with local university extension program.
• Colorado GivesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerParticipates in ColoradoGives.org providing safe and trusted way to support nonprofits online.
• 4 Rivers EquipmentminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting zoo events and programs.
• 30 Club PueblominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal civic organization sponsoring zoo events.
• Black Hills EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor supporting zoo operations.
• Bank San JuansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal bank sponsoring zoo programs.
• Chick-fil-A PueblominorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal restaurant sponsoring zoo events.
• City of PueblominorGTM or Marketing PartnerMunicipal partner hosting zoo in City Park.
• Denver ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAZA member partner supporting conservation collaboration.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Denver Zoo: Larger AZA-accredited zoo operating in the same Front Range/I-25 corridor as Pueblo Zoo, with overlapping mission (conservation, education) and audience. Pueblo Zoo lists Denver Zoo as a partner, underscoring direct comparability.
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo: AZA-accredited mid-size zoo in Colorado Springs, serving a similar regional audience with comparable ticketing, memberships, and conservation programs. Directly comparable business model and product mix.

Direct peers

• Como Park Zoo: Mid-size municipal zoo and conservatory operated by a non-profit on historic city-park grounds, similar in scale, mission, and community-anchored operating model to Pueblo Zoo.
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo: AZA-accredited mid-size zoo operated by a metropolitan park district, similar in scale, public-park setting, and reliance on admissions, memberships, and community education programs.
• Sedgwick County Zoo: AZA-accredited mid-size zoo with similar conservation partnerships, education outreach, and admissions/membership revenue structure. Comparable in scale and operating model.
• Beardsley Zoo: AZA-accredited small zoo in Connecticut operating as a non-profit with comparable visitor scale, education programming, and conservation focus. Closest direct comp on size and operations.
• Brandywine Zoo: AZA-accredited small zoo on a compact urban footprint with comparable animal count, education programming, and non-profit membership model. Strong direct comp on scale and operating profile.

Regional players

• Biodôme (Montréal): Public-facing zoological facility operated by a non-profit/municipal entity with similar educational and conservation programming, though serving a Canadian market. Useful comparability for operating model.

Others

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA): Industry accreditation body whose SAFE program and accreditation standards shape Pueblo Zoo's operating model and partner network. Ecosystem enabler rather than competitor.
• Conservation International: Global conservation NGO that partners with zoos like Pueblo Zoo on species survival and field programs. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ThePuebloZoo
• Facebookfacebook.com/pueblozoo
• Instagraminstagram.com/pueblozoo
• TikToktiktok.com/@thepueblozoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pueblo-zoo

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Pueblo Zoo