Denver Zoo was found in 1896, Scientific and Cultural Facility District funding the set up partly. Situated at the City Park, Denver, Colorado, USA, the zoo devours a total area of 80 acres of land. The City and County of Denver owns and maintains the zoo. The zoo was elected the most popular paid attraction of Denver metropolitan in the year 2005.
Denver Zoo started with a donated orphan American black bear. It is the first of its kind in USA to opt for naturalistic zoo enclosures and not typical cages for the animals. The bear mountain of the zoo is the first of its kind in the entire USA.
Post the huge environmental and popularity success of constructing the Bear Mountain in the zoo campus, the Primate Panorama was ideated and brought to reality. This space has three segmented parts via which the animals are interchanged in their arrangement of position so that their smells overlie with each other giving the zoo a more original touch of forest like ambience.
Denver Colorado Zoo is recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is also enrolled with the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
History of Denver Zoo
Thomas S. McCurry, mayor of Denver between 1895 and 1899, donated William Jennings Bryan or Billy, a troublesome orphan American black bear cub, to the founder of the zoo, Alexander J. Graham. Graham started the zoo in the year 1986 with Billy and some native waterfowl, a flock of Chinese pheasants, antelope and some native prairie dogs. In 1905 a huge number of red squirrels were included on board.
Works Progress Administration funded the zoo to build the Monkey Island in 1937. In 1947 the then Mayor Newton hired DeBoer to completely renew the zoo.
In 1994 twin polar bear cubs were rejected by the mother and were very efficiently brought by the zoo authorities. In 2007 a zookeeper was attacked by jaguar and killed.
Things To See In Denver Zoo
Denver Zoo is a must amongst the things to see in Denver. The zoo is a home for lots of species from all over the world. The long list includes primates, birds, fishes, hoofed mammals, carnivorous mammals, and pachyderms.
Bear Mountain – Borcherdt crafted the Bear Mountain which came into operation since in 1918. The southern part of the place resembles to Mesa Verde National Park. Apes were kept in the construction originally but due to fleeing issues they were replaced by sea lions. At present coati stay in the southern part of the place, Asiatic black bears and grizzly bears in other two sections of the artificial structure. For the restoration of the place $250,000 were funded.
Pachyderm – The pachyderm habitat was built in 1959 and shelters rhinos, elephants, Malayan tapir, and hippos. But the habitat will be soon substituted with new Asian Tropics parade.
Cat Family – Feline House was constructed in the year 1964 constituting two building with three large spaces, and six comparatively smaller spaces outside which are interconnected to the rooms inside. There are maned wolves, tigers and stripped hyenas.
Predator ridge represents the African savanna housing hyenas, lions, and African wild dogs. Cheetahs are kept separately in an enclosure near the pachyderm habitat.
Wolf Pack Woods - This area has been designed like a forest housing a pack of northern gray wolves.
Hoofed Mammals – The hoofed mammals are kept at the core of the zoo. There are reticulated giraffes, grevy’s zebra, dromedary camels, Bactrian, bison, okapi, mishmi takin, some species of antelpo group, deer, bighom sheep, cape buffalo, and dall sheep.
The giraffe house was constructed in the year 1966 and the mountain sheep habitat in 1979.
Primates – Primates are usually kept in and around the primate panorama zone. There are apes, gorillas, monkeys, and orangutans, move around freely all over the zone.
Jewels of the Emarald Forest resembles to Malagasy, forest canopy, primates of the night, and African forest floor. Shamba, housing Red River hogs, resembles to Central West African village. The Monkey Island and Monkey House are the primary residence of the monkeys. There is a moat around the Monkey Island where some aquatic birds are kept in summers.
Bird World – The zoo features around 200 species of birds including some rare ones as well along with the usually seen peahens and peacocks that roam around the parking lot. The zone is eco-friendly built so that the birds can fly around the area freely. The visitors can also help feed the birds at 2pm everyday. The Bird World houses sea eagles, a double-wattled cassowary, African penguins, vulture, Egyptian vultures, bald eagle, scarlet ibis, flamingos, and Andean condor.
In Lorikeet Adventure visitors can play around and even feed the birds. The Nature Trail leads to the area connected to the Bird Propagation Centre where birds are bred and raised.
Some species like black necked swan, a black swan, crested oropendola, Hawaiian goose are displayed in the Forest Aviary which is inside the Primate Panorama.
Tropical Discovery - The building houses many tropical mammals, reptiles, and amphibians since 1993.
Asian Tropic – This zone is under construction and is scheduled to house Indian rhinos, Asian elephants, black leopards, mantjacs, and Malayan tapirs.
Northern Shores – Under water viewing is facilitated to the visitors in this zone, which shelters river otters, harbour seals, California sea lions, and polar bears.
Other Attractions In Denver Zoo
The zoos Pioneer Train is the first ever train in USA to run on natural gas-power. The train takes around the zoo for an adventurous ride through the lush greens, beneath the soothing shades of ages old trees, viewing the animals and birds, adding the flavour of a safari ride to the usual zoo visit.
Educational Programs
The zoo offers a number of educational programs for all regarding nature’s wildlife. Denver Zoo offers courses for children and family, special courses for schools where the zoo authority goes to schools and preach on the courses and even when school trips are there in the zoo the authorities provide the students with the same, students are trained for community service, adults’ program, VIP treatment program, they also grant a day to spend with the zoo keepers and help them making the learning process more fun and real. They also fund many schools and organizations with Red Apple Fund for the learning process who can not afford it. For further details about the educational programs please contact the zoo authority.
Other Facilities In Denver Zoo
The zoo looks as colourful in dark as well as in day. The zoo lights almost put up a show with the exclusive idea of lightings. The campus exhibits lights in shape of many of the animals housed in the zoo.
Plan out the great fun party amidst nature and pour the environmental essence in the theme. Denver zoo lends out venue for all occasions round the year. For booking and charge details please contact the zoo organization.
Zoo Timings
In summers the zoo timings are 9am till 5pm. In winters the zoo timings are 10am till 4pm. For specific daily events, their timings and zoo coupons and discounts please refer to the official website of Denver Zoo. Memberships of the zoo are also available, and for that also one needs to contact the zoo authority.
Contact Details :
Zoo Address – 2300 Steele Street Denver, CO 80205-4899
Phone: (303) 376-4800
Fax: (303) 376-4801
Official Website : www.denverzoo.org
