Bronx Zoo

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For other uses, see The Bronx Zoo (disambiguation).
Bronx Zoo

Bronx Zoo logo

Asia Gate Entrance
Date opened November 8, 1899 [1]
Location 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx Park, Bronx, New York, 10460, USA
Coordinates 40°51′02″N 73°52′31″W / 40.850581°N 73.87538°W / 40.850581; -73.87538Coordinates: 40°51′02″N 73°52′31″W / 40.850581°N 73.87538°W / 40.850581; -73.87538
Land area 265 acres (107 ha)[2]
Number of animals 4,000 [3]
Number of species 650 [3]
Memberships AZA [4]
Major exhibits Congo Gorilla Forest, JungleWorld, Wild Asia Monorail, Madagascar!, Tiger Mountain, African Plains, World of Birds, World of Monkeys, World of Reptiles, Zoo Center
Website www.bronxzoo.com

The Bronx Zoo is located in the Bronx borough of New York City, within Bronx Park. It is one of the world's largest metropolitan zoos, with some 4,000 animals representing about 650 species from around the world. The zoo comprises 265 acres (107 ha) of park lands and naturalistic habitats, through which the Bronx River flows.

The Bronx Zoo is part of an integrated system of four zoos and one aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Contents

History [edit]

Fordham University owned the land which became the Bronx Zoo and New York Botanical Garden. Fordham sold it to the City of New York for only $1,000 under the condition that the lands be used for a zoo and garden; this was in order to create a natural buffer between the university grounds and the urban expansion that was nearing. In the 1880s, New York State set aside the land for future development as parks. In 1895, New York State chartered the New York Zoological Society (later renamed to Wildlife Conservation Society)[1] for the purpose of founding a zoo.

Zoo Director William T. Hornaday feeding a greater kudu in 1920

The zoo (originally called the Bronx Zoological Park[5] and the Bronx Zoological Gardens[6]) opened its doors to the public on November 8, 1899, featuring 843 animals in 22 exhibits. The first zoo director was William Temple Hornaday.[7] Heins & LaFarge designed the original permanent buildings as a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the large circular sea lion pool.[8] In 1934, the Rainey Memorial Gates, designed by noted sculptor Paul Manship, were dedicated as a memorial to noted big game hunter Paul James Rainey.[9] The gates were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.[10]

A side entrance to the Bronx Zoo

In November 2006, the Zoo opened up brand-new eco-friendly restrooms outside the Bronx River Gate. According to the Clivus multrum company, which built the composting toilets chosen by the Zoo, these facilities will service 500,000 people and save 1,000,000 U.S. gallons (3,800,000 l) of water a year.[11][12]

In March 2007, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Fordham University Graduate School of Education announced they would offer a joint program leading to a Master of Science degree in education and New York State initial teacher certification in adolescent science education (biology grades 7-12). The program began in 2008, and is the first joint degree program of its kind.[13]

Exhibits and attractions [edit]

Astor Court and Sea Lion Pool [edit]

At the heart of the park, bark hello to the sea lions, tour Zoo Center, and take a trip back in time to the Zoo's earliest days. Built at the turn of the 20th century, Astor Court's Beaux-Arts buildings are New York City landmarks.

African Plains [edit]

Trek past lions, storks, and zebras on a typical African savannah. Herds of gazelles share their home with nyalas and African wild dogs and giraffes eye each other across a plain. It's as close to the Serengeti as you can get in the Bronx!

Baboon Reserve [edit]

Hightail it to the Ethiopian highlands! This stunning slice of "African Alps" is among the largest primate exhibits in the U.S. On its grassy slopes, geladas, a close relative of baboons, graze and romp alongside Nubian ibexes, rock hyraxes, and African waterfowl.

Big Bears [edit]

Big bears deserve their big reputations! The Zoo's charismatic brown bears patrol a high ridge of natural rock, splash about in swimming holes, and nap in cozy dens. The polar bears love a dip in the pool-especially when it's frozen.

Children's Zoo [edit]

Climb into a bird's nest, hop like a wallaby, and feed a goat! There's plenty for little fingers and big eyes to touch and see in this cozy, three-acre setting full of kids' activities. Experience firsthand various types of animal habitats, locomotion, senses, and defenses.

Congo Gorilla Forest [edit]

Go nose-to-nose with gorillas in a 6.5-acre swath of the rainforest that will transport you to the heart of Africa. Your Congo wildlife safari will be packed with surprises as you trek beneath the canopy of leaves, through sprays of mist, and up to treetop lookouts.

Wild Asia Monorail [edit]

Take a load off! Sit back and relax as you travel above mud wallows and pastures, forests and riverbanks to the heart of Wild Asia. A guided tour will help you spot a wide array of animals along the way, including tigers, elephants, and rhinos.

Zoo Shuttle [edit]

Rest your tired feet and take an express ride around the Zoo. The Zoo's trolley travels between Wild Asia and Zoo Center, stopping along the way near Tiger Mountain. Your ticket buys unlimited rides all day; ride is free for senior citizens.

Bug Carousel [edit]

Imagine bugs so big your children can ride them! Kids can enjoy a true flight of fancy aboard a long-legged praying mantis, a bright green grasshopper, or another of their favorite creepy-crawlies. A dung beetle chariot provides a more sedate-and silly-ride.

Butterfly Garden [edit]

Experience the wonder of butterflies and other backyard bugs in a lush wild meadow and spacious greenhouse. Inside the conservatory, classical music creates a soothing backdrop as you amble among monarchs, julias, and other winged beauties.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, The 4-D Experience [edit]

Follow sub-zero heroes Manny, Ellie and Diego as they venture into a mysterious underground world. Their journey begins when Sid the Sloth stumbles across three abandoned eggs and decides to raise them as his own. Once the eggs hatch, the adventure begins in the lost world of the dinosaurs. Viewed in eye-popping 3-D, the 14-minute film features an all-star voice cast, including Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary and Queen Latifah. Thrilling sensory effects, such as wind, mist, and snow complete the experience.

Mouse House [edit]

More than house mice and hamsters! From gerbils and chinchillas to beavers and porcupines, rodents make up more than 40 percent of all mammal species. Slink through the halls to meet rainforest scurriers and desert burrowers.

Russell B. Aitken Sea Bird Colony and Aquatic Birds [edit]

Honk hello to flamingos, storks, and other birds that inhabit marshes and lagoons. Outside, a sky-high aviary recreates the windswept coast of Patagonia, where seabirds swoop and penguins swim along your trail.

World of Birds [edit]

Sing along with blue-bellied rollers, nod your head to helmeted curassows, and admire the smooth moves of the Cuban Amazon parrot. In the World of Birds you'll find striking headdresses, elegant plumes, and plenty of preening.

Himalayan Highlands [edit]

Explore the high passes and remote mountaintops of Nepal that are home to endangered snow leopards, red pandas, and white-naped cranes. A winding path leads you around boulders, under cave ledges, and across bridges spanning ravines.

JungleWorld [edit]

Transport yourself to the tropics! Inside the Zoo's Asian jungle, the warm air is just right for otters, gibbons, and a tapir, among nearly 800 other critters that live in mangroves and beaches, sharing their homes just as they would in the wild.

Madagascar! [edit]

Leaping lemurs! Hissing cockroaches! Cave-dwelling crocs! Meet one-of-a-kind wildlife from the world's fourth largest island. Towering baobabs and octopus trees, forested deserts, and other enchanting habitats will transport you there.

Tiger Mountain [edit]

Go nose-to-nose with Siberian tigers on a woodland that recreates the Russian Far East. In this showcase of the Zoo's animal enrichment program, discover how training, toys, and foraging games help the big cats stay fit and stimulated.

World of Reptiles [edit]

Frogs that look like moss, turtles with snouts like pigs, pythons that grow to 22 feet...see them all at the World of Reptiles. Our scaly superstars and herp heroes include Cuban crocs, green tree monitors, poison dart frogs, and many more.

Conservation [edit]

The Bronx Zoo made the news in August 2006 when it agreed to enter a snow leopard cub, Leo, into its breeding program. The 13-month-old cub was found stuck in mud following a landslide in Naltar Valley in Pakistan. The landslide had killed the cub's mother. A Pakistani shepherd in the area found the cub with its female sibling, but the female had died a week later due to malnutrition. He then handed over the male cub to Pakistani authorities to care for him. Since there are no captive breeding programs or rehabilitation centers for snow leopards in Pakistan, the authorities decided to send the cub to the Bronx Zoo. The leopard will be returned to its place of birth following construction of a rehab facility in the Naltar Valley with cooperation from the United States.[14][15][16]

In January 2010, the zoo was selected to house four abandoned baby bear cubs. The Wildlife Conservation Society suspects that their mother was killed in a mudslide. The four cubs are healthy and happy in their new home.[1]

In February 2010, the Bronx Zoo put an "assurance colony" of Kihansi Spray Toads. The species disappeared in their native Tanzania home.[2]

Incidents [edit]

1985 zookeeper death [edit]

On July 29, 1985, two Siberian tigresses killed 24-year-old animal keeper Robin Silverman after she entered their enclosure with a volunteer aide.[17] It was unclear why Silverman entered the enclosure; the zoo's general curator suspected a lapse in concentration while Silverman's family suspected a lapse on the part of the zoo. It was the first fatality in the zoo's history.[18]

2012 mauling [edit]

On September 21, 2012, a man, David Villalobos, 25, jumped off a monorail train (he was not strapped in, and cleared the 16-foot-high perimeter fence around the area) into the tiger exhibit and was mauled by a male 11-year-old Siberian (Amur) tiger named Bashuta, who has been in residence at the Zoo for three years and will not be euthanized as a result of the incident, since it was clearly provoked and there was not a fatality. He was alone with the tiger for about 10 minutes, and was attacked on his shoulder, arms, legs, and back, before he was rescued by zoo officials (who used fire extinguishers to chase the tiger away and told him to escape by rolling under a wire), according to Zoo Director Jim Breheny. He is in stable condition at an area hospital, and will likely be arrested for trespassing (it was initially thought before an interview that it was a possible suicide attempt; Villalobos, who had petted the 400-pound animal, wanted to be "one with the tiger").[19]

Animal escapes [edit]

On March 26, 2011, the Bronx Zoo announced that the reptile house was closed after a venomous adolescent Egyptian cobra was discovered missing from its off-exhibit enclosure on March 25. Zoo officials were confident the missing cobra would be found in the building and not outside, since the Egyptian cobra is known to be uncomfortable in open areas.[20] The missing snake quickly sparked a popular Twitter parody account, @BronxZoosCobra,[21] which narrated the daily hijinks of the Egyptian cobra.[22] On March 31, zoo authorities found the snake in a non-public, non-exhibit area of the reptile house.[23]

On May 9, 2011, a female Green Peafowl escaped from the zoo before being caught on May 11.[24]

See also [edit]

Portal icon New York City portal

Notes [edit]

  1. ^ a b "Wildlife Conservation Society". fundinguniverse.com. Funding Universe. Retrieved 28 May 2010. 
  2. ^ "How long does is take to see the zoo". bronxzoo.com. WCS. Retrieved 20 October 2012. 
  3. ^ a b "Bronx Zoo". nycgovparks.org. New York City. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  4. ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Retrieved 27 May 2010. 
  5. ^ "New Antelope house". nytimes.com (New York Times). November 27, 1903. Retrieved 28 February 2011.  "The antelope house at the Bronx Zoological Park was opened to the public yesterday."
  6. ^ "Taft Enjoys Trip To The Bronx Zoo". nytimes.com (New York Times). May 24, 1911. Retrieved 28 February 2011.  "President Taft paid a two-hour visit to the Bronx Zoological Gardens yesterday afternoon, as the guest of the New York Zoological Society."
  7. ^ "Dr. W. T. Hornaday Dies In Stamford". nytimes.com (New York Times). March 7, 1937. Retrieved 31 May 2010.  "Dr. William T. Hornaday, who retired as the first director of the New York Zoological Park in 1926 after thirty years' service and who since had devoted himself to the protection of wild life, largely through his writings and efforts as head of the Permanent Wild Life Protection Fund, died tonight at his home, the Anchorage, in West North Street, this city."
  8. ^ Bridges, William. Gathering of Animals: An unconventional history of the New York Zoological Society. New York: Harper & Row, 1974.
  9. ^ Stephen S. Lash (May 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Rainey Memorial Gates". New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. Retrieved 2011-01-12. 
  10. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. 
  11. ^ "Bronx Zoo". clivusmultrum.com. Clivus Multrum. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  12. ^ "Composting Toilets, The Bronx Zoo, and Design that's Disgusting". poopthebook.com. The Poop Culture Blog. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  13. ^ "New GSE Master's Program Approved and Ready To Roar". fordham.edu. Fordham University. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  14. ^ "Endangered Leo bound for Bronx". dawn.com. Dawn. Retrieved 31 May 2010. [dead link]
  15. ^ "Pakistan snow leopard cub heads to Bronx". msnbc.msn.com. Associated Press. 8 August 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  16. ^ "Bronx Zoo Provides New Home for Pakistani Snow Leopard". america.gov. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 31 May 2010. 
  17. ^ Oren Yaniv (27 December 2007). "Flashback to death by Bronx Zoo tiger". New York Daily News. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 
  18. ^ "Death at the Bronx Zoo". TIME. 18 April 2005. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 
  19. ^ Hayes, Tom (September 22, 2012). "Mauled NY man: I wanted to be one with the tiger". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 20, 2012. 
  20. ^ Kevin Dolak (27 March 2011). "Bronx Zoo Reptile House Closed After Poisonous Snake Goes Missing". ABC News. Retrieved 29 March 2011. 
  21. ^ "Bronx Zoo's Cobra". Twitter. Retrieved 30 March 2011. 
  22. ^ Jonathan Allen (30 March 2011). "Missing Bronx zoo cobra sparks Twitter following". Reuters. Retrieved 30 March 2011. 
  23. ^ "Missing Bronx Zoo Egyptian Cobra Finally Captured". WCBS-TV. 31 March 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2011. 
  24. ^ O'Connor, Anahad (10 May 2011). "Another Bronx Getaway, This Time Without the Scales". The New York Times. Retrieved 12 August 2011. 

External links [edit]

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