Charles Towne Landing Animal Forest

The Animal Forest at Charles Towne Landing combines a wildlife park with the history of South Carolina's first permanent European settlement. Set within Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, the 22-acre zoo recreates natural habitats for animals associated with the Carolina landscape during the colonial period. Informational signs along the trail connect the wildlife to the challenges and daily realities faced by early settlers, giving the animal exhibits a historical context that is unusual for a zoo.

The Animal Forest is explored on a three-quarter-mile paved trail, with habitats featuring species such as pumas, black bears, bison, white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and river otters. The river otter habitat includes large underwater viewing windows that offer a different perspective on the animals' movements. Rather than functioning as a standalone collection of exhibits, the forest is designed as part of the broader historic site, making it particularly suited to travelers interested in experiencing wildlife alongside Carolina's colonial landscape and history.