Located in Texas Wild! near the wishing well, this building is the home base for many Texas-based education programs, primarily the Zoo’s Texas Nature Traders. This formalized program encourages kids (age 3 and older) to explore the outdoors and bring to the building fossils, rocks, bones, plants and other artifacts in exchange for points. Traders can redeem points (or save them for future use) for items in the Nature Trader inventory. While exploration is encouraged in many areas, the Zoo’s program will concentrate on native Texas nature items. Currently, because of the pandemic, Texas Nature Traders operates virtually on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:45 to 4:45 p.m. Simply email us to receive the Zoom meeting link and password to enter our virtual Texas Nature Traders outpost! (If you are not yet a TNT member, fill out the registration form below.)
TNT MEMBER LOGIN
How It Works
Find a natural item that interests you or about which you would like to know more. Learn all you can about your item.
Bring your item to Texas Nature Traders at the Fort Worth Zoo and share what you know about your item with our staff.
Earn points for your item and for your knowledge about the item.Trade your points for something in our collection or save them for later.
Earn Points
Knowledge – Share interesting facts about your item.
Quality – Your item must be clean and in good condition.
Effort – Research and learn as much as you can about your item.
Texas Nature Traders Guidelines
- Children must be at least 3 years old to become a Texas Nature Trader.
- Children may trade up to two items in one visit. One “item” can be a collection of five or more like items (such as five pine cones, five sticks, etc.).
- Siblings or friends cannot split points – each trade in and out must be done by one individual.
Items for Trading
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What We Can't Trade: |
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- Items from state and national parks
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- Beach-combed (non-harvested) coral
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- Arrowheads or Native American artifacts
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- Intentionally killed vertebrates
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- Snake sheds (found in nature)
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- Casts of animal footprints
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- Clean shells (except bird bones)
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- Items found on Zoo grounds
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- Bird materials of any kind (feathers, eggs, nests, etc.)
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- Living plants and animals
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- Deceased insects (spiders, butterflies, etc.)
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- Nature journals (printed photos, art, stories)
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- Pinecones, nuts, seeds and seed pods
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- Materials from the family pet (domestic snake shed, etc.)
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- Roadkill or similarly “gross” items (No dead animals. Insects are OK.)
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Register for Texas Nature Traders
Quests
Texas Nature Traders now offers more ways to earn points! Quests can be completed at home, at the Zoo and inside the Texas Nature Traders building. Click on the links below to view the available Quests. You can download and print copies at home or visit us at the Texas Nature Traders building.
At-Home Quests
Fort Worth Zoo Quests
