Bronx Zoo
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- This article is about the zoo; for the TV series see The Bronx Zoo (TV); for the book "The Bronx Zoo" about the Yankees, see Sparky Lyle, its author.
| Bronx Zoo | |
 ASIA GATE ENTRANCE
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| Date opened | November 8, 1899 [1] |
| Location | Bronx Park, Bronx, New York, USA |
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The Bronx Zoo is a world-famous zoo located in Bronx Park, Bronx, New York. It opened on November 8, 1899 [1], with 22 exhibits and 843 animals and with the goal to "advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public". Its original permanent buildings, designed by Heins & LaFarge, are a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the large circular sea lion pool.
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[edit] Modern habitats
The Bronx Zoo was one of the first zoos in North America to move animals -- often organized by families in Linnaean classification -- from cages to more naturalistic environments (e.g. "The African Plains") which would mix species and attempt to replicate the region the species arrived from. Physical barriers such as moats, not necessarily visible to viewers, separate predators from prey. The zoo is especially known for its "Wild Asia" tramway, where spectators riding a monorail can observe Asian animals, and "Jungleworld", an indoor exhibit on plants and animals from tropical rain forests. The zoo also boasts the Congo Gorilla Forest [1], which is the largest manmade rainforest in the world at 6.5 acres, and focuses on conservation; entry fees are used to help preserve the species housed in the exhibit. In addition to "Jungleworld", the Bronx Zoo also features several large indoor exhibitions, including "World of Darkness" where visitors can observe nocturnal animals including caimans, bats, and naked mole rats. The building is kept completely dark during visitor hours, so that guests can see the animals in a more active state. After closing the lights are turned on, giving the creatures time to sleep. The zoo is also home to several indoor bird houses including "World of Birds", the famous two-story bird house containing hundreds of species. Here visitors can see the special bee-eater feeding where keepers toss live crickets to the zoo's white-throated bee-eaters, watching as the birds catch the crickets midflight. The feeding can be seen daily at 2:45 pm eastern time.
The Bronx Zoo is owned and operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, formerly known as the New York Zoological Society. WCS also operates the following parks in New York City:
[edit] In The News:
Bronx Zoo was in the news recently when it agreed to enter a rare snow leopard cub, Leo -- found in northern Pakistan -- into its breeding program. The 13-month-old cub was found stuck in mud following a landslide in Naltar Valley which killed its mother. A Pakistani shepherd in the area found the cub with its female sibling, but the latter died a week later due to malnutrition. He then handed over the cub to Pakistani authorities who took care of him, but since there are no captive breeding programs or rehabilitation center for snow leopards in Pakistan, it was decided to hand over the cub to Bronx Zoo. The leopard will be returned to its place of birth following construction of a rehab facility in the Naltar Valley with US cooperation. [2] [3] [4]
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[edit] Gallery
 CONGO GORILLA FOREST: Western Lowland Gorilla, Gorilla gorilla |
 HIMALAYAN HIGHLANDS: Black-necked Crane, Grus nigricollis |
 JUNGLE WORLD: Green Peafowl, Pavo muticus |
 PHEASANT AVIARY: Silver Pheasant, Lophura nycthemera |
 WORLD OF BIRDS: Bali Starling, Leucopsar rothschildi |
 WORLD OF BIRDS: Lesser Bird of Paradise, Paradisaea minor |
 WORLD OF BIRDS: Palawan Peacock Pheasant, Polyplectron napoleonis |
 WORLD OF BIRDS: Twelve-wired Bird of Paradise, Seleucidis melanoleuca |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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Conservation biology | List of zoos | List of zoo associations | Zoological Garden | Menagerie | Tourist attraction | Wildlife Conservation | Endangered species |
