An elephant at The North Carolina Zoo, located in the town of Asheboro, North Carolina. The North Carolina Zoo, located about 70 miles west of Raleigh and about 90 miles from Charlotte, is one of the largest natural habitat zoos in the United States that allows visitors to walk through its grounds. One of only two state-supported zoos in the country, the NC Zoo was the first American zoo to incorporate the natural habitat philosophy, which presents animals and plants together in exhibits that resemble the natural habits of these creatures in the wild. The North Carolina Zoological Park features animals from Africa and North America. The 1,500-acre zoo is located atop Purgatory Mountain, which is part of the Uwharrie Mountains in central North Carolina.