Support the Zoo

Nashville Zoo Wish List: Browse Guidelines

Browse is very important to many of Nashville Zoo's animals, like elephants, giraffes, bongos, zebras, eland, porcupines and gibbons. It is a form of high-quality enrichment providing both mental and physical stimulation that is essential to their well being.

Browse is incredibly hard to find, especially during the winter months. If you live close to the Zoo (within 20 minutes or so), please contact us at 615-833-1534 if:

  • You have browse on the list below that we can come and cut (small trees and low branches 10-15 feet off the ground)
  • You are having a tree removed that we can come and take. You may also try asking the tree service to bring the tree to the Zoo.
  • You are cutting something on your property that you can bring us or we can come and collect.

If you are, or you know, a tree service, Metro or NES worker, please consider bringing appropriate plant material to the Zoo or contacting us to collect the browse if cutting nearby.

Common Browse We CAN Use:

Bamboo (any size - the bigger the better), hackberry tree, elm tree, redbud tree, sweetgum tree, hickory tree, willow tree, cottonwood tree

Common Browse We CANNOT Use:

Oak tree, sycamore tree, tulip poplar tree, cherry tree, maple tree, walnut tree, locust tree, pine or other evergreen tree

Special Thanks

Nashville Zoo's elephant department expresses its sincerest thanks to Druid Tree Service of Nashville and Community Tree LLC of Nashville for taking the extra time and expense to save and deliver browse for our three elephants - Hadari, Sukari and Kiba.