Buffalo Zoo

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The Buffalo Zoo in Buffalo, New York is the third-oldest institution of its kind in the United States. The zoo features such animals as: bison, hyenas, addixs, llama, marmoset, polar bears, snowy owls, zebras, sea lions, giraffes, tigers, lions, gorillas, and elephants. It also possesses a small aviary and a reptile house. Presently, a South American rain forest exhibit is under construction, with an intended completion date of early 2008.

The Zoo began as a housing facility for deer and sheep which grazed on the great lawns of Frederick Law Olmsted's Delaware Park. The Zoo traces its history to 1870, when Jacob E. Bergtold, a prominent furrier, presented a pair of deer to the City of Buffalo. The deer were housed on a small piece of land in Delaware Park. Five years and a few animals later, the first permanent building was erected, signifying the establishment of the Buffalo Zoological Gardens in 1875. Over the next fifteen years, a flock of sheep, a pair of bison and eight elk were added.

It underwent a large expansion during the great depression and became a major work site for the Works Progress Administration. The large collection of sculpture and murals from this era is one of the largest in the nation.

This historical legacy has caused conflict as the zoo weights the importance of historical preservation against animal welfare and facility modernization.