Baton Rouge Zoo |
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| Date opened | 1970 |
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| Location | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
| Number of animals | 1,800 |
| Memberships | AZA[1] |
| Website | www.brzoo.org |
The Baton Rouge Zoo is located 15 minutes North of downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The Zoo is owned and operated by the Recreation and Park Commission of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana (BREC), and is home to over 1,800 animals from around the world. The Baton Rouge Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1977—the first zoo in Louisiana to be accredited.
The zoo is open daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.
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A local WAFB TV personality by the name of "Buckskin" Bill ended his popular children's program in the 1950's and 60's by saying "Baton Rouge needs a zoo." He helped rally the Baton Rouge community into supporting the zoo not only in passing the millage election to fund it but also in running a penny drive that raised money for the zoo's first two elephants (one of which was named Penny). The zoo first opened to the public on Easter Sunday, 1970.[2]
Elephant Oasis includes a shaded area for visitors to watch and learn about the zoos two Asian elephants.[3] Since the original penny drive that helped raise money for the zoo's first elephants, the zoo has had a total of 13 Elephants in residence, most of which are now at other zoos.[4]
Otter Pond includes a replica of a fishing cabin, from which visitors can see the otters underwater.[3]
Parrot Paradise is a walk-through aviary that lets visitors get close to birds from around the world.[3]
The zoo participates in more than 30 Species Survival Plans (SSP), including the Guam rail, Arabian oryx, and golden lion tamarin which have been successfully reintroduced into the wild.[2]
The zoo has various education programs including outreach, reading programs, day camps, classes, teacher workshops, and demonstrations at the zoo. Together these programs reach more than 45,000 children each year. The zoo also works with various departments of the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine when conducting research.[2]
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Baton_Rouge_Zoo Baton Rouge Zoo] at Wikimedia Commons
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