Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden

Last updated

Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden
Meskerzoologo.png
Mesker Park Zoo.JPG
Zoo entrance
Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden
37°59′50″N87°36′06″W / 37.9971°N 87.6016°W / 37.9971; -87.6016
Date opened1928 [1]
Location Evansville, Indiana, United States
Land area50 acres (20 ha) [1]
No. of animals700+ [1]
No. of species200
Memberships AZA [2]
Major exhibitsAfrican Rift, African Panorama, Amazonia, Australia, North America, and South America
Public transit access Bus-logo.svg METS
Website www.meskerparkzoo.com

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.

Contents

The Mesker Park Zoo and Botanic Garden is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

History

The zoo was founded in 1928 by Gilmore M. Haynie and other business leaders. Karl Kae Knecht, a local cartoonist for the Evansville Courier & Press , helped popularize the idea of a zoo. It initially opened with two lion cubs, some antelope, and an elephant. [3]

In 1933, a 1:3 scale replica of the Santa Maria was opened as a monkey exhibit. [4] The "Monkey Ship" was originally home to rhesus macaques, and eventually housed capuchin monkeys, lemurs, and juvenile American alligators in the pool surrounding the ship. The exhibit was closed in 1991 as the animals were moved to naturalistic habitats, and the ship and pool were eventually restored as a bumper boat attraction for children. [5]

In 2008 the zoo finished a major expansion including the $15 million tropical rainforest exhibit and a new entry complex. [6] The new exhibit was credited with drawing more than 38,000 visitors in its first month. [7] One of two existing lakes in the zoo was filled in to make the exhibit, which added more than 150 animals to the zoo. [8]

In 2017, the zoo added Engelbrecht Carousel, with an adjacent bird aviary added in 2018. This is the zoo's second carousel; its historic original carousel was moved to Carowinds in 1979. The total cost for this project is $3 million. [9]

The Penguins of Patagonia exhibit, featuring over a dozen Humboldt Penguins native to parts of Chilé and Peru, opened to visitors in late October 2021. Additionally, the zoo plans to revamp the African Rift area when funding becomes available. [9]

Exhibits

The Amazonia rainforest exhibit opened to the public in 2008. Mesker Park Zoo Amazonia.jpg
The Amazonia rainforest exhibit opened to the public in 2008.

Mesker Park was one of the first zoos in the United States to use a moat system to display animals in naturalistic exhibits resembling the animals' native habitat. [3] Over the years, the zoo has continued to make improvements in habitat design.

A waterfall from the Amazonia exhibit Amazonia Waterfalls.jpg
A waterfall from the Amazonia exhibit

Amazonia

Amazonia is a Central/South American focused rainforest exhibit that opened in 2008. While there are large structures within the exhibit designed to look like vegetation, many of the plants seen within are in fact living plants, maintained by the zoo's grounds crew. As such, the exhibit grows and changes in time as plants are added and occasionally trimmed so as to not completely block out the sunlight. The exhibit added more than 150 animals to the zoo and is currently highlighted by jaguars, Baird's tapir, bats, black howler monkeys, squirrel monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupines, Arrau turtles, Cuvier's dwarf caiman, and several fish species from the Amazonian River system. The open spaces of the exhibit also function as a free-flight bird aviary, and house over ten species of birds.

Penguins of Patagonia

Penguins of Patagonia is an outdoor humboldt penguin exhibit.

North America

North America includes a large Mexican gray wolf enclosure. [10]

Discovery Center

The Discovery Center is an indoor/outdoor exhibit that focuses on conservation, education, and endangered species. It also houses the zoo's education department and many of the animal used in educational programs. This exhibit contains Francois' langur, red pandas, hyacinth macaw, ocelot and several smaller reptile enclosures. [10] Of particular note is the hellbender salamander exhibit, where the zoo displays and raises juvenile eastern hellbenders as part of a statewide conservation program, in association with Purdue University and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. [11]

Lemur Forest

Lemur Forest was opened in 1999 to house the zoo's lemurs. It currently holds three species: ring-tailed lemurs, red ruffed lemurs and Coquerel's sifaka. [12]

A giraffe from the African Rift exhibit Mesker Park Zoo giraffe.jpg
A giraffe from the African Rift exhibit

African Rift

The African Rift area includes reticulated giraffes, Grant's zebras, sitatunga, and white storks in large open areas. [10] In July 2018, the zoo welcomed a new 10-month-old giraffe named Clementine. [13]

Kley Building

The Kley Building was built in the 1950s and houses several exhibits. The upper floor contains a newly renovated nocturnal exhibit, a reptile exhibit hall featuring rhinoceros iguana and Komodo dragon, and a hall used for meetings or special events. The lower floor contains the indoor portion of the zoo's Indian rhinoceros exhibit. [10] This floor was once home to Bunny, an asian elephant, and Donna, formerly the world's oldest living captive hippopotamus. Donna was euthanized at the age of 60 in 2012, because of age-related failing health. [14] A small statue of Donna was constructed by the Zoo's Panorama playground in her memory.

Asia & Australia

This area reproduces habitats for Asian and Australian animals. It includes the outdoor exhibits for the zoo's Indian rhinoceros, as well as Bactrian camels, Siberian tiger, Malayan sun bear, Sichuan takin, laughing kookaburra, and emu. [10]

Children's Enchanted Forest

This exhibit is geared towards children and contains several playground elements and a seasonal petting zoo in addition to traditional zoo exhibits. It is home to North American river otters, eastern black-and-white colobus monkeys, binturong, crested porcupine, and scarlet macaws. [10] Nearby attractions include the Engelbrecht Carousel [9] a budgerigar aviary, a Müller's gibbon exhibit and seasonal exhibits for tortoises.

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria is home to wild resident and migrating birds, as well as turtles and fish. Visitors can walk along two sides of the lake, or rent paddle boats to explore the lake during warmer months. This is the largest lake in the zoo, and is the feature around which the zoo was built. [10]

African Panorama

African Panorama is a set of enclosures built around a large, open African savanna exhibit, with observation platforms at the top of the hill, or a trail visitors can use at the bottom. The main exhibit features Abyssinian ground hornbills, ostriches, greater kudu and sitatunga. [10] [15] A smaller exhibit feature a giant anteater and Patagonian mara. [16]

Botanical features

In addition to the live plants inside Amazonia, the grounds of the Mesker Park Zoo feature several gardens designed for guest experience, as well as plants specifically cultivated for zoo animal consumption. Zookeepers harvest these plants throughout the year as part of their animals' diets.

Each year, in February, a variety of orchids line the Amazonia exhibit as part of the Orchid Escape event. There is also a plant sale fundraiser in the spring, where guests can purchase young specimens of plants seen throughout the zoo.

Additional attractions and programs

The zoo also contains a playground, cafe, gift shop, and tram. The zoo also provides a wide variety of programming, from birthday parties to summer camps to outreach programs, as well as teen and adult volunteer opportunities.

Conservation

Many of the animals at the zoo are part of breeding programs organized by the AZA and the zoo is therefore recommended to breed (or not breed) its animals in accordance with those programs. Some recent births include Francois' langur, sitatunga, takin, African crested porcupine, colobus monkey, and lesser tenrec.

Mesker Park Zoo houses Mexican gray wolves, a critically endangered animal, and works with United States Fish and Wildlife Service as part of their recovery plan for this species. [11] The zoo participates in cross-fostering, which involves producing litters of pups in captivity that are reintroduced into wild packs [17] to bolster the species' wild gene pool and increase the wild population.

The zoo is also involved in eastern hellbender conservation, [11] and is partnered with Purdue University and Indiana's Department of Natural Resources in their efforts to repopulate this subspecies of salamander. The zoo currently has a public display of tanks holding juvenile hellbenders, which are returned to their habitat once they have reached a certain, less predated size, and an off-display adult stream containing several adult salamanders. In 2020, Mesker Park Zoo was the first facility where eastern hellbender salamanders bred naturally in human care, [18] which the animal curators attribute to adjustments in the water parameters and sex ratio of salamanders in the artificial stream.

See also

Related Research Articles

The Saint Louis Zoo, officially known as the Saint Louis Zoological Park, is a zoo in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. It is recognized as a leading zoo in animal management, research, conservation, and education. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Admission is free based on a public subsidy from a cultural tax district, the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (ZMD); fees are charged for some special attractions. A special feature is the 2 ft narrow-gauge Emerson Zooline Railroad with passenger trains pulled by Chance Rides C.P. Huntington locomotives that encircle the zoo, stopping at the more popular attractions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Diego Zoo</span> Zoo in San Diego, California

The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in San Diego, California, housing over 12,000 animals of more than 680 species and subspecies on 100 acres (40 ha) of Balboa Park. The zoo is the most visited in the United States. Travelers have cited it as one of the best zoos in the world. The zoo was a pioneer in the concept of open-air, cage-less exhibits that recreate natural animal habitats. It sits on land leased from the City of San Diego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woodland Park Zoo</span> Zoo in Seattle, Washington, United States

Woodland Park Zoo is a wildlife conservation organization and zoological garden located in the Phinney Ridge neighborhood of Seattle, Washington, United States. The zoo is the recipient of over 65 awards across multiple categories. The zoo has around 900 animals from 250 species and the zoo has over 1 million visitors a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium</span> Zoo and aquarium in Omaha, Nebraska, US

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. In August 2014, TripAdvisor rated it the "world's best zoo", ahead of the San Diego Zoo and Loro Parque, based on an algorithmic assimilation of millions of reviews for 275 major zoos worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Zoo</span> Zoo in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Melbourne Zoo is a zoo in Melbourne, Australia. It is located within Royal Park in Parkville, approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) north of the centre of Melbourne. It is the primary zoo serving Melbourne. As of 2021, the zoo contains 3742 animals comprising 243 species, from Australia and around the world. The zoo is accessible via Royal Park station on the Upfield railway line, and is also accessible via tram routes 58 and 19, as well as by bicycle on the Capital City Trail. Bicycles are not allowed inside the zoo itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore</span> Zoo in Baltimore, Maryland, US

The Maryland Zoo — also known as The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore and formerly known as The Baltimore City Zoo or the Baltimore Zoo — is a 135-acre park located in historic Druid Hill Park in the northwestern area of the City of Baltimore, Maryland, with the postal address of 1876 Mansion House Drive. Druid Hill was opened in 1876 as the first major park purchase by the City under foreseeing Mayor Thomas Swann (1809-1883), and was later designed by famed nationally-known landscaper Frederick Law Olmsted (1822-1903).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abilene Zoological Gardens</span> Zoo in Texas, United States

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North Carolina Zoo</span> Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, United States

The North Carolina Zoo, formerly the North Carolina Zoological Park, is a zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, housing 1,700 animals of more than 250 species, primarily representing Africa and North America. It is one of two state-supported zoos in the United States, with the other being the Minnesota Zoo. With 500 acres (2.0 km2) developed, it is the world's largest natural habitat zoo. The North Carolina Zoo is a part of the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilhelma</span> Zoological-botanical garden in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

Wilhelma is a zoological-botanical garden in Stuttgart, southern Germany, located in the Bad Cannstatt district in the north of the city on the grounds of a historic castle. Wilhelma Zoo is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Baden-Württemberg, seeing more than 2 million visitors annually.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park</span> Zoo in England

Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, formerly Birmingham Nature Centre, and before that Birmingham Zoo, is a small zoo on the edge of Cannon Hill Park in Birmingham, England. It is owned and managed by Birmingham City Council.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Ana Zoo</span> Zoo in Santa Ana, California

The Santa Ana Zoo at Prentice Park in Santa Ana, California, is a 20-acre (8.1 ha) zoo focusing on the animals and plants of Central and South America. The Santa Ana Zoo hosts more than 270,000 people annually. The zoo opened in 1952 and is owned and operated by the City of Santa Ana. Joseph Prentice donated land for the zoo with the stipulation that the city must keep at least 50 monkeys at all times. The zoo maintains an extensive primate collection with over a dozen species from around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drusillas Zoo Park</span> Zoo in near Alfriston, East Sussex

Drusillas Park is a small 10-acre (4.0 ha) zoo near to Alfriston, East Sussex, United Kingdom. Its exhibits are targeted towards children between 2 and 12 years old. It attracts between 350,000 and 370,000 visitors per year and until December 2021 was home to the first Hello Kitty-themed attraction in Europe.

The Binder Park Zoo is a 433-acre (175 ha) zoo that opened in 1977 near Battle Creek, Michigan, in the United States. Binder Park Zoo is one of the largest zoos in Michigan, and features a large array of animals and plants, including the Wild Africa Exhibit. It includes a train, a tram, a carousel, and ropes course called "Skylark Ridge".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Antonio Zoo</span> Zoo in Texas, United States

The San Antonio Zoo is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoo in Midtown San Antonio, Texas, United States. It is located in the city's Brackenridge Park. San Antonio Zoo is a 50+ acre zoo home to over 750 species, some of which are endangered or extinct in the wild, and an annual attendance of more than 1 million. It also runs non-animal attractions, such as the 2 ft narrow gauge San Antonio Zoo Eagle train ride, which first opened in 1956.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orana Wildlife Park</span> Zoo in Christchurch, New Zealand

Orana Wildlife Park is New Zealand's only open-range zoo, sitting on 80 hectares of land, located on the outskirts of Christchurch. It opened in 1976, and is owned and operated by the Orana Wildlife Trust, a registered charity. The aims of the Trust are to provide quality recreational opportunities for local people and visitors to Christchurch; conserve endangered native and exotic wildlife; educate visitors about environmental and conservation issues; and support research relating to endangered animals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Safari World</span> Tourist attraction in Bangkok

Safari World is a tourist attraction in Bangkok, Thailand that consists of two parks named Marine Park and Safari Park, operated by Safari World Public Limited. The park was opened in 1988 with a total area of 480 acres (190 ha) for its open zoo and 180 acres (73 ha) for its bird park. A major renovation to enhance effectiveness of land use began on 17 April 1989 and its total area developed for the leisure park now consists of an open zoo and a marine park on 500 rai of land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro Richmond Zoo</span> Zoo in Chesterfield County, Virginia

Metro Richmond Zoo is a privately owned, for-profit zoo in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It is located in the central Virginia area, off of U.S. Route 360, about 20 miles southwest of Richmond. Metro Richmond Zoo encompasses about 70 acres (28 ha) and houses around 2,000 animals representing over 190 species, including reticulated giraffe, white rhinoceros, snow leopard, cheetah and Grant's zebra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden</span> Zoo in Budapest, Hungary

The Budapest Zoo & Botanical Garden is the oldest zoo in Hungary and one of the oldest in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Valencia Bioparc</span> Zoo in Valencia, Spain

Bioparc Valencia is a 10-hectare (25-acre) zoo park in Valencia, Spain. The zoo is owned by the City Council of Valencia and designed and managed by Rainforest. It has a large collection of African fauna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zoo and Botanical Garden in Toruń</span> Zoo in Toruń, Poland

The Zoo and Botanical Garden in Toruń is a zoological and botanical garden located in Toruń, Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship, Poland. The botanical garden was established in 1797, which makes it one of the oldest such gardens in Poland. In 1965, the botanical garden was merged with a newly opened zoo. Since 2007, it has been a member of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens". meskerparkzoo.com. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  2. "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums . Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  3. 1 2 "The Beginnings of Evansville's Mesker Park Zoo". The Boneyard. Retrieved 24 December 2006.
  4. "History Lesson: Mesker Park Zoo's Monkey Ship". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. Doyle, Michael. "New paint, old memories: Evansville zoo's 'monkey ship' lives on both in imagination and reality". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  6. "Amazonia opens with a roar". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 16 September 2008.
  7. "Amazonia helps zoo draw more than 38,000 visitors in exhibit's first month". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 14 October 2008.
  8. "It'll be a jungle out there". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 24 December 2006.
  9. 1 2 3 "Mesker Park Zoo Holds Soft Opening for Carousel – 44News | Evansville, IN". 44News | Evansville, IN. 24 June 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens" (PDF). meskerparkzoo.com. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  11. 1 2 3 "Mesker Park Zoo – Current Conservation Efforts". 17 December 2013. Retrieved 31 January 2019.
  12. "Zoo History". meskerparkzoo.com. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  13. "Meet Clementine: Mesker Park Zoo's Newest Addition – 44News | Evansville, IN". 44News | Evansville, IN. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  14. Jessica Wray. "Zoo officials: Donna the hippo will be euthanized Wednesday". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
  15. "Tour the Zoo". meskerparkzoo.com. Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Gardens. Archived from the original on 30 January 2011. Retrieved 21 September 2010.
  16. "Evansville Courier & Press". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  17. "Mesker Park Zoo announces birth of five Mexican grey wolf pups". Eyewitness News (WEHT/WTVW). 23 May 2019. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  18. "First Ever Successful Natural Breeding of Endangered Eastern Hellbenders at Mesker Park Zoo - Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden". 7 October 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2022.