Riverside Discovery Center

Last updated
Riverside Discovery Center
Riverside Discovery Center
41°51′19″N103°41′03″W / 41.8552°N 103.6841°W / 41.8552; -103.6841
Location Scottsbluff, Nebraska
Land area23 acres (9.3 ha)
No. of animals125+
No. of species50+
Website www.riversidediscoverycenter.org

The Riverside Discovery Center, formerly named the Riverside Park and Zoo, is a park and zoo complex along the North Platte River in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States.

Contents

Riverside Park is Scottsbluff's city park, and has the only zoo in western Nebraska. It includes three lakes with camping and recreation areas, and a riverside trail that runs along the banks of the North Platte River. There are also over 30 garden spots. December 16, 2017 two brother grizzly bears went on exhibit. In the spring of 2017 their mother was illegally killed in Wyoming. State and Federal wildlife officials hoped the two orphaned cubs would survive in the wild without their mother. After several months on their own in the wild, the two cubs became increasingly habituated to humans for food. State and Federal wildlife officials were concerned about public safety and the well-being of the grizzly cubs. When it was evident the cubs were not going to survive in the wild on their own, State and Federal wildlife officials made the decision to capture the two cubs and try to find them a home. Riverside Discovery Center offered to assist in the rescue of the two cubs and to provide a new home for these two grizzly bear cubs.

Riverside Discovery Center was directly in the path of the August 21, 2017 total eclipse.

Riverside discovery center was not re-accredited by the AZA in September 2023. [1]

Animals

The Riverside Discovery Center has a collection of over 125 animals representing 50+ different species, in various exhibits.

North American Grasslands

Contains animals once common in the grasslands of North America:

Garden Walk

Slither Inn

mostly education animals behind the scenes

Raptor Row

Contains a collection of various raptors:

Rainforest Discovery Center

An area dedicated to some of the smaller animals of the rainforest

Chimpanzee Building

Home of the areas chimpanzee and other unique creatures:

Cat Complex

Home to various big cats:

Primate Building

Contains a small collection of primates:

Zebra Circle

Children's Zoo

Pond

Miscellaneous exhibits

There are other animals that are not included in any of the aforementioned exhibits:

Conservation

The Riverside Discovery Center is actively involved in the Survival Species Program for various species of imperiled wildlife on display.

The zoo and park is located a half mile west of Nebraska Highway 71.

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 Balboa Park, San Diego, California, United States

The San Diego Zoo is a zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, housing 4,000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies on 100 acres (40 ha) of Balboa Park leased from the City of San Diego. Its parent organization, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, is a private nonprofit conservation organization, and has one of the largest zoological membership associations in the world, with more than 250,000 member households and 130,000 child memberships, representing more than a half million people.

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

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).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beardsley Zoo</span> Zoo in Connecticut, United States

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo in the state of Connecticut. It includes one of the few carousels in the state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Zoo</span> Zoo in Oakland, California, United States

The Oakland Zoo is a zoo located in the Grass Valley neighborhood of Oakland, California, United States. Established on June 6, 1922, it is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife both locally and globally. The zoo is home to more than 850 native and exotic animals and is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

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

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, (U.S.A.), 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), with additional work on various park buildings contributed by future Baltimore City Hall architect George A. Frederick (1842-1924), and Park Commissioner John H.B. Latrobe, who also was an accomplished lawyer, author, artist, amateur architect and civic leader. Olmsted had earlier won a contest for the design of plans for New York City's famed Central Park in mid-town Manhattan in 1858, a year after it opened, and worked on the massive public works project during its construction from 1858 to 1873. The Maryland Zoo is now currently home to over 2,000 animals, and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden</span> Zoo and botanical garden in Oklahoma City, United States

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is a zoo and botanical garden located in Oklahoma City's Adventure District in northeast Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tulsa Zoo</span> Zoo in Oklahoma, United States

The Tulsa Zoo is an 84-acre (34 ha) non-profit zoo located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. The Tulsa Zoo is owned by the City of Tulsa, but since 2010, has been privately managed by Tulsa Zoo Management, Inc. The zoo is located in Mohawk Park, one of the largest municipal parks in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Little Rock Zoo</span> Zoo in Arkansas, United States

The Little Rock Zoo was founded in 1926 and is located in Little Rock, Arkansas, United States. It is home to more than 725 animals representing over 200 species, and covers an area of 33 acres (13 ha). The Arkansas Zoological Foundation is a private 501 c (3) organization that raises funds for zoo development. The Little Rock Zoo is a department of the city of Little Rock. It is the largest zoo in Arkansas, and the only Arkansas zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Birmingham Zoo</span> Zoo in Birmingham, Alabama, United States

The Birmingham Zoo is a zoological park that opened in 1955 in Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife Safari</span> Safari park in Winston, Oregon

Wildlife Safari is a safari park in Winston, Oregon, United States. It is home to hundreds of animals that wander freely over the 615-acre (249 ha) park, which guests can drive through. The park also includes a walkthrough exhibit displaying some of the park's smaller animals. It has Oregon's first and maybe only African elephants and maned wolves as of 2021.

Chahinkapa Zoo is an 29-acre (12 ha) zoo in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Opened in 1933 on land that had been purchased in 1903, it is the first zoo built in North Dakota. It is open May through October and by appointment during the winter. It features over 200 animals ranging from gibbon apes to Bengal tigers and White rhinos.

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">Bioparco di Roma</span> Zoo in Rome, Italy

Bioparco di Roma is a 17-hectare (42-acre) zoological garden located on part of the original Villa Borghese estate in Rome, Italy. There are 1,114 animals of 222 species maintained.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hogle Zoo</span> Zoo in Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.

Utah's Hogle Zoo is a 42-acre (17 ha) zoo located in Salt Lake City, Utah. It houses animals from diverse ecosystems. It is located at the mouth of Emigration Canyon. Hogle is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ZooAmerica</span> Zoo in Pennsylvania, U.S.

ZooAmerica is a zoo located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1910 by Milton S. Hershey with a few animals, including bears, birds, and deer. Today, it covers 11 acres and is home to more than 75 species and 200 individual animals, including some that are rare and endangered.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bramble Park Zoo</span> Zoo in South Dakota, United States

Bramble Park Zoo is located in Watertown, South Dakota. Open since 1912, the zoo comprises 15 acres (6.1 ha) with approximately 500 animals representing 130 different species.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northwest Trek</span> American wildlife park

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a 723-acre (293 ha) wildlife park located near the town of Eatonville, Washington, United States. The park is home to black and grizzly bears, grey wolves, bald eagles, a cougar, wolverines, bobcats and more. Its primary feature is a tram tour which takes visitors through a 435-acre (176 ha) free-roam area. The park also allows guests to drive their own vehicles past bison, mountain goats, Roosevelt elk, deer, caribou, swans and more on a Wild Drive tour. Guests can also take a premier Keeper Adventure Tour and go off-road in a Jeep with a keeper and up close to wildlife. The Zip Wild zipline is also open seasonally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peoria Zoo</span> Zoo in Peoria, Illinois

The Peoria Zoo is a zoo located in Peoria, Illinois, in the United States. The zoo is owned and operated by the Peoria Park District and is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, and New Years Day.

Hovatter's Wildlife Zoo, also known as the West Virginia Zoo, is a zoo in Kingwood, West Virginia. The zoo is open seasonally from April to October, and on weekends in November. Opening and closing dates vary from year to year.

References

  1. "22 Facilities Earn Gold-Standard Zoological Accreditation". www.aza.org.