NC.gov and the NC Zoo strive to provide a secure, efficient, and friendly digital government experience. This privacy statement addresses the collection, use, disclosure, and security of information that may be obtained when you visit North Carolina government websites. So that you can understand what information we gather about you and what we do with it, we present you with this privacy policy.  

What this Privacy Policy Covers  

This Privacy Policy covers the North Carolina Zoo's treatment of personally identifiable information that the North Carolina Zoo collects when you are on the North Carolina Zoo website. 

This policy also covers North Carolina Zoo's treatment of any personally identifiable information that North Carolina Zoo's business partners share with the North Carolina Zoo. 

Information We Collect and What We Do with It 

The North Carolina Zoo collects personally identifiable information when you visit the North Carolina Zoo website and records this information in our web server logs. 

This information includes your IP address, browser type, where you're coming to us from (the page you’re leaving), North Carolina Zoo cookie information and the page you requested. This information is collected so that we may provide you with the web page you've requested and so that we can gather information about the popularity of our site, who links to us and how people use our site in general. 

The North Carolina Zoo may also use this information to inform you of new services, promotions or goods we offer. However, we don't communicate in this way to you without your prior permission. 
  

Information Collected and Stored Automatically 

When you visit our website to browse, read pages, submit forms, or download information, we automatically collect and store the following information: 

  • The Internet domain and IP address from which you access our portal; 
  • The date and time you access our site; 
  • The pages you visit;  
  • If you linked to this website from another website, the address of that website. 
  • IP addresses, which are numbers automatically assigned to a computer when using the Internet; 
  • The type of browser and operating system used to access the site; 
  • The search terms used to get to the website, in addition to search terms used in the site’s search engine; 
  • The dates and times users access the site; 
  • The type of device used to access the site; 
  • How often users visit the site; 
  • The pages users visit within the site; and 
  • The links made to other websites through this site. 

NC.Gov uses this information to help make the site more useful to visitors, to learn about the number of visitors to the site, and the types of technology visitors use. 

Use of Google Analytics 

The state uses Google Analytics measurement software to collect the information listed above. The data is automatically sent to Google’s system and the system immediately aggregates the data. Neither the state of North Carolina nor Google ever have access to the specifics of your particular site visits. The staff can only see the aggregate data from all users for a particular time period. 

The state gathers this information to improve our websites and has chosen to not share the aggregate data with Google. We may use the aggregated data to share with our partners and contractors to help improve visitor experiences. 

The state will not collect personal information about you other than statistical information that can be used to make the site more effective unless you choose to submit that information to us, for example, through online forms. Except for authorized law enforcement investigations, or as otherwise required by law, we do not share any personal information we receive with anyone else. 

Information Provided by You and What We Do with It 

If you provide information, including personally identifiable information, via the North Carolina Zoo website for certain purposes, including, but not limited to, volunteer logins, donations, or purchasing of gift cards, memberships, or tickets, this information may be collected and processed by third party business partners of the North Carolina Zoo. North Carolina Zoo does not own, manage or control these business partners or their practices. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the North Carolina Zoo strives to work with business partners that ensure that your personally identifiable information remains secure and is not provided to other companies or people without your consent. 

If you provide information, including personally identifiable information, via the North Carolina Zoo website for certain purposes, including, but not limited to, volunteer applications or request for contact, we may retain this information and use it to inform you of new volunteer opportunities, services, promotions or goods we offer. However, we don't communicate in this way to you without your prior permission. 

Who We share Information With and Why 

The North Carolina Zoo will not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to anyone. Only to the extent necessary, the North Carolina Zoo will provide personally identifiable information about you to other companies or people when: 

  • We have your consent to share the information; 
  • We need to share your information to provide the product or service you have requested; 
  • We need to send the information to companies who work on behalf of The North Carolina Zoo to provide a product or service to you. (Unless we tell you differently, these companies do not have any right to use the personally identifiable information we provide to them beyond what is necessary to assist us); 
  • We respond to subpoenas, court orders, legal process or requests for records in accordance with North Carolina’s Public Records laws; or 
  • We find that your actions on our website violate The North Carolina Zoo Terms of Service. 

Website Security 

The State is working to ensure that its websites remain secure and safe for users.   This computer system uses industry-standard encryption techniques to protect data transmissions and employs software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. Use of this site constitutes consent to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to upload information or change information on this website are strictly prohibited and subject to legal action in accordance with the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986. 

Public Records 

Information submitted to the NC Zoo via this website may be a public record. Government records in North Carolina generally are public in nature. Public records include all documents in any form made in connection with the transaction of public business by government agencies. Public records could include papers, letters, maps, books, photographs, films, sound recordings, magnetic or other tapes, electronic data-processing records, artifacts, or other documentary material, regardless of physical form or characteristics (See NC General Statute 132.1).  

Certain information is considered confidential and therefore not a public record where specifically stated as such in North Carolina Law. Information submitted to the state may be automatically considered confidential based on relevant statutes and administrative rules (e.g., personally identifying information like social security numbers) or may need to be marked or designated as confidential when it is shared with the State (e.g., a company’s trade secrets). Some examples of North Carolina laws that define or describe confidential information not considered public records include NC General Statute §§ 132-1.1 to 132-1.23 (exclusions to the Public Records Act) and NC General Statute 14-113.20 (Identity Theft).  

Information You Send Us, Including Email  

If you send us personal information via email or by filling out a form on the website, we may use that information in responding to your request. Send only the information that is necessary for us to answer your question or process your request. We may forward your email to the government employees who can best answer your questions. We do not disclose, give, sell, or transfer any personal information about our visitors, unless required by law or for legal purposes. Emails are also subject to the North Carolina Public Records Act. 

Website Cookies 

This website utilizes temporary cookies, also known as session cookies. In general, there are two types of cookies: a persistent cookie and a temporary or session cookie.   

Temporary or session cookies are small data files that stored on your computer to identify your preferences during your use of a website (i.e., during a session). They also authenticate your use as you move through pages on the website. Temporary cookies are deleted from your computer when you close your web browser. These types of cookies do not collect PII.  

A persistent cookie is a small data file that identifies a user and their preferences, including choice of language for the site, which is stored on the user's hard drive. Persistent cookies may be used for authentication, contain personally identifiable information (PII) including name and email address, and may include information that identifies the website the user accessed. NC.Gov does not use persistent cookies. 

You can configure your web browser to accept or decline cookies, or to alert you when cookies are in use. You do not have to accept cookies from NC.Gov. Not accepting cookies may result in some loss of functionality of the site.  

Protecting Children Online 

The State is committed to the protection of children’s online privacy. The Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) governs information gathered online from or about children under the age of 13. Verifiable consent from a child’s parent or guardian is required before collecting, using, or disclosing personal information from a child under age 13. If a State agency website intends to collect information from children under 13 years old, COPPA-required information and instructions will be provided by the specific web page that collects information about the child. The web page will specify exactly what the information will be used for, who will see it, and how long it will be kept. 

Third-Party Sites  

NC.gov provides links to Third Party Sites. These sites are external to NC.gov and are not governed by this Privacy Policy. Please read the privacy policy for each third-party site before using it to understand how your data may be collected and used and to determine if you approve of the use.  

This website utilizes tracking pixels from third parties.  A tracking pixel is a piece of code that is placed within a website's code that collects information about actions that are taken on a website. 

The following data can be acquired and analyzed with a tracking pixel: 

  • Operating system used
  • Type of website used, for example on mobile or desktop 
  • Type of client used, for example a browser. 
  • Client’s screen resolution 
  • Time the website was visited 
  • Activities on the website during a session  
  • IP address   

For more information about which pixels the NC Zoo website is using, please contact us via the Contact Us page.  

 

NC.GOV Social Media Sites 

Where we manage a presence on social media sites to share government information and engage with our audience, we do not collect any personally identifiable information through those sites. We do not use personal information made available by the third-party sites. If you submit a question or comment to us via a social media tool or platform, we may reply directly to you via that platform, but we do not track or record any information about individuals who use or interact with us via those platforms. 

Disclaimer 

All information provided in this website is believed to be accurate and reliable; however, the State of North Carolina assumes no responsibility for the use of this information. Please note that other agency websites that do not have this privacy statement may contain additional or different privacy statements. 

Changes to this Privacy Policy 

The North Carolina Zoo may amend this policy from time to time. If we make any substantial changes in the way we use your personal information, we will notify you by posting a prominent announcement on our pages. 

This policy uses the “North Carolina Zoo”, “NC.gov”, and the State of North Carolina interchangeably to refer to the same entity. 

Revised January 2023.