Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center

The Harold H. Malkmes Wildlife Education and Ecology Center is a park, zoo, and ecology site in Holtsville, New York and operated by the Town of Brookhaven, and located on the site of a former landfill.

Attractions

• Animal Wildlife Center, with free admission, containing over 100 injured or non-releasable wild and farm animals, including mountain lions.^[1] One well-known resident is groundhog Holtsville Hal, who emerges each Groundhog Day to make a weather prediction.^[2]
• Greenhouses
• Picnic Area
• Exercise Trail: 1.2 mile paved loop
• Free Compost and Wood Chips
• Town Pool (has admission fee)

Location

249 Buckley Road in Holtsville, New York.

History

The site of the Ecology Center was once a general dump owned by New York State, and was acquired by the Town of Brookhaven in 1937 for use as a town dump. In 1968, the State Environmental Facilities Corporation converted the site into a sanitary landfill with seepage lagoons, and closed the facility completely by 1974.^[3] By 1971, the park was already under development,^[4] and opened in 1979.^[5]

The animal preserve has included mountain lions since 1987, when "Kimo" was recovered from an owner who had abused him.^[1]

A right of way for the Suffolk Traction Company trolley line also ran through this location.

References

External links

• Brookhaven.org, Ecology Center website