Brandywine Zoo

Brandywine Zoo

Brandywine Zoo Logo
Date opened 1905[1]
Location 1001 North Park Drive, Brandywine Park, Wilmington, Delaware, USA 19802
Land area 12 acres (4.9 ha)[2]
Number of animals 150[3]
Number of species 58[3]
Memberships AZA[4]
Website www.brandywinezoo.org

Brandywine Zoo is a small 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo that opened in 1905 in Brandywine Park in Wilmington, Delaware, USA. It consists of the main zoo as well as a separate Exotic Animal House for small animals from hotter climates. It is located on the banks of the Brandywine River, and is the only zoo in Delaware.[2] The zoo is managed by the Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation and supported by the Delaware Zoological Society,[5] and is open daily.[6]

The Brandywine zoo has been a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1981.[7]

Contents

History

In 2006, a Clouded Leopard named Kaching arrived at the zoo. At Brandywine Zoo, Kaching eats feline meat, chicken and horse meat.[8]

A Bobcat died in 2007. In 2008, the zoo received a new Bobcat, Squeakers, who was born in November 2007.

In 2007, a Siberian Tiger named Sergei died, leaving only Ashley the Siberian Tiger in the habitat. On July 31, 2010, Ashley the Tiger was humanely euthanized after 15 years in the Brandywine Zoo. She was born in 1990 and traveled from the St. Louis Zoo to the Brandywine when she was five years old. She lived to be 20 years old whereas Tigers in the wild generally live to 10–12 years. The 20-year old Tiger suffered complications from a brief illness and was unable to be saved. “Ashley had been very ill, and we were unable to save her after her condition rapidly deteriorated.” said Brandywine Zoo Director, Nancy Falasco.[9] “Ashley came to the Brandywine Zoo when she was five years of age,” Falasco said. She was housed with an older Tiger named Kublai Khan. After Khan’s death years later, she was paired with Sergei, a hand-reared Tiger that preferred to interact with people more than with other Tigers. Their relationship was long but fraught with growls and the occasional fight. Through the help of the Delaware Zoological Society an additional enclosure was built for Ashley to reside in and to keep the Tigers separated. Their relationship persisted with a protective fence between them. Sergei died in June 2007.

Ramon, an 18-month-old male Brazilian Ocelot came from the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston, which was looking for a new home for Ramon after he reached maturity. Ocelots are primarily nocturnal except in captivity and prefer to live a solitary lifestyle.[10] Ramon lives by himself in an environment that features lots of tree branches and shade, and numerous shelves on which to lie. “He’s a shy cat who likes to have objects to hide behind,” said Zoo Director Nancy Falasco. “We’re pleased that the Franklin Park Zoo was able to make Ramon available to us and we’re delighted to welcome him to the Brandywine Zoo.”[7] The last time Ocelots lived at the Brandywine Zoo was in 1993.

Animals

The zoo features an Ocelot, River Otters, and other animals native to the Americas and the temperate areas of Asia. This facility is home to a variety of species of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. They also exhibit the world's largest rodent: the capybara.

Conservation

In December 2010, the Brandywine Zoo sent their 29-year-resident condor, Mac, 33 years old, to the San Diego Zoo as part of a condor breeding program. This program has successfully released 83 Andean condors into the wilderness of Venezuela and Colombia. The Brandywine Zoo welcomed a new male Andean condor, Chavin, previously from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. He was born in the Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens in 1986. He is gradually being introduced to the resident female condor, Miss Gryphus.[11] "They are getting to know each other slowly," said Nancy Falasco. Zookeepers hope that the two will mate and produce offspring for this endangered species.

The future

The zoo is planning on another Siberian Tiger to fill the now-empty tiger exhibit. The spacious enclosure that once housed Ashley is currently empty, although efforts to take in another tiger or two are under way, as of Spring 2011.

Notes

  1. ^ "Zoo History". brandywinezoo.org. Brandywine Zoo. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/history.html. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  2. ^ a b "Brandywine Zoo". destateparks.com. Delaware State Parks. http://www.destateparks.com/attractions/brandywine-zoo/. Retrieved 22 October 2010. 
  3. ^ a b c "Animals in the Zoo". brandywinezoo.org. Brandywine Zoo. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/animals.html. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  4. ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list/. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  5. ^ "Visitor's Page". brandywinezoo.org. Brandywine Zoo. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/visitorinfo.html. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  6. ^ "Zoo Info". brandywinezoo.org. Brandywine Zoo. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/zooinfo.html. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  7. ^ a b "New ocelot arrives at Brandywine Zoo". State of Delaware. http://www.dnrec.delaware.gov/News/Pages/NewocelotarrivesatBrandywineZoo.aspx. Retrieved 22 October 2010. 
  8. ^ Clouded Leopard Information, Brandywine Zoo Official Website.
  9. ^ Death of Siberian Tiger, Delmarva Town Crier Official Website.
  10. ^ "What's New!". brandywinezoo.org. Brandywine Zoo. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/whatsnew.html. Retrieved 15 September 2010. 
  11. ^ "Condor NEWS". brandywinezoo.org. Delaware State Parks. http://www.brandywinezoo.org/CONDORNEWS.pdf. Retrieved 24 April 2011. 

External links

Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Brandywine_Zoo Brandywine Zoo] at Wikimedia Commons