The oldest zoo in the United States is the Philadelphia Zoo. It was chartered by the state in 1859, though the opening was delayed due to the Civil War. The zoo was officially opened on July 1, 1874, and since opening, it has become one of the premier breeding facilities in the world. It is especially known as a breeding facility for animals that are hard to breed in captivity. Today, the zoo covers 42 acres and has more than 1300 animals.
There are around 300 different species represented at the Philadelphia Zoo. The animals are divided into habitats, include the African Plains, Australia, Bear Country, Bird Valley, Carnivore Kingdom, Monkey Junction, the Pachyderm House, The Reptile and Amphibian House, the Small Mammal House, and the Tortoise Trail. Some of the animals in these areas include gazelles, storks, cranes, cheetahs, kangaroos, flamingos, penguins, spider monkeys, elephants, prairie dogs, Galapagos tortoises, meerkats, vampire bats, alligator snapping turtles, gila monsters, Chinese alligators, anacondas, tree frogs, red pandas, and giant otters.
In addition, the Philadelphia Zoo has an extensive Children's Zoo, which opened in 1938. The Children's Zoo has a number of animals, such as the domestic rabbit, which children can pet. There's also a Backyard Bugs program, where kids can hold tarantulas, roaches, and other insects, as well as a life-sized tractor for kids to climb, a hay area where they can learn about life on a farm, and the opportunity to see animals like macaws, hedgehogs, owls, goats, sheep, chicks, and more up close.
The zoo is known for their conservation efforts, and the Rare Animal Conservation Center is a great place for visitors to see animals that they can't see at any other zoos. This center was renovated in 2001 and includes enclosures for golden lion tamarins, Rodrigues fruit bats, naked mole-rats, pygmy marmosets, keas, and Madagascar giant jumping rats. They also are home to the PECO Primate reserve, which has helped save and rehabilitate primates from around the world, including the ring-tailed lemur, the western lowland gorilla, the Sumatran orangutan, and the black and white ruffed lemur.
One of the biggest parts of the Philadelphia Zoo is the McNeil Avian Center. This aviary has over 100 birds, including the Micronesian kingfisher, the Rhinoceros hornbill, the Mariana fruit dove, and the Victoria crowned pigeon. The exhibit has an African savanna, a Pacific Island habitat, a Tropical Rainforest, and an area set up like a Central American shade coffee plantation. The zoo also offers programs at the aviary for guests to speak with the zookeepers, and they have a 4-D migration theatre with daily shows.
The Philadelphia Zoo has a number of special events and features for visitors of all ages. One of the most recent additions is the Amazon Rainforest Carousel. There's also daily feeding of lorikeets, camel rides, a balloon ride, draft horse and pony rides, paddle boats on the lake, a train tour, and activities just for young children.
Guests can visit the zoo to participate in these activities and see the animals 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM from March 1 to November. Winter hours, from November 2 to February 28 are from 9:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and not all activities are available during the winter. To learn more, guests can call the Philadelphia Zoo at 215-243-1100.
