Denver Zoo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Denver Zoo | |
 The Predator Ridge exhibit displays a panoramic view representing the African savanna
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| Date opened | 1896 |
| Location | Denver, Coloardo, USA |
| Land area | 80 acres (0.32 km²) [1] |
| # of Animals | 4,000 [2] |
| # of Species | 700 [2] |
| Accreditations/ Memberships |
AZA |
| Website | |
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The Denver Zoo is an 80-acre [1] facility located in Denver, Colorado, USA, in City Park. Founded in 1896, it is owned by the City and County of Denver and funded in part by the Scientific And Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It was the most popular paid attraction in the Denver metropolitan area in 2005.[3]
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[edit] History
The zoo was founded in 1896 when an American black bear cub Billy Bryan -- short for William Jennings Bryan, after the contemporary American politician -- was given to Mayor Thomas S. McMurry as a gift. McMurry gave the hard-to-manage cub to the keeper of City Park, Alexander J. Graham, who started the zoo with this animal. Other animals at the young zoo included native waterfowl at Duck Lake, native prairie dogs and antelope which roamed the park, and a flock of Chinese pheasants, which later populated the eastern plains of the state.
In 1905, a population of red squirrels was added to the zoo's collection; this population grew rapidly and decimated the bird population at Duck Lake. A plan to shoot the squirrels was scrapped when citizens protested; instead, as many squirrels as could be caught were sent to the Denver Mountain Parks.
The zoo was a motley menagerie until 1906, when Mayor Robert Speer declared that the zoo's "[p]rison bars can be done away with" in favor of "concrete rocks, waterfalls, trees, etc."[4] Speer hired the city's landscape architext, Saco R. DeBoer, to draw up the plans for his renovation and appointed Victor H. Borcherdt as zoo director.
Borcherdt's most notable claim to fame was the construction of the Bear Mountain exhibit, which he designed, from 1917 to 1918. This structure, 43 ft. (13 m) tall by 185 ft (56 m) long and costing $50,000 to build, was built of dyed and textured concrete forms cast from Dinosaur Mountain in Morrison, Colorado. Hidden moats replaced cage bars, and native plants and an artificial stream enhanced the natural look. The south tip of the exhibit was designed to resemble Mesa Verde National Park. Originally it housed monkeys, but due to escape problems, sea lions were housed there instead. Today a coati resides in the section. Bear Mountain established Denver as the foremost among American zoos, and the Saint Louis Zoo hired Borcherdt after seeing the exhibit.
Although other zoos in the region made extensive use of New Deal funds to upgrade their facilities, only one notable addition was made to the Denver Zoo between 1918 and 1950, Monkey Island, built in 1937 using funds from the Works Progress Administration. Mayor Benjamin F. Stapleton funded the zoo very little, and it was in poorly maintained condition when Mayor Quigg Newton was elected in 1947. Newton hired DeBoer, the architect involved with the zoo's design forty years previous, to plan a rebirth. Starting with the 1950 overhaul of Monkey Island, the zoo has steadily added to and improved its exhibits and today is a world-class institution.
[edit] Exhibits and other facilities
The Denver Zoo houses species from all over the world, including hoofed mammals, carnivorous mammals, pachyderms, birds, herps, and fishes. Exhibits include the following:
| Exhibit | Year opened | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Mountain | 1918 | This historic exhibit is considered the first natural-style zoo exhibit in North America. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986 and underwent a $250,000 restoration. |
| Monkey Island | 1937 | This exhibit was created with funds from the Works Progress Administration. |
| Children's Zoo | 1951 | |
| Pachyderm Habitat | 1959 | |
| Feline House | 1964 | |
| Giraffe House | 1966 | |
| Animal Hospital | 1969 | |
| Bird World | 1975 | This building features open aviaries in which guests can mingle with exotic birds. |
| Mountain Sheep Habitat | ||
| Northern Shores | 1987 | This exhibit features species such as polar bears and pinnipeds, and was home to the famous polar bear cubs Klondike and Snow. |
| Wolf Pack Woods | 1988 | |
| Gates Center and Wild Encounters Outdoor Amphitheater |
These are part of the Zoo's educational programs. | |
| Tropical Discovery | 1993 | This building contains numerous aquaria and various tropical mammals, amphibians, and reptiles, including Komodo dragons. |
| Primate Panorama | 1996 | This facility spreads over seven acres and primarily houses apes and other primates. |
| Predator Ridge | 2005 | This very large exhibit represents the African savanna. It has the ability to rotate different African predators (lions, hyenas, and African wild dogs), whose overlapping scents provide environmental enrichment for the animals. |
| Asian Tropics | Projected to open in 2009, this $40 million exhibit will house Asian elephants and other large animals outdoors, where they will rotate among different habitats in the same style as Predator Ridge. It will also have an indoor facility for smaller species.[5] |
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b http://www.denverzoo.org/about/zooFacts.asp
- ^ a b http://www.denverzoo.org/about/todaysDenverZoo.asp
- ^ Kelley, Joanne. "Destination: Denver", Rocky Mountain News, 2006-06-21, p. 1B. Retrieved on 2006-06-21.
- ^ Noel 1997, p. 130.
- ^ Doligosa, Jr., Felix. "Zoo plans Asian animal exhibit", Rocky Mountain News, august 24, 2006.
[edit] References
- Noel, Thomas J. (1997). Mile High City: An Illustrated History of Denver. Denver, Colorado & Encinitas, California: Heritage Media Corporation. ISBN 1-886483-10-8.
- About the Denver Zoo (Official Site). Denver Zoological Foundation.
[edit] External link
