Collins Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Collins Zoo, formerly the Collins Exotic Animal Orphanage, is a zoo
located in Collins, Mississippi
.
animals that have gotten too old or pets that have gotten too large. The zoo is located on Highway 49
.
s, tiger
s, mountain lions, and leopard
s are several of the major attractions at the Collins Zoo.
A white wolf is featured in the center of the zoo.
There are over forty different species of snakes, lizards and turtles in the zoo.
s, alligator
s, alligator snapping turtle
s, bobcat
s and several other species of animals indigenous to Mississippi. It appears the zoo is preparing a civil action against the state.
In March 2010 the zoo was again raided by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and an opossum, red-eared slider turtle
s, and some box turtle
s were taken. The zoo was issued 22 citations, many for "lack of permits for inherently violent 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....
located in Collins, Mississippi
Collins, Mississippi
Collins is a city in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,761 at the 2005 census. It is the county seat of Covington County....
.
History
The Collins Zoo was founded in 1988 by Gus and Betty White as an orphanage for exotic animals. Usually the animals are circusCircus
A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
animals that have gotten too old or pets that have gotten too large. The zoo is located on Highway 49
U.S. Route 49
U.S. Route 49 is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with U.S. Route 62. Its southern terminus is in Gulfport, Mississippi, at an intersection with U.S. Route 90. US 49 is approximately 516 miles in length.It...
.
Animals
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, tiger
Tiger
The tiger is the largest cat species, reaching a total body length of up to and weighing up to . Their most recognizable feature is a pattern of dark vertical stripes on reddish-orange fur with lighter underparts...
s, mountain lions, and leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
s are several of the major attractions at the Collins Zoo.
A white wolf is featured in the center of the zoo.
There are over forty different species of snakes, lizards and turtles in the zoo.
Legal issues with the State of Mississippi
In 2001, state wildlife officials raided the zoo and seized several skunkSkunk
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, 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, alligator snapping turtle
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It is not closely related to, but is often associated with the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys--while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra...
s, bobcat
Bobcat
The bobcat is a North American mammal of the cat family Felidae, appearing during the Irvingtonian stage of around 1.8 million years ago . With twelve recognized subspecies, it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental United States...
s and several other species of animals indigenous to Mississippi. It appears the zoo is preparing a civil action against the state.
In March 2010 the zoo was again raided by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife and an opossum, red-eared slider turtle
Red-eared slider
The red-eared slider is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and also popular in the rest of the world...
s, and some box turtle
Box turtle
The box turtle , or box tortoise is a genus of turtle native to North America . The 12 taxa which are distinguished in the genus are distributed over four species. It is largely characterized by having a domed shell, which is hinged at the bottom, allowing the animal to close its shell tightly to...
s were taken. The zoo was issued 22 citations, many for "lack of permits for inherently violent animals."