Lee Richardson Zoo

Lee Richardson Zoo
Location Garden City, Kansas, USA
Land area 47 acres (19 ha)
Number of animals 300[1]
Number of species 110[1]
Annual visitors 200,000[1]
Memberships AZA[2]
Website www.garden-city.org/zoo

The Lee Richardson Zoo is an AZA accredited zoo in Garden City, Kansas. The zoo has more than 100 species of animals located on 47 acres (19 ha) inside Finnup Park and includes many animals that are non-native to southwest Kansas. Admission is free.

Contents

History

Finnup Park was established by a donation of 105 acres (42 ha) of land to the city by George Finnup. The zoo was started in 1927 by the city and the local chapter of the Izaak Walton League, with two skunks brought in by Lee Richardson, who was Chief of Police and Park and Zoo Superintendent at the time.[3] The zoo was formally named for Lee Richardson in 1950, just a year before he died.[4]

The Lee Richardson Zoo is a department of the City of Garden City.

Exhibits

North American Plains
This section of the zoo includes "Kansas Waters" with its river otters and the "Swift Fox" exhibit, which both opened in 2005, as well as pronghorn, elk, and bison.[5]
South American Pampas
The South American Pampas exhibit includes maned wolf, anteaters, alpaca, tapir, rhea, and cavy. Flamingos are housed next to this exhibit.[6]
Aviary
The "Marie Osterbuhr Aviary" was opened in 1985. It includes a large open air flight cage that is home to the Bali mynah, Mandarin ducks, pheasants, doves, and Taveta golden weavers, as well as four indoor displays that are home to species including kookaburras, burrowing owls, yellow-billed cardinals, turacos, and lovebirds.
Cats
The cat exhibits include the lion exhibits as well as "Cats of the Americas", which houses American mountain lions, jaguars, and bobcats.[6]
Pachyderms
The Pachyderm exhibit houses African elephants and Blick rhinos. The two elephants at the zoo arrived in 1986 from Zimbabwe, having been culled from the wild.[5]
Down Under
Down Under is home to the zoos Australian animals, including emus and a breeding herd of red kangaroo.[5]
African Plains
The African Plains area consists of two large open yards designed to look like the African Savannah, and includes African pygmy goats, addax, and East African crowned cranes.[5]
Wild Asia
The Wild Asia exhibit opened in 1998, and includes siamangs, red pandas, Bactrian camels, snow leopards, Amur leopards, snow monkeys, Goral, Père David's deer, and a sun bear, along with an Asian farm that includes yak, sheep, and chickens.[5][6]

Gallery

Notes

  1. ^ a b c "Lee Richardson Zoo". garden-city.org. Lee Richardson Zoo. http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/zoolayout.html?home.html. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 
  2. ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 
  3. ^ "History of Lee Richardson Zoo". garden-city.org. Lee Richardson Zoo. http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/GeneralInfo/ZooHistory.html. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 
  4. ^ "Lee Richardson Zoo - Garden City, Kansas". city-data.com. City-Data. http://www.city-data.com/articles/Lee-Richardson-Zoo-Garden-City-Kansas.html. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 
  5. ^ a b c d e "Zoo Exhibits". garden-city.org. Lee Richardson Zoo. http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/GeneralInfo/ZooExhibits.html. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 
  6. ^ a b c "Zoo Map". garden-city.org. Lee Richardson Zoo. http://www.garden-city.org/zoo/GeneralInfo/2010%20map.pdf. Retrieved 3 September 2010. 

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