Peoria Zoo logo |
|
| Date opened | 1955 [1] |
|---|---|
| Location | Peoria, Illinois |
| Land area | 14 acres (5.7 ha) [2] |
| Number of animals | 232 [3] |
| Number of species | >100 [4] |
| Memberships | AZA[5] |
| Website | www.peoriazoo.org |
The Peoria Zoo (formerly Glen Oak Zoo) is a zoo located in Peoria, Illinois, in the United States. The zoo is owned and operated by the Peoria Park District and is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day.[6]
The Peoria Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1976.[1]
Contents |
In 2009, the zoo opened the new Africa exhibit, nearly doubling its size.[2] At the same time it changed its name to "Peoria Zoo."
The Africa exhibit opened in 2009 after more than a decade of planning and two and a half years of construction. In this exhibit the visitors walk around the main area on a boardwalk, and can see across the entire expanse of the enclosure. The main area is divided into two sections, the northern section containing giraffes and gazelles, and the southern section being home to zebras and rhinos. Lions have their own enclosure, as do the mandrills. Red River hogs and colobus monkeys share a home, and the African crested porcupines and Aldabra giant tortoise also live together.[3][7]
A small animal building houses smaller animals such as the zebra mouse, giant Zambian mole-rats, pancake tortoises, dung beetles, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, African rock pythons, Madagascar tree boas, and Taveta Golden Weavers.[8][9]
The Zambezi River Lodge overlooks the Africa exhibit. The facility provides concessions, and is also available for receptions and conferences.[10]
Plans for the future include a new 7,000 square feet (650 m2) entry complex with ticketing, food services, a gift shop, and educational facilities, as well as an expansion to the parking lot.[1] Some Peoria area residents have expressed an interest in expanding the Africa exhibit and adding more rare animals, as the exhibit has become a major attraction, a point of pride in the Zoo.
The Zoo has itself detailed new plans for an Australia Walk-About Exhibit with a 600 square foot Aviary featuring native Australian birds (some of which visitors will be allowed to feed); planned animals are wallabies, black swans, and emus, among many others.[11]
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||