Zoo History |
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| What began in a small downtown park in Montgomery, Alabama has now grown, expanded and become a premiere American zoological facility. The Montgomery Zoo started with humble beginnings as a small children’s zoo as a part of a local community park in the 1920s. While at Oak Park, the zoo housed alligators, monkeys, bears and assorted other animals. There was a small train and carousel for the children. As the years passed and dreams grew, in 1972 the Montgomery Zoo relocated to the quickly expanding north section of town, and still its current location. The Zoo began with six acres, a small petting zoo for the children, assorted monkeys, a flight cage designed after the 1906 St. Louis World’s Fair and chimpanzee named Benji. In 1976, the Montgomery Zoo hosted its first fundraising event entitled Zoo Day. This initial event grew to become an annual event and even take on a new name: Zoo Weekend. Today, an average Zoo Weekend will play host to over 18,000 guests. In 1989, ground-breaking took place expanding the Zoo to 40 acres. After two years of hard labor, the community welcomed a new Zoo in 1991. Barrier-free and multi-species exhibits highlighted the expansion, as well as, the Zoo being divided into five continental realms: Africa, Australia, Asia, North America and South America. Since then the Zoo has continued to grow and expand. In 1992, the cougar and lynx exhibit was opened in North American realm, the Reptile House, jaguar, and ocelot exhibit were completed in South America, as well as, the new chimpanzee and siamang exhibits opened in the Africa realm. In 1993, the bengal tiger exhibit opened in the Asian realm with one white and one orange tiger. In 1995, the bald eagle exhibit opened in North American realm and Monkey Island was completely renovated in South America. In 1996 , the new American black bear exhibit opened and our first baby cheetah was born. A few years later in 1998, the maned wolf and Indian rhino exhibit opened. In 2003, the Mann Wildlife Learning Museum was completed and opened on Zoo property. In 2004, probably our largest undertaking began: the building of our African elephant exhibit. After a year of hard work and sweat, the exhibit opened housing three female elephants. And almost two years to the date of opening the exhibit, our first African elephant was born. This is the first African elephant born in the State of Alabama. In the same year (2007), we also experienced the first Indian rhino to be born at the Montgomery Zoo: a male calf. In March of 2008, the North American River Otter exhibit opened featuring two river otters and an addition habitat for a North American Alligator Snapping Turtle. Zoo Timeline: 1920 41 acres was set aside in Oak Park for the citizens of Montgomery
1935 Oak Park received the first animals
1960 Oak Park closed for the next 11 years due to racial violence
1967 New zoo location, 6 acres set aside for new zoo (current land)
1971 Jim Amon appointed 1st Zoo Director Paul Foster hired as 1st Zookeeper Changed name of facility to “Montgomery Children’s Zoo” Zoo Office / Concessions building, flight cage , and monkey island completed
1972 John Heidger appointed Zoo Director Zoo officially opened on May 6 1st Zoo Education Officer hired Bengi (6 month old chimp) came to the Zoo
1973 Education / Administration building on Vandiver Blvd completed
1974 Name changed to “Montgomery Zoo” C.B. Rogers appointed Zoo Director
1975 Alligator Exhibit, Chimp House, Safari shelter constructed
1976 1st Zoo Day fund raiser Dixieland Zoological Society incorporated Robert Cooper appointed Zoo Director
1979 Chuck Clift appointed Zoo Director
1983 Mark Sabel appointed to work on Master Plan for New Montgomery Zoo
1988 Zoo Society name changed to Montgomery Area Zoological Society
1989 Official ground breaking for The New Montgomery Zoo
1990 Bill Fiore appointed Zoo Director & Construction on new 40 acre zoo begins
1991 Grand opening of The New Montgomery Zoo on September 21 with 5 realms & multi- species exhibits Montgomery Area Zoological Society adopts nickname “Zoo Friends”
1992 Cougar / Lynx exhibit in North American Realm completed Reptile House, Jaguar, & Ocelot exhibit completed Chimpanzee & Colobus Monkey exhibit opens in African Realm
1993 Bengal Tiger exhibit opens in Asia Realm with 1 white and 1 gold tiger
1995 Bald Eagle exhibit opens in North America & Monkey Island renovated in South America
1996 New American Black Bear exhibit completed Spectacled Bears arrived / First baby cheetah born 1998 Maned wolf and Indian rhino exhibit opens / Paul Foster appointed Zoo Director
1999 New Front Entrance Complex opens / Spectacled Bear exhibit opens
2001 Doug Goode appointed Zoo Director / First Annual Earth Day Safari / Old World Aviary opens
2003 Mann Wildlife Learning Museum was completed and opened
2004 Construction began on the African Elephant Habitat
2005 African Elephant Habitat opened with three female elephants
2007 Broke ground for North American River Otter Habitat
2007 First rhino born at the Montgmery Zoo born October 1, male calf First African elephant born in the State of Alabama at the Montgomery Zoo, born November 9, female calf
2008 North American River Otter exhibit opens
2009 New playgroud equipment is added New Toucan and Emperor Tamarins exhibit opens |
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