Erie Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Erie Zoo is a zoological park
in Erie, Pennsylvania
. It is located on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land in Glenwood Park, just off West 38th Street between Cherry Street and Glenwood Park Avenue. The zoo has more than 400 animals, while the botanical garden
s and greenhouse
have over 600 species of plant from around the world. The zoo, which operates from March to November, attracts more than 400,000 annual visitors.
The Erie Zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA).
John M Cochran, founding president of the Erie Zoological Society (1962), was active in expanding and renovating the zoo. A forty year US$1.08 million bond issue, resulting in the construction of the ice arena and the Dixieland children's zoo, among other things, are in large part the work of Cochran. A plaque hangs in the main building in remembrance of his efforts.
Since 1964, the zoo has been owned by the Erie Municipal Park Authority, which leases the zoo back to the City of Erie. In order to float the 1964 bond issue for improvements at the zoo, the city was required to create a financing authority to hold the property title. A five-member board of directors is chosen by the Erie City Council to run the authority. The city pays most of the zoo's utilities and insurance expenses but delegates operation of the zoo to the Erie Zoological Society. The society is a 501 (c) (3) corporation with a 14-member board representing many of the region's communities. Roughly ten percent of the society's annual budget is funded by municipalities, with the balance received through philanthropy.
The Main Zoo Building was dedicated 7 August 1930. The building was restored and modified in 1991 as a visitors' entrance to the zoo. It continues to incorporate an array of animal displays.
The tiger exhibit, which opened in the summer of 2008, has a main exhibit area plus outdoor and indoor containment areas. In March 2008, a breeding pair of Siberian tigers joined Kumar, a white tiger
who has been at the zoo since April 1994. An Amur leopard
was transferred to the Philadelphia Zoo
in the summer of 2006.
The Children's Zoo, once called Pixieland, includes many exhibits, including animal shows in a nature theater, a playground, and a water garden. There is even an Erie ZooKids Club.
The adjoining JMC Ice Arena, named in honor of founding President of the Erie Zoological Society John M Cochran, is operated by the Erie Zoological Society. Ice skating is offered between early September and mid-March.
event, as well as at regional sporting events and other family activities. Cool Bear is friends with C. Wolf, of the Erie SeaWolves, as well as other local mascots.
Chart sources
once criticized the zoo as part of one of his stand-up comedy
routines.
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 Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
. It is located on 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land in Glenwood Park, just off West 38th Street between Cherry Street and Glenwood Park Avenue. The zoo has more than 400 animals, while the botanical garden
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
s and greenhouse
Greenhouse
A greenhouse is a building in which plants are grown. These structures range in size from small sheds to very large buildings...
have over 600 species of plant from around the world. The zoo, which operates from March to November, attracts more than 400,000 annual visitors.
The Erie Zoo is a 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).
Operations
Erie has operated a zoo since about 1927, when "Tom-boy" the elephant arrived as a gift to the city. The Robert Evans estate was soon donated for the purposes of establishing a zoological park. A permanent home for the elephant was built in 1929 and the park opened a year later.John M Cochran, founding president of the Erie Zoological Society (1962), was active in expanding and renovating the zoo. A forty year US$1.08 million bond issue, resulting in the construction of the ice arena and the Dixieland children's zoo, among other things, are in large part the work of Cochran. A plaque hangs in the main building in remembrance of his efforts.
Since 1964, the zoo has been owned by the Erie Municipal Park Authority, which leases the zoo back to the City of Erie. In order to float the 1964 bond issue for improvements at the zoo, the city was required to create a financing authority to hold the property title. A five-member board of directors is chosen by the Erie City Council to run the authority. The city pays most of the zoo's utilities and insurance expenses but delegates operation of the zoo to the Erie Zoological Society. The society is a 501 (c) (3) corporation with a 14-member board representing many of the region's communities. Roughly ten percent of the society's annual budget is funded by municipalities, with the balance received through philanthropy.
Facilities and attractions
The tiger exhibit, which opened in the summer of 2008, has a main exhibit area plus outdoor and indoor containment areas. In March 2008, a breeding pair of Siberian tigers joined Kumar, a white tiger
White tiger
The white tiger is a recessive mutant of the Bengal tiger, which was reported in the wild from time to time in Assam, Bengal, Bihar and especially from the former State of Rewa.-Color comparison:...
who has been at the zoo since April 1994. An Amur leopard
Amur Leopard
The Amur leopard , also known as the Far Eastern leopard, Korean leopard, and Manchurian leopard is one of nine recognised subspecies of leopard. It is a wild feline predator native to the mountainous areas of the Russian Far East. It used to inhabit the forests of Korea and China, but it has...
was transferred to the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...
in the summer of 2006.
The Children's Zoo, once called Pixieland, includes many exhibits, including animal shows in a nature theater, a playground, and a water garden. There is even an Erie ZooKids Club.
The adjoining JMC Ice Arena, named in honor of founding President of the Erie Zoological Society John M Cochran, is operated by the Erie Zoological Society. Ice skating is offered between early September and mid-March.
Mascots
The zoo's mascots—Cool Bear and Perry the Penguin—appear annually at ZooBoo, the zoo's popular HalloweenHalloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
event, as well as at regional sporting events and other family activities. Cool Bear is friends with C. Wolf, of the Erie SeaWolves, as well as other local mascots.
Zoo officials
The zoo is operated through a board of directors headed by a President and Chief Executive Officer. Other positions at the zoo include general curator, zoo director, and press spokesman. The following are some recent zoo officials.| Name (Overall years of service at zoo) | Official Title | Start Date in Post (* Earliest known date) | End Date in Post (* Latest known date) |
|---|---|---|---|
| James P. "Jim" Rhea (1966-2007) | President and CEO | 1984 | 2007 |
| Scott Mitchell (1984- ) | President and CEO | 2007 | |
| Cynthia "Cindy" Kreider | Zoo Director | 2007 | |
| James P. "Jim" Rhea (1966-2007) | Zoo Director | * 1969 | * 1994 |
| Cynthia Kreider | General Curator | 2007 |
Chart sources
In popular culture
Comedian Mike BirbigliaMike Birbiglia
-Professional work:Birbiglia has released three albums, including My Secret Public Journal Live, which was named one of the best comedy albums of the decade by the Onion AV Club....
once criticized the zoo as part of one of his stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy
Stand-up comedy is a comedic art form. Usually, a comedian performs in front of a live audience, speaking directly to them. Their performances are sometimes filmed for later release via DVD, the internet, and television...
routines.