We have several wildlife preserves here in Arizona, but you'll rarely see elephants at any of them. But there's a unique zoo in Tucson that lets visitors get up close and personal with some of nature's gentlest giants and observe their daily habits. Reid Park Zoo in Arizona is a truly unique place offering unforgettable animal encounters with nature's gentlest giants.

Reid Park Zoo in Arizona is a massive, 24-acre facility that's home to over two dozen species, many of which are exotic and/or endangered.

More than 500,000 people visit annually to admire the zoo's fascinating creatures.

The zoo offers a variety of different experiences, but Expedition Tanzania is perhaps the coolest.

This exhibit is home to a beautiful family of African elephants. We have so much to learn from this amazing species, and the first step is simply observing them, which is easy to do here at Reid Park Zoo (speaking from experience)!

Spanning a whopping seven acres, the elephant habitat could almost be its own zoo! In fact, it pretty much serves as an elephant sanctuary in Arizona.

Featuring a large pond and plenty of land for the pachyderms to roam on, this spacious enclosure bears a striking resemblance to their natural habitat.

Did you know elephants love watermelon? It's their absolute favorite treat on a hot summer day, and you can watch them chow down during mealtime.

It's quite an adorable sight to behold!

These wondrous animals are also incredibly curious, intelligent, and playful.

At this unique experience, you'll also get to watch how the Reid Park Zoo elephants interact with their handlers. Known as the "training wall," this special fence bridges the gap between worlds.

Reid Park Zoo truly is one of the most amazing places to visit in Arizona.

You'll learn so much from these animals, and walk away with a renewed sense of wonder and awe at the glory of Mother Nature.

Take a look at this video on the elephants at Reid Park Zoo by @ReidParkZooAz:

I highly recommend visiting this small zoo. In addition to the elephants (my favorite animal), Reid Park is also home to an alligator, grizzly bears, Southern White Rhinos, capybara, bearded dragons, and many more fascinating creatures from around the globe.

For more information on Reid Park Zoo in Arizona, be sure to check out the Reid Park Zoo website and follow the Reid Park Zoo Facebook page. If you don't have time for a zoo trip, you can live-stream the elephants via the park's Zoo Cams. (And it's not all pacaderms here, either -- you can watch the Zoo's giraffes, lemurs, and lions, too!)

Have you ever been to Expedition Tanzania at Reid Park Zoo? If so, let us know all about your experience! And if you're into animals and wildlife, definitely be sure to check out another can't-miss animal encounter in Arizona, an exotic animal sanctuary with some seriously adorable big cats!

Before or after visiting Reid Park Zoo, you should take a Historical Guided Tour of Tucson. You can book this informative tour on Viator.