Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is a 165 acres (66.8 ha) zoo
in Cleveland, Ohio
. The zoo is divided into several areas: the RainForest, the African Savanna, Northern Trek, the Australian Adventure, and the Primates, Cats, and Aquatics House. The Metroparks Zoo has one of the largest collections of primate
s in North America
. It features Monkey Island, a concrete island where a large population of Colobus Monkeys are kept in free-range conditions (no cages or walls). The zoo is a part of the Cleveland Metroparks
system.
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was founded in 1882, which makes it the seventh oldest zoo in the United States. It is the most popular year round attraction in Northeast Ohio (by attendance the Cleveland Indians
were the most popular attraction in Northeast Ohio in 2007 with a total attendance of 2,275,911. The Zoo announced that 1,227,593 people visited in 2007. This represented a 2% rise in attendance from 2006. The Zoo credits its increased popularity to special programs and events such as "Boo at the Zoo," "DINOSAURS!,' and "TOUCH! amazing rays and sharks."
in 1882 on the current location of Cleveland Museum of Art
. In 1907, the city of Cleveland moved the zoo to its current location, and the zoo acquired its first elephant. For the most part the early years of the zoo kept only local animals of origin. Starting in 1910 the zoo built Monkey
Island, Sea Lion
Pools and bear exhibit. In 1940, the zoo received its third Elephant
and its first elephant resident since 1924, and at the same time the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
assumed control of the zoo.
Between 1955 and the transfer of management to the Cleveland Metroparks
in 1975 the zoo experienced much expansion and at the same time some setbacks due to flooding. In 1975, construction began on The Primate & Cat Building, in 1992 The Rainforest, followed by Wolf Wilderness in 1997, Australian Adventure in 2000, and The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine in 2004.
There are two modes of transportation through the zoo other than walking. These include two "ZooTram" lines that circle the Welcome Plaza (Near the pachyderm building) to Primate, Cat and Aquatics and Northern Trek to the Welcome Plaza (Near the food court).
The Rainforest is housed in a large glass and granite building, just outside the main entrance to the zoo. It is divided between an outer ring, which houses an assortment of tropical plants, small primates, a cafeteria, and a gift shop, and an inner area, which contains the principal animal exhibits. The animal habitats are located on both floors of the Rainforest. The animal exhibits contained on the ground floor are collectively known as the "Lower Forest" and those on the second floor are known as the "Upper Forest."
Upon entering the Rainforest a visitor is immediately confronted by a 25 feet (7.6 m) waterfall, and a large tropical garden that soars two stories. The wall behind the waterfall resembles Ancient Mayan ruins. Within the wall there are a series of small New World Primate exhibits, featuring the: common tamarin, emperor tamarin
, Geoffroy's tamarin
, Goeldi's monkey
, white-faced marmoset, and the endangered golden lion tamarin
. The outer ring of the Rainforest is also home to a wide variety of tropical plants including: Lancepod, Balsam Apple, Tropical Almond, Lipstick Tree, numerous varieties of orchid, a Kapok Tree, and the rare Titan Arum
(the Corpse Flower). Inside the exhibit there is a large recreation of a rainforest
on an island called "tropical rain storm" where simulated rain occurs periodically. The island is home to Indian Porcupines. A gift shop and cafeteria are located to the left of the main entrance.
Animals contained in the Rainforest include: lar gibbon
, Egyptian fruit bat
s, giant anteaters
, capybara
s, scarlet ibis
, prehensile-tailed porcupine
s, two-toed sloth
s, green and black poison arrow frogs
, a reticulated python, green vine snake
s, a green anaconda, clouded leopard
, Batagur turtles, Brazilian ocelot
s, Bornean orangutan
s, the extremely rare fishing cat
, and gharial
crocodile
.
s, giraffe
s, zebra
s, gazelle
s, a variety of African birds, black rhinos and colobus monkeys. The Pachyderm
Building is home to elephant
s, warthog
s, tapir
s and hippo
s. On July 11, 2007, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Black Rhinoceros Inge gave birth to a female rhinoceros named Zuri.
The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine. As part of the Cleveland Metroparks and Zoo's focus on conservation, the Zoo constructed the Center for Zoological Medicine in September 2004. The veterinary hospital hosts medical, laboratory and surgical suites, a ward and quarantine area. Also housed here is the Reinbergerger Learning Lab, where Zoo visitors can learn about veterinary care at all stages of an animal's life. The Learning Lab features interactive hands-on educational displays and views to surgical suites where visitors might sneak a peak at a treatment procedure in progress. This hospital is equipped with the first CT Scanner in any zoo.
Monkey Island was built in 1934. The exhibit is a large island surrounded by water and is home to Marine Iguana
, Cape Hyrax
, Klipspringer
, and the Colobus Monkey.
African Plains is several large yards that featuring African mammals and birds. The African Plains feature animals such as the hartebeest
s, Masai giraffe
s, bontebok
s, gazelle
s, ostrich
es, and stork
s.
African Elephant Crossing The Cleveland Metroparks
Zoo has recently unveiled a large new African Elephant Habitat which will become a model for other zoos in the United States. The new exhibit is a state of the art habitat, which quadruples the elephants' living space. Under the expansion the Zoo increases its number of elephants from a group of three to a herd of eight to ten African Elephants. At least one of the new elephants is a bull, and eventually the herd will include calves through breeding. The exhibit features two large ranges, spread out over several acres. The ranges include deep ponds so that the elephants can swim, and expanded sleeping quarters. Parts of the ranges are heated, to maximize the elephants habitat during the winter. In addition to expanding the number of African Elephants, the African Elephant Crossing includes meerkat
s, naked mole rat
s, African Rock Pythons, and several species of birds. The Zoo opened the exhibit on May 5th, 2011. The total cost to construct the exhibit cost $25 million.
TOUCH! is an interactive 11000 gal saltwater pool/exhibit that allows visitors to touch small sharks and stingrays. The touch exhibit features cownose ray
s, Southern red stingray
s and bamboo sharks that all swim freely. The exhibit even offers the unique chance to feed the animals. In 2008, nurse shark
s and horseshoe crabs were added to the exhibit.
s, kangaroo
s and wallabies
that roam freely in Wallaby Walkabout. At Kookaburra Station and contact yard you can touch Merino sheep, goat
s, and other farm animals.
Gum Leaf Hideout is the home to the zoo's collection of Numbat
s, Koala
s, Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo
, and Short-beaked Echidna
.
Reinberger Homestead is a themed traditional 19th century sheep station. The sheep station offers zoo visitors a peek into Australian home life. In addition the park is home to a 55 feet (16.8 m) Yagga Tree which contains animal exhibits and a snake slide. Australian Adventure is only open mid-March through October.
Wallaby Walkabout is modeled after the Australian outback which features a winding path that visitors share with kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroo
s during the months of April through October. The landscape includes plants intended to be consumed by the animals. In July 2007 the zoo was under heavy scrutiny by PETA
after a 1-year-old Kangaroo was struck and killed by the exhibit's train. In response the Zoo quickly fired the employee and installed a fence around the train tracks to prevent future injuries from happening.
. In addition, The Northern Trek is home to Moose
, Siberian tigers, Reindeer
, Thorold's deer
, Bactrian camel
s, Polar Bear
, Harbor seal
s and Sea Lion
s.
Wolf Wilderness
Wolf Wilderness gives visitors a comprehensive look into the environment and wildlife of a northern temperate forest. Wolf Lodge anchors the exhibit and serves as an education and viewing center for gray wolves, beavers, and a variety of wetland species. Wolf Wilderness is one of the principal North American habitats at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The exhibit consists of a wooden building (Wolf Lodge), a large fenced in woodland enclosure for the wolves, a 65,000 gallon pond, panoramic viewing rooms, and a gift shop.
Visitors access Wolf Wilderness through the appropriately named Wolf Lodge, a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) building that is modeled after a 19th century fur trading post. The building is divided into four parts. Upon entering a person walks into a large visitor center which has extensive information on animals indigenous to the North American deciduous forests and wetlands. This room leads to the two principal exhibit areas.
The first principal exhibit room is dedicated to the six Mexican Gray Wolves housed at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. A visitor is able to observe the wolves through a large viewing room with floor to ceiling windows, which look out onto the Mexican Grey Wolf habitat itself. There are also video cameras placed within the wolves habitat and televisions playing the live feed in the observation room. The wolves are contained in a large wooded area directly behind the Wolf Lodge.
The wolf viewing area leads directly to the wetlands and wolf display room. Here, visitors can observe both the wolves, and several other animals which are native to North America. Like the wolf viewing room, this area contains floor to ceiling windows. However, while visitors can see the wolves from this room, the principal exhibits are the Canadian Beaver habitat, a 65000 gal freshwater pond and a Bald Eagle. The Canadian Beaver habitat contains a cut section display of a beaver dam that allows a person to see the beavers in their nest. The pond comes right up to the viewing window, creating an aquarium effect, allowing visitors to see what a wetland pond looks like underwater. The pond contains numerous fish indigenous to North American wetlands. Finally, the exhibit is home to one of the Bald Eagles housed at the zoo.
s and lemur
s. Beyond the building some primates are located throughout the park in locations such as the Rainforest. In addition, many aquatic species can be seen in 35 displays of salt and fresh exhibits such as shark
s, piranha
s, Giant Pacific Octopus
and living coral
.
Outdoor exhibits feature the outdoor section of the gorilla exhibit, dhole
s, Aldabra tortoises, cheetah
s, Snow leopard
s, and Madagascan fossas
.
s, flamingo
s, gibbon
s, lemur
s and a butterfly
exhibit in Public Greenhouse. In addition, Waterfowl lake is home to Wade Hall which is one of the oldest zoo buildings in North America. Today the hall is home to an ice cream
shop.
DINOSAURS! In the summer of 2007 the zoo featured 15 prehistoric animals along Waterfowl Lake. The 2007 and 2010 "DINOSAURS!" exhibit featured dinosaurs from all over the world including Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus
, Omeisaurus
, Dilophosaurus
, Baryonyx
, Iguanodon
, Styracosaurus
, Apatosaurus
, Kentrosaurus
, Brachiosaurus
, Suchomimus
and more
Overnight Camp opportunities include "Rising Waters Safari Camp" which is an African-themed overnight camp. Campers at Rising Waters stay in the Zoo's African Savanna, for an authentic safari experience. The program combines elements of African culture with an overall theme of conservation for African animals.
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....
in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. The zoo is divided into several areas: the RainForest, the African Savanna, Northern Trek, the Australian Adventure, and the Primates, Cats, and Aquatics House. The Metroparks Zoo has one of the largest collections of primate
Primate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
s in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It features Monkey Island, a concrete island where a large population of Colobus Monkeys are kept in free-range conditions (no cages or walls). The zoo is a part of the Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks is an extensive system of nature preserves in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. The various reservations, which largely encircle the city of Cleveland, tend to follow the rivers and creeks that flow through the region...
system.
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was founded in 1882, which makes it the seventh oldest zoo in the United States. It is the most popular year round attraction in Northeast Ohio (by attendance the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
were the most popular attraction in Northeast Ohio in 2007 with a total attendance of 2,275,911. The Zoo announced that 1,227,593 people visited in 2007. This represented a 2% rise in attendance from 2006. The Zoo credits its increased popularity to special programs and events such as "Boo at the Zoo," "DINOSAURS!,' and "TOUCH! amazing rays and sharks."
History
The zoo first opened at Wade ParkWade Park (Cleveland park)
Wade Park is a park in the University Circle neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. An idyllic swath of land in one of Cleveland's busiest neighborhoods, the park was built on land donated by Jeptha Wade with the intention of using part of the property building for an art museum. It's most prominent...
in 1882 on the current location of Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland Museum of Art
The Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
. In 1907, the city of Cleveland moved the zoo to its current location, and the zoo acquired its first elephant. For the most part the early years of the zoo kept only local animals of origin. Starting in 1910 the zoo built Monkey
Monkey
A monkey is a primate, either an Old World monkey or a New World monkey. There are about 260 known living species of monkey. Many are arboreal, although there are species that live primarily on the ground, such as baboons. Monkeys are generally considered to be intelligent. Unlike apes, monkeys...
Island, Sea Lion
Sea Lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...
Pools and bear exhibit. In 1940, the zoo received its third Elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
and its first elephant resident since 1924, and at the same time the Cleveland Museum of Natural History
Cleveland Museum of Natural History
The Cleveland Museum of Natural History is a natural history museum located approximately five miles east of downtown Cleveland, Ohio in University Circle, a 550-acre concentration of educational, cultural and medical institutions...
assumed control of the zoo.
Between 1955 and the transfer of management to the Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks is an extensive system of nature preserves in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. The various reservations, which largely encircle the city of Cleveland, tend to follow the rivers and creeks that flow through the region...
in 1975 the zoo experienced much expansion and at the same time some setbacks due to flooding. In 1975, construction began on The Primate & Cat Building, in 1992 The Rainforest, followed by Wolf Wilderness in 1997, Australian Adventure in 2000, and The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine in 2004.
Building/exhibit history
The following is a selected list of when buildings and exhibits were created:- 1882: Zoo opens as Wade Park in Cleveland's University CircleUniversity CircleUniversity Circle, is a neighborhood located on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is best known for its world-class cultural, educational and medical institutions, including the Cleveland Orchestra, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Museum of Art, Lakeview Cemetery, and University...
- 1884: Wade hall is built
- 1907: Cleveland's City Council moves the zoo to its current location build the Cleveland Museum of ArtCleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art is an art museum situated in the Wade Park District, in the University Circle neighborhood on Cleveland's east side. Internationally renowned for its substantial holdings of Asian and Egyptian art, the museum houses a diverse permanent collection of more than 43,000...
- 1934: Monkey island is completed
- 1956: The PachydermPachydermPachyderm or pachiderm may refer to one of the pachydermata, an obsolete order of mammals which included:* Elephants* Rhinoceroses* Hippopotami* Mammoths* Mastodons* Wild Boars* Pigs* Warthogs* Tapirs* Aardvarks* Hogs* Moeritheriums...
Building is built - 1975: Construction began on The Primate & Cat Building
- 1985: Aquatics portion of the Cat and Primate Building is added
- 1992: The RainForest is completed
- 1997: Wolf Wilderness is completed
- 2000: Australian Adventure in completed
- 2004: The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine opens.
- 2011: African Elephant Crossing opens
Exhibits
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is divided into several biothematic areas, each housing animals from a particular region of the world. Each region is themed for the particular area of the world they are representing, though older regions are themed less than the newly constructed ones (such as Primate, Cats and Aquatics). The largest souvenir shop & food Court is located in the Welcome Plaza. Concession stands are located throughout the zoo in all regions of the parks. The Welcome Plaza includes administrative buildings and Amphitheater.There are two modes of transportation through the zoo other than walking. These include two "ZooTram" lines that circle the Welcome Plaza (Near the pachyderm building) to Primate, Cat and Aquatics and Northern Trek to the Welcome Plaza (Near the food court).
The Rainforest
The Rainforest is one of the most popular exhibits at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. It is contained in a large two story building with over 2 acres (8,093.7 m²) of floor space, making it one of the largest tropical indoor environments in the world. The Rainforest boasts more than 6,000 plants and over 600 animals from the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas.The Rainforest is housed in a large glass and granite building, just outside the main entrance to the zoo. It is divided between an outer ring, which houses an assortment of tropical plants, small primates, a cafeteria, and a gift shop, and an inner area, which contains the principal animal exhibits. The animal habitats are located on both floors of the Rainforest. The animal exhibits contained on the ground floor are collectively known as the "Lower Forest" and those on the second floor are known as the "Upper Forest."
Upon entering the Rainforest a visitor is immediately confronted by a 25 feet (7.6 m) waterfall, and a large tropical garden that soars two stories. The wall behind the waterfall resembles Ancient Mayan ruins. Within the wall there are a series of small New World Primate exhibits, featuring the: common tamarin, emperor tamarin
Emperor Tamarin
The Emperor Tamarin is a tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II. It lives in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas....
, Geoffroy's tamarin
Geoffroy's Tamarin
Geoffroy's tamarin , also known as the Panamanian, red-crested or rufous-naped tamarin, is a tamarin, a type of small monkey, found in Panama and Colombia. It is predominantly black and white, with a reddish nape. Diurnal, Geoffroy's tamarin spends most of its time in trees, but does come down to...
, Goeldi's monkey
Goeldi's Marmoset
Goeldi's marmoset or Goeldi's monkey is a small, South American New World monkey that lives in the upper Amazon Basin region of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru...
, white-faced marmoset, and the endangered golden lion tamarin
Golden Lion Tamarin
The golden lion tamarin also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae...
. The outer ring of the Rainforest is also home to a wide variety of tropical plants including: Lancepod, Balsam Apple, Tropical Almond, Lipstick Tree, numerous varieties of orchid, a Kapok Tree, and the rare Titan Arum
Titan arum
The titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world...
(the Corpse Flower). Inside the exhibit there is a large recreation of a rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
on an island called "tropical rain storm" where simulated rain occurs periodically. The island is home to Indian Porcupines. A gift shop and cafeteria are located to the left of the main entrance.
Animals contained in the Rainforest include: lar gibbon
Lar Gibbon
The lar gibbon , also known as the white-handed gibbon, is a primate in the Hylobatidae or gibbon family. It is one of the better-known gibbons and is often seen in zoos.-Range:...
, Egyptian fruit bat
Egyptian fruit bat
The Egyptian Fruit Bat or Egyptian Rousette is a species of Old World fruit bat found throughout Africa, except in the desert regions of the Sahara, and throughout the Middle East, as far east as Pakistan and northern India...
s, giant anteaters
Giant Anteater
The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
, capybara
Capybara
The capybara , also known as capivara in Portuguese, and capibara, chigüire in Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador ronsoco in Peru, chigüiro, and carpincho in Spanish, is the largest living rodent in the world. Its closest relatives are agouti, chinchillas, coyphillas, and guinea pigs...
s, scarlet ibis
Scarlet Ibis
The Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis that inhabits tropical South America and also Trinidad and Tobago. It is the national bird of Trinidad and is featured on the Trinidad and Tobago coat of arms along with Tobago's national bird, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca.-Taxonomy:This species is very...
, prehensile-tailed porcupine
Prehensile-tailed porcupine
The prehensile-tailed porcupines or Coendous are a group of arboreal porcupine found in Central and South America. They are closely related to the other Neotropical tree porcupines and these three are sometimes treated as subgenera of Coendou instead of distinct genera.-Characteristics:Among the...
s, two-toed sloth
Two-toed sloth
Choloepus is a genus of mammals of Central and South America, within the family Megalonychidae consisting of two-toed sloths. There are only two species of Choloepus : Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth...
s, green and black poison arrow frogs
Poison dart frog
Poison dart frog is the common name of a group of frogs in the family Dendrobatidae which are native to Central and South America. These species are diurnal and often have brightly-colored bodies...
, a reticulated python, green vine snake
Vine snake
Vine snake can refer to several kinds of snake from the taxonomic family Colubridae:*Genus Ahaetulla, Japanese vine snakes.*Genus Chironius, Sipos or blunt-headed vine snakes.*Genus Oxybelis, Neotropical vine snakes....
s, a green anaconda, clouded leopard
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
, Batagur turtles, Brazilian ocelot
Ocelot
The ocelot , pronounced /ˈɒsəˌlɒt/, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean...
s, Bornean orangutan
Bornean Orangutan
The Bornean orangutan, Pongo pygmaeus, is a species of orangutan native to the island of Borneo. Together with the slightly smaller Sumatran orangutan, it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia....
s, the extremely rare fishing cat
Fishing Cat
The Fishing Cat is a medium-sized wild cat of South and Southeast Asia. In 2008, the IUCN classified the fishing cat as endangered since they are concentrated primarily in wetland habitats, which are increasingly being settled, degraded and converted...
, and gharial
Gharial
The gharial , , also called Indian gavial or gavial, is the only surviving member of the once well-represented family Gavialidae, a long-established group of crocodilians with long, slender snouts...
crocodile
Crocodile
A crocodile is any species belonging to the family Crocodylidae . The term can also be used more loosely to include all extant members of the order Crocodilia: i.e...
.
African Savanna
The African Savanna area of the park is located near the entrance of the park. You can observe lionLion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
s, giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
s, zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
s, gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
s, a variety of African birds, black rhinos and colobus monkeys. The Pachyderm
Pachyderm
Pachyderm or pachiderm may refer to one of the pachydermata, an obsolete order of mammals which included:* Elephants* Rhinoceroses* Hippopotami* Mammoths* Mastodons* Wild Boars* Pigs* Warthogs* Tapirs* Aardvarks* Hogs* Moeritheriums...
Building is home to 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, warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
s, tapir
Tapir
A Tapir is a large browsing mammal, similar in shape to a pig, with a short, prehensile snout. Tapirs inhabit jungle and forest regions of South America, Central America, and Southeast Asia. There are four species of Tapirs: the Brazilian Tapir, the Malayan Tapir, Baird's Tapir and the Mountain...
s and hippo
Hippo
A hippo or hippopotamus is either of two species of large African mammal which live mainly in and near water:* Hippopotamus* Pygmy HippopotamusHippo may also refer to:-Given names:...
s. On July 11, 2007, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's Black Rhinoceros Inge gave birth to a female rhinoceros named Zuri.
The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine. As part of the Cleveland Metroparks and Zoo's focus on conservation, the Zoo constructed the Center for Zoological Medicine in September 2004. The veterinary hospital hosts medical, laboratory and surgical suites, a ward and quarantine area. Also housed here is the Reinbergerger Learning Lab, where Zoo visitors can learn about veterinary care at all stages of an animal's life. The Learning Lab features interactive hands-on educational displays and views to surgical suites where visitors might sneak a peak at a treatment procedure in progress. This hospital is equipped with the first CT Scanner in any zoo.
Monkey Island was built in 1934. The exhibit is a large island surrounded by water and is home to Marine Iguana
Marine iguana
The Marine Iguana is an iguana found only on the Galápagos Islands that has the ability, unique among modern lizards, to live and forage in the sea, making it a marine reptile. The Iguana can dive over 30 ft into the water. It has spread to all the islands in the archipelago, and is...
, Cape Hyrax
Cape Hyrax
The Rock Hyrax , or Cape Hyrax, is one of the four living species of the order Hyracoidea, and the only living species in the genus Procavia. Like all hyraxes, it is a medium-sized terrestrial mammal, superficially resembling a guinea pig with short ears and tail...
, Klipspringer
Klipspringer
The Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...
, and the Colobus Monkey.
African Plains is several large yards that featuring African mammals and birds. The African Plains feature animals such as the hartebeest
Hartebeest
The hartebeest is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus Alcelaphus....
s, Masai giraffe
Masai Giraffe
The Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe is the largest subspecies of giraffe and the tallest land mammal. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.-Description:...
s, bontebok
Bontebok
The Bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The Bontebok has two subspecies; the endangered Bontebok , occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the Blesbok occurring in the highveld.The Bontebok stands 80 to 100 cm at the shoulder and...
s, gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
s, 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, and stork
Stork
Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family Ciconiidae. They are the only family in the biological order Ciconiiformes, which was once much larger and held a number of families....
s.
African Elephant Crossing The Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks
Cleveland Metroparks is an extensive system of nature preserves in Greater Cleveland, Ohio. The various reservations, which largely encircle the city of Cleveland, tend to follow the rivers and creeks that flow through the region...
Zoo has recently unveiled a large new African Elephant Habitat which will become a model for other zoos in the United States. The new exhibit is a state of the art habitat, which quadruples the elephants' living space. Under the expansion the Zoo increases its number of elephants from a group of three to a herd of eight to ten African Elephants. At least one of the new elephants is a bull, and eventually the herd will include calves through breeding. The exhibit features two large ranges, spread out over several acres. The ranges include deep ponds so that the elephants can swim, and expanded sleeping quarters. Parts of the ranges are heated, to maximize the elephants habitat during the winter. In addition to expanding the number of African Elephants, the African Elephant Crossing includes meerkat
Meerkat
The meerkat or suricate, Suricata suricatta, is a small mammal belonging to the mongoose family. Meerkats live in all parts of the Kalahari Desert in Botswana, in much of the Namib Desert in Namibia and southwestern Angola, and in South Africa. A group of meerkats is called a "mob", "gang" or "clan"...
s, naked mole rat
Naked Mole Rat
The naked mole rat , also known as the sand puppy or desert mole rat, is a burrowing rodent native to parts of East Africa and the only species currently classified in the genus Heterocephalus...
s, African Rock Pythons, and several species of birds. The Zoo opened the exhibit on May 5th, 2011. The total cost to construct the exhibit cost $25 million.
TOUCH! is an interactive 11000 gal saltwater pool/exhibit that allows visitors to touch small sharks and stingrays. The touch exhibit features cownose ray
Cownose ray
The cownose ray is a species of eagle ray found throughout a large part of the western Atlantic and Caribbean, from New England, USA to southern Brazil. Cownose rays grow rapidly, and male rays often reach about in width and weigh . Females typically reach in width and weigh .-Gestation:The...
s, Southern red stingray
Southern stingray
The southern stingray, Dasyatis americana, is a stingray of the family Dasyatidae found in tropical and subtropical waters of the Western Atlantic Ocean from New Jersey to Brazil. It has a flat, diamond-shaped disc, with a mud brown, olive, and grey dorsal surface and white underbelly...
s and bamboo sharks that all swim freely. The exhibit even offers the unique chance to feed the animals. In 2008, nurse shark
Nurse shark
The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, sometimes referred to as the Nur Shark is a shark in the nurse sharks family, the only member of its genus Ginglymostoma...
s and horseshoe crabs were added to the exhibit.
Australian Adventure
Australian Adventure is a 8 acres (3.2 ha) exhibit, home to wallarooWallaroo
A Wallaroo is any of three closely related species of moderately large macropod, intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies. The name "wallaroo" is a portmanteau of wallaby and kangaroo. The term is not generally used by Australians...
s, kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s and wallabies
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
that roam freely in Wallaby Walkabout. At Kookaburra Station and contact yard you can touch Merino sheep, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, and other farm animals.
Gum Leaf Hideout is the home to the zoo's collection of Numbat
Numbat
The numbat , also known as the banded anteater, or walpurti, is a marsupial found in Western Australia. Its diet consists almost exclusively of termites. Once widespread across southern Australia, the range is now restricted to several small colonies and it is listed as an endangered species...
s, Koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s, Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo
Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo
Goodfellow's Tree-kangaroo , also called the Ornate Tree Kangaroo, belongs to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies and their relatives, and the genus Dendrolagus, with eleven other species. The species is native to the rainforests of New Guinea, and the border of central...
, and Short-beaked Echidna
Short-beaked Echidna
The short-beaked echidna , also known as the spiny anteater because of its diet of ants and termites, is one of four living species of echidna and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus...
.
Reinberger Homestead is a themed traditional 19th century sheep station. The sheep station offers zoo visitors a peek into Australian home life. In addition the park is home to a 55 feet (16.8 m) Yagga Tree which contains animal exhibits and a snake slide. Australian Adventure is only open mid-March through October.
Wallaby Walkabout is modeled after the Australian outback which features a winding path that visitors share with kangaroos, wallabies and wallaroo
Wallaroo
A Wallaroo is any of three closely related species of moderately large macropod, intermediate in size between the kangaroos and the wallabies. The name "wallaroo" is a portmanteau of wallaby and kangaroo. The term is not generally used by Australians...
s during the months of April through October. The landscape includes plants intended to be consumed by the animals. In July 2007 the zoo was under heavy scrutiny by PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
after a 1-year-old Kangaroo was struck and killed by the exhibit's train. In response the Zoo quickly fired the employee and installed a fence around the train tracks to prevent future injuries from happening.
Northern Trek
The Northern Trek is home to cold climate animals. The zoo contains the largest collections of bear species in North AmericaNorth America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. In addition, The Northern Trek is home to Moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, Siberian tigers, Reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, Thorold's deer
Thorold's Deer
Thorold's deer is a threatened species of deer found in grassland, shrubland and forest at high altitudes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau...
, Bactrian camel
Bactrian camel
The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
s, Polar Bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, Harbor seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
s and Sea Lion
Sea Lion
Sea lions are pinnipeds characterized by external ear-flaps, long fore-flippers, the ability to walk on all fours, and short thick hair. Together with the fur seal, they comprise the family Otariidae, or eared seals. There are six extant and one extinct species in five genera...
s.
Wolf Wilderness
Wolf Wilderness gives visitors a comprehensive look into the environment and wildlife of a northern temperate forest. Wolf Lodge anchors the exhibit and serves as an education and viewing center for gray wolves, beavers, and a variety of wetland species. Wolf Wilderness is one of the principal North American habitats at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The exhibit consists of a wooden building (Wolf Lodge), a large fenced in woodland enclosure for the wolves, a 65,000 gallon pond, panoramic viewing rooms, and a gift shop.
Visitors access Wolf Wilderness through the appropriately named Wolf Lodge, a 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) building that is modeled after a 19th century fur trading post. The building is divided into four parts. Upon entering a person walks into a large visitor center which has extensive information on animals indigenous to the North American deciduous forests and wetlands. This room leads to the two principal exhibit areas.
The first principal exhibit room is dedicated to the six Mexican Gray Wolves housed at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. A visitor is able to observe the wolves through a large viewing room with floor to ceiling windows, which look out onto the Mexican Grey Wolf habitat itself. There are also video cameras placed within the wolves habitat and televisions playing the live feed in the observation room. The wolves are contained in a large wooded area directly behind the Wolf Lodge.
The wolf viewing area leads directly to the wetlands and wolf display room. Here, visitors can observe both the wolves, and several other animals which are native to North America. Like the wolf viewing room, this area contains floor to ceiling windows. However, while visitors can see the wolves from this room, the principal exhibits are the Canadian Beaver habitat, a 65000 gal freshwater pond and a Bald Eagle. The Canadian Beaver habitat contains a cut section display of a beaver dam that allows a person to see the beavers in their nest. The pond comes right up to the viewing window, creating an aquarium effect, allowing visitors to see what a wetland pond looks like underwater. The pond contains numerous fish indigenous to North American wetlands. Finally, the exhibit is home to one of the Bald Eagles housed at the zoo.
Primate, Cat & Aquatics
The Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building features one of the largest collection of primate species in North America. Currently totaling 34 species including gorillaGorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
s and lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s. Beyond the building some primates are located throughout the park in locations such as the Rainforest. In addition, many aquatic species can be seen in 35 displays of salt and fresh exhibits such as shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s, piranha
Piranha
A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...
s, Giant Pacific Octopus
Giant octopus
Enteroctopus is an octopus genus, many of whose members are sometimes known as giant octopuses.- Description :Enteroctopus is a genus of generally temperate octopuses. Members of the genus Enteroctopus are characterized by their large size and are often known as the giant octopuses...
and living coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
.
Outdoor exhibits feature the outdoor section of the gorilla exhibit, dhole
Dhole
The dhole is a species of canid native to South and Southeast Asia. It is the only extant member of the genus Cuon, which differs from Canis by the reduced number of molars and greater number of teats...
s, Aldabra tortoises, cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
s, Snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s, and Madagascan fossas
Fossa (animal)
The fossa is a cat-like, carnivorous mammal that is endemic to Madagascar. It is a member of the Eupleridae, a family of carnivorans closely related to the mongoose family . Its classification has been controversial because its physical traits resemble those of cats, yet other traits suggest a...
.
Waterfowl Lake
Waterfowl Lake is home to aye-ayeAye-aye
The aye-aye is a lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar that combines rodent-like teeth and a special thin middle finger to fill the same ecological niche as a woodpecker...
s, flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s, gibbon
Gibbon
Gibbons are apes in the family Hylobatidae . The family is divided into four genera based on their diploid chromosome number: Hylobates , Hoolock , Nomascus , and Symphalangus . The extinct Bunopithecus sericus is a gibbon or gibbon-like ape which, until recently, was thought to be closely related...
s, lemur
Lemur
Lemurs are a clade of strepsirrhine primates endemic to the island of Madagascar. They are named after the lemures of Roman mythology due to the ghostly vocalizations, reflective eyes, and the nocturnal habits of some species...
s and a butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
exhibit in Public Greenhouse. In addition, Waterfowl lake is home to Wade Hall which is one of the oldest zoo buildings in North America. Today the hall is home to an ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
shop.
DINOSAURS! In the summer of 2007 the zoo featured 15 prehistoric animals along Waterfowl Lake. The 2007 and 2010 "DINOSAURS!" exhibit featured dinosaurs from all over the world including Tyrannosaurus Rex, Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus
Stegosaurus is a genus of armored stegosaurid dinosaur. They lived during the Late Jurassic period , some 155 to 150 million years ago in what is now western North America. In 2006, a specimen of Stegosaurus was announced from Portugal, showing that they were present in Europe as well...
, Omeisaurus
Omeisaurus
Omeisaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Middle Jurassic Period of what is now China. Its name comes from Mount Emei, where it was discovered in the lower Shaximiao Formation of Sichuan Province.Like other sauropods, Omeisaurus was herbivorous and large...
, Dilophosaurus
Dilophosaurus
Dilophosaurus was a theropod dinosaur from the Sinemurian stage of the Early Jurassic Period, about 193 million years ago. The first specimens were described in 1954, but it was not until over a decade later that the genus received its current name...
, Baryonyx
Baryonyx
Baryonyx is a genus of carnivorous saurischian dinosaur first discovered in clay pits just south of Dorking, England, and later reported from fossils found in northern Spain and Portugal. It is known to contain only one species, Baryonyx walkeri...
, Iguanodon
Iguanodon
Iguanodon is a genus of ornithopod dinosaur that lived roughly halfway between the first of the swift bipedal hypsilophodontids and the ornithopods' culmination in the duck-billed dinosaurs...
, Styracosaurus
Styracosaurus
Styracosaurus was a genus of herbivorous ceratopsian dinosaur from the Cretaceous Period , about 76.5 to 75.0 million years ago...
, Apatosaurus
Apatosaurus
Apatosaurus , also known by the popular but scientifically deprecated synonym Brontosaurus, is a genus of sauropod dinosaur that lived from about 154 to 150 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period . It was one of the largest land animals that ever existed, with an average length of and a...
, Kentrosaurus
Kentrosaurus
Kentrosaurus is a genus of stegosaurid dinosaur from the Late Jurassic of Tanzania. Its fossils have been found only in the Tendaguru Formation of Tanzania, dated to the Kimmeridgian stage, between about 155.7 ± 4 Ma and 150.8 ± 4 Ma . Apparently, all finds belong to one species, K...
, Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus
Brachiosaurus is a genus of sauropod dinosaur from the Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America. It was first described by Elmer S. Riggs in 1903 from fossils found in the Grand River Canyon of western Colorado, in the United States. Riggs named the dinosaur Brachiosaurus altithorax,...
, Suchomimus
Suchomimus
Suchomimus is a genus of large spinosaurid dinosaur with a crocodile-like mouth that lived sometime between 121-112 million years ago, during the late Aptian stage of the Cretaceous period in Africa.-Description:...
and more
Education
Day Camp is offered during the summer months for Kids ages 5-12. Children can participate in a week of Summer Day Camp. The program promotes conservation and understanding of nature and the animals we share the world with. Children are grouped according to age to provide a safe and nurturing learning environment.Overnight Camp opportunities include "Rising Waters Safari Camp" which is an African-themed overnight camp. Campers at Rising Waters stay in the Zoo's African Savanna, for an authentic safari experience. The program combines elements of African culture with an overall theme of conservation for African animals.