Bronx Zoo
From Free net encyclopedia
- This article is about the zoo, for the tv series see The Bronx Zoo (TV).
The Bronx Zoo is a world-famous zoo in The Bronx, New York. It opened on November 8, 1899, with 22 exhibits and 843 animals and with the goal to "advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife, and educate the public." Its original permanent buildings, designed by Heins & LaFarge, are a series of Beaux-Arts pavilions grouped around the large circular sea lion pool.
The Bronx Zoo was one of the first zoos in North America to move animals from cages—often organized by families in Linnaean classification—to more naturalistic environments (e.g. "The African Plains") which would mix species and attempt to replicate the region the species arrived from. There would still be barriers so that predators and prey would be physically separated by devices such as moats, though the barriers might not be apparent to viewers. It is especially known for its 'Wild Asia' tramway, where spectators can witness Asian animals up front (in a monorail), and Jungleworld, an indoor exhibit on plants and animals from tropical rain forests. The zoo also boasts the Congo Gorilla Forest, which is the largest man-made rainforest in the world at 6.5 acres, and focuses on conservation; your entry fee goes right back out to help save the species within the exhibit.
The Bronx Zoo is owned and operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, formerly known as the New York Zoological Society. WCS also operates the following parks in New York City: