Toledo Zoo
Encyclopedia
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. Many of the zoo's original buildings were built by the Works Progress Administration
, and are still in use today.
Toledo Zoo participates in over 30 Species Survival Plan
s. It is also a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
and the Butterfly Conservation Initiative. The zoo has also been home to many firsts in the world of zoos; such as the first hippoquarium (and subsequently the first video of a hippo birth), as well as being the one place in the world where the Kihansi Spray Toad
is on display. It also is only the second zoo in the world to have saddle-billed stork
s as a part of its collection.
Toledo Zoo began in 1900, when a woodchuck, that was thought to be a bear, was donated to the City of Toledo. In 1918, plans were made to move the Toledo Zoo from Walbridge Park to Ottawa Park, where it would "represent the finest and the third largest zoo in the United States." These plans were never carried out.
Until 1982, the zoo was run by the city. Toledo Zoological Society got ahold of the zoo that year, and the facility took off. It has since then added many new exhibits. In June 1986 the Hippoquarium, Phase 1 of the African Savanna, opened; Phase 2 opened the following year, in June 1987.
Because of the great success of the Hippoquarium exhibit, the Toledo Zoo gained a very unique and rare opportunity to exhibit two Giant Panda
s on loan from China for the summer of 1988. This was the first year that the zoo had over a million people attend the zoo in one year. The exhibit became controversial when the World Wildlife Foundation sued the Toledo Zoo over exhibiting pandas on a short term loan. The zoo was also charging people to see the pandas as a separate exhibit and because of the lawsuit the zoo was ordered to get rid of the fee because it was a part of the regular zoo. All in all the lawsuit was settled out of court and the pandas were exhibited like planned throughout the summer. But, because of all the nation-wide media attention the zoo gained during the lawsuit it is assumed many more people came to the zoo from all over the country to see the pandas on exhibit.
In 1998 the zoo renovated its Aviary
which was originally built around 1930. In 1999 Toledo Zoo received the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
’ Exhibit Award for Excellence.
In recent years, the zoo built a pedestrian bridge over the Anthony Wayne Trail. Before the bridge was built, people could get into the zoo through an underground tunnel.
! opened on May 1, 2004 and is 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) large. The main exhibit, the African plains, is 5 acres (20,234.3 m²). It has artificial termite mounds
for the free-roaming African animals, such as the East African Crowned Cranes
, Grant's Zebra
, Greater Kudu
, Helmeted Guineafowl
, impala
, Masai giraffe
, Nile lechwe
, ostrich
, and wildebeest
. There is also a 0.6 acres (2,428.1 m²) section for African wild dog
. This is all viewed by visitors on an observation deck
or the Safari Railway, which circles Africa! Children can ride the only African Animal Carousel
in existence. Africa! was built on the site of the original gravel parking lot that existed before the bridge was built. In March 2010, a male baby giraffe named Enzi was born whose father is another famous giraffe at the zoo, whose name was Mowgli.
. This exhibit includes the white lion
s formally belonging to Siegfried and Roy, Cape clawless otters
, Kori Bustard
s, Debrazza's monkeys, African bush elephant
s, meerkat
s, and white rhinos. An African elephant named Louie was born at the zoo on April 26, 2003, and there are plans underway to expand the elephant habitat to accommodate him. The Zoo's giraffes formerly lived at this exhibit before they were relocated to Africa!. In May 2010, the zoo took a new elephant named Twiggy, from a circus
that was not taking good care of her. On June 3rd 2011, the Zoo welcomed another baby male elephant, Lucas, born to mother, Rene. This exhibit also includes several hippopotamus
es in the hippoquarium.
Toledo Zoo Hippoquarium is an underwater viewing exhibit for hippopotami, the first of this kind in the world. It has made such a great impact on the zoo that they actually made a new logo that features the hippos. The Hippoquarium was rated by USA Today
as one of the nation's ten best animal exhibits, and was featured in National Geographic.
Hippoquarium is located in the African Savannah exhibit, which is accessed via an archway made from two giant hippo head sculptures created by Toledo artist Patricia Wagenman. After passing beneath these great open mouths, visitors go underground by a descending ramp and enter a room with glass panels on one side. Opposite the glass is a 360,000-gallon pool, giving visitors an opportunity to watch hippos underwater. The filtering system cleans 8000 gallons of water every 90 minutes. In 1987 this allowed visitors and researchers to view the underwater birth of a hippo, which had never before been seen in the wild or in captivity. There have been two subsequent births. One of these births was caught on video and can be viewed at the Hippoquarium.
, discus
, flashlight fish
, Japanese spider crab
s, moon jellies, Giant Pacific Octopus, piranha
s, and lake sturgeon
s. The Aquarium has a “Living Reef” exhibit, with many types of corals, and a rainforest
exhibit, as well, which is 2500 square feet (232.3 m²) large and features the two-toed sloth
.
and harbor
, polar bears, both of which can be viewed both above and under water. Two waterfalls and 7 saltwater streams are featured in this exhibit. There is also a gray wolf
exhibit that it part of the Arctic Encounter.
The seals have a 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) or land and 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of salt water. The polar bear exhibit includes 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) of land and 1600 square feet (148.6 m²) of water. There is a freshwater stream filled with fish during regular times. A "kids' cave" shows children and adults what it is like to be a polar bear. Visitors watch through a log cabin
in the wolf exhibit, which includes 4 gray wolf siblings born at the Wildlife Science Center in 2001.
' Exhibit Award for Excellence. The renovated aviary includes walk-through sections with hundreds of birds. The exhibit hatched saddle-billed stork
s, making Toledo Zoo one of the five zoos in the world to hatch the animal, and one of three zoos to have them live over a month. Other birds featured are burrowing owl
s, Cuban Amazons, Cuban Grassquit
s, Green Broadbill
s, Rhinoceros Hornbill
s, Sunbittern
s, and Victoria Crowned Pigeon
s.
exhibit is near the pedestrian bridge ramp and initially featured eagle rescue. The first inhabitants had an injured wing and a blind eye respectively.
or from the fence. One female from Namibia
has had several litters of cubs.
. The children's zoo reopened in 2006, with an “Animals A to Zoo” alphabet theme. There is a Barnyard of the Zoo section, where children can touch and learn about alpaca
s, chicken
s, a dog
, goat
s, guinea pigs, owl
s, and pig
s. However, this no longer exists due to the opening of Nature's Neighborhood, which is very similar.
s, orangutan
s, and western lowland gorilla
s. The gorillas have a Gorilla Meadow, which has an area of 0.3 acres (1,214.1 m²). The chimpanzee and orangutan exhibits have pools in the outdoor space and climbing structures.
s, centipede
s, cockroach
es, orb-weaver spider
s, scorpion
s, tarantula
s, and stick insects.
The Amazing Amphibians exhibit features over two dozen species of frogs, salamanders and caecilians, including the Kihansi Spray Toad
, the Wyoming toad
and the Japanese giant salamander
. Completed in 2008, the exhibit features a nocturnal area at its entrance and biosecure rooms that enable breeding of certain species.
s, Francois' Langur
s, and white-cheeked gibbons. There is an indoor and an outdoor exhibit, depending on the weather.
s, lizard
s, and snake
s, was built in 1934 and is one of seven "reptile houses" in the world. The exhibit works to conserve the Aruba Island rattlesnake
and Virgin Islands boa
, which got Toledo Zoo the Conservation Award from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association´s twice: 1995 and 1998. For some time, Toledo Zoo in Ohio was the only place in the world where the Kihansi Spray Toad was on display to the public. But the Bronx Zoo
in New York City also has several hundred Kihansi Spray Toads, and it opened a small exhibit in February 2010.
Visitors can view the snow leopard
s through mesh netting. There are only 1000 snow leopards alive and 300 of those are in captivity
. Five of that 300 were produced at Toledo Zoo.
s, Amur tiger
s, Asian sloth bears
, and White-naped Crane
s. The zoo holds a female tiger, along with her two cubs.
, bromeliad, fern
, and palm
. There is a 200 flower rose
garden with the climber
, floribunda
, hybrid tea
, and grandiflora
. This section also features a butterfly garden
.
Area Railroad, and Santa Claus
. An 85 feet (25.9 m) Norway Spruce
tree contains over 32,000 lights every year, which is more than the Rockefeller Center
Christmas tree. The main show, Dancing Lights, is near Cheetah Valley. It is repeated several times every night. It uses LED
wide-angle mini lights that flash along with Christmas music
. All this is done using nearly 10 miles (16.1 km) of extension cords.
program, and Coins for Conservation. The zoo also has a Green Team and recycles.
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 in Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. 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. Many of the zoo's original buildings were built by the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
, and are still in use today.
Toledo Zoo participates in over 30 Species Survival Plan
Species Survival Plan
The American Species Survival Plan or SSP program was developed in 1981 by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help ensure the survival of selected species in zoos and aquariums, most of which are threatened or endangered in the wild....
s. It is also a 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...
and the Butterfly Conservation Initiative. The zoo has also been home to many firsts in the world of zoos; such as the first hippoquarium (and subsequently the first video of a hippo birth), as well as being the one place in the world where the Kihansi Spray Toad
Kihansi Spray Toad
The Kihansi spray toad, Nectophrynoides asperginis, is a dwarf toad, with adults reaching no more than three quarters of an inch long. It was discovered in 1996. It was found only in the spray zone around the Kihansi and Mhalala waterfalls in the southern Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania...
is on display. It also is only the second zoo in the world to have saddle-billed stork
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...
s as a part of its collection.
History
Until 1982, the zoo was run by the city. Toledo Zoological Society got ahold of the zoo that year, and the facility took off. It has since then added many new exhibits. In June 1986 the Hippoquarium, Phase 1 of the African Savanna, opened; Phase 2 opened the following year, in June 1987.
Because of the great success of the Hippoquarium exhibit, the Toledo Zoo gained a very unique and rare opportunity to exhibit two Giant Panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
s on loan from China for the summer of 1988. This was the first year that the zoo had over a million people attend the zoo in one year. The exhibit became controversial when the World Wildlife Foundation sued the Toledo Zoo over exhibiting pandas on a short term loan. The zoo was also charging people to see the pandas as a separate exhibit and because of the lawsuit the zoo was ordered to get rid of the fee because it was a part of the regular zoo. All in all the lawsuit was settled out of court and the pandas were exhibited like planned throughout the summer. But, because of all the nation-wide media attention the zoo gained during the lawsuit it is assumed many more people came to the zoo from all over the country to see the pandas on exhibit.
In 1998 the zoo renovated its Aviary
Aviary
An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. Unlike cages, aviaries allow birds a larger living space where they can fly; hence, aviaries are also sometimes known as flight cages...
which was originally built around 1930. In 1999 Toledo Zoo received 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...
’ Exhibit Award for Excellence.
In recent years, the zoo built a pedestrian bridge over the Anthony Wayne Trail. Before the bridge was built, people could get into the zoo through an underground tunnel.
Africa!
AfricaAfrica
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
! opened on May 1, 2004 and is 12 acres (48,562.3 m²) large. The main exhibit, the African plains, is 5 acres (20,234.3 m²). It has artificial termite mounds
Mound-building termites
Mound-building termites or just mound builders are a group of termite species that live in mounds. This group of termites live in Africa, Australia and South America. The mounds sometimes have a diameter of 30 metres. Most of the mounds are found in well drained areas. Termite mounds usually out...
for the free-roaming African animals, such as the East African Crowned Cranes
Black Crowned Crane
The Black Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It was once called also Kaffir Crane.It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat wetter habitats. There are two subspecies: B. p. pavonina in the west and the more numerous B. p...
, 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...
, Greater Kudu
Greater Kudu
The 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....
, 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...
, impala
Impala
An impala is a medium-sized African antelope. The name impala comes from the Zulu language meaning "gazelle"...
, 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:...
, Nile lechwe
Nile Lechwe
The Nile Lechwe, Wasserbock or Mrs Gray's Lechwe or waterbuck is an endangered species of antelope found in floodplains in Southern Sudan and far south-western Ethiopia...
, 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...
, and wildebeest
Wildebeest
The wildebeest , also called the gnu is an antelope of the genus Connochaetes. It is a hooved mammal...
. There is also a 0.6 acres (2,428.1 m²) section for 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...
. This is all viewed by visitors on an observation deck
Observation deck
__FORCETOC__ An observation deck, observation platform or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure such as a skyscraper or observation tower...
or the Safari Railway, which circles Africa! Children can ride the only African Animal Carousel
Carousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
in existence. Africa! was built on the site of the original gravel parking lot that existed before the bridge was built. In March 2010, a male baby giraffe named Enzi was born whose father is another famous giraffe at the zoo, whose name was Mowgli.
African Savanna
This location is "naturally landscaped" and is aimed to feel like an African safariSafari
A safari is an overland journey, usually a trip by tourists to Africa. Traditionally, the term is used for a big-game hunt, but today the term often refers to a trip taken not for the purposes of hunting, but to observe and photograph animals and other wildlife.-Etymology:Entering the English...
. This exhibit includes the white lion
White lion
The white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion . It has been perpetuated by selective breeding in zoos around the world...
s formally belonging to Siegfried and Roy, Cape clawless otters
African Clawless Otter
The African clawless otter , also known as the cape clawless otter or groot otter, is the second largest freshwater species of otter. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas...
, 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....
s, Debrazza's monkeys, African bush elephant
African Bush Elephant
The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
s, 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"...
s, and white rhinos. An African elephant named Louie was born at the zoo on April 26, 2003, and there are plans underway to expand the elephant habitat to accommodate him. The Zoo's giraffes formerly lived at this exhibit before they were relocated to Africa!. In May 2010, the zoo took a new elephant named Twiggy, from a 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...
that was not taking good care of her. On June 3rd 2011, the Zoo welcomed another baby male elephant, Lucas, born to mother, Rene. This exhibit also includes several hippopotamus
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...
es in the hippoquarium.
Hippoquarium
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
as one of the nation's ten best animal exhibits, and was featured in National Geographic.
Hippoquarium is located in the African Savannah exhibit, which is accessed via an archway made from two giant hippo head sculptures created by Toledo artist Patricia Wagenman. After passing beneath these great open mouths, visitors go underground by a descending ramp and enter a room with glass panels on one side. Opposite the glass is a 360,000-gallon pool, giving visitors an opportunity to watch hippos underwater. The filtering system cleans 8000 gallons of water every 90 minutes. In 1987 this allowed visitors and researchers to view the underwater birth of a hippo, which had never before been seen in the wild or in captivity. There have been two subsequent births. One of these births was caught on video and can be viewed at the Hippoquarium.
Aquarium
The Aquarium includes 253 different species of animals, with 2800 actual animals in the exhibit. It has one of the most diverse collections of any zoo-aquarium in the United States. Included in this exhibit are African cichlids, arapaimaArapaima
The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is a South American tropical freshwater fish. It is a living fossil and one of the largest freshwater fishes in the world.-Anatomy and morphology:...
, discus
Discus (genus)
Discus is a genus of small air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Discidae, the disk snails.- Distribution :Distribution of the genus Discus include Europe, northern Asia and North America....
, flashlight fish
Flashlight fish
The flashlight fish are a family, the Anomalopidae, of beryciform fish. There are some unrelated fish with similar features, some of which are also called flashlight fish. Notable among these are the deep sea lanternfish, of the family Myctophidae, of which there are over 200 species.Flashlight...
, Japanese spider crab
Japanese spider crab
The , Macrocheira kaempferi, is a species of marine crab that lives in the waters around Japan. It has the largest leg span of any arthropod, reaching up to and weighing up to . It is the subject of small-scale fishery.-Description:...
s, moon jellies, Giant Pacific Octopus, piranha
Piranha
A piranha or piraña is a member of family Characidae in order Characiformes, an omnivorous freshwater fish that inhabits South American rivers. In Venezuela, they are called caribes...
s, and lake sturgeon
Lake sturgeon
The lake sturgeon is a North American temperate freshwater fish, one of about 20 species of sturgeon. Like other sturgeons, this species is an evolutionarily ancient bottomfeeder with a partly cartilaginous skeleton and skin bearing rows of bony plates...
s. The Aquarium has a “Living Reef” exhibit, with many types of corals, and a rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
exhibit, as well, which is 2500 square feet (232.3 m²) large and features the two-toed sloth
Two-toed sloth
Choloepus is a genus of mammals of Central and South America, within the family Megalonychidae consisting of two-toed sloths. There are only two species of Choloepus : Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth and Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth...
.
Arctic Encounter
The Arctic Encounter includes Wolves, seals, both grayGrey Seal
The grey seal is found on both shores of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is a large seal of the family Phocidae or "true seals". It is the only species classified in the genus Halichoerus...
and harbor
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
, polar bears, both of which can be viewed both above and under water. Two waterfalls and 7 saltwater streams are featured in this exhibit. There is also a gray wolf
Gray Wolf
The gray wolf , also known as the wolf, is the largest extant wild member of the Canidae family...
exhibit that it part of the Arctic Encounter.
The seals have a 4000 square feet (371.6 m²) or land and 3000 square feet (278.7 m²) of salt water. The polar bear exhibit includes 6000 square feet (557.4 m²) of land and 1600 square feet (148.6 m²) of water. There is a freshwater stream filled with fish during regular times. A "kids' cave" shows children and adults what it is like to be a polar bear. Visitors watch through a log cabin
Log cabin
A log cabin is a house built from logs. It is a fairly simple type of log house. A distinction should be drawn between the traditional meanings of "log cabin" and "log house." Historically most "Log cabins" were a simple one- or 1½-story structures, somewhat impermanent, and less finished or less...
in the wolf exhibit, which includes 4 gray wolf siblings born at the Wildlife Science Center in 2001.
Aviary
The aviary is one of the zoo's oldest buildings, built in 1937. After being renovated in 1998, it received the Association of Zoos and AquariumsAssociation 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...
' Exhibit Award for Excellence. The renovated aviary includes walk-through sections with hundreds of birds. The exhibit hatched saddle-billed stork
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...
s, making Toledo Zoo one of the five zoos in the world to hatch the animal, and one of three zoos to have them live over a month. Other birds featured are burrowing owl
Burrowing Owl
The Burrowing Owl is a tiny but long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing Owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or any other open dry area with low vegetation. They nest and roost in burrows, such as those excavated...
s, Cuban Amazons, Cuban Grassquit
Cuban Grassquit
The Cuban Grassquit is a small bird formerly placed with the Emberizidae. It is now recognized as a tanager closely related to Darwin's finches...
s, Green Broadbill
Green Broadbill
The Green Broadbill, Calyptomena viridis, is a small, approximately 17 cm long, brilliant green-plumaged bird with a black ear patch, wide gape bill, rounded head, short tail and three black bars on wings. The beak itself is very weak and almost hidden by the crest above it. Both sexes are...
s, Rhinoceros Hornbill
Rhinoceros Hornbill
The Rhinoceros Hornbill, Buceros rhinoceros, is one of the largest hornbills, adults being approximately the size of a swan, 110-127 cm long and weighing 2-3 kg . The Rhinoceros Hornbill lives in captivity for up to 35 years...
s, Sunbittern
Sunbittern
The Sunbittern, Eurypyga helias is a bittern-like bird of tropical regions of the Americas, and the sole member of the family Eurypygidae and genus Eurypyga.-Description and reproduction:...
s, and Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
The Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Goura victoria, is a large, bluish-grey pigeon with elegant blue lace-like crests, maroon breast and red iris. The bird may be easily recognized by the unique white tips on its crests. Both sexes are similar. It is on average 74 cm long and weighs 2,384 grams...
s.
Bald Eagles
The bald eagleBald 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...
exhibit is near the pedestrian bridge ramp and initially featured eagle rescue. The first inhabitants had an injured wing and a blind eye respectively.
Cheetah Valley
Cheetah Valley can be viewed from an observation deckObservation deck
__FORCETOC__ An observation deck, observation platform or viewing platform is an elevated sightseeing platform usually situated upon a tall architectural structure such as a skyscraper or observation tower...
or from the fence. One female from Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
has had several litters of cubs.
Children's Zoo
The Fisher-Price Children's Zoo is a petting zooPetting zoo
A petting zoo features a combination of domestic animals and some wild species that are docile enough to touch and feed. In addition to independent petting zoos, also called children's farms or petting farms, many general zoos contain a petting zoo...
. The children's zoo reopened in 2006, with an “Animals A to Zoo” alphabet theme. There is a Barnyard of the Zoo section, where children can touch and learn about 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...
s, chicken
Chicken
The chicken is a domesticated fowl, a subspecies of the Red Junglefowl. As one of the most common and widespread domestic animals, and with a population of more than 24 billion in 2003, there are more chickens in the world than any other species of bird...
s, a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, guinea pigs, owl
Owl
Owls are a group of birds that belong to the order Strigiformes, constituting 200 bird of prey species. Most are solitary and nocturnal, with some exceptions . Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish...
s, and pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s. However, this no longer exists due to the opening of Nature's Neighborhood, which is very similar.
Kingdom of the Apes
In 1993, The Kingdom of the Apes first opened. Now, it holds chimpanzeeChimpanzee
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:...
s, orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s, and western 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. The gorillas have a Gorilla Meadow, which has an area of 0.3 acres (1,214.1 m²). The chimpanzee and orangutan exhibits have pools in the outdoor space and climbing structures.
Museum of Science
The exhibit includes two sub-exhibits, The Crawlspace and Amazing Amphibians. The Crawlspace: A World of Bugs contains over 20 species such as beetleBeetle
Coleoptera is an order of insects commonly called beetles. The word "coleoptera" is from the Greek , koleos, "sheath"; and , pteron, "wing", thus "sheathed wing". Coleoptera contains more species than any other order, constituting almost 25% of all known life-forms...
s, centipede
Centipede
Centipedes are arthropods belonging to the class Chilopoda of the subphylum Myriapoda. They are elongated metameric animals with one pair of legs per body segment. Despite the name, centipedes can have a varying number of legs from under 20 to over 300. Centipedes have an odd number of pairs of...
s, cockroach
Cockroach
Cockroaches are insects of the order Blattaria or Blattodea, of which about 30 species out of 4,500 total are associated with human habitations...
es, orb-weaver spider
Orb-weaver spider
The "typical" orb-weaver spiders are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests...
s, scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
s, tarantula
Tarantula
Tarantulas comprise a group of often hairy and often very large arachnids belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been identified. Some members of the same Suborder may also be called "tarantulas" in the common parlance. This article will restrict itself to...
s, and stick insects.
The Amazing Amphibians exhibit features over two dozen species of frogs, salamanders and caecilians, including the Kihansi Spray Toad
Kihansi Spray Toad
The Kihansi spray toad, Nectophrynoides asperginis, is a dwarf toad, with adults reaching no more than three quarters of an inch long. It was discovered in 1996. It was found only in the spray zone around the Kihansi and Mhalala waterfalls in the southern Udzungwa Mountains in Tanzania...
, the Wyoming toad
Wyoming Toad
The Wyoming Toad or Baxter's Toad is an extremely rare amphibian that exists only in captivity and within Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The Wyoming Toad was listed as an endangered species in 1984, and listed as extinct in the wild since 1991...
and the Japanese giant salamander
Japanese giant salamander
The Japanese giant salamander is endemic to Japan, where it is known as , literally meaning "giant pepper fish". With a length of up to almost 1.5 meters , it is the second largest salamander in the world, only being surpassed by the very similar and closely related Chinese giant salamander The...
. Completed in 2008, the exhibit features a nocturnal area at its entrance and biosecure rooms that enable breeding of certain species.
Primate Forest
The Primate Forest was first built in 1998 and features Allen’s swamp monkeys, Colobus monkeys, Diana monkeyDiana Monkey
The Diana monkey is an Old World monkey found in West Africa, from Sierra Leone to Côte d'Ivoire.The Diana monkey ranges from 40 to 55 cm in length, excluding its tail, which is of a uniform 3–4 cm diameter and 50–75 cm long. Adults weigh between 4–7 kg...
s, Francois' Langur
Francois' Langur
Francois' langur or Francois' leaf monkey is a species of lutung and the type species of its species group. Francois' langur belongs to the Colobinae subfamily, Cercopithecidae family, in the Primates order...
s, and white-cheeked gibbons. There is an indoor and an outdoor exhibit, depending on the weather.
Reptile House
The Reptile House, which holds many turtleTurtle
Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudines , characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs that acts as a shield...
s, lizard
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
s, and snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, was built in 1934 and is one of seven "reptile houses" in the world. The exhibit works to conserve the Aruba Island rattlesnake
Crotalus durissus unicolor
Crotalus durissus unicolor is a venomous pitviper subspecies found only on the Caribbean island of Aruba, off the coast of Venezuela. Critically endangered, it is estimated that fewer than 230 adults survive in the wild. Sometimes still treated as a full species.-Description:Moderately sized, this...
and Virgin Islands boa
Epicrates monensis
Epicrates monensis, known commonly as the Mona boa, is a species of snake in the Boidae family. It is found in the West Indies, around Mona Island and Cayo Diablo near Puerto Rico, in the U. S. Virgin Islands and in the British Virgin Islands: Tortola, Great Camanoe, Necker and Virgin Gorda....
, which got Toledo Zoo the Conservation Award from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association´s twice: 1995 and 1998. For some time, Toledo Zoo in Ohio was the only place in the world where the Kihansi Spray Toad was on display to the public. But the Bronx Zoo
Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo is located in the Bronx borough of New York City, within Bronx Park. It is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, comprising of park lands and naturalistic habitats, through which the Bronx River flows....
in New York City also has several hundred Kihansi Spray Toads, and it opened a small exhibit in February 2010.
Snow Leopards
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s through mesh netting. There are only 1000 snow leopards alive and 300 of those are in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
. Five of that 300 were produced at Toledo Zoo.
Tiger Terrace
The Tiger Terrace has African penguinAfrican Penguin
The African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
s, Amur tiger
Amur Tiger
The Siberian tiger , also known as the Amur tiger, is a tiger subspecies inhabiting mainly the Sikhote Alin mountain region with a small subpopulation in southwest Primorye province in the Russian Far East. In 2005, there were 331–393 adult-subadult Amur tigers in this region, with a breeding adult...
s, Asian sloth bears
Sloth Bear
The 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...
, and White-naped Crane
White-naped Crane
The White-naped Crane is a bird of the crane family. It is a large bird, 112–125 cm long, approximately 130 cm tall and weighing about 5.6 kg with pinkish legs, grey and white striped neck, and a red face patch.The White-naped Crane breeds in northeastern Mongolia, northeastern...
s. The zoo holds a female tiger, along with her two cubs.
Ziems Conservatory
Built in 1904, the conservatory has many tropical plants, such as the bananaBanana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
, bromeliad, fern
Fern
A fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
, and palm
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
. There is a 200 flower rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
garden with the climber
Climber
Climber may refer to:*Climber, a participant in the activity of climbing*Climber, general name for a vine*Climber , a robot that goes upward or downward on a track*Climber , by Nintendo...
, floribunda
Floribunda
Floribunda may refer to:*A popular rose cultivar group, see Floribunda *A former cactus genus now placed in Cipocereus* Cassia floribunda, a synonym for Senna septemtrionalis, a plant species...
, hybrid tea
Hybrid Tea
Hybrid Tea is a cultivar group of roses, created by cross-breeding two different types of roses, initially by hybridising Hybrid Perpetuals with Tea roses...
, and grandiflora
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
. This section also features a butterfly garden
Butterfly Garden
Butterfly Garden is a life simulation game by independent developer Autonomous Productions, revolving around the raising and collecting of butterflies. Initially for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade, the developers have promised there will be a PC version and WiiWare version...
.
Natures Neighborhood
The new, improved version of the Children's Zoo. It features cats, dogs, a greater number of guinea pigs then were in the old Children's Zoo, and a variety of birds. It has an outdoor playground and a goat encounter area. It was opened on June 19, 2009.Lights Before Christmas
The Lights Before Christmas is an annual event held by The Toledo Zoo from November 16 to December 31. Most summer attractions and exhibits are closed, but all the buildings and trees are decorated with Christmas lights. It features over one million Christmas lights, 200 animal images, ice carvings, food, carolers, model trains from the SwantonSwanton, Ohio
Swanton is a village in Fulton and Lucas counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 3,690 at the 2010 census.-History:A.D. Baker, a steam engine inventor, ran a machine shop in Swanton from 1901 to 1953.-Geography:...
Area Railroad, and Santa Claus
Santa Claus
Santa Claus is a folklore figure in various cultures who distributes gifts to children, normally on Christmas Eve. Each name is a variation of Saint Nicholas, but refers to Santa Claus...
. An 85 feet (25.9 m) Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
tree contains over 32,000 lights every year, which is more than the Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a complex of 19 commercial buildings covering between 48th and 51st streets in New York City, United States. Built by the Rockefeller family, it is located in the center of Midtown Manhattan, spanning the area between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. It was declared a National...
Christmas tree. The main show, Dancing Lights, is near Cheetah Valley. It is repeated several times every night. It uses LED
LEd
LEd is a TeX/LaTeX editing software working under Microsoft Windows. It is a freeware product....
wide-angle mini lights that flash along with Christmas music
Christmas music
Christmas music comprises a variety of genres of music normally performed or heard around the Christmas season, which tends to begin in the months leading up the actual holiday and end in the weeks shortly thereafter.-Early:...
. All this is done using nearly 10 miles (16.1 km) of extension cords.
Frozentoesen
Frozentoesen is an annual winter-themed event lasting from January through February. It features professional ice carving demonstrations, "Cabin Fever Feeds", musical and theatrical performances in an indoor theater, and other special activities. Many of the outdoor animal exhibits are closed during these months, but all of the indoor exhibits remain open to the public. Zoo admission is also half-price during this event.Conservation efforts
The Toledo Zoo is a member of the Butterfly Conservation Initiative, the American Association of Zoo Keepers, the Seafood WatchSeafood Watch
Seafood Watch is one of the best known sustainable seafood advisory lists, and has influenced similar programs around the world. It is a program designed to raise consumer awareness about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources...
program, and Coins for Conservation. The zoo also has a Green Team and recycles.