Jackson Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Jackson Zoo is located in Jackson, Mississippi
. The Jackson Zoo has attracted people from across the state and beyond for more than 90 years. The Zoo boasts an animal collection representing over 120 species and nearly 800 individual animals that provide glimpses of native wildlife from around the world.
The Jackson Zoo is situated within the historic 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) Livingston Park and welcomes approximately 200,000 visitors annually from Mississippi and surrounding states. 35,000 school children make their way to the Zoo throughout the school year.
Guests can also enjoy fare from the Elephant House Cafe, purchase keepsake merchandise from the Jackson Zoo Trading Company. Picnics are permitted in Livingston Park and rides are available on the Endangered Species Carousel or the train.
The Jackson Zoo is the second largest zoo
in the state (behind the 175 acre (0.7082005 km²) Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo
) and is the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in the state.
s and housing them in the central fire station, in what is now Jackson’s Chamber of Commerce Building. After the collection changed from small rabbits and squirrels to Zebras, the city decided to move the animals to the newly purchased land and in 1921, the animals were moved and the Livingston Park Zoo was created.
As the animal collection increased over the years, the city of Jackson realized that the Zoo could also serve as a boost during times of economic struggle. With the economy having its downfalls, the city of Jackson and the zoo’s Director Irl Bennett used the Zoo to help Jackson, constructing many of the zoo’s buildings under the Works Progress Administration
(WPA) to give many of its citizen’s construction jobs and the entire city a place to enjoy with their families. Today, many of the buildings constructed during this time are still standing, including the Zoo’s Castle and Elephant House Café. At the time, the castle served as Monkey Island, housing several dozen Rhesus Macaque
s and the Café housed a young Asian elephant
. The Zoo also served as a park to its visitors, with much of the land open as a scenic park and a lake for visitors to enjoy during the hot summer months.
In 1948, the animal collection was expanded due to the efforts of Dr. Jacob L. Reddix, President of Jackson State College. The Zoo purchased several animals from the Liberian government, including three chimpanzees, three gray Mangabey
monkeys, a Colobus monkey, a lemur
and two pythons.
In the 1970s the Zoo added the children's petting zoo
which would later be renovated to what is now the Discovery Zoo and also built an animal hospital to be able perform routine animal checkups, surgeries for any of the Zoo’s residents and quarantine new animals before they live amongst the zoo’s animal collection. In 1975, James L. Swigert became the Zoo Director and with the help of the Jackson City Council and a design group, this director put together the Zoo's first Master Plan.
In 1985 space from Livingston Park was added to the Zoo, which allowed for the development of the African Rainforest Exhibit and in 1987, Barbara Barrett Piazza was hired as Zoo Director.
In 1989 the Zoo became accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(now known as the AZA) and in 1995, Mississippi state government approved legislation providing $4 million for capital improvements in the Zoo. In 1998 the city agreed to a $1.5 million match. This expansion included the African Savannah
and the Mississippi Wilderness Exhibit. It was the largest capital improvement project in the Zoo’s history.
In 1996 the Zoo became a member of a community organization called ZAPP (Zoo Area Progressive Partnership) in an endeavor to assist with the regeneration of the neighborhoods surrounding the Zoo.
In 2004 The Friends of the Zoo installed a new Endangered Species Carousel
. This carousel was built with the zoo in mind, having animals such as zebra
s, leopard
s, giraffe
s, and tiger
s to ride, instead of the traditional horse
s, and even an alligator
bench built with the handicap accessibility.
In 2005, the Zoo opened the African Savannah
exhibit. Barbara Piazza retired as Zoo Director and Beth Poff became the Zoo’s 5th Director.
On April 8, 2006, Wilderness Mississippi area opened to the public. The Zoo also completed Orangutan
exhibit renovations for its two Sumatran Orangutans and the Zoo is named a “Southern Travel Treasure” by AAA Magazine.
In 2007 The Jackson Zoo was named “Travel Attraction of the Year” at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism presented by the Mississippi Tourism Association and received the Attraction of the Year Award at the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau Summit Awards. The Zoo also began drawings on the new Asia
renovation started for exhibit improvements including new tiger
exhibit, and a water garden
.
A groundbreaking was held on September 27, 2007 for the new Gertrude C. Ford Education Center in the Wilderness Mississippi area of the zoo set to open in April 2008. In October renovations were also completed in the Zoo’s Animal Hospital with State funding and donations from Baptist Medical Center.
s, representing more than 200 different species
from all over the world. Currently, the Zoo is renovating many of its older exhibits to new exhibits that simulate the animals natural environment
so that visitors can not only see many of the world's beautiful animals, but also the scenery that these animals live in.
The Zoo has several areas dedicated to specific places on Earth, including the African Rainforest, African Savannah
, Wilderness Mississippi, Froggy Bottom, Jewels of South America
Aviary, the Discovery Zoo, and several other exhibits throughout the 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) park.
is home to many of the Zoo's more popular residents, including the Chimpanzees and many of the zoo's monkey
exhibits.
To accommodate both groups of great apes
, the Zoo alternates the pair and family groups access to the Island each day, letting the other group only access to the inside enclosure, a building simulated to look like a large rock/cliff on the side of the Island.
exhibit is built as two large open plains, separated by a small row of trees. Completed in 2005 these mixed exhibits were designed so that when visitors view its residents, they feel like they are out on a field expedition on the open Savannah.
The Savannah is home to many species of antelope
, bird
s, and even reptile
s. The Zoo accommodates this by having a large field, with several night houses for the animals to sleep in and several places for the weary animals to hide if need be. Currently, the Zoo has several animals calling the African Savannah home, including Sable Antelope
, Nile Lechwe
, Addra Gazelle, Spur-winged Geese, African Spurred Tortoise
s, Zebra
, Wattled Crane
s, Ostrich
es, and two African elephants.
s portraying many of the states natural ecosystems, the Jackson Zoo has many of the states most represented animals including Black Bear
s, Mountain Lions, and rattlesnakes now calling the Zoo home.
The first building found on the Zoo's new facility is the Backyard Creatures, venomous snake house.
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. The Jackson Zoo has attracted people from across the state and beyond for more than 90 years. The Zoo boasts an animal collection representing over 120 species and nearly 800 individual animals that provide glimpses of native wildlife from around the world.
The Jackson Zoo is situated within the historic 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) Livingston Park and welcomes approximately 200,000 visitors annually from Mississippi and surrounding states. 35,000 school children make their way to the Zoo throughout the school year.
Guests can also enjoy fare from the Elephant House Cafe, purchase keepsake merchandise from the Jackson Zoo Trading Company. Picnics are permitted in Livingston Park and rides are available on the Endangered Species Carousel or the train.
The Jackson Zoo is the second largest zoo
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 the state (behind the 175 acre (0.7082005 km²) Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo
Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo
The Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo is a zoo located in Tupelo, Mississippi. At , it is the largest zoo in the state of Mississippi.-History:The Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo was founded by Dan Franklin and located at 2272 North Coley Road.-Buffalo:...
) and is the only zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in the state.
History of the Jackson Zoo
In 1916, the city of Jackson purchased 79 acres (319,701.9 m²) of undeveloped land from Samuel Livingston in an area that was then on the outskirts of the city. In 1919, a group of firefighters began collecting exotic animalAnimal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s and housing them in the central fire station, in what is now Jackson’s Chamber of Commerce Building. After the collection changed from small rabbits and squirrels to Zebras, the city decided to move the animals to the newly purchased land and in 1921, the animals were moved and the Livingston Park Zoo was created.
As the animal collection increased over the years, the city of Jackson realized that the Zoo could also serve as a boost during times of economic struggle. With the economy having its downfalls, the city of Jackson and the zoo’s Director Irl Bennett used the Zoo to help Jackson, constructing many of the zoo’s buildings under the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA) to give many of its citizen’s construction jobs and the entire city a place to enjoy with their families. Today, many of the buildings constructed during this time are still standing, including the Zoo’s Castle and Elephant House Café. At the time, the castle served as Monkey Island, housing several dozen Rhesus Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
The Rhesus macaque , also called the Rhesus monkey, is one of the best-known species of Old World monkeys. It is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in view of its wide distribution, presumed large population, and its tolerance of a broad range of habitats...
s and the Café housed a young Asian elephant
Asian Elephant
The Asian or Asiatic elephant is the only living species of the genus Elephas and distributed in Southeast Asia from India in the west to Borneo in the east. Three subspecies are recognized — Elephas maximus maximus from Sri Lanka, the Indian elephant or E. m. indicus from mainland Asia, and E. m....
. The Zoo also served as a park to its visitors, with much of the land open as a scenic park and a lake for visitors to enjoy during the hot summer months.
In 1948, the animal collection was expanded due to the efforts of Dr. Jacob L. Reddix, President of Jackson State College. The Zoo purchased several animals from the Liberian government, including three chimpanzees, three gray Mangabey
Mangabey
The term mangabey can refer to three different genera of Old World monkeys. Lophocebus and Cercocebus were once thought to be very closely related, so much so that all the species were in one genus...
monkeys, a Colobus monkey, a 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...
and two pythons.
In the 1970s the Zoo added the children's petting zoo
Petting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
which would later be renovated to what is now the Discovery Zoo and also built an animal hospital to be able perform routine animal checkups, surgeries for any of the Zoo’s residents and quarantine new animals before they live amongst the zoo’s animal collection. In 1975, James L. Swigert became the Zoo Director and with the help of the Jackson City Council and a design group, this director put together the Zoo's first Master Plan.
In 1985 space from Livingston Park was added to the Zoo, which allowed for the development of the African Rainforest Exhibit and in 1987, Barbara Barrett Piazza was hired as Zoo Director.
In 1989 the Zoo became 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...
(now known as the AZA) and in 1995, Mississippi state government approved legislation providing $4 million for capital improvements in the Zoo. In 1998 the city agreed to a $1.5 million match. This expansion included the African Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
and the Mississippi Wilderness Exhibit. It was the largest capital improvement project in the Zoo’s history.
In 1996 the Zoo became a member of a community organization called ZAPP (Zoo Area Progressive Partnership) in an endeavor to assist with the regeneration of the neighborhoods surrounding the Zoo.
In 2004 The Friends of the Zoo installed a new Endangered Species Carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
. This carousel was built with the zoo in mind, having animals such as 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, 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, 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, and 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 to ride, instead of the traditional horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s, and even an 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 ....
bench built with the handicap accessibility.
In 2005, the Zoo opened the African Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
exhibit. Barbara Piazza retired as Zoo Director and Beth Poff became the Zoo’s 5th Director.
On April 8, 2006, Wilderness Mississippi area opened to the public. The Zoo also completed Orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
exhibit renovations for its two Sumatran Orangutans and the Zoo is named a “Southern Travel Treasure” by AAA Magazine.
In 2007 The Jackson Zoo was named “Travel Attraction of the Year” at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism presented by the Mississippi Tourism Association and received the Attraction of the Year Award at the Jackson Convention & Visitors Bureau Summit Awards. The Zoo also began drawings on the new Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
renovation started for exhibit improvements including new 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...
exhibit, and a water garden
Water garden
Water gardens, also known as aquatic gardens, are a type of man-made water feature. A water garden is defined as any interior or exterior landscape or architectural element whose primarily purpose is to house, display, or propagate a particular species or variety of aquatic plant...
.
A groundbreaking was held on September 27, 2007 for the new Gertrude C. Ford Education Center in the Wilderness Mississippi area of the zoo set to open in April 2008. In October renovations were also completed in the Zoo’s Animal Hospital with State funding and donations from Baptist Medical Center.
Exhibits and Animal Collection
The Jackson Zoo has currently has nearly 800 animalAnimal
Animals are a major group of multicellular, eukaryotic organisms of the kingdom Animalia or Metazoa. Their body plan eventually becomes fixed as they develop, although some undergo a process of metamorphosis later on in their life. Most animals are motile, meaning they can move spontaneously and...
s, representing more than 200 different species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
from all over the world. Currently, the Zoo is renovating many of its older exhibits to new exhibits that simulate the animals natural environment
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
so that visitors can not only see many of the world's beautiful animals, but also the scenery that these animals live in.
The Zoo has several areas dedicated to specific places on Earth, including the African Rainforest, African Savannah
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
, Wilderness Mississippi, Froggy Bottom, Jewels of South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
Aviary, the Discovery Zoo, and several other exhibits throughout the 110 acre (0.4451546 km²) park.
African Rainforest
The African Rainforest is a boardwalk off the main path of the zoo that is designed to submerse visitors into the dense jungle of the forest. This simulated ecosystemEcosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
is home to many of the Zoo's more popular residents, including the Chimpanzees and many of the zoo's 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...
exhibits.
- Pygmy HippopotamusPygmy HippopotamusThe pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
pool - The first exhibit on the African Rainforest is a large lake to the right of the wooden boardwalk. In this lake, with the native red eared sliders, river cooters, and fish, are two pygmy hippopotamuses. Smaller than their larger cousins, the Nile HippopotamusHippopotamusThe hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
, these mammals typically can be found either in their lake, or wallowing in several of their mud holes in the back portion of the exhibit.
- ChimpanzeeChimpanzeeChimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
Island - The Zoo currently has seven Chimpanzees, all of which live on a large Island in the African Rainforest exhibit. The Zoo has two males and five females, and to ensure the safety of the males, the Zoo keeps a pair, male and female, and a family group, the other male and the four females separated.
To accommodate both groups of great apes
Great Apes
Great Apes may refer to*Great apes, species in the biological family Hominidae, including humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans*Great Apes , a 1997 novel by Will Self...
, the Zoo alternates the pair and family groups access to the Island each day, letting the other group only access to the inside enclosure, a building simulated to look like a large rock/cliff on the side of the Island.
- Red-Tailed GuenonGuenonThe guenons are the genus Cercopithecus of Old World monkeys. Not all the members of this genus have the word "guenon" in their common names, and because of changes in scientific classification, some monkeys in other genera may have common names that do include the word "guenon"...
, Colobus Monkey and KlipspringerKlipspringerThe Klipspringer, Oreotragus oreotragus, is a small species of African antelope.-Name:The word klipspringer literally means "rock jumper" in Afrikaans/Dutch...
Exhibit - this mixed exhibit, with two different speciesSpeciesIn biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of monkeyMonkeyA 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...
and a deer like animal is designed to show visitors how many animals coexist within the same environmentEnvironment (biophysical)The biophysical environment is the combined modeling of the physical environment and the biological life forms within the environment, and includes all variables, parameters as well as conditions and modes inside the Earth's biosphere. The biophysical environment can be divided into two categories:...
. The Zoo has several of both species of primates, many of which can typically be seen playing with several enrichment items that keeper staff give to these inquisitive animals.
- The rest of the African Rainforest has several exhibits with animals that occupy various nicheEcological nicheIn ecology, a niche is a term describing the relational position of a species or population in its ecosystem to each other; e.g. a dolphin could potentially be in another ecological niche from one that travels in a different pod if the members of these pods utilize significantly different food...
s within the rainforest ecosystemEcosystemAn ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
, including Diana MonkeyDiana MonkeyThe Diana monkey is an Old World monkey found in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Côte d'Ivoire.The Diana monkey ranges from 40 to 55 cm in length, excluding its tail, which is of a uniform 3–4 cm diameter and 50–75 cm long. Adults weigh between 4–7 kg...
s, Red River HogRed River HogThe red river hog , also known as the bush pig , is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, with most of its distribution in the Guinean and Congolian forests...
s, Golden-Bellied MangabeyGolden-bellied MangabeyThe golden-bellied mangabey is a social Old World monkey found in swampy, humid forests south of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was previously considered a subspecies of the agile mangabey .-References:...
s, and Rock Hyraxes. On the Outskirts of the boardwalk as the scenery changes from dense jungle to open land, the Zoo introduces a mammal that would typically live in an open savannahSavannahSavannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
in Africa, the Southern White Rhinoceros.
African Savannah
The Zoo's African SavannahSavannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
exhibit is built as two large open plains, separated by a small row of trees. Completed in 2005 these mixed exhibits were designed so that when visitors view its residents, they feel like they are out on a field expedition on the open Savannah.
The Savannah is home to many species of antelope
Antelope
Antelope is a term referring to many even-toed ungulate species indigenous to various regions in Africa and Eurasia. Antelopes comprise a miscellaneous group within the family Bovidae, encompassing those old-world species that are neither cattle, sheep, buffalo, bison, nor goats...
, bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s, and even reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s. The Zoo accommodates this by having a large field, with several night houses for the animals to sleep in and several places for the weary animals to hide if need be. Currently, the Zoo has several animals calling the African Savannah home, including Sable Antelope
Sable Antelope
The Sable Antelope is an antelope which inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa.-Subspecies:There are four subspecies:* H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependent...
, Nile Lechwe
Nile Lechwe
The Nile Lechwe, Wasserbock or Mrs Gray's Lechwe or waterbuck is an endangered species of antelope found in floodplains in Southern Sudan and far south-western Ethiopia...
, Addra Gazelle, Spur-winged Geese, African Spurred Tortoise
African Spurred Tortoise
The African spurred tortoise , also called the African spur thigh tortoise or the sulcata tortoise, is a species of tortoise which inhabits the southern edge of the Sahara desert, in northern Africa...
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...
, Wattled Crane
Wattled Crane
The Wattled Crane, Bugeranus carunculatus is a large bird found in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. It is monotypical for its genus.At a height of up to , it is the largest crane in Africa and is the second tallest species of crane, after the Sarus Crane. The wingspan is , the length is...
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 two African elephants.
Wilderness Mississippi
In the spring of 2006, the Jackson Zoo opened its newest area of the park, a section of the Zoo dedicated completely to Mississippi's most beautiful creatures. With newly designed exhibitExhibit
Exhibit may refer to:*Exhibit , evidence in physical form brought before the court.*Demonstrative evidence is a term used to describe exhibits and other physical forms of evidence used in court to demonstrate, show, depict, inform or teach relevant information to the viewer.*Exhibit , a lightweight...
s portraying many of the states natural ecosystems, the Jackson Zoo has many of the states most represented animals including Black Bear
American black bear
The American black bear is a medium-sized bear native to North America. It is the continent's smallest and most common bear species. Black bears are omnivores, with their diets varying greatly depending on season and location. They typically live in largely forested areas, but do leave forests in...
s, Mountain Lions, and rattlesnakes now calling the Zoo home.
The first building found on the Zoo's new facility is the Backyard Creatures, venomous snake house.