Kansas City Zoological Park
Encyclopedia
Kansas City Zoological Park (Kansas City Zoo) is a 202 acres (81.7 ha) zoo founded in 1909. It is located in Swope Park
at 6800 Zoo Drive Kansas City, Missouri
, in the United States. The zoo has a Friends Of The Zoo program. It is home to more than 1,300 animals and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA).
In 2008, the Kansas City Zoo was voted one of America's best zoos. It was ranked number one in the nation for “African Animals and Exhibits,” with the authors, Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner, praising its 95 acres (38.4 ha) Africa exhibit as representing five nations with "one of the most extensive collections of African animals we’ve ever seen." The Zoo was also ranked among the top 10 in the nation for “Australian Animals and Exhibits” and for “Pachyderms: Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos” In addition, the authors re-quoted famed ape expert Jane Goodall
’s compliment that Kansas City has “one of the finest chimpanzee exhibits in North America.” “America’s Best Zoos 2008” ranks the Kansas City Zoo as the number one zoo in the nation for viewing both chimpanzees and kangaroos.
in a zoo, the Sprint IMAX Theater. The improvements resulted in record attendance of 700,000 zoo guests, and 400,000 IMAX visitors, in 1998. The zoo has grown from a small building and 60 acres (24.3 ha) to a large, 202 acres (81.7 ha) zoo with over 1,300 animals. The Orangutan Primadome opened in 2002 as a part of new management when the zoo changed from a city-operated organization to a public-private partnership with Friends of the Zoo (FOTZ).
A 20-year plan plots the zoo's future, including new improvements. The Discovery Barn opened in 2006 along with a short-cut path to Africa. In 2007, an endangered species carousel was added to KidZone. The Zoo closed the Sprint IMAX Theater on September 4, 2007. New admission gates to the zoo were opened in May 2008 featuring new parking and animals.
In 2006, the Kansas City Zoo was selected to become a breeding facility for African elephants and baboons.
Extensive renovations of the zoo began in late 2005. The Discovery Barn opened in 2006, formerly the Red Barn. It contains many exhibits, and slides for children. Outside, there is a Peek-a-Boo Tree, that is fun for children to play in and get a sky-high view at the top of the tree, and like the Discovery Barn, it also contains a slide. The Promenade was also added in 2006, which is a wide path straight to the African elephants exhibit, which allows guests to reach Africa much faster. The new entrance admission gates opened in May 2008, with an educational center and a North American river otter and trumpeter swan exhibits. In early 2009, the Tropics House opened behind the Sea Lion pavilion in the 1909 Building, and the polar bear exhibit opened in August 2010, located near the entrance, in the location formerly occupied by stroller rental.
, the 29th largest municipal park in the United States. The zoo is divided into five areas of the following themes: Africa, Australia, Tiger Trail, KidZone, and The Valley.
pool just inside the World Gate. The entry plaza also features an educational center and stops for both the zebra tram and train.
Polar Bear Plunge
Opened on August 8, 2010, the exhibit is home to a polar bear named Nikita, who was given to the Kansas City Zoo by the Toledo Zoo
. The $10 million exhibit features a 140000 gal pool serviced by a massive waterfall, multiple indoor and outdoor viewing angles with 2.25 inches (57.2 mm) glass windows, and space for up to two additional polar bears. The exhibit was projected to open July 26, 2010 but fell behind due to weather conditions.
s and a white-cheeked turaco
. A zebra tram station and boat house are located in the Nanyuki Market. Tanzania features a pier for the boat ride on the other side of Africa.
Botswana
Botswana contains African elephants in an exhibit of 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) with a water pool at one end. The elephants do paintings and demos during weekends. The elephant walk features a flamingo pool, home to lesser flamingos
, Chilean flamingo
s, mute swans
, and black-necked swans
. The Promenade leads guests into Botswana, and a large bridge then connects Botswana to the rest of Africa.
Kenya
Kenya has cheetah
s (with a lookout building), warthog
s, and a deck with a view of some springbok
, lesser kudu
, common eland
, scimitar-horned oryx
, and gray crowned cranes
that roam across an African plain. saddle-billed storks
and southern ground-hornbills make up the wetland-themed exhibits on the opposite side of the walkway. A bomas area, with huts to simulate a Kenyan village has lappet-faced vulture
s, Aldabra tortoises
, bateleur eagles, red-flanked duiker
s, and blue duiker
s are worked into small exhibits. The walk-through Scrubland Aviary is home to several species of birds, including a white-cheeked turaco
, white-faced whistling duck
s, cattle egret
s, a bare-faced go-away-bird
, a rose-ringed parakeet
, a helmeted guineafowl
, marbled ducks
, orange bishop
s, superb starlings
, and a white-headed buffalo weaver, as well as side exhibits for red ruffed lemur
s and silvery-cheeked hornbill
s.
Tanzania
Tanzania features an African lion exhibit with a lookout building. Small exhibits that appear carved or surrounded by rock simulate a natural kopje; these include serval
, bushbaby, meerkat
, black-footed cat
, rock hyrax, masked and Fischer's lovebird
, bat-eared fox
, and black-throated monitor
. A log-themed bridge crosses to the black rhino exhibit and a top-notch chimpanzee
enclosure. The chimpanzee lookout building allows guest to view a very large area for a troop of 26 chimps to play and explore, and allows visitors to become educated on chimpanzees with a connected classroom. This side of the African plains features Masai giraffe
s, Grant's zebra
s, gray crowned crane
s, and ostrich
es. Nearby are some ground birds, the kori bustard
and secretary bird
, leopard tortoise
s, a small house with slender-snouted crocodile
s, and a hippo
pool.
Uganda
Uganda section has a small outdoor theater stage (Ruwenzori Theatre), and is home to spacious enclosures with African wild dog
s and a troop of Guinea baboon
s, which sit adjacent to one another. A reservation-only campsite is located off into the woods from Uganda.
The Congolese Rainforest
The Congolese Rainforest is located across a swinging bridge from Kenya with red-capped mangabey and black mangabey exhibits. An African leopard
is featured in an exhibit with an overhead area that visitors walk under. A raised pathway crosses through exhibits containing bongo
, gray crowned crane
, red river hog
, and yellow-backed duiker
exhibits nestled in the dense forest. Two bachelor groups of wester lowland gorilla
s can be viewed from a lookout building and from a wooden shelter.
Australia lies in the northernmost part of the zoo; there you can find a large field that is home to free-roaming red kangaroos. It features a walk-through Woodland Aviary, which includes black swans
, tawny frogmouth
, straw-necked ibis
, pied imperial pigeon, silver gull
, smew
, magpie goose, cockatiel
, eclectus parrot
, plumed whistling duck
, long-billed corella
, chestnut teal
, Wompoo fruit dove, Australian shelduck
, white cockatoo
, and sulphur-crested cockatoo
.Beside the exit to the aviary is an emu
exhibit. A pair of New Guinea Singing Dogs(New Guinea Dingoes)
live beyond that, formerly home to Australian Dingoes. Also featured are parma wallaby
, Bennett's wallaby
, and Matschie's tree kangaroo
. A replica of an Australian sheep farm features a farmers home, a building with various animal hides and preserves, spotted python, green tree python, a pair of laughing kookaburra
s, and a hands-on sheep pen. An exhibit with dromedary camels
is just past the sheep farm as visitor's are finishing the loop around Australia. Overlooking the kangaroo field is a train station and snack bar.
and red panda
. The langurs and the pandas swap exhibits according to outdoor conditions (pandas are outside in fall and winter, while in tunnel during spring and summer). The next area is home to a small family of Bornean orangutan
, and their large outdoor "primadome", which became their new home after moving from the outdated Ape House in 2002. The focal point of the Tiger Trail is the critically endangered Sumatran tiger
exhibit, which is home to two male tigers. Other animals on exhibit are the, wreathed hornbill
, demoiselle crane
, and the tufted deer
. Near the former ape house, Asian waterfowl, such as red-crowned crane
, Mandarin duck
, and common shelduck
can be viewed in a wetlands exhibit.
, with three daily feedings that guests may participate in. There is a large sea lion
pool, which has several shows daily. The original 1909 building is located behind the sea lions, which reopened in early 2009 as the Tropics House; it was previously Zooville, a reptillian house. Farm animals make up the majority of the exhibits in KidZone, including micro pig
, llama
and alpaca
, and fallow deer
. It also features an outdoor stage for the Wild Wonders animal show, which focuses primarily on birds and includes animals in its lineup that aren't in regular exhibits (such as the African fish eagle
). The Discovery Barn opened in 2006 replacing the outdated Red Barn. Pygmy goat
s, donkey
s, and camel
rides are all located in the area next to the barn. Within KidZone there is the Carousel Cafe, a snack bar, a snake house, and an endangered species carousel.
Discovery Barn
In the Discovery Barn, scarlet macaw
, green-winged macaw
, White's tree frog, Hourglass Tree Frog
, squirrel monkey
, marine toad
, American toad
, radiated tortoise
, Prevost's squirrel, meerkat
, ring-tailed lemur
, and poison dart frog
are housed alongside educational and fun features for children (including slides).
Tropics House
In the Tropics House, Saki monkey
s, golden lion tamarin
, white-cheeked gibbon, blue monkey
, small-clawed otter
, capybara
, prehensile-tailed porcupine
, Mona monkey
, crested screamer, green aracari
, and freshwater stingray
in a 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) building. Exotic plants species and a vaulted glass roof for natural light are also included. The enclosure's first birth came when Abby and Indigo, the zoo's blue monkey couple, welcomed their newborn baby on November 4, 2009.
pond borders the outside edge of the valley. The rest of The Valley was closed in 2005 for construction of the polar bear
exhibit, but because of issues with the location, the polar bear enclosure was relocated to the Front Entry Plaza. Former exhibits included outdoor enclosures for maned wolf
and red panda
. The old aviary row is now Beaks and Feet Boulevard, with exhibits for Indian Peafowl
, Green Iguana
, military
and green-winged macaws
, spectacled owl
, Swainson's toucan
, black-billed magpie
, golden lion tamarin
, and red-handed tamarin
.
A zebra-themed tram takes zoo guests along the African elephants and flamingo
s, from the World Gate to the African section of the zoo known as "Nanyuki Market" (in Kenya).
Zoo Train Ride
A mini train takes visitors around the main area of the zoo with stops at World Gate and Australia. dromedary camel and kangaroos
can be seen from the ride.
Lake Nakuru Boat Ride
A boat takes visitors (Memorial Day through Labor Day) for an up-close view of the African savannah animals, such as the Masai giraffe
, Lesser Kudu
and Scimitar-horned oryx.
African Sky Safari
A modified ski lift that goes over the middle of the Africa section from the marketplace to the Chimpanzees. Riders may choose if to ride a round trip or just get off at the other side.
Other proposed additions to the zoo include an aquarium; a new predator hill exhibit (where the former primate house is); a South America area behind the tropics building; and a Missouri Trails exhibit (which will include bears, prairie dogs, and more wildlife native to Missouri).
Swope Park
Swope Park is an 1805-acre city park within the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It is the 29th-largest municipal park in the United States , and the largest park in Kansas City. It is named in honor of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, a philanthropist who donated the land to the city in 1896...
at 6800 Zoo Drive Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
, in the United States. The zoo has a Friends Of The Zoo program. It is home to more than 1,300 animals and is an accredited 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).
In 2008, the Kansas City Zoo was voted one of America's best zoos. It was ranked number one in the nation for “African Animals and Exhibits,” with the authors, Allen W. Nyhuis and Jon Wassner, praising its 95 acres (38.4 ha) Africa exhibit as representing five nations with "one of the most extensive collections of African animals we’ve ever seen." The Zoo was also ranked among the top 10 in the nation for “Australian Animals and Exhibits” and for “Pachyderms: Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos” In addition, the authors re-quoted famed ape expert Jane Goodall
Jane Goodall
Dame Jane Morris Goodall, DBE , is a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. Considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, Goodall is best known for her 45-year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National...
’s compliment that Kansas City has “one of the finest chimpanzee exhibits in North America.” “America’s Best Zoos 2008” ranks the Kansas City Zoo as the number one zoo in the nation for viewing both chimpanzees and kangaroos.
History
Planning for the zoo started in 1907, and its gates opened on December 13, 1909. The zoo evolved slowly during its first 40 years, while it added exhibits such as the Bear Grotto in 1912. It gained more momentum when it added a monkey island and a children's zoo in the 1940s. In the 1950s, the Sea Lion pool, African Veldt, giraffe house, and flamingoes were all added; and the zoo added an otter pool, elephant house, and the Great Ape House in the 1960s. The early 1970s brought a dairy barn, the Great Catwalk, and gibbon islands. Approximately twenty years later (in 1991), after voting and financed from a grant, the zoo expanded to the current size of 202 acres (81.7 ha), adding Australia in 1993, International Festival in 1994, and Africa in 1995. The opening of the Africa section drew in approximately 40,000 visitors in first 2 days. A new building was added for the first IMAXIMAX
IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
in a zoo, the Sprint IMAX Theater. The improvements resulted in record attendance of 700,000 zoo guests, and 400,000 IMAX visitors, in 1998. The zoo has grown from a small building and 60 acres (24.3 ha) to a large, 202 acres (81.7 ha) zoo with over 1,300 animals. The Orangutan Primadome opened in 2002 as a part of new management when the zoo changed from a city-operated organization to a public-private partnership with Friends of the Zoo (FOTZ).
A 20-year plan plots the zoo's future, including new improvements. The Discovery Barn opened in 2006 along with a short-cut path to Africa. In 2007, an endangered species carousel was added to KidZone. The Zoo closed the Sprint IMAX Theater on September 4, 2007. New admission gates to the zoo were opened in May 2008 featuring new parking and animals.
In 2006, the Kansas City Zoo was selected to become a breeding facility for African elephants and baboons.
Extensive renovations of the zoo began in late 2005. The Discovery Barn opened in 2006, formerly the Red Barn. It contains many exhibits, and slides for children. Outside, there is a Peek-a-Boo Tree, that is fun for children to play in and get a sky-high view at the top of the tree, and like the Discovery Barn, it also contains a slide. The Promenade was also added in 2006, which is a wide path straight to the African elephants exhibit, which allows guests to reach Africa much faster. The new entrance admission gates opened in May 2008, with an educational center and a North American river otter and trumpeter swan exhibits. In early 2009, the Tropics House opened behind the Sea Lion pavilion in the 1909 Building, and the polar bear exhibit opened in August 2010, located near the entrance, in the location formerly occupied by stroller rental.
Exhibits
The zoo, which was founded in 1909, is 202 acres (81.7 ha) and is home to more than 1,300 animals. It is located in Swope ParkSwope Park
Swope Park is an 1805-acre city park within the city of Kansas City, Missouri. It is the 29th-largest municipal park in the United States , and the largest park in Kansas City. It is named in honor of Colonel Thomas H. Swope, a philanthropist who donated the land to the city in 1896...
, the 29th largest municipal park in the United States. The zoo is divided into five areas of the following themes: Africa, Australia, Tiger Trail, KidZone, and The Valley.
Front entry plaza
The admission gates and facilities (such as restrooms, gift shop, and food) are located in the entrance to the Kansas City Zoo. In 2010, polar bears were re-introduced to the zoo near the existing North American river otter and trumpeter swanTrumpeter Swan
The Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator, is the largest native North American bird, if measured in terms of weight and length, and is the largest living waterfowl species on earth. It is the North American counterpart of the European Whooper Swan.-Description:Males typically measure from and weigh...
pool just inside the World Gate. The entry plaza also features an educational center and stops for both the zebra tram and train.
Polar Bear Plunge
Opened on August 8, 2010, the exhibit is home to a polar bear named Nikita, who was given to the Kansas City Zoo by the Toledo Zoo
Toledo Zoo
Toledo Zoo is a zoo located in Toledo, Ohio. The zoo began in 1900 as Toledo Zoological Gardens and operated by the City of Toledo's Parks Board. In 1982 ownership was transferred from the city to Toledo Zoological Society, a private non-profit organization, and professionalized the zoo's management...
. The $10 million exhibit features a 140000 gal pool serviced by a massive waterfall, multiple indoor and outdoor viewing angles with 2.25 inches (57.2 mm) glass windows, and space for up to two additional polar bears. The exhibit was projected to open July 26, 2010 but fell behind due to weather conditions.
Africa
The Africa section is broken up into Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, the Congolese Rainforest, and Uganda. Several snack bars are located throughout Africa, as well as the Rafiki Restaurant and Equator gift shop in the Nanyuki Market (Kenya). Nanyuki Market also has a small aviary for masked lovebirdMasked Lovebird
The Yellow-collared Lovebird , also called Masked Lovebird or Eye Ring Lovebird, is a monotypic species of bird of the lovebird genus in the parrot family...
s and a white-cheeked turaco
White-cheeked Turaco
The White-cheeked Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. A mid-sized species is measures in length, including a tail of , and weighs .-References:...
. A zebra tram station and boat house are located in the Nanyuki Market. Tanzania features a pier for the boat ride on the other side of Africa.
Botswana
Botswana contains African elephants in an exhibit of 4.5 acres (1.8 ha) with a water pool at one end. The elephants do paintings and demos during weekends. The elephant walk features a flamingo pool, home to lesser flamingos
Lesser Flamingo
The Lesser Flamingo is a species in the flamingo family of birds that resides in Africa and in southern Asia...
, Chilean flamingo
Chilean Flamingo
The Chilean Flamingo is a large species closely related to Caribbean Flamingo and Greater Flamingo, with which it was sometimes considered conspecific...
s, mute swans
Mute Swan
The Mute Swan is a species of swan, and thus a member of the duck, goose and swan family Anatidae. It is native to much of Europe and Asia, and the far north of Africa. It is also an introduced species in North America, Australasia and southern Africa. The name 'mute' derives from it being less...
, and black-necked swans
Black-necked Swan
The Black-necked Swan is the largest waterfowl native to South America. Males are and weigh 4.5-6.7 kg ; females are and weigh 3.5-4.4 kg . The wingspan ranges from . The body plumage is white with a black neck, head and greyish bill. It has a red knob near the base of the bill and...
. The Promenade leads guests into Botswana, and a large bridge then connects Botswana to the rest of Africa.
Kenya
Kenya has 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 (with a lookout building), 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, and a deck with a view of some springbok
Springbok
Springbok can have the following meanings:* Springbok , a small antelope inhabiting southern and western Africa.* South Africa national rugby union team, known as the Springboks....
, lesser kudu
Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is a forest antelope found in East Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The southern lesser kudu is a subspecies found in Kenya and Tanzania....
, common eland
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
, scimitar-horned oryx
Scimitar Oryx
The Scimitar Oryx, or Scimitar-Horned Oryx, is a species of oryx which formerly inhabited the whole of North Africa. It has been classified as extinct in the wild by the IUCN.-Etymology and taxonomy:...
, and gray crowned cranes
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
that roam across an African plain. saddle-billed storks
Saddle-billed Stork
The Saddle-billed Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa.This is a close...
and southern ground-hornbills make up the wetland-themed exhibits on the opposite side of the walkway. A bomas area, with huts to simulate a Kenyan village has lappet-faced vulture
Lappet-faced Vulture
The Lappet-faced Vulture or Nubian Vulture is a mostly African Old World vulture belonging to the bird order Accipitriformes, which also includes eagles, kites, buzzards and hawks. It is the only member of the genus Torgos. A distinct subspecies T. t. negevensis occurs in the Sinai, the Negev...
s, Aldabra tortoises
Aldabra Giant Tortoise
The Aldabra giant tortoise , from the islands of the Aldabra Atoll in the Seychelles, is one of the largest tortoises in the world....
, bateleur eagles, red-flanked duiker
Red-flanked Duiker
The Red-flanked Duiker , is a tiny antelope found in western and central Africa.Red-flanked Duikers grow to almost 15 inches in height and weigh up to 31 pounds...
s, and blue duiker
Blue Duiker
Blue Duiker is a small forest dwelling duiker found in the Central Africa and southern South Africa.Blue Duikers stand around 35 centimetres tall at the shoulder and weigh 4 kilograms.They are the smallest of the antelope family. Blue Duikers have a brown coat with a slight blue tinge – hence...
s are worked into small exhibits. The walk-through Scrubland Aviary is home to several species of birds, including a white-cheeked turaco
White-cheeked Turaco
The White-cheeked Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.It is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Sudan. A mid-sized species is measures in length, including a tail of , and weighs .-References:...
, white-faced whistling duck
White-faced Whistling Duck
The White-faced Whistling Duck, Dendrocygna viduata, is a whistling duck which breeds in sub-Saharan Africa and much of South America.This species is gregarious, and at favoured sites, the flocks of a thousand or more birds arriving at dawn are an impressive sight...
s, cattle egret
Cattle Egret
The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret...
s, a bare-faced go-away-bird
Bare-faced Go-away-bird
The Bare-faced Go-away bird is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family.It is found in two areas of Africa: one in southern Ethiopia, and the other in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. It is named after its distinctive "go-away"...
, a rose-ringed parakeet
Rose-ringed Parakeet
The Rose-ringed Parakeet , also known as the Ringnecked Parakeet, is a gregarious tropical parakeet species that has an extremely large range. Since the trend of the population appears to be increasing, the species has been evaluated as Least Concern by IUCN in 2009.Rose-ringed parakeets are...
, a helmeted guineafowl
Helmeted Guineafowl
The Helmeted Guineafowl is the best known of the guineafowl bird family, Numididae, and the only member of the genus Numida...
, marbled ducks
Marbled Duck
The Marbled Duck, or Marbled Teal , is a medium-sized duck. It used to be included among the dabbling ducks, but is now classed as a diving duck....
, orange bishop
Northern Red Bishop
The Northern Red Bishop or Orange Bishop is a resident breeding bird species in Africa south of the Sahara Desert and north of the Equator. It has been introduced to Puerto Rico, Martinique and Guadeloupe in the West Indies. It was formerly regarded as a subspecies of the Southern Red Bishop of...
s, superb starlings
Superb Starling
The Superb Starling is a member of the starling family of birds. It can commonly be found in East Africa, including Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Used to be known as Spreo superbus .-Description:...
, and a white-headed buffalo weaver, as well as side exhibits for red ruffed lemur
Red Ruffed Lemur
The red ruffed lemur is one of two species in the genus Varecia, the ruffed lemurs; the other is the black-and-white ruffed lemur . Like all lemurs, it is native to Madagascar and occurs only in the rainforests of Masoala, in the northeast of the island...
s and silvery-cheeked hornbill
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill
The Silvery-cheeked Hornbill is a large bird at in length with a very large creamy casque on the beak. The female has a smaller casque and reddish skin around the eyes. The head is silver-grey and the rest of the plumage is iridescent black, except for the white rump, lower back, thighs, vent and...
s.
Tanzania
Tanzania features an African lion exhibit with a lookout building. Small exhibits that appear carved or surrounded by rock simulate a natural kopje; these include serval
Serval
The serval , Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal...
, bushbaby, 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"...
, black-footed cat
Black-footed Cat
The black-footed cat is the smallest African cat, and is endemic in the south west arid zone of the southern African subregion. It is one of the lesser studied African carnivores, and has been listed as Vulnerable by IUCN since 2002....
, rock hyrax, masked and Fischer's lovebird
Fischer's Lovebird
The Fischer's Lovebird is a small parrot species of the Agapornis genus. They were originally discovered in the late 19th century, and were first bred in the United States in 1926. They are named after German explorer Gustav Fischer.- Description :The Fischer's Lovebird has a green back, chest,...
, bat-eared fox
Bat-eared Fox
The bat-eared fox is a canid of the African savanna, named for its large ears. Fossil records show this canid to first appear during the middle Pleistocene, about 800,000 years ago....
, and black-throated monitor
Varanus albigularis
The rock monitor , also called the legavaan or white-throated monitor, is a species of monitor lizard found in southern Africa...
. A log-themed bridge crosses to the black rhino exhibit and a top-notch chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, 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:...
enclosure. The chimpanzee lookout building allows guest to view a very large area for a troop of 26 chimps to play and explore, and allows visitors to become educated on chimpanzees with a connected classroom. This side of the African plains features 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, Grant's zebra
Grant's Zebra
The Grant's Zebra is the smallest of six subspecies of the Plains Zebra.-Distribution:The distribution of this subspecies is in Zambia west of the Luangwa river and west to Kariba, Shaba Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, north to the Kibanzao Plateau. In Tanzania north from...
s, gray crowned crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
s, and ostrich
Ostrich
The Ostrich is one or two species of large flightless birds native to Africa, the only living member of the genus Struthio. Some analyses indicate that the Somali Ostrich may be better considered a full species apart from the Common Ostrich, but most taxonomists consider it to be a...
es. Nearby are some ground birds, the kori bustard
Kori Bustard
The Kori Bustard is a large bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family. It may be the heaviest bird capable of flight....
and secretary bird
Secretary Bird
The Secretarybird or Secretary Bird is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savannah of the sub-Sahara...
, leopard tortoise
Leopard Tortoise
The Leopard tortoise is a large and attractively marked tortoise found in the savannas of eastern and southern Africa, from Sudan to the southern Cape. It is the only member of the genus Stigmochelys, but in the past it was commonly placed in Geochelone instead...
s, a small house with slender-snouted crocodile
Slender-snouted Crocodile
The African Slender-snouted Crocodile is a species of crocodile. Recent studies in DNA and morphology suggest that it may belong in its own genus, Mecistops, but at present most continue to use Crocodylus for this species.African Slender-snouted Crocodile are native to freshwater habitats in...
s, and a hippo
Hippopotamus
The 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...
pool.
Uganda
Uganda section has a small outdoor theater stage (Ruwenzori Theatre), and is home to spacious enclosures with African wild dog
African Wild Dog
Lycaon pictus is a large canid found only in Africa, especially in savannas and lightly wooded areas. It is variously called the African wild dog, African hunting dog, Cape hunting dog, painted dog, painted wolf, painted hunting dog, spotted dog, or ornate wolf...
s and a troop of Guinea baboon
Guinea Baboon
The Guinea baboon is a baboon from the Old World monkey family. Some classifications list only two species in the genus Papio, this one and the Hamadryas baboon. In those classifications, all other Papio species are considered subspecies of P...
s, which sit adjacent to one another. A reservation-only campsite is located off into the woods from Uganda.
The Congolese Rainforest
The Congolese Rainforest is located across a swinging bridge from Kenya with red-capped mangabey and black mangabey exhibits. An African leopard
African Leopard
The African Leopard is a leopard subspecies occurring across most of sub-Saharan Africa. In 2008, the IUCN classified leopards as Near Threatened, stating that they may soon qualify for the Vulnerable status due to habitat loss and fragmentation. They are becoming increasingly rare outside...
is featured in an exhibit with an overhead area that visitors walk under. A raised pathway crosses through exhibits containing bongo
Bongo (antelope)
The western or lowland bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus, is a herbivorous, mostly nocturnal forest ungulate and among the largest of the African forest antelope species....
, gray crowned crane
Grey Crowned Crane
The Grey Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although it nests in somewhat wetter habitats. This animal does not migrate....
, red river hog
Red River Hog
The 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...
, and yellow-backed duiker
Yellow-backed Duiker
The Yellow-backed Duiker , is an antelope found in central and western Africa. They have the widest range of any duiker in the genus Cephalophus....
exhibits nestled in the dense forest. Two bachelor groups of wester lowland gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
s can be viewed from a lookout building and from a wooden shelter.
Australia
Black Swan
The Black Swan is a large waterbird, a species of swan, which breeds mainly in the southeast and southwest regions of Australia. The species was hunted to extinction in New Zealand, but later reintroduced. Within Australia they are nomadic, with erratic migration patterns dependent upon climatic...
, tawny frogmouth
Tawny Frogmouth
The Tawny Frogmouth is an Australian species of frogmouth, a type of bird found throughout the Australian mainland, Tasmania and southern New Guinea. The Tawny Frogmouth is often mistaken to be an owl...
, straw-necked ibis
Straw-necked Ibis
The Straw-necked Ibis is a bird of the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. It can be found throughout Australia, New Guinea, and parts of Indonesia. Adults have distinctive straw-like feathers on their neck....
, pied imperial pigeon, silver gull
Silver Gull
The Silver Gull also known simply as "seagull" in Australia, is the most common gull seen in Australia. It has been found throughout the continent, but particularly coastal areas. The South African Hartlaub's Gull and the New Zealand Red-billed Gull The Silver Gull (Chroicocephalus...
, smew
Smew
The Smew is a small duck, which is somewhat intermediate between the typical mergansers and the goldeneyes . It is the only member of the genus Mergellus; sometimes included in Mergus, this genus is distinct and might actually be a bit closer to the goldeneyes...
, magpie goose, cockatiel
Cockatiel
The Cockatiel , also known as the Quarrion and the Weiro, is the smallest cockatoo endemic to Australia. They are prized as a household pet and companion parrot throughout the world and are relatively easy to breed...
, eclectus parrot
Eclectus Parrot
The Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus roratus, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Maluku Islands...
, plumed whistling duck
Plumed Whistling Duck
The Plumed Whistling Duck , also called the Grass Whistle Duck , is a whistling duck which breeds in New Guinea and Australia. It is a predominantly brown-coloured duck with a long neck and characteristic plumes arising from its flanks...
, long-billed corella
Long-billed Corella
The Long-billed Corella, Cacatua tenuirostris, is a cockatoo native to Australia, which is similar in appearance to the Little Corella and Sulphur-crested Cockatoo. This species is mostly white, with a reddish-pink face and forehead, and has a long pale beak, which is used to dig for roots and seeds...
, chestnut teal
Chestnut Teal
The Chestnut Teal is a dabbling duck found in southern Australia. It is protected under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.-Description:The Chestnut Teal is darker and a slightly bigger bird than the Grey Teal....
, Wompoo fruit dove, Australian shelduck
Australian Shelduck
The Australian Shelduck, Tadorna tadornoides, is a shelduck, a group of large goose-like birds which are part of the bird family Anatidae, which also includes the swans, geese and ducks. The Anatidae article should be referred to for an overview of this group of birds.This is a bird which breeds...
, white cockatoo
Umbrella Cockatoo
The White Cockatoo, Cacatua alba , is a medium-sized, approximately long cockatoo endemic to the islands of Halmahera, Bacan, Ternate, Tidore, Kasiruta and Mandiole in North Maluku, Indonesia. This threatened white parrot has brown or black eyes and a dark grey beak...
, and sulphur-crested cockatoo
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
The Sulphur-crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita, is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia and New Guinea. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being considered pests...
.Beside the exit to the aviary is an emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
exhibit. A pair of New Guinea Singing Dogs(New Guinea Dingoes)
New Guinea Singing Dog
The New Guinea Singing Dog is a wild dog once found throughout New Guinea. New Guinea Singing Dogs are named for their unique howl....
live beyond that, formerly home to Australian Dingoes. Also featured are parma wallaby
Parma Wallaby
The Parma Wallaby was first described by British naturalist John Gould in about 1840. A shy, cryptic creature of the wet sclerophyll forests of southern New South Wales, it was never common and, even before the end of the 19th century, it was believed to be extinct...
, Bennett's wallaby
Red-necked Wallaby
The Red-necked Wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial macropod, common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia, including Tasmania.- Description :...
, and Matschie's tree kangaroo
Matschie's Tree-kangaroo
Matschie's Tree-kangaroo , also known as the Huon Tree-kangaroo is a tree-kangaroo native to the Huon Peninsula of North Eastern New Guinea...
. A replica of an Australian sheep farm features a farmers home, a building with various animal hides and preserves, spotted python, green tree python, a pair of laughing kookaburra
Kookaburra
Kookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
s, and a hands-on sheep pen. An exhibit with dromedary camels
Dromedary
The dromedary or Arabian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate with one hump on its back. Its native range is unclear, but it was probably the Arabian Peninsula. The domesticated form occurs widely in North Africa and the Middle East...
is just past the sheep farm as visitor's are finishing the loop around Australia. Overlooking the kangaroo field is a train station and snack bar.
Tiger Trail
The Tiger Trail has been home to many types of animals over the years; and recently, the area was renovated to center around the return of tigers to the Kansas City Zoo, and its native Asia. The entire trek is filled with oriental plants, lanterns, statues, and various pictures of Asian animals. The Francois langur is featured in the first enclosure. The path leads to a tunnel with golden pheasantGolden Pheasant
The Golden Pheasant or "Chinese Pheasant", is a gamebird of the order Galliformes and the family Phasianidae...
and red panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
. The langurs and the pandas swap exhibits according to outdoor conditions (pandas are outside in fall and winter, while in tunnel during spring and summer). The next area is home to a small family of 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....
, and their large outdoor "primadome", which became their new home after moving from the outdated Ape House in 2002. The focal point of the Tiger Trail is the critically endangered Sumatran tiger
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
exhibit, which is home to two male tigers. Other animals on exhibit are the, wreathed hornbill
Wreathed Hornbill
The Wreathed Hornbill , also known as the Bar-pouched Wreathed Hornbill, is a species of hornbill found in forests from far north-eastern India and Bhutan, east and south through mainland south-east Asia and the Greater Sundas, except Sulawesi. It is 75–100 cm long...
, demoiselle crane
Demoiselle Crane
The Demoiselle Crane, Anthropoides virgo, is a species of crane that breeds in Central Asia and winters in India, with a few found in Cyprus and eastern Turkey as well. The crane annually migrates to Africa and South Asia in winter...
, and the tufted deer
Tufted Deer
The Tufted Deer is a small species of deer characterized by its prominent tuft of black hair on its forehead. It is a close relative of the muntjac, living somewhat further north over a wide area of central China and northeastern Myanmar. Although suffering from overhunting and habitat loss, this...
. Near the former ape house, Asian waterfowl, such as red-crowned crane
Red-crowned Crane
The Red-crowned Crane , also called the Japanese Crane or Manchurian Crane , is a large east Asian crane and among the rarest cranes in the world...
, Mandarin duck
Mandarin Duck
The Mandarin Duck , or just Mandarin, is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. It is 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan.-Description:...
, and common shelduck
Common Shelduck
The Common Shelduck is a waterfowl species shelduck genus Tadorna. It is widespread and common in Eurasia, mainly breeding in temperate and wintering in subtropical regions; in winter, it can also be found in the Maghreb...
can be viewed in a wetlands exhibit.
KidZone
The KidZone area features a large cage for rainbow lorikeetsRainbow Lorikeet
The Rainbow Lorikeet, is a species of Australasian parrot found in Australia, eastern Indonesia , Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. In Australia, it is common along the eastern seaboard, from Queensland to South Australia and northwest Tasmania...
, with three daily feedings that guests may participate in. There is a large sea lion
California Sea Lion
The California sea lion is a coastal sea lion of western North America. Their numbers are abundant , and the population continues to expand about 5% annually. They are quite intelligent and can adapt to man-made environments...
pool, which has several shows daily. The original 1909 building is located behind the sea lions, which reopened in early 2009 as the Tropics House; it was previously Zooville, a reptillian house. Farm animals make up the majority of the exhibits in KidZone, including micro pig
Miniature pig
A miniature pig is one of the breeds developed and used for medical research or developed for use as a pet. These smaller pigs were first used for medical research in Europe before being introduced to the United States as pets in the 1980s. Since then, the animals have been used in studies by...
, llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
and alpaca
Alpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
, and fallow deer
Fallow Deer
The Fallow Deer is a ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. This common species is native to western Eurasia, but has been introduced widely elsewhere. It often includes the rarer Persian Fallow Deer as a subspecies , while others treat it as an entirely different species The Fallow...
. It also features an outdoor stage for the Wild Wonders animal show, which focuses primarily on birds and includes animals in its lineup that aren't in regular exhibits (such as the African fish eagle
African Fish Eagle
The African Fish Eagle or – to distinguish it from the true fish eagles , the African Sea Eagle – is a large species of eagle that is found throughout sub-Saharan Africa wherever large bodies of open water occur that have an abundant food supply. As a result of its large range, it is known in many...
). The Discovery Barn opened in 2006 replacing the outdated Red Barn. Pygmy goat
Pygmy goat
A pygmy goat is a small breed of domestic goat. Although they produce a very large amount of milk for their size, and can be eaten, pygmy goats are not typically used for milk or meat, unlike larger dairy and meat goat breeds. Pygmy goats tend to be more robust and breed more continually throughout...
s, donkey
Donkey
The donkey or ass, Equus africanus asinus, is a domesticated member of the Equidae or horse family. The wild ancestor of the donkey is the African Wild Ass, E...
s, and camel
Camel
A camel is an even-toed ungulate within the genus Camelus, bearing distinctive fatty deposits known as humps on its back. There are two species of camels: the dromedary or Arabian camel has a single hump, and the bactrian has two humps. Dromedaries are native to the dry desert areas of West Asia,...
rides are all located in the area next to the barn. Within KidZone there is the Carousel Cafe, a snack bar, a snake house, and an endangered species carousel.
Discovery Barn
In the Discovery Barn, scarlet macaw
Scarlet Macaw
The Scarlet Macaw is a large, colorful macaw. It is native to humid evergreen forests in the American tropics. Range extends from extreme south-eastern Mexico to Amazonian Peru, Bolivia and Brazil in lowlands up to up to...
, green-winged macaw
Red-and-green Macaw
The Red-and-green Macaw , also known as the Green-winged Macaw, is a large mostly-red macaw of the Ara genus.This is the largest of the Ara genus, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central South America...
, White's tree frog, Hourglass Tree Frog
Dendropsophus ebraccatus
Dendropsophus ebraccatus, commonly known as the hourglass treefrog or pantless treefrog, is a species of frog in the Hylidae family.It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama....
, squirrel monkey
Squirrel monkey
The squirrel monkeys are the New World monkeys of the genus Saimiri. They are the only genus in the subfamily Saimirinae.Squirrel monkeys live in the tropical forests of Central and South America in the canopy layer. Most species have parapatric or allopatric ranges in the Amazon, while S...
, marine toad
Cane Toad
The Cane Toad , also known as the Giant Neotropical Toad or Marine Toad, is a large, terrestrial true toad which is native to Central and South America, but has been introduced to various islands throughout Oceania and the Caribbean...
, American toad
American toad
The American Toad is a common species of toad found throughout the eastern United States and Canada. It is divided into three subspecies—the Eastern American Toad , the Dwarf American Toad , and the rare Hudson Bay Toad...
, radiated tortoise
Radiated Tortoise
The radiated tortoise is a species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can be also be found in the rest of this island, and has been introduced to the islands of Réunion and Mauritius...
, Prevost's squirrel, 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"...
, ring-tailed lemur
Ring-tailed Lemur
The ring-tailed lemur is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families. It is the only member of the Lemur genus. Like all lemurs it is endemic to the island of Madagascar...
, and poison dart frog
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...
are housed alongside educational and fun features for children (including slides).
Tropics House
In the Tropics House, Saki monkey
Saki monkey
Sakis, or saki monkeys, are any of several New World monkeys of the genus Pithecia. They are closely related to the bearded sakis of genus Chiropotes.-Range:...
s, 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...
, white-cheeked gibbon, blue monkey
Blue Monkey
The blue monkey or diademed monkey is a species of Old World monkey native to Central and East Africa, ranging from the upper Congo River basin east to the Great Rift Valley and south to northern Angola and Zambia...
, small-clawed otter
Oriental Small-clawed Otter
The oriental small-clawed otter , also known as Asian small-clawed otter, is the smallest otter species in the world, weighing less than 5 kg. It lives in mangrove swamps and freshwater wetlands of Bangladesh, Burma, India, southern China, Taiwan, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines,...
, 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...
, 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...
, Mona monkey
Mona Monkey
The mona monkey is an Old World monkey that lives throughout western Africa. The mona monkey can also be found on the island of Grenada as it was transported to the island aboard slave ships headed to the New World during the 18th century. This guenon lives in groups of up to 35 in arboreal regions...
, crested screamer, green aracari
Green Aracari
The Green Aracari, Pteroglossus viridis, is a toucan, a near-passerine bird found in the lowland forests of northeastern South America , in the northeast Amazon Basin, the Guianas and the eastern Orinoco River drainage of Venezuela. At 30-40 cm...
, and freshwater stingray
Ocellate river stingray
The ocellate river stingray , also known as the peacock-eye stingray, is a potamodromous freshwater ray native to the basins of the Uruguay, Paraná, Orinoco, and Amazon Rivers....
in a 13000 square feet (1,207.7 m²) building. Exotic plants species and a vaulted glass roof for natural light are also included. The enclosure's first birth came when Abby and Indigo, the zoo's blue monkey couple, welcomed their newborn baby on November 4, 2009.
The Valley
A flamingoChilean Flamingo
The Chilean Flamingo is a large species closely related to Caribbean Flamingo and Greater Flamingo, with which it was sometimes considered conspecific...
pond borders the outside edge of the valley. The rest of The Valley was closed in 2005 for construction of the 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...
exhibit, but because of issues with the location, the polar bear enclosure was relocated to the Front Entry Plaza. Former exhibits included outdoor enclosures for maned wolf
Maned Wolf
The maned wolf is the largest canid of South America, resembling a large fox with reddish fur.This mammal is found in open and semi-open habitats, especially grasslands with scattered bushes and trees, in south, central-west and south-eastern Brazil The maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus) is the...
and red panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
. The old aviary row is now Beaks and Feet Boulevard, with exhibits for Indian Peafowl
Indian Peafowl
The Indian Peafowl or Blue Peafowl is a large and brightly coloured bird of the pheasant family native to South Asia, but introduced and semi-feral in many other parts of the world...
, Green Iguana
Green Iguana
The Green Iguana or Common Iguana is a large, arboreal herbivorous species of lizard of the genus Iguana native to Central and South America...
, military
Military Macaw
The Military Macaw is a large parrot and a medium-sized member of the macaw genus. Though considered vulnerable as a wild species, it is still commonly found in the pet trade industry. A predominantly green bird, it is found in the forests of Mexico and South America.-Taxonomy:There are three...
and green-winged macaws
Red-and-green Macaw
The Red-and-green Macaw , also known as the Green-winged Macaw, is a large mostly-red macaw of the Ara genus.This is the largest of the Ara genus, widespread in the forests and woodlands of northern and central South America...
, spectacled owl
Spectacled Owl
The Spectacled Owl, Pulsatrix perspicillata, is a large tropical owl. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northwestern Argentina...
, Swainson's toucan
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
The Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, or Swainson’s Toucan is a near-passerine bird which breeds from eastern Honduras to northern Colombia to western Ecuador. This subspecies is replaced from southern Colombia to eastern Peru by the nominate subspecies Black-mandibled Toucan, R. ambiguus ambiguus...
, black-billed magpie
Black-billed Magpie
The Black-billed Magpie is a bird in the crow family that inhabits the western half of North America. It is notable for its domed nests, and for being one of only four North American songbirds whose tail makes up half or more of the total body length The Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) is a...
, 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...
, and red-handed tamarin
Red-handed Tamarin
The red-handed tamarin , also known as the golden-handed tamarin or Midas tamarin, is a New World monkey named for the contrasting reddish-orange hair on their feet and hands. It is native to wooded areas north of the Amazon River in Brazil, Guyana, French Guiana, Suriname, and possibly Venezuela...
.
Transportation
Zebra TramsA zebra-themed tram takes zoo guests along the African elephants and flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s, from the World Gate to the African section of the zoo known as "Nanyuki Market" (in Kenya).
Zoo Train Ride
A mini train takes visitors around the main area of the zoo with stops at World Gate and Australia. dromedary camel and kangaroos
KangaROOS
KangaROOS are an American brand of sneaker originally produced from 1979 through the 1980s, with a later revival that continues in present. They were notable for having a small zippered pocket on the side of the shoe, large enough for a small amount of loose change, keys, or more recently,...
can be seen from the ride.
Lake Nakuru Boat Ride
A boat takes visitors (Memorial Day through Labor Day) for an up-close view of the African savannah animals, such as the 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:...
, Lesser Kudu
Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is a forest antelope found in East Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The southern lesser kudu is a subspecies found in Kenya and Tanzania....
and Scimitar-horned oryx.
African Sky Safari
A modified ski lift that goes over the middle of the Africa section from the marketplace to the Chimpanzees. Riders may choose if to ride a round trip or just get off at the other side.
Zoo events and shows
Shows and events:- Zooper Snapshots Photo Contest
- Do The Zoo Family Get-A-Way Weekend Contest
- Bird Show: located at the Bird Show Theatre, in KidZone
- Sea Lion Show: located at the Sea Lion Pool
- Lorikeet Feeding: located in KidZone, at Lorikeet cage
- Chimp Chat: located at Chimpanzee exhibit, in Tanzania (Africa)
- Elephant Demo: located in the elephant exhibit, Botswana (Africa)
- Elephant Painting: located in the elephant exhibit, Botswana (Africa)
Future renovations
Penguins are planned for the zoo's next addition in 2011, and a series of fundraising events throughout 2010 will help provide the money required to construct the exhibit.Other proposed additions to the zoo include an aquarium; a new predator hill exhibit (where the former primate house is); a South America area behind the tropics building; and a Missouri Trails exhibit (which will include bears, prairie dogs, and more wildlife native to Missouri).