Welcome to The Big Island’s Pana’ewa Rainforest Zoo located in Hilo, Hawaii. Spanning over 12 acres, this is the United State’s only naturally occurring tropical rainforest zoo. The zoo offers a variety of species to observe, a beautiful park for the keiki (children), and a petting zoo open on Saturdays.
Admission is free to all!

This friendly beauty, the black swan, greets visitors just inside the gate.

Tame peafowl roam the park freely. The males show off their vibrant plumage to attract a mate. 

Fanciful artwork decorates the restrooms in the children’s area. 

The children’s park offers a place for keiki to play with shaded seating and tables for picnics.

The petting zoo, open on Saturdays 1:30pm to 2:30pm offers keiki a wonderfully educational, hands on experience with goats, tortoises, a miniature horse and much more! 

This resident Turkey Vulture sports a five foot wing span and feeds on carrion when in its natural habitat.  

The Nene goose rests in its enclosure shared with the Sacred Ibis birds of Africa and Madacascar. The Nene is the Hawaiian State bird. 

The sleepy little ‘Io (ee-oh), the Hawaiian hawk, perches for a nap. 

One of many Ring Tailed Lemurs from Madacascar.

The Blue and Gold Macaw and the Catalina Macaw cruising up the wall of their enclosure with ease.  

One of two American Crocodiles at the zoo, named Lilo and Stitch.

Tzatziki, the zoo’s White Bengal Tiger rolls on his back like a puppy. He shares his enclosure with Sriracha, a female Orange Bengal Tiger. Both were brought to the zoo as cubs.

Jake the Boa Constrictor lives in this enclosure within another glass tank. Visitors can see the snake fed on Saturdays 11:00am. There are no wild snakes living in Hawaii.

Tropical foliage delights the senses at every turn.