Montgomery Zoo
Encyclopedia
Montgomery Zoo is located on the north side of Montgomery, Alabama
. The Montgomery Zoo was established in 1935 at Oak Park as Oak Park Zoo. It grew and thrived there until the 1960s. In 1974, the Zoo was re-established and moved to its current located in north Montgomery. In 1989, the Zoo underwent a major expansion encompassing over 48 acres (194,249.3 m²) and 500 species of animals. In 1991, the Montgomery Zoo became an independent city department thus leaving the supervision of the Parks and Recreation Department. The Zoo reports directly to the Mayor. It is staffed by administrators, animal care specialists, conservation and preservation specialists, veterinarians and animal care technicians, education curators, trainers, museum staff and curators, merchandisers, concessions and catering staff, maintenance and operation engineers, customer service and volunteers. This is one of only two zoos in Alabama accredited with AZA
.
The future of this zoo is full of expansion. They are constructing a new american alligator
enclosure in the North American realm. They are also planning horse rides and a sky lift. The sky lift will give visitors a bird's eye view of the zoo.
On the other side of the bridge, where the field is much larger, the following species all live in harmony with each other:
There are separate enclosures for the Sumatran Tiger
and Indian Rhinoceros
. The first ever baby rhino for the zoo is a male born October 1, 2007.
Across a small stream separating the elephants from the hoofstock, the African grazers can be found. These animals spend the day roaming their exhibit, which includes hills and logs. This section of the African habitat has several viewing stations. This exhibit includes:
Another small stream separates the Reticulated Giraffe and Abyssinian Ground-hornbill
from the hoofstock. The giraffes have their own yard and can be seen up close from the cafe. There is also a Giraffe Encounter Post where visitors can get upclose and personal and even feed the giraffes.
The Old World Aviary is also seen from the cafe. It is home to a wide variety of birds.
The African Realm is also home to the Siamang
, Chimpanzee
, Günther's Dik-dik
, Lion
, and Cheetah
. All are housed in separate enclosures.
The zoo also has a South American Aviary that is made to resemble the 1904 World's Fair Aviary. The aviary is designed to immerse one into the steamy swamps of a rain forest. It is full of native foliage and has two ponds with waterfalls.
This part of the zoo also plays host to the reptile house. The reptile house has several specimens of reptiles as well as amphibians.
exhibit is full of several species of hoofstock that can be found in Alabama and other parts of the USA.
There are separate enclosures for the lynx
, cougar, black bear
, and bald eagle
. The newest exhibit is the North American River Otter
which also houses a large alligator snapping turtle
in a separate pond. The new boardwalk also gives a closer look at the bald eagles and Crystal Lake. The peddle boat rentals are found on the boardwalk.
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
. The Montgomery Zoo was established in 1935 at Oak Park as Oak Park Zoo. It grew and thrived there until the 1960s. In 1974, the Zoo was re-established and moved to its current located in north Montgomery. In 1989, the Zoo underwent a major expansion encompassing over 48 acres (194,249.3 m²) and 500 species of animals. In 1991, the Montgomery Zoo became an independent city department thus leaving the supervision of the Parks and Recreation Department. The Zoo reports directly to the Mayor. It is staffed by administrators, animal care specialists, conservation and preservation specialists, veterinarians and animal care technicians, education curators, trainers, museum staff and curators, merchandisers, concessions and catering staff, maintenance and operation engineers, customer service and volunteers. This is one of only two zoos in Alabama accredited with AZA
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...
.
Attractions\Future Plans
The zoo features an entry plaza that is always decorated with floral arrangements. The zoo has an "Overlook Cafe" that enables whomever is there to get a panoramic view of the zoo. An old world aviary is located at the cafe. The zoo also has a miniature train ride that goes around the entire zoo and a small lakewith peddle boat rentals.The future of this zoo is full of expansion. They are constructing a new american alligator
American Alligator
The American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
enclosure in the North American realm. They are also planning horse rides and a sky lift. The sky lift will give visitors a bird's eye view of the zoo.
Australia
The Australian Realm has a bridge in the exhibit that guests can cross. The bridge encloses a small proportion of the exhibit in a corner. This proportion is a seasonal exhibit. In the past it has been home to aardwolfs, warthogs, and pygmy hippos. Even though these animals are not Australian, they are favorites among the guests.On the other side of the bridge, where the field is much larger, the following species all live in harmony with each other:
- red kangarooRed KangarooThe Red Kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests.-Description:This species is a very...
- bennett's wallaby
- magpie goose
- black swanBlack SwanThe 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...
Asia
The zoo is home to an award winning Asian hoofstock exhibit. It is home to numerous hoofstock species.- bantengBantengThe banteng , also known as tembadau, is a species of wild cattle found in Southeast Asia.Banteng have been domesticated in several places in Southeast Asia, and there are around 1.5 million domestic banteng, which are called Bali cattle. These animals are used as working animals and for their meat...
- muntjacMuntjacMuntjac, also known as Barking Deer and Mastreani Deer, are small deer of the genus Muntiacus. Muntjac are the oldest known deer, appearing 15–35 million years ago, with remains found in Miocene deposits in France, Germany and Poland....
- fallow deerFallow DeerThe 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...
- sika deerSika DeerThe Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...
- axis deer
- sarus craneSarus CraneThe Sarus Crane is a large non-migratory crane found in parts of the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia and Australia. The tallest of the flying birds, standing at a height of up to 1.8 m , they are conspicuous and iconic species of open wetlands...
There are separate enclosures for the 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...
and Indian Rhinoceros
Indian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
. The first ever baby rhino for the zoo is a male born October 1, 2007.
Africa
The African Realm is without a doubt the most expansive exhibit in the zoo. The first baby elephant born in Alabama was a female born here on Nov 9, 2007. For the animals, it features waterfalls, a twenty four thousand square foot night house, and several enrichment items, scattered across the exhibit that change on a regular basis. In the decorative foliage around the elephant habitat, a group of African penguins reside together.Across a small stream separating the elephants from the hoofstock, the African grazers can be found. These animals spend the day roaming their exhibit, which includes hills and logs. This section of the African habitat has several viewing stations. This exhibit includes:
- Grant's ZebraGrant's ZebraThe 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...
- Greater kuduGreater KuduThe Greater Kudu is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and hunting....
- 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...
- Grey crowned craneGrey Crowned CraneThe 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....
- marabou storkMarabou StorkThe Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
- Slender-horned Gazelle
- Dama GazelleDama GazelleThe Dama Gazelle is a species of gazelle. It lives in Africa in the Sahara desert and migrates south in search of food during the dry season. Their habitat includes open steppes, bushy, grassy steppes, semi-desert, and deserts, while their diet includes grasses, leaves, shoots, fruit, and...
- bontebokBontebokThe Bontebok is an antelope found in South Africa and Lesotho. The Bontebok has two subspecies; the endangered Bontebok , occurring naturally in the Fynbos and Renosterveld areas of the Western Cape, and the Blesbok occurring in the highveld.The Bontebok stands 80 to 100 cm at the shoulder and...
Another small stream separates the Reticulated Giraffe and Abyssinian Ground-hornbill
Abyssinian Ground-hornbill
The Abyssinian Ground Hornbill or Northern Ground Hornbill, Bucorvus abyssinicus, is one of two species of ground hornbill. The other is the Southern Ground Hornbill....
from the hoofstock. The giraffes have their own yard and can be seen up close from the cafe. There is also a Giraffe Encounter Post where visitors can get upclose and personal and even feed the giraffes.
The Old World Aviary is also seen from the cafe. It is home to a wide variety of birds.
- Blue DuikerBlue DuikerBlue 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...
- Eclectus ParrotEclectus ParrotThe Eclectus Parrot, Eclectus roratus, is a parrot native to the Solomon Islands, Sumba, New Guinea and nearby islands, northeastern Australia and the Maluku Islands...
- African Grey ParrotAfrican Grey ParrotThe African Grey Parrot , also known as the Grey Parrot, is a medium-sized parrot found in the primary and secondary rainforest of West and Central Africa. Experts regard it as one of the most intelligent birds. They feed primarily on palm nuts, seeds, fruits, leafy matter, but have been observed...
- HammerkopHammerkopThe Hamerkop , also known as Hammerkop,Hammerkopf, Hammerhead, Hammerhead Stork, Umbrette, Umber Bird, Tufted Umber, or Anvilhead, is a medium-sized wading bird...
- Ross's TuracoRoss's TuracoRoss's Turaco or Lady Ross's Turaco is a mainly bluish-purple African bird of the turaco family, Musophagidae.It is found in woodland, open forest and riparian habitats in Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan,...
- Sacred IbisSacred IbisThe African Sacred Ibis is a species of ibis.-Description:An adult individual is 68 cm long with all-white body plumage apart from dark plumes on the rump. The bald head and neck, thick curved bill and legs are black. The white wings show a black rear border in flight...
- Lilac-breasted RollerLilac-breasted RollerThe Lilac-breasted Roller is a member of the roller family of birds. It is widely distributed in sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula, preferring open woodland and savanna; it is largely absent from treeless places...
The African Realm is also home to the Siamang
Siamang
The siamang is a tailless, arboreal, black-furred gibbon native to the forests of Malaysia, Thailand, and Sumatra. The largest of the lesser apes, the siamang can be twice the size of other gibbons, reaching 1 m in height, and weighing up to 14 kg...
, 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:...
, Günther's Dik-dik
Günther's Dik-dik
Günther's Dik-dik is a small antelope found in East Africa. It weighs up to 3–5 kg when full grown. It has a yellowish gray to reddish brown coat. It has a short tail and horn ....
, Lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, and 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...
. All are housed in separate enclosures.
South America
This is the only section of the zoo that does not have a large field exhibit. It was the entire zoo before it expanded in 1989. This section is full of smaller exhibits.- jaguarJaguarThe jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
- ocelotOcelotThe ocelot , pronounced /ˈɒsəˌlɒt/, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean...
- sloth bearSloth BearThe sloth bear , also known as the labiated bear, is a nocturnal insectivorous species of bear found wild within the Indian subcontinent. The sloth bear evolved from ancestral brown bears during the Pleistocene and shares features found in insect-eating mammals through convergent evolution...
- greater rhea
- cavy
- toco toucanToco ToucanThe Toco Toucan is the largest and probably the best known species in the toucan family. It is found in semi-open habitats throughout a large part of central and eastern South America...
- Military MacawMilitary MacawThe 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...
, blue and gold macaw, scarlet macawScarlet MacawThe 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...
, Hyacinth MacawHyacinth MacawThe Hyacinth Macaw , or Hyacinthine Macaw, is a parrot native to central and eastern South America. With a length of about 100 cm it is longer than any other species of parrot... - squirrel monkeySquirrel monkeyThe 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...
- spider monkeySpider monkeySpider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil...
- emperor tamarinEmperor TamarinThe Emperor Tamarin is a tamarin allegedly named for its resemblance to the German emperor Wilhelm II. It lives in the southwest Amazon Basin, in east Peru, north Bolivia and in the west Brazilian states of Acre and Amazonas....
- Geoffroy's TamarinGeoffroy's TamarinGeoffroy's tamarin , also known as the Panamanian, red-crested or rufous-naped tamarin, is a tamarin, a type of small monkey, found in Panama and Colombia. It is predominantly black and white, with a reddish nape. Diurnal, Geoffroy's tamarin spends most of its time in trees, but does come down to...
- Golden Lion TamarinGolden Lion TamarinThe golden lion tamarin also known as the golden marmoset, is a small New World monkey of the family Callitrichidae...
- titi monkey
- maned wolfManed WolfThe 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...
- giant anteaterGiant AnteaterThe Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
- king vultureKing VultureThe King Vulture is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexico to northern Argentina, though some believe that William Bartram's Painted...
- andean condorAndean CondorThe Andean Condor is a species of South American bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae and is the only member of the genus Vultur...
- flamingoFlamingoFlamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
The zoo also has a South American Aviary that is made to resemble the 1904 World's Fair Aviary. The aviary is designed to immerse one into the steamy swamps of a rain forest. It is full of native foliage and has two ponds with waterfalls.
- coscoroba
- scarlet ibisScarlet IbisThe Scarlet Ibis is a species of ibis that inhabits tropical South America and also Trinidad and Tobago. It is the national bird of Trinidad and is featured on the Trinidad and Tobago coat of arms along with Tobago's national bird, the Rufous-vented Chachalaca.-Taxonomy:This species is very...
- Grey Peacock-pheasantGrey Peacock-pheasantThe Grey Peacock-Pheasant, Polyplectron bicalcaratum also known as Burmese Peacock is a large Southeast Asian member of the order Galliformes. It is rather closely related to the peafowl , and like these – and like most other Polyplectron – has brilliant eyespots on its plumage...
- white-faced whistling duckWhite-faced Whistling DuckThe 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...
- roseate spoonbillRoseate SpoonbillThe Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja, is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae...
- Ringed TealRinged TealThe Ringed Teal is a small duck of South American forests. It is the only species of the genus Callonetta...
This part of the zoo also plays host to the reptile house. The reptile house has several specimens of reptiles as well as amphibians.
- rhino ratsnake
- hognose snake
- pancake tortoisePancake tortoiseThe pancake tortoise is a flat-shelled tortoise native to Tanzania and Kenya. Its name is derived from the flat shape of its shell. It is the only member of the genus Malacochersus.-Description:...
- emerald tree boa
- Grey-Banded KingsnakeGrey-Banded KingsnakeThe grey-banded kingsnake, , or more commonly just referred to as the alterna, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake. Some sources list two distinct subspecies of alterna, as L. a. alterna and L. a...
- blood python
- american alligatorAmerican AlligatorThe American alligator , sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator, is a reptile endemic only to the Southeastern United States. It is one of the two living species of alligator, in the genus Alligator, within the family Alligatoridae...
- Yellow MonitorYellow MonitorThe Yellow Monitor, Golden Monitor,Varanus flavescens, is a species of Monitor lizard found in Asia.-Description:Varanus flavescens has subcorneal teeth, scarcely compressed. Its snout is short and convex, measuring a little less than the distance from the anterior border of the orbit to the...
- Crocodile Monitor
- burmese pythonBurmese PythonThe Burmese Python is the largest subspecies of the Indian Python and one of the 6 largest snakes in the world, native to a large variation of tropic and subtropic areas of Southern- and Southeast Asia. They are often found near water and are sometimes semi-aquatic, but can also be found in trees...
- Panther chameleonPanther chameleonThe Panther Chameleon is a species of chameleon. It lives in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius.- Taxonomy :...
North America
The North AmericanNorth American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
exhibit is full of several species of hoofstock that can be found in Alabama and other parts of the USA.
- white-tailed deerWhite-tailed DeerThe white-tailed deer , also known as the Virginia deer or simply as the whitetail, is a medium-sized deer native to the United States , Canada, Mexico, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru...
- bisonBisonMembers of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
- wild turkeyWild TurkeyThe Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
- elkElkThe Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
- bighorn sheepBighorn SheepThe bighorn sheep is a species of sheep in North America named for its large horns. These horns can weigh up to , while the sheep themselves weigh up to . Recent genetic testing indicates that there are three distinct subspecies of Ovis canadensis, one of which is endangered: Ovis canadensis sierrae...
There are separate enclosures for the lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
, cougar, 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...
, and bald eagle
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is a bird of prey found in North America. It is the national bird and symbol of the United States of America. This sea eagle has two known sub-species and forms a species pair with the White-tailed Eagle...
. The newest exhibit is the North American River Otter
River Otter
Not to be confused with the animal Otter or the River Ottery in CornwallThe River Otter rises in the Blackdown Hills just inside the county of Somerset, near Otterford, then flows south for some 32 km through East Devon to the English Channel at the western end of Lyme Bay, part of...
which also houses a large alligator snapping turtle
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle is one of the largest freshwater turtles in the world. It is not closely related to, but is often associated with the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys--while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra...
in a separate pond. The new boardwalk also gives a closer look at the bald eagles and Crystal Lake. The peddle boat rentals are found on the boardwalk.