About the Zoo & Wildlife

The Navajo Nation Zoological and Botanical Park (Navajo: Diné Bikéyah binaaldeehii dóó chʼil danílʼínídi) is located in Window Rock, Arizona, the capital of the Navajo Nation. It is the only tribally owned zoological park in the United States and is notable among zoological facilities in that it labels its exhibits in the Navajo language. Having been operated by the Navajo Nation Parks and Recreation Department since its inception in the early 1960s, the park became part of the Navajo Nation Department of Fish and Wildlife in September 2006. While its facilities have the unique mission of preserving and caring for the fauna and flora significant to Navajo culture, its existence has also sparked controversy among the more traditionalist elements in Navajo society.