Salisbury Zoo

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Salisbury Zoo

Salisbury Zoo logo

Sign entering the Salisbury Zoo
Date opened 1954
Location Salisbury, Maryland, USA
Land area 12 acres (4.9 ha)[1]
Coordinates 38°21′40″N 75°34′58″W / 38.3610°N 75.5828°W / 38.3610; -75.5828Coordinates: 38°21′40″N 75°34′58″W / 38.3610°N 75.5828°W / 38.3610; -75.5828
Number of animals 110+
Annual visitors 300,000+[2]
Memberships AZA[3]
Owner City of Salisbury
Salisbury Zoo Commission
Website www.salisburyzoo.org

The Salisbury Zoological Park, commonly referred to as the Salisbury Zoo, is a 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo located on the Delmarva Peninsula in the Salisbury, Maryland city park. Its collection of over 110 animals includes American alligators, flamingos, North American river otters, ocelots, Patagonian Cavys, red wolves, two-toed sloths, jaguars, llamas, turtles, macaws, rescued raptors and owls, and a spectacled or Andean bear.

The Salisbury Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and is one of only 15 AZA-accredited zoos that do not charge an entrance fee.[4]

Contents

[edit] History

The zoo was founded in 1954 with the placement of some animals on permanent display in the city park. Improvements made in the 1970s resulted in the naturalistic enclosures for species native to North, Central and South America that visitors see today.[5]

The zoo is currently run by a 9 member commission appointed by the Salisbury city council, and is funded partly by the Salisbury Zoo Commission and partly by the City of Salisbury.[5]

[edit] Oldest spectacled bear

The Salisbury Zoo was home to the oldest known captive-born spectacled or Andean bear in the world, as of 2011, named Poopsie.[6] She was born in December 1973 at the Baltimore Zoo and came to the Salisbury Zoo when she was only 7 months old, on July 18, 1974. Poopsie bor two litters of cubs in 1980 and 1981, which she outlived. Spectacled bears generally live to be 25–28 years old. Poopsie turned 37 on December 27, 2010. She was euthanized on November 9, 2011 following arthritic conditions, compromised mobility, and depression.[7]

[edit] The future

As of 2011, the zoo is raising money, through its fund-raising nonprofit the Delmarva Zoological Society, Inc, for a new Animal Health Clinic, which is required for it to maintain its accreditation with the AZA.[8] Phase two of Renew The Zoo is a new Environmental Center[9] and a new Australian exhibit,[10] each will cost an estimated $750,000.[11]

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Salisbury Zoo". wicomicotourism.org. Wicomico County Tourism. http://www.wicomicotourism.org/cultural?sobi2Task=sobi2Details&catid=&sobi2Id=131&Itemid=0. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
  2. ^ Salisbury Zoo Renew The Zoo
  3. ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list/. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
  4. ^ The Daily Times (2010-08-01). "From Thomas the Deer to a multifaceted zoo". The Daily Times. http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20100801/NEWS01/8010303/From-Thomas-the-Deer-to-a-multifaceted-zoo. Retrieved 2010-08-03. [dead link]
  5. ^ a b "About Us". salisburyzoo.org. Salisbury Zoological Park. http://www.salisburyzoo.org/maryland-salisbury-zoo-us. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
  6. ^ Associated Press (2005-07-13). "Poopsie Recognized as Oldest Captive Andean Bear". WTOP-FM. http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=542275. Retrieved 2011-11-09. 
  7. ^ Daily Times Salisbury Zoo says goodbye to Poopsie
  8. ^ Delmarva Zoological Society Animal Health Clinic
  9. ^ Delmarva Zoological Society Environmental Center
  10. ^ Delmarva Zoological Society Discover Australia
  11. ^ Severn, Fran (10 February 2011). [dead link] "Salisbury Zoo: Already Special and Planning to be More". chesapeakelifemag.com. Chesapeake Life magazine. http://www.chesapeakelifemag.com/index.php/cl/delmarva_drives/salisbury_zoo_already_special_and_planning_to_be_more/[dead link]. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 

[edit] External links

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