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| Dickerson Park Zoo | |
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| 37°15′21″N93°18′34″W / 37.2557°N 93.3095°W | |
| Date opened | 1922 |
| Location | Springfield, Missouri |
| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) |
| Public transit access |  Springfield Transit Services |
| Website | www |
Dickerson Park Zoo is a zoological park located in Springfield, Missouri that has more than 500 animals that represent 160 different species. [1] It is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1986. [2] [3]
Dickerson Park was established by the Springfield Park Board in 1922 and developed with the aid of Works Progress Administration (WPA) labor and funds in the 1930s. From then until the 1970s, very little development or support occurred, and by 1975, the zoo became rundown. It was on the verge of being closed, but a commitment was made by the City of Springfield, and a support group was created known as Friends of the Zoo, to restore the zoo.
The Friends organization developed a membership base, launched education programs and gathered support from donors for new projects and improvements. The City of Springfield committed budget dollars and instituted an admission fee to help offset expenses.
The zoo's mission had the objectives of advancing recreation, education, conservation and research. A master plan, adopted in 1985, visualized a new zoo, with geographic themes and phased development.
The zoo became involved in Species Survival Plans, most notably Asian elephants, maned wolves and cheetahs. In-house and outreach education programs were offered to the community. The growth of tourism in the region contributed to increases in attendance and offered visitors to the community another attraction when visiting the Ozarks. [4]
An update and revision of the master plan for the park was completed in 1996.
On October 4, 2013, the zoo euthanized one of its four elephants, the matriarch, a 41-year-old female known as Connie (AKA Pinky), who had been suffering from kidney disease and had lost nearly 1,000 pounds. Later, on October 11, another one of the zoo's elephants named Patience, (who had been reported as "hesitant and submissive" since the death of its Matriarch,) made a sudden movement and killed the zoo's head of elephants zookeeper John Bradford, age 62, who had been with the zoo since 1990. It is thought that Patience, (not understanding the reason for the euthanasia,) may have blamed the head zookeeper for Connie's death. The city said no disciplinary action would be taken against Patience, adding: "The animal will not be euthanized." [5]
The Houston Zoo is a 55-acre (22 ha) zoological park located within Hermann Park in Houston, Texas, United States. The zoo houses over 6,000 animals from more than 900 species. It receives around 2 million visitors each year and is the second most visited zoo in the United States, surpassed only by the San Diego Zoo. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), originally the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1924 and dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. AZA is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland, and accredits zoos. There were 238 accredited facilities as of 2019, primarily in the US, and also a handful in eleven other countries.
Seneca Park Zoo is a 20-acre zoo located in the city of Rochester, New York, US. The zoo is home to over 90 species including mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, and arachnids. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The zoo is operated by Monroe County, with support from the Seneca Park Zoo Society. The zoo opened in 1894 in Seneca Park.
The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is a 170-acre (69 ha) zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden located along the Saluda River in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. A small portion of the zoo extends into the nearby city of West Columbia. It is operated by the Rich-Lex Riverbanks Park Special Purpose District, a partnership of the city of Columbia and Richland and Lexington counties. It is overseen by the Riverbanks Park Commission, comprising two members each from the three governments and one at-large member.
The Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden is a zoo that opened in 1928 in Evansville, Indiana, United States. It is located in Mesker Park on Evansville's northwest side and is run by the City of Evansville.
The Abilene Zoo is a 16-acre (6.5 ha) zoo located in Abilene, Texas. The zoo has over 800 animals representing over 175 species. Attendance for 2021 was 255,000.
The Franklin Park Zoo is a 72 acres (290,000 m2) zoo located in Boston, Massachusetts and is currently operated by Zoo New England, which also operates the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, Massachusetts. The zoo is located in the northeast portion of Franklin Park, Boston's largest park and the last component of the city's famed Emerald Necklace.
The Birmingham Zoo is a zoological park that opened in 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.
The Capron Park Zoo is a small 8-acre (3.2 ha) zoo that opened in 1937 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States. It is home to about 100 animals representing 44 species, Capron Park Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Association of Zoo and Aquarium Docents (AZAD). It participates in the Species Survival Plan program.
The Buttonwood Park Zoo, located in New Bedford, Massachusetts, is a zoo located in the center of Buttonwood Park. Opened in 1894, it is the third-oldest zoo in New England and the 12th-oldest zoo in the United States. Located on a 7 acres (2.8 ha) campus, the zoo is owned and operated by the City of New Bedford, with the support of the Buttonwood Park Zoological Society. It is located on part of the Buttonwood Park Historic District, and federally designated on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is an AZA zoo in Syracuse, New York. It is owned and operated by Onondaga County Parks with support from the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo. The zoo is home to more than 900 animals representing 216 species on 43 acres (17 ha). Some of the more popular animals include Asian elephants, Humboldt penguins, Amur tigers, a Komodo dragon and the only Giant Pacific octopus exhibit in Central New York. The zoo opened a new Animal Health Center in 2022 that is the largest zoological medical center in New York state outside of the Bronx Zoo.
The Sequoia Park Zoo is a zoo located in Eureka, California, operated by the City of Eureka. The zoo is part of a larger park complex including 60-acre (24 ha) of mature second-growth coast redwood forest, Eureka's largest public playground, and a duck pond, in addition to formal and natural gardens. The gardens include many varieties of rhododendron. The zoo's mission is "to inspire wonder, understanding and respect for the natural world by providing fun, rewarding, educational experiences that encourage meaningful connections between animals, humans, and our environment". The zoo is open to the public daily, except in winter when it is closed on Mondays. The zoo houses about 200 vertebrates and hundreds of invertebrates, representing about 54 different species on 7-acre (2.8 ha). Completed in 2021, the zoo unveiled the Redwood Sky Walk, the longest sky walk in the western United States at just under a quarter of a mile. The sky walk is ADA accessible, and allows visitors to walk over 100 feet above the forest floor.
The Potter Park Zoo is a 102-acre (41.3 ha) zoo located in Lansing, Michigan, within Lansing's Potter Park. Its mission is to Inspire people to conserve animals in the natural world. Potter Park Zoo is the oldest public zoo in Michigan and is currently home to over 160 species of animals. The zoo is owned by the City of Lansing, and operated by Ingham County. The zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) designed to manage and conserve threatened or endangered animals. The Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine partners with the zoo to provide medical care for its animals.
The Reid Park Zoo, founded in 1967, is a 24-acre (9.7 ha) city-owned and -operated nonprofit zoo located within Reid Park in Tucson, Arizona. The zoo features more than 500 animals. It was unofficially established in 1965 by Gene Reid, the parks and recreation director at the time. The zoo boasts approximately 500,00 visitors each year. It is accredited and certified with the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
Miller Park Zoo is a zoo located in Miller Park, a public park in Bloomington, Illinois, United States. It is administered by the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Bloomington.
The Baton Rouge Zoo is located 15 minutes north of downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. The zoo is owned and operated by the Recreation and Park Commission of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana (BREC), and is home to over 800 animals from around the world. The zoo was first accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1977 — the first zoo in Louisiana to be accredited. However, the zoo lost its accreditation in March 2018 due to infrastructure issues and animal escapes.
The National Elephant Center was an American 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation organization founded by a group of ten directors from zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The Ellen Trout Zoo is a small zoo founded by Walter Trout in 1967 and located in Lufkin, Texas, United States. The zoo gets about 150,000 visitors a year. It is currently owned and operated by the City of Lufkin, with Friends of Ellen Trout Zoo (F.O.E.T.Z.) supporting it with funding for major expansion and renovation projects in the Zoo's master plan.
The Virginia Zoological Park, commonly known as the Virginia Zoo, is a 53-acre (21 ha) zoo located adjacent to Lafayette Park in Norfolk, Virginia, United States. The zoo opened in 1900, and was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1987.
The Lake Superior Zoo, previously known as the Duluth Zoo, is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accredited zoo in Duluth, Minnesota.
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