| Ross Park Zoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 42°03′46″N75°54′40″W / 42.062644°N 75.910978°W | |
| Date opened | 1875 |
| Location | Binghamton, New York, United States |
| No. of animals | 180+ |
| No. of species | 52 [1] |
| Website | www |
The Ross Park Zoo is a zoo located in Binghamton, New York, United States. The zoo was opened in 1875, making it the 5th oldest zoo in the nation. [2] [3] The zoo (known as the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park from 2005 to 2020) is open year round.
The 90 acres (36 ha) of land was donated by Erastus Ross, a wealthy businessman whose only instructions were to build a park that all the community could enjoy. The electric trolleys in the area allowed easy access to the park. Other features of the park included roller coasters, swings, a miniature train, and a carousel. Band concerts were a frequent summer event.
Increased use of automobiles let people easily travel outside the city for recreation, this plus the two World Wars and the Great Depression led to the decline of the park. Eventually the USDA was threatening to close the park because of sub-standard exhibits. In 1966, concerned citizens formed the Southern Tier Zoological Society in an attempt to upgrade the facilities.
Mr. Ross donated the zoo enough money to run it for many years. He intended it to be free for all guests as well as the carousel that is on the outskirts of the entrance to the zoo. However, the zoo now has a nominal entrance fee. The carousel still remains free of charge to ride.
In December 2005, the zoo lost its accreditation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, "due to turmoil in its previous leadership and finances." Accreditation was successfully regained in 2009, but lost again in 2014. [4]
The zoo currently contains a growing number of animal exhibits, including red pandas, red wolves, a snow leopard, lemurs, an aviary, penguins, Pallas’s cats, howler monkeys, binturongs (also known as bearcats, the mascot of the nearby Binghamton University), [5] and many other animals. It is set in a lushly wooded environment.
The zoo also contains, outside the entrance of the zoo, a pavilion with areas for barbecuing, a small park, and rest rooms. The old lions den has been freshly renovated and is being used for educational programs with seating "behind bars". The zoo is also a neighbor to the Discovery Center, which is a hands-on children's museum.
The zoo also holds many annual events and activities. These events include:
Courtship Tails, Eggstravaganza, Zoo Brew & Wine Too!, Ice Cream Safari, Feast with the Beasts, Howloween at the Zoo, and Boo at the Zoo.
Media related to Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park at Wikimedia Commons
Binghamton is a city in the U.S. state of New York, and serves as the county seat of Broome County. Surrounded by rolling hills, it lies in the state's Southern Tier region near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers. Binghamton is the principal city and cultural center of the Binghamton metropolitan area, home to a quarter million people. The city's population, according to the 2020 census, is 47,969.
The Cape May County Park & Zoo in the Cape May Court House section of Middle Township, New Jersey, provides free year-round admission to a collection of more than 550 animals representing 250 species in 85 acres (34 ha) of exhibits. The zoo is located at 707 U.S. Route 9 North, in the center of Cape May County's Central Park. Together, the zoo and the park cover about 220 acres (89 ha). The zoo began operation in 1978. Its principal exhibit areas are a 57-acre (23 ha) African Savanna, a free-flight aviary, and a reptile collection. In addition to the Zoo and Park Central, there is also Park East, Park North and Park South.
Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is the only Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)-accredited zoo in the state of Connecticut. The zoo includes one of the few carousels in the state. The zoo has around 500 animals, from over 100 species, and welcomes about 280,000 visitors a year.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is a non-profit zoo located near Powell in Liberty Township, Delaware County, Ohio, United States, north of the city of Columbus. The land lies along the eastern banks of the O'Shaughnessy Reservoir on the Scioto River, at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Powell Road. It has a worldwide reputation, largely attributable to the efforts and promotion of director emeritus Jack Hanna. In 2009, it was named by the USA Travel Guide as the number one zoo in the United States. It was also ranked number one best zoo in 2012 by Besties Readers Choice.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park is a 63-acre (25 ha) nonprofit zoo located in Tampa, Florida. In 2009, Lowry Park Zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Parents Magazine, and is recognized by the State of Florida as the center for Florida wildlife conservation and biodiversity. The zoo is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The zoo also exists as a center for conservation of endangered wildlife both locally and around the globe. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) as well as a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), Conservation Breeding Specialist Group (CBSG), the Florida Association of Zoos and Aquariums (FAZA) and the Florida Attractions Association (FAA).
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 Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre (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.
Henry Vilas Zoo is a 28-acre (11 ha) public zoo in Madison, Wisconsin, United States, that is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Owned by Dane County, the zoo receives over 750,000 visitors annually.
Pullen Park is a 66.4-acre (0.27 km2) public park immediately west of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. It is located on Ashe Avenue and is adjacent to the Main and Centennial campuses of North Carolina State University, covering an area between Western Boulevard and historic Hillsborough Street. Founded in 1887, Pullen Park is the oldest public park in North Carolina.
The Topeka Zoo is a medium-sized zoo in Topeka, Kansas in the United States. It is located within Gage Park, just off I-70 in the north central portion of the city. Despite its size, it houses over 300 animals in a number of exhibits, including one of the first indoor tropical rain forests in the United States. It is one of the most popular attractions in Topeka, with over 250,000 visitors a year.
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.
The Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park is a 13-acre (5.3 ha) zoological park located in Warner Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The zoo was established in 1937 by the City of Chattanooga with the construction of two 4 by 6 feet cages for rhesus monkeys. The zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1998.
Turtle Back Zoo is a zoo in West Orange, New Jersey. Situated on 20 acres (8.1 ha) in the South Mountain Reservation, it is part of the South Mountain Recreation Complex, which is managed as part of the Essex County Park System, the oldest county park system in the United States. Founded in 1963, the zoo was originally a showcase for animals indigenous to the New York metropolitan area but currently features species from every continent except Antarctica. As of 2018, it houses approximately 1400 animals, including several hundred birds in a free-flight aviary. Located adjacent to the Richard J. Codey Arena, the former practice home of the New Jersey Devils, the zoo is open year-round, weather permitting.
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".
Niabi Zoo is a public Zoological Park in Coal Valley, Illinois, serving the Quad Cities Area. This 40 acre zoo is nestled inside its 287 acre forest preserve. The exploration of this picturesque setting guides guests through the discovery of more than 600 animals representing nearly 200 animal species from around the world. Niabi Zoo is open for general admission April–October annually and offers robust education and outreach programs year round.
The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo averages about 1.3 million visitors a year. The zoo houses 3,100 animals from 350 species and covers an area of 190 acres (77 ha). The zoo is noted for the second birth of polar bears and siamangs in captivity and for their locally famous gorilla Samson, who lived from 1950 to 1981 and whose bones are now on display at the Milwaukee Public Museum. During World War II, a celebrity animal of the zoo was Gertie the Duck and her ducklings. The zoo is also home to one of the largest group of bonobos in one location outside their native Democratic Republic of the Congo, and has two cheetahs from the National Zoo in Washington, DC.
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.
The Akron Zoo, officially known as the Akron Zoological Park, is a non-profit zoo located just west of downtown in Akron, Ohio, United States. The zoo sits on 77-acre (31 ha) of which 35-acre (14 ha) are occupied with by habitats, amenities, and support.
The George F. Johnson Recreation Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Binghamton in Broome County, New York. The carousel and its pavilion were built in 1925. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, pavilion topped by a cupola. The carousel has 60 horses standing four abreast, each of which is a "jumper," and two chariots. It was constructed by the Allan Herschell Company and contains its original Wurlitzer Military Band Organ. The carousel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Ross Park Carousel is a historic carousel located at Binghamton in Broome County, New York. The carousel is housed in a wooden, one story, 16-sided, pavilion topped by an eight sided cupola. The carousel has 60 horses standing four abreast, each of which is a "jumper," and two chariots. It was constructed by the Allan Herschell Company and contains its original Wurlitzer #146-A Band Organ. The carousel was purchased about 1920 and is one of six carousels donated to the citizens of Broome County by George F. Johnson (1857–1948), president of Endicott Johnson Corporation.