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Dallas, TX
What’s the story behind Dallas Zoo’s iconic giraffe statue? Curious Texas has the tale
Dallas-Fort Worth residents, new and old, are familiar with the Dallas Zoo’s iconic giraffe statue, which has been a staple in the community for many years.
But Dallas Morning News reader Katherine Homan asked Curious Texas: “What is the story behind the zoo’s giraffe?”
Let’s peel back the layers in the tale of the zoo’s beloved statue.
The statue has been standing for nearly three decades, said Dustin Crawford, assistant vice president of capital projects and facilities maintenance at the zoo. Construction on the bronzed beauty was announced in October of 1996, and it was installed on Jan. 22, 1997.
The statue was designed to stand 50-55 feet tall with a 2-foot tall tongue, but Crawford said Larry Powell, a columnist with The News, suggested it be even taller. So it was.
According to Crawford, the statue now stands 67.5 feet tall, including about a 40-inch tongue. That makes it taller than Big Tex, which stands at about 55 feet tall.
For 20 years, the Dallas Zoo’s giraffe statue took the crown as the tallest statue in Texas. Today, Crawford said there are two or three statues that stand taller than the giraffe.
The goal behind making the statue so tall was to make it a large visual marker, grabbing the attention of drivers as they passed the zoo. And mission accomplished, because the giraffe has served as a landmark and key part of the community for years.
“People from Dallas take a lot of pride in the statue,” Crawford said.
So what is it made of, and how did they get it in front of the zoo? It’s an easier process than you think.
Bob Cassilly, an artist and sculptor based in Missouri, designed and built the statue in his St. Louis studio. Crawford said the statue, made out of bonded bronze and plexiglass, was transported to Dallas in pieces on three flatbed trucks. Then it was assembled here. (No, it was not transported in one gigantic piece.)
And after nearly 30 years of standing, weathering many storms, the giraffe was due for a much-needed makeover. Last year, Dallas Zoo officials made the decision to refurbish the statue, as part of an investment into the zoo and its surrounding community. Work on it began in December and took about three weeks to complete.
The refurbishing gives it the shine you see now, Crawford said, and it should last a decade longer. Great for a photo opp.
Zoo officials say the best place to take a photo of the giraffe in its entirety is by the nearby McDonald’s, the elephant sculptures or at the Halperin Park overlook. People are also able to walk up and get close to the statue, but the photo won’t be that great. At best, you’ll get a hoof, they said.
“We are proud to have such an enduring and visible symbol of Dallas serve as an iconic welcome to Southern Dallas and the Dallas Zoo,” Dallas Zoo CEO Lisa New said. “For generations, the giraffe has been a familiar and beloved landmark for our community and a signal that visitors have arrived somewhere special.”
Jeff Kolb and Sam Gannon welcome Cowboys insiders Clarence Hill (All City Dallas) and Calvin Watkins (Dallas Morning News) for a hilarious breakdown of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. Giving insight, arguments, and plenty of laughs as two of the best Dallas Cowboys writers in the business go head-to-head on what Dallas should do next.
Dallas, TX
New video of Lake Dallas explosion draws focus on order decades ago to remove old plastic pipes
The search for the next general manager or president of basketball operations of the Dallas Mavericks has begun. They terminated Nico Harrison in November, which was about nine months too late, and gave any available candidates clear notice that they were open for business.
The plan was always to wait until after the season to start the search. While names popped up as the season reached an end, they didn’t begin turning over the staff until the Monday after the season ended. However, Dallas Mavericks fans are not going to like how the team is going about the search.
Patrick Dumont Leading Search for General Manager
NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that the Mavericks are not hiring a search firm in their hunt for a new lead executive. Instead, team governor Patrick Dumont is “acting as his own point person.”
This is an… interesting decision, to say the least. Dumont is not a basketball person whatsoever, and most organizations usually hire a search firm. The Chicago Bulls hired one as they look for their replacement for Arturas Karnisovas. Just because a firm is hired doesn’t mean a team will listen, though.
The Mavericks hired a firm in their last search for a GM. They let Donnie Nelson go in 2021 after a long tenure with the Mavs. Instead of listening to the firm, though, Mark Cuban ignored it to hire Nico Harrison, who had no previous NBA front office experience. Harrison had been an executive with Nike, which gave him connections with players like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and plenty of others.
For a while, that seemed to be working out okay. While he still had some questionable transactions, such as trading for Christian Wood and letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency, they were still able to make a run to the NBA Finals in 2024. Then, he blew it all up, trading away Luka Doncic for an older and injured Anthony Davis, and the team hasn’t been the same since.
It’s imperative that the Mavericks get this hire correct. The interim Co-GM setup with Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley has performed admirably, but the 2026 NBA Draft is important for the Mavs to get right. It’s their best chance to pair Cooper Flagg with another young star, as they don’t own their first-round pick again until 2031 after this.
Hiring the right GM could help bring in more draft capital by bringing in bad contracts or flipping veterans into picks.
Dumont was able to convince Rick Welts, a Hall of Famer, to come out of retirement to be the CEO and lead the charge for a new arena. Maybe Dumont pulls another rabbit out of his hat for the GM.
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