The Queens Zoo, a tribute to American animals, opened to the public on June 25, 1992. It was the second of three "city zoos" to be renovated and operated by Wildlife Conservation Society, through a partnership with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

Unlike the much older Central Park and Prospect Park zoos (which were renovated and reopened by WCS in 1988 and 1993, respectively), the Queens Zoo had only existed since 1968. That year, the "Flushing Meadows Zoo" opened on the grounds of the 1964 World's Fair. However, advances in zoo technology and animal management rapidly left the zoo in need of an update. The new zoo is the result of a $16 million reconstruction.