Salisbury Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Salisbury Zoological Park, commonly referred to as the Salisbury Zoo, is a 12 acres (4.9 ha) zoo
located on the Delmarva Peninsula
in the Salisbury, Maryland
city park. Its collection of over 110 animals includes American alligator
s, flamingos, North American river otters, ocelots, Patagonian Cavys
, red wolves, two-toed sloths, jaguars, llamas, turtles, macaws, rescued raptor
s and owls
, and a spectacled or Andean bear
.
The Salisbury Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
(AZA), and is one of only 15 AZA-accredited zoos that do not charge an entrance fee.
The zoo is currently run by a 9 member commission appointed by the Salisbury city council, and is funded partly by the Salisbury Zoo Commission and partly by the City of Salisbury.
or Andean bear in the world, as of 2011, named Poopsie. She was born in December 1973 at the Baltimore Zoo and came to the Salisbury Zoo when she was only 7 months old, on July 18, 1974. Poopsie bor two litters of cubs in 1980 and 1981, which she outlived. Spectacled bears generally live to be 25–28 years old. Poopsie turned 37 on December 27, 2010. She was euthanized on November 9, 2011 following arthritic conditions, compromised mobility, and depression.
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 on the Delmarva Peninsula
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula is a large peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by most of Delaware and portions of Maryland and Virginia...
in the Salisbury, Maryland
Salisbury, Maryland
-Demographics:Salisbury is the principal city of the Salisbury-Ocean Pines CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Salisbury metropolitan area and the Ocean Pines micropolitan area , which had a combined population of 176,657 at the 2010 census.As of the census of 2000, there were...
city park. Its collection of over 110 animals includes 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...
s, flamingos, North American river otters, ocelots, Patagonian Cavys
Caviidae
The cavy family is a family of rodents native to South America, and including the domestic guinea pig, wild cavies, and the capybara, among other animals...
, red wolves, two-toed sloths, jaguars, llamas, turtles, macaws, rescued raptor
Bird of prey
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. They are defined as birds that primarily hunt vertebrates, including other birds. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh....
s and owls
OWLS
OWLS is a mnemonic used by general aviation airplane pilots to assess an unprepared surface for a precautionary landing.Like all mnemonics this check has become part of aviation culture and folklore.OWLS:* Obstacles* Wind direction...
, and a spectacled or Andean bear
Spectacled Bear
The spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
.
The Salisbury Zoo is 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), and is one of only 15 AZA-accredited zoos that do not charge an entrance fee.
History
The zoo was founded in 1954 with the placement of some animals on permanent display in the city park. Improvements made in the 1970s resulted in the naturalistic enclosures for species native to North, Central and South America that visitors see today.The zoo is currently run by a 9 member commission appointed by the Salisbury city council, and is funded partly by the Salisbury Zoo Commission and partly by the City of Salisbury.
Oldest spectacled bear
The Salisbury Zoo was home to the oldest known captive-born spectacledSpectacled Bear
The spectacled bear , also known as the Andean bear and locally as ukuko, jukumari or ucumari, is the last remaining short-faced bear and the closest living relative to the Florida spectacled bear and short-faced bears of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene age.The spectacled bear is a...
or Andean bear in the world, as of 2011, named Poopsie. She was born in December 1973 at the Baltimore Zoo and came to the Salisbury Zoo when she was only 7 months old, on July 18, 1974. Poopsie bor two litters of cubs in 1980 and 1981, which she outlived. Spectacled bears generally live to be 25–28 years old. Poopsie turned 37 on December 27, 2010. She was euthanized on November 9, 2011 following arthritic conditions, compromised mobility, and depression.