Great Plains Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Great Plains Zoo is a 45 acres (18.2 ha) zoo located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
, United States
. The Delbridge Museum is included in the zoo entrance fee, and houses a collection of 150 mounted animals including 36 vanishing species.
The Great Plains Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA).
had a few animal specimens housed for viewing in local parks from the 1880s through the 1930s, when the Sioux Fall Parks System assumed responsibility and placed additional animals permanently on display in Sherman Park. The Zoological Society of Sioux Falls was established in 1957, and helped develop the Great Plains Zoo, which opened its doors to the public on 30 June 1963.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the zoo added a Children's Zoo, the Black-footed Penguin Rookery, Birds of Prey aviary, a Primate Complex, and a 10 acres (4 ha) North American Plains Exhibit. The Delbridge Museum of Natural History was added to the zoo in 1984 through the donation of more than 150 mounted animals from the CJ Delbridge family collection.
In the 1990s the zoo renovated several of the aging facilities, and added new habitats including the Asian Cat Habitat, Wild Dogs of America exhibit, the Australian Outback, Bear Canyon, and Galapagos Tortoise exhibit.
Despite this, by 2005 the zoo had slipped into disrepair. In 2005, the city hired Elizabeth Whealy as CEO and president in the hopes of improving the zoo. Whealy concluded that the zoo needed better animal care and better visitor care, and decided to make some major changes. Since then, the zoo has rehabilitated the zoo’s ponds, brought in traveling exhibits like the albino alligator, renovated old exhibits to house new animals. Other improvements are on the way. Since 2005, zoo attendance has increased over 60%, increasing to 220,000 visitors per year.
s and Pallas's Cats.
The African Savannah exhibit recreates the area around an African watering hole, and shows how African animals like Grévy's Zebra
s, Reticulated Giraffe
s, East African Crowned Crane
s, and Ostrich
es.
Other exhibits include the Black-footed Penguin Rookery, the Birds of Prey aviary, Bear Canyon, the Primate Complex, the North American Plains exhibit, the Wild Dogs of America exhibit, Australian Outback, the Galapagos Tortoise exhibit, and a Children’s zoo.
The Savannah Express runs from mid-May to Labor day, and on some weekends in the fall, every 30 minutes, weather permitting.
The custom-designed Sanford Carousel is located near the children's zoo, and is open daily during the summer.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Delbridge Museum is included in the zoo entrance fee, and houses a collection of 150 mounted animals including 36 vanishing species.
The Great Plains Zoo is accredited by 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).
History
South Dakota Senator Richard F. PettigrewRichard F. Pettigrew
Richard Franklin Pettigrew was an American lawyer, surveyor, and land developer. He represented the Dakota Territory in the U.S. Congress and, after the Dakotas were admitted as States, he was the first U.S. Senator from South Dakota.-Biography:Pettigrew was born in Ludlow, Windsor County,...
had a few animal specimens housed for viewing in local parks from the 1880s through the 1930s, when the Sioux Fall Parks System assumed responsibility and placed additional animals permanently on display in Sherman Park. The Zoological Society of Sioux Falls was established in 1957, and helped develop the Great Plains Zoo, which opened its doors to the public on 30 June 1963.
In the 1970s and 1980s, the zoo added a Children's Zoo, the Black-footed Penguin Rookery, Birds of Prey aviary, a Primate Complex, and a 10 acres (4 ha) North American Plains Exhibit. The Delbridge Museum of Natural History was added to the zoo in 1984 through the donation of more than 150 mounted animals from the CJ Delbridge family collection.
In the 1990s the zoo renovated several of the aging facilities, and added new habitats including the Asian Cat Habitat, Wild Dogs of America exhibit, the Australian Outback, Bear Canyon, and Galapagos Tortoise exhibit.
Despite this, by 2005 the zoo had slipped into disrepair. In 2005, the city hired Elizabeth Whealy as CEO and president in the hopes of improving the zoo. Whealy concluded that the zoo needed better animal care and better visitor care, and decided to make some major changes. Since then, the zoo has rehabilitated the zoo’s ponds, brought in traveling exhibits like the albino alligator, renovated old exhibits to house new animals. Other improvements are on the way. Since 2005, zoo attendance has increased over 60%, increasing to 220,000 visitors per year.
Exhibits and attractions
The Asian Cat exhibit includes Amur Tigers, Snow LeopardSnow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s and Pallas's Cats.
The African Savannah exhibit recreates the area around an African watering hole, and shows how African animals like Grévy's Zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
s, Reticulated Giraffe
Somali Giraffe
The Somali Giraffe, or more commonly known as Reticulated Giraffe , is a subspecies of giraffe native to Somalia, northern Kenya and southern Ethiopia...
s, East African Crowned Crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
s, and Ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es.
Other exhibits include the Black-footed Penguin Rookery, the Birds of Prey aviary, Bear Canyon, the Primate Complex, the North American Plains exhibit, the Wild Dogs of America exhibit, Australian Outback, the Galapagos Tortoise exhibit, and a Children’s zoo.
The Savannah Express runs from mid-May to Labor day, and on some weekends in the fall, every 30 minutes, weather permitting.
The custom-designed Sanford Carousel is located near the children's zoo, and is open daily during the summer.