The Mill Mountain Zoo is a 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....

 located atop Mill Mountain in Roanoke

Roanoke, Virginia

Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...

, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

. Originally opening in 1952, the zoo was operated by the City of Roanoke for its first 24 years. In 1976, the city turned its operation over to the Roanoke Jaycees. The Jaycees operated the zoo until 1988 when its operation was handed over to the non-profit Blue Ridge Zoological Society (BRZS). The BRZS today still serves as the operator and fund-raising mechanism for the zoo and its operations.

The zoo has been 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...

 (AZA) since 1995.

History

With its location atop Mill Mountain not being conducive to a major expansion, a proposal developed in 1984 to relocate the zoo to a 400 acres (161.9 ha) tract adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a National Parkway and All-American Road in the United States, noted for its scenic beauty. It runs for 469 miles , mostly along the famous Blue Ridge, a major mountain chain that is part of the Appalachian Mountains...

 as the Blue Ridge Zoo. This proposal was later abandoned in favor of the development of Virginia's Explore Park

Virginia's Explore Park

Virginia's Explore Park is a currently closed living history museum; however, recreational facilities are open to the public. The park is located at milepost 115 on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Roanoke County, Virginia...

 at the location originally proposed for the zoo. After the failed relocation proposal, the Blue Ridge Zoological Society voted in 1988 to have the zoo permanently located atop Mill Mountain. As part of this decision, a 10-year master plan called Zoo 2001, was completed in 1991, with some of its suggestions successfully implemented over the course of the next decade.

Additions since 2008:

• New Holding/Quarantine Building (houses new animals and the aviary birds during the winter-not accessible to the public
• New Animal Clinic-not accessible to the public
• Red Wolf Exhibit
• Eurasian Black Vulture Exhibit
• Black Tufted Marmoset Exhibit (Burmese Pythons were moved into the Reptile House)
• Canadian Lynx Exhibit (where Red Tailed Hawks were)
• Interactive Aviary
• Reptile House

Attractions and notable animals

The following are some of the more notable animals to be housed at the zoo:

• Frump Frump - Was an African elephant donated to the zoo from a passing circus
  Circus
  A circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists...
  
   in 1970. Although she would die just a few months after being placed in the zoo, a record 107,000 visitors passed through the zoo, with many making the trip specifically to see her.

• Ruby - Was a Siberian tiger. She was donated to the zoo by law enforcement officers, who found her being kept illegally as a pet in Danville, Virginia
  Danville, Virginia
  Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
  
  . Ruby was at the zoo from November 1988 until her death on December 10, 2006.

• Oops - is a Japanese macaque
  Japanese Macaque
  The Japanese macaque , historically known as saru , but now known as Nihonzaru to distinguish it from other primates, is a terrestrial Old World monkey species native to Japan....
  
   who escaped her cage in July 2006. Her escape was covered nationwide in news stories before she was recaptured a week later

• Zoo Choo - Opening with the zoo's opening in 1952, it originally consisted of a gas-powered Model G-16 miniature train engine, two passenger cars and an observation car. The train would operate continuously at the zoo except between 1994–1996 and 2002. In 2007, it was relocated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation
  Virginia Museum of Transportation
  The Virginia Museum of Transportation is a museum devoted to the topic of transportation located in Downtown Roanoke, Virginia, U.S.A..- History :...
  
  . The zoo replaced the engine with another G-16 miniature train engine in August 2008.

The zoo is host to 85 animals and 35 different species, including two species on the endangered list, the 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...

, and Snow Leopard

Snow Leopard

The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...

. It is constantly undergoing new changes with a variety of species being added including the opening of an interactive aviary in 2008 and a reptile house in 2009. Some of the favorite attractions are "Bo" the very loveable Wolverine, Nina the cougar, Tasha (who died at a very old age recently) and Boris the gorgeous snow leopards, Nova the red panda who was later joined by Takeo (Sophia, MMZ's red panda who was sent for breeding at the Denver Zoo), and the ever funny Japanese Macaques-Richard, Mom, and Oops. Recent additions are red wolves, Eurasian black vultures, a Canadian lynx, four Asian short clawed otters, and pallas cats (will be out once an exhibit is built).
Current animals:

• Hoofstock Yard (Dwarf Zebu, Pygmy Goats, Pot Bellied Pigs)
• Tufted Deer
• Sichuan Takin
• Snow Leopard
• Red Panda
• Cougar
• Red Wolves
• Canadian Lynx
• Asian Small Clawed Otters
• Japanese Macaques
• Burmese Mountain Tortoises
• Burmese Pythons
• Screech Owl
• Golden Pheasant/Blue Billed Magpie
• Indian Crested Porcipines
• Black Hornbill
• Black Tufted Marmosets
• Various birds and reptiles

Past animals:

• Corsac Foxes (3 of only 5 in the United States)
• Bald Eagle
• White Naped Crane
• Parma Wallabies
• Fishing Cat

External links

• Mill Mountain Zoo official website