Abilene Zoological Gardens
Encyclopedia
The Abilene Zoological Gardens is a small 13 acres (5.3 ha) zoo
located in Abilene
, Texas
. The zoo has over 500 animals representing over 200 species. Attendance for 2009 was 172,343.
Abilene zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA) since 1985. The zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program, allowing members to obtain free or reduced admissions at many other American zoos.
The zoo is primarily funded by the City of Abeline and the Abilene Zoological society, which contributed $1,270,890 and $732,750 respectively in fiscal 2007-2008.
In 2006, $1.1 million was raised through a bond issue for zoo improvements. This bond funded converting part of the Discovery Center into the Creepy Crawly Center, expansions to the giraffe exhibit and the parking lot, and creating a South American Trails exhibit, the Wetlands Boardwalk, and the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit.
In 2007, one of the zoos elephant
s died at age 49 amidst some controversy over conditions for the elephants at the zoo, and the other was sent to the Cameron Park Zoo
in Waco, Texas
. The elephant exhibit was then turned into an exhibit for black rhinoceros
es. The new $3.7 million Adventure Center (visitor services, administration, and education, all privately funded) and the new Creepy Crawler Center were also opened in 2007.
2008 saw the opening of the maned wolf exhibit, which was initially home to a mother and son acquired from the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center in Eureka, Missouri.
In June 2009, the zoo received an 8 year old white Bengal tiger named Havar from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida. The 325 pound male tiger went on display 2 June 2009. Also in 2009, the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit was completed with funds from the 2006 bond issue plus a $525,000 grant from the Grover Nelson Foundtation.
In March 2009, extension of the AZA accreditation for the zoo was tabled. In November, the majority of the issues had been addressed, including the lack of adequate veterinary and quarantine facilities. In March 2010, the zoo's accreditation was extended through 2014.
The Creepy Crawler Center (sometimes called the "Venom Shack") is the zoos herpetarium
, opened in December 2007 in what was part of the Discovery Center. The exhibit was designed and built by the zoo's management and staff, and contains 49 naturalistic exhibits with 80 species of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates including octopus
, leech
es, deathstalker
s, tarantulas, tentacled snakes, and Moroccan Cobra
s.
Also part of the Discovery center, the Tropical Aviary is a climate controlled indoor aviary that is home to the zoos tropical birds. The zoo also has Outdoor Aviaries which house other birds in its possession.
The Elm Creek Backyard, completed in 2009, houses species native to the Elm Creek area of Texas, including cougars, coyote
s, porcupine
s, raccoon
s, bobcats, ringtail
s, armadillo
s, skunk
s, and river otters, as well as a some birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
The Wetlands Boardwalk is an elevated boardwalk that lets visitors get a close look at animals that inhabit the wetlands exhibits at the zoo. The various wetlands exhibits are home to a variety of wetland dwellers including alligator
s, flamingo
s, waterfowl
, and Attwater's prairie chicken
.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
located in Abilene
Abilene, Texas
Abilene is a city in Taylor and Jones counties in west central Texas. The population was 117,063 at the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Abilene Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2006 estimated population of 158,063. It is the county seat of Taylor County...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. The zoo has over 500 animals representing over 200 species. Attendance for 2009 was 172,343.
Abilene zoo has been an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Association of Zoos and Aquariums
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded in 1924 and is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and public aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation.The AZA headquarters is located in Silver...
(AZA) since 1985. The zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program, allowing members to obtain free or reduced admissions at many other American zoos.
The zoo is primarily funded by the City of Abeline and the Abilene Zoological society, which contributed $1,270,890 and $732,750 respectively in fiscal 2007-2008.
History
In 1985, the zoo received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).In 2006, $1.1 million was raised through a bond issue for zoo improvements. This bond funded converting part of the Discovery Center into the Creepy Crawly Center, expansions to the giraffe exhibit and the parking lot, and creating a South American Trails exhibit, the Wetlands Boardwalk, and the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit.
In 2007, one of the zoos elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s died at age 49 amidst some controversy over conditions for the elephants at the zoo, and the other was sent to the Cameron Park Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo
Cameron Park Zoo is a zoo located in the city of Waco, Texas, United States next to the Brazos river. It was originally established in 1955 as the Central Texas Zoological Park....
in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
. The elephant exhibit was then turned into an exhibit for black rhinoceros
Black Rhinoceros
The Black Rhinoceros or Hook-lipped Rhinoceros , is a species of rhinoceros, native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, and Angola...
es. The new $3.7 million Adventure Center (visitor services, administration, and education, all privately funded) and the new Creepy Crawler Center were also opened in 2007.
2008 saw the opening of the maned wolf exhibit, which was initially home to a mother and son acquired from the Wild Canid Survival and Research Center in Eureka, Missouri.
In June 2009, the zoo received an 8 year old white Bengal tiger named Havar from Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida. The 325 pound male tiger went on display 2 June 2009. Also in 2009, the Elm Creek Backyard exhibit was completed with funds from the 2006 bond issue plus a $525,000 grant from the Grover Nelson Foundtation.
In March 2009, extension of the AZA accreditation for the zoo was tabled. In November, the majority of the issues had been addressed, including the lack of adequate veterinary and quarantine facilities. In March 2010, the zoo's accreditation was extended through 2014.
Exhibits
The Giraffe Habitat includes a bridge crossing over it which allows visitors to pet and feed the giraffes.The Creepy Crawler Center (sometimes called the "Venom Shack") is the zoos herpetarium
Herpetarium
A Herpetarium is usually a building at a zoo or private collection which displays different species of reptiles and amphibians.- References :...
, opened in December 2007 in what was part of the Discovery Center. The exhibit was designed and built by the zoo's management and staff, and contains 49 naturalistic exhibits with 80 species of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates including octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
, leech
Leech
Leeches are segmented worms that belong to the phylum Annelida and comprise the subclass Hirudinea. Like other oligochaetes such as earthworms, leeches share a clitellum and are hermaphrodites. Nevertheless, they differ from other oligochaetes in significant ways...
es, deathstalker
Deathstalker
The deathstalker , is a species of scorpion, a member of the Buthidae family. It is also known as Palestine yellow scorpion, Omdurman scorpion, Israeli desert scorpion and numerous other colloquial names, which generally originate from the commercial captive trade of the animal...
s, tarantulas, tentacled snakes, and Moroccan Cobra
Cobra
Cobra is a venomous snake belonging to the family Elapidae. However, not all snakes commonly referred to as cobras are of the same genus, or even of the same family. The name is short for cobra capo or capa Snake, which is Portuguese for "snake with hood", or "hood-snake"...
s.
Also part of the Discovery center, the Tropical Aviary is a climate controlled indoor aviary that is home to the zoos tropical birds. The zoo also has Outdoor Aviaries which house other birds in its possession.
The Elm Creek Backyard, completed in 2009, houses species native to the Elm Creek area of Texas, including cougars, coyote
Coyote
The coyote , also known as the American jackal or the prairie wolf, is a species of canine found throughout North and Central America, ranging from Panama in the south, north through Mexico, the United States and Canada...
s, porcupine
Porcupine
Porcupines are rodents with a coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend or camouflage them from predators. They are indigenous to the Americas, southern Asia, and Africa. Porcupines are the third largest of the rodents, behind the capybara and the beaver. Most porcupines are about long, with...
s, raccoon
Raccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
s, bobcats, ringtail
Ringtail
The ringtail is a mammal of the raccoon family , native to arid regions of North America. It is also known as the ringtail cat, ring-tailed cat or miner's cat, and is also sometimes mistakenly called a "civet cat"...
s, armadillo
Armadillo
Armadillos are New World placental mammals, known for having a leathery armor shell. Dasypodidae is the only surviving family in the order Cingulata, part of the superorder Xenarthra along with the anteaters and sloths. The word armadillo is Spanish for "little armored one"...
s, skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, and river otters, as well as a some birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians.
The Wetlands Boardwalk is an elevated boardwalk that lets visitors get a close look at animals that inhabit the wetlands exhibits at the zoo. The various wetlands exhibits are home to a variety of wetland dwellers including alligator
Alligator
An alligator is a crocodilian in the genus Alligator of the family Alligatoridae. There are two extant alligator species: the American alligator and the Chinese alligator ....
s, flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s, waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
, and Attwater's prairie chicken
Attwater's Prairie Chicken
Attwater's Prairie Chicken is a highly endangered subspecies of the Greater Prairie Chicken that is native to coastal Texas and Louisiana in the United States.-Description:...
.