Mill Mountain Zoo | |
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37°14′55.97″N79°56′10.56″W / 37.2488806°N 79.9362667°W | |
Date opened | July 4, 1952 [1] |
Location | Roanoke, Virginia, United States |
No. of animals | 85 [1] (3 endangered species) [1] |
No. of species | 35 |
Director | Niki Voudren |
Website | mmzoo |
The Mill Mountain Zoo is a zoo located atop Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. When it opened in 1952, the zoo was operated by the City of Roanoke. [2] In 1976, the city turned its operation over to the Roanoke Jaycees. The Jaycees operated the zoo until 1988 when its operation was handed over to the non-profit Blue Ridge Zoological Society (BRZS). [2] The BRZS still serves as the operator and fund raiser for the zoo. [3]
With its location atop Mill Mountain not being conducive to a major expansion, a proposal was developed in 1984 to relocate the zoo to a 400-acre (160 ha) tract adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway to be called the Blue Ridge Zoo. [4] This proposal was later abandoned in favor of the development of Virginia's Explore Park at that location. [4] After the failed relocation proposal, the Blue Ridge Zoological Society voted in 1988 to keep the zoo permanently atop Mill Mountain. [5] As part of this decision, a 10-year master plan, called Zoo 2001, was completed in 1991, with some of its suggestions implemented over the course of the next decade. [5]
In June 2021, the zoo completed its largest capital project in three decades and added a black bear, heritage goats, hogs, and other animals. [6]
The following are some of the more notable animals and attractions that have been at the zoo:
The zoo is host to 85 animals among 35 species, including two species on the endangered list, the red panda and snow leopard. [1] It is constantly undergoing changes with a variety of species being added including the opening of an interactive aviary in 2008 and a reptile house in 2009 and the black bear exhibit in 2021. Some of the favorite animals at the Zoo are Bali, the snow leopard; Hyde the black bear, Frank the red panda and Porkchop and Lara the Asian small-clawed otters. Recent additions to the Zoo include various types of poison dart frogs including blue dart frogs and golden dart frogs, = 3 Bennett's Wallabies and a Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth, Lady.
Current animals:
| Past animals:
| Animals of the future[ when? ] Currently Planning Collection Expansion |
Roanoke is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. It is located in Southwest Virginia along the Roanoke River, in the Blue Ridge range of the greater Appalachian Mountains. Roanoke is approximately 50 miles (80 km) north of the Virginia–North Carolina border and 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Washington, D.C., along Interstate 81. At the 2020 census, Roanoke's population was 100,011, making it the most-populous city in Virginia west of the state capital Richmond. It is the primary population center of the Roanoke metropolitan area, which had a population of 315,251 in 2020.
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ABQ BioPark Zoo, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, is a facility of the Albuquerque Biological Park. Founded in 1927, the 64-acre (26 ha) zoo was originally known as the Rio Grande Zoo. Sections of the zoo include an Africa exhibit area, an Australia exhibit area, the "Cat Walk" and a herpetology area. An endangered species carousel was added in 2016. A narrow-gauge railroad connects the zoo to the other facilities of the Albuquerque Biological Park. Walking distance through the zoo is 2.27 miles (3.65 km).
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