The Fort Worth Zoo had a big year for births in 2026, and each of the young animals has set viewing hours. The new Sumatran tiger cubs are out from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The largest elephant calf in Zoo history was given an 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. window when he made his public debut. Both windows sit inside the same three midday hours. That favors a visitor who can come in for a short stop on a weekday, and Park Hill's neighbors at the Zoo gate are well placed to do that.
The cubs are a first for Fort Worth
On Oct. 2, the Fort Worth Zoo announced the births of two female Sumatran tiger cubs. They are the first Sumatran tigers born in the Zoo's history and the first tiger cubs born there in nearly two decades. The last cubs were Malayan tigers born in 2008. The sisters were born July 1 to Ndari, a first-time mother, and Rakan, the father. At one week old they weighed about 3 to 4 pounds. At 12 weeks they weighed 18 and 20 pounds.
Their names come from their personalities. Barani means "brave," and keepers call her a "spitfire" who starts most of the play-fights. Malu means "shy or reserved," and she often goes off alone to nap in a nearby barn stall. The International Union for Conservation of Nature counts fewer than 650 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, which explains why the Zoo's chairman framed the births the way she did:
"We're hopeful that these cubs will inspire a new generation to learn about and care for their wild counterparts and the future of this critically endangered species." Ramona Bass, chairman of the Fort Worth Zoo, in the Zoo's announcement
The cubs live in the tiger habitat inside Predators of Asia & Africa. When that habitat opened in 2023, it doubled the space of the old tiger yard. If you were there before October, the yard will look a little different now. The extra logs in the water are "baby proofing" meant to keep small cubs safe in a large space. The Zoo says the sisters are in the outdoor habitat every day from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., depending on the weather.
A calf born too large for a small debut
Sam Houston, a male Asian elephant, was born at 5:31 a.m. on April 1. He stood 36 inches tall and weighed 285 pounds, which makes him the largest calf in Zoo history and the reason for the oversized Texas name. He is the fourth Asian elephant calf born at the Zoo since 2021. His mother is Bluebell and his father is Romeo, so he is a full brother to 3-year-old Travis and a half brother to Lady Bird and Brazos.
Like the cubs, Sam Houston keeps set hours. When he debuted in May, the Zoo said guests could see him in the main Elephant Springs habitat from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. The Zoo said the afternoon naps are "necessary to his development and wellbeing." Those are the last hours the Zoo published, and they date from spring, so check with the Zoo before you plan around them. The same announcement said that in time, Sam Houston and Lady Bird might be seen playing together in the main habitat.
Where the two windows overlap
The two schedules share a three-hour block. A visit timed to that block can be short:
- Arrive near 11 a.m. The cubs have been out since 10, and Sam Houston's published window opens at 11.
- See the elephants before 2 p.m. That is when the calf's posted viewing hours end.
- Go back to the tigers before 3:30 p.m. After that, the cubs' outdoor time is over for the day.
- Leave by 5 p.m. The Zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Price matters more on a short visit like this. General admission is $22 for adults and $18 for children ages 3 to 12 and seniors 65 and older. Children 2 and under get in free, and parking is $5 per vehicle. The Zoo also offers half-price admission every Wednesday, all year. That makes Wednesday the cheapest day to catch the midday overlap. Our summer playbook for Park Hill covered the same Wednesday discount for hot-weather visits, and it still applies once the weather cools.
What else is new, and what is still behind the scenes
The rest of the Zoo's 2026 news shows what you can see this fall and what you can't yet.
- Gharials. Eight critically endangered gharials hatched between June 3 and June 26, a record fourth year in a row. This year's hatchlings are still behind the scenes. Juveniles from earlier clutches are on view in the Museum of Living Art. Their newer habitat is deeper inside the building, past the adult gharials at the entrance.
- World of Primates. The Zoo's oldest complex reopened April 21. It added Olive, the Zoo's first two-toed sloth, and a boardwalk that lets guests onto an indoor island that only animals could use before.
- The gorilla habitat. Phase Two will fill in the gorilla moat, which doubles the troop's habitat. The Zoo's visitor page says a construction fence now surrounds that area.
- Zebras. In late August, two young half brothers, Hercules and Pegasus, went back into the African Savanna habitat.
All of these sit on the same 10-to-5 schedule. A midday visit built around the cubs and the calf still leaves time for the Museum of Living Art or the primate boardwalk.
The November calendar, and two December dates
Boo at the Zoo is over, and the Zoo's next few weeks are made up of smaller, ticketed events. Most of them start in the morning, before or near the start of the cubs' outdoor hours.
| Date | Event | Time | Cost and details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed., Nov. 4 and 18; Wed., Dec. 2 and 16 | Cub Club | 9 to 10 a.m. or 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. | $20 per child with one adult included, $5 per extra adult; the fall dates are sold out and a waitlist is open |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Kids' fishing seminar, ages 6 to 10 | 8:30 to 10 a.m. or 10:30 a.m. to noon | $65 for one child and one adult; members get 10% off |
| Sat., Nov. 7 | Fort Worth Opera family performance | 11 a.m. | Includes Zoo admission and an animal encounter led by Zoo staff |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Members' Pumpkins & Pancakes | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. | Free for members; guests $19 adults, $15 children and seniors; breakfast $16 and $12, on sale through Nov. 8 or until sold out |
Tickets for the opera performance are sold through Fort Worth Opera. For Pumpkins & Pancakes, children 2 and under eat free with a toddler meal ticket, and guest admission can be bought at the gate on the day of the event.
Hours change for the holidays. On Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day the Zoo is open from noon to 4 p.m., and dining, retail and attractions are closed. On New Year's Day it is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. On the two shortened holidays, the noon opening cuts two hours from the cubs' viewing window, which leaves noon to 3:30 p.m.
Where the rest of Wednesday goes
On the half-price Wednesday, the Zoo's midday schedule fits well with a newer business near Park Hill. Bluebonnet Books and Wine, at 3464 Blue Bonnet Circle, opened in early September. Its hours are Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., so it opens and closes on nearly the same clock as the Zoo.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported that owners Dana St. Germain and Robert Costas sell used books for $5 to $20. For now, Costas pours free glasses of wine as the store's informal "sommelier." The shop plans to serve wine and beer on tap once it gets an alcohol license. Until then, the free glass is what's offered.
The shop's weekly schedule lines up with the same mornings and weekends as the Zoo's calendar:
- Thursdays at 10 a.m. Ms. Sue leads toddler story time and crafts. Details are posted on the shop's social pages.
- Saturdays. Sourdough ordered through Small Kitchen Sourdough is ready for pickup at the shop.
- Any month. The "this book made me think of you" program starts with a meeting with St. Germain about the person you're shopping for. She then puts together a package of 12 handpicked books.
St. Germain told the Star-Telegram she has met more neighbors from the Bluebonnet and TCU area since opening than ever before. She hopes the shop becomes a place where people come to hang out. The paper also suggests stopping in to say hi to Cleo, the shop dog.
A Wednesday plan for a Park Hill household could look like this: tiger cubs at half price around 11, the elephant calf before 2, and Blue Bonnet Circle in the afternoon with a $5 paperback. You'll find more on the neighborhood's location next to the Zoo, Forest Park and TCU on our Park Hill neighborhood page.
Living this close to the Zoo gate is part of what a Park Hill home is worth, and we include details like these when we explain the neighborhood to buyers. If you're thinking about what your home on this side of Forest Park might bring, Duwe-Olsen Group is ready to talk it through. Request a private consultation with our Fort Worth luxury specialists.
