Whether you are five years old, or fifty, everyone loves a trip to the zoo – and while the Hawaiian Islands are home to both the Honolulu Zoo and the Maui Ocean Center, there is a lesser-known zoo hiding near Hilo that will blow you away. The Panaewa Rainforest Zoo is so unique, in fact, that it is the only one of its kind in the entire country.

Operated by Hawaii County, and located on 12 acres of rainforest land, the Panaewa Rainforest Zoo is far from your typical zoo experience.
pixtory/Flickr
The zoo serves as both an educational and recreational facility for children, and is also home to an impressive botanical collection.
Mark Goebel/Flickr
Opened in 1978, the zoo is home to more than 600 species of animals that all come from similar rainforest climates.
Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i/Flickr
This menagerie of beautiful animals and stunning scenery is the only rainforest zoo found in the United States, and is a welcome addition to any trip to the Hilo area.
Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i/Flickr
The exhibits are designed to blend with the existing vegetation and terrain of the Panaewa Rainforest Reserve, an enchanting place that receives more than 125 inches of rain each year.
Hector Parayuelos/Flickr

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From ring-tail lemurs of Madagascar and sloths to anteaters and a variety of butterflies, the zoo's residents are quite unique.
Hector Parayuelos/Flickr
The zoo's most visited residents are two Bengal tigers: an orange female named Sriracha, and a white male named Tzatziki, who celebrated their first birthday earlier this month.
Friends of the Panaewa Zoo/Facebook
The zoo can get as many as 2,000 visitors when schools are out of session, and receives approximately 200,000 visitors each year.
Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i/Flickr
Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i/Flickr
Admission is free, and the zoo is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. year-round, except for Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Makuahine Pa’i Ki’i/Flickr

From zoos and aquariums to exotic sanctuaries and ranches, animal lovers should also check out these eight awesome places in Hawaii.

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