Bigger, better exhibits brought more than 1.3 million visitors to the Minnesota Zoo for the second straight year, zoo officials reported Tuesday.

HOW MANY?

For the second year in a row, the Minnesota Zoo attracted more than 1.3 million guests, exceeding its attendance goal by more than 11 percent. A total of 1,338,581 guests visited this past fiscal year, which ended June 30. Attendance was the second-highest yearly attendance in the zoo's 32-year history and second only to last year's record 1,355,000 visitors.

WHY SO HIGH?

Zoo officials cite these factors:

•The opening last summer of the Woodland Adventure play area.

•Favorable spring weather.

•Record attendance for the Farm Babies event in April.

•Continued interest in Russia's Grizzly Coast exhibit (opened in 2008).

•Faces of the African Forest, which opened Memorial Day weekend.

WHAT THEY SAY:

"With the recent groundbreaking for the first phase of our ambitious 'Heart of the Zoo' project, the zoo is looking forward to continued success and even greater positive impact on our guests, the animals in our care and the natural world we are dedicated to celebrating and protecting," said Minnesota Zoo Director/CEO Lee Ehmke.

MORE CHANGES:

2011: Target Theater, with a bird show and other features.

2012: Classrooms and a new penguin exhibit.

2013: Black bears join the Minnesota Trail.

2014: Reptiles and a new coral reef.

Staff report

IF YOU GO:

Where: The Minnesota Zoo is in Apple Valley, just east of Cedar Avenue on County Road 38.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. until Sept. 6.

How much: $16 for ages 13-64. $10 for over 65 and 3-12. Kids 2 and under free. Plus $5 parking.