If you’re looking for an amazing zoo to visit on your trip to New York, look no further than the Bronx Zoo!This world-renowned zoo is home to over 4,000 animals and has something for everyone. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, or just looking for a fun day out with the family, the Bronx Zoo is worth a visit.The Bronx Zoo is the biggest urban zoo in the United States of America. It covers over 265 acres of land and is home to over 4,000 animals.The zoo has been open since 1899 and was originally known as the New York Zoological Park.In addition to its amazing animal exhibits, the Bronx Zoo also features a botanical garden, a nature trail, and four amazing children’s zoos.The Bronx Zoo gets more than two million visitors each year - making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in New York City.One of the highlights of a visit to the zoo is seeing its famous African elephants. The herd at the zoo is one of the largest in North America.Another must-see attraction at the Bronx Zoo is its Gorilla Forest exhibit, which is home to a family of gorillas.The zoo’s Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit is also one of the largest in the world and features over 25 acres of rainforest habitat.In addition to its animal exhibits, the Bronx Zoo also offers a variety of educational programs for visitors of all ages.The Bronx Zoo has been involved in more than 200 conservation projects around the world.For example, its Madagascar program helps protect lemurs from extinction, while its China program works to save endangered pandas.The Bronx Zoo was one of the first zoos in North America to breed black rhinos, and now plays an important role in conserving this critically endangered species.The Bronx Zoo is part of the Wildlife Conservation Society (originally the New York Zoological Society), which has a long history of working to save wildlife, as well as wild places around the world.The Bronx Zoo is open 365 days a year and admission prices vary depending on the time of year.The zoo has received numerous accolades since its opening such as being named ‘Best Attraction’ by TripAdvisor users worldwide three times (2016-2017).Some other awards include the Outstanding Conservation Award from the Society for Wildlife Preservation (2014); the Excellence in Science Communications Award from the American Association of Zookeepers (2015), as well as the Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education in 2017 by the Institute of International Education.Continue reading to learn more interesting facts about the Bronx Zoo located in New York, USA.Bronx Zoo LocationThe Bronx Zoo is a zoo located in the Bronx, New York City.It is one of the largest zoos in the world and has over 600 acres of land. The Bronx Zoo was opened on October 25th, 1899 by William Temple Hornaday along with Charles Loring Brace.Since then, it has become an important cultural institution for New Yorkers as well as visitors from all around the world who come here each year to see animals such as elephants, giraffes, rhinoceroses, and tigers, just to name a few, that live in this amazing place.The Bronx Zoo is open every day of the year, except Christmas Day, from April through October from ten in the morning until five in the afternoon, and from November through March from eleven in the morning until four-thirty in the afternoon.Admission prices are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors (65+), $12 for children ages 3-12, and free for children under age three.Membership rates vary based on which level of membership you choose, but they generally offer a discount on admission prices as well as other benefits.The History Of The Bronx ZooThe zoo opened to the public on November 8th, 1905, and it remains one of the world’s largest metropolitan zoos today.The New York Zoological Society was created in 1895 by a group of mostly Boone and Crockett Club members who wanted to establish a zoo, foster zoological research, and protect animals.The zoo covers an area of 255 acres (103.2 ha) and is home to more than six thousand animals representing over 600 species.It was founded by zoologist William Temple Hornaday who wanted visitors’ attention directed towards nature preservation issues.In addition to being one of America’s most popular zoos, it has been recognized among several leading international institutions for its conservation efforts as well as scientific research programs.Robert Moses was responsible for building a lot of the infrastructure within New York City during his tenure as Parks Commissioner from 1934 until 1968, including highways bridges and parks.He also oversaw the construction of the Bronx Zoo.Moses was a proponent, as well as a supporter, of wildlife conservation in general, so he helped create many zoos in New York City.The Bronx Zoo opened with 800 animals on November 8th, 1905 for one million dollars; it remains one of America’s largest metropolitan zoos today.Its collection includes over two thousand species, representing all seven continents, including Antarctica.The Bronx Zoo is larger than the Central Park Zoo, with more displays and animals, some of which are outstanding. It is certainly worth the visit if you have a whole day.The Central Park Zoo is significantly smaller, but the displays are well-done, and it’s worth a visit if you just have a short amount of time.Animals At The Bronx ZooThe Bronx Zoo is a zoo situated within Bronx Park, in the Bronx, a borough of New York City.It is the biggest metropolitan zoo in the U.S. and among the largest in the world.On average, the zoo has 2,672 animals and 625 species; it comprises 265 acres (107.2 ha) of parklands as well as naturalistic habitats separated by gender roads, with various viewing points to observe them.The Bronx Zoo opened its doors on November 8th, 1905 as an animal exhibit by what was known then as Uptown Park, later changed to Harlem River Park, before becoming part of Fordham University.Since that time, today’s 103-year-old Bronx Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the world.The zoo has been home to many animals, from elephants and giraffes to polar bears and penguins, as well as rare birds like vultures and albatross, which are kept there for conservation purposes.Many animals can be found at the Bronx Zoo; some are more popular than others.Some of these animals include lions, tigers, bears, gorillas, elephants, rhinos, camels, kangaroos, and snow leopards.In addition to those listed above, there are also meerkats, lemurs (a type of small monkey), sloths (small mammals that live in trees), and a variety of reptiles like turtles, snakes, and alligators.The Tiger Mountain exhibition has five tigers, bringing the total number of tigers in the Bronx Zoo to nine.Only 3,900 are left in the wild, and their numbers are declining due to habitat destruction and human-wildlife conflict.The latest youngster in the zoo is a descendant of Leo the Snow Leopard, who was successfully rescued from north Pakistan in 2005 after being orphaned as a child.The zoo is constantly changing and adding new animals to its exhibits, so it’s always worth another visit to see what you can find.There are four main entrances that visitors can use: Astor Court, the Wild Asia Monorail, African Plains, as well as The World of Reptiles.Each entrance will lead guests through different areas of the zoo with varying animal habitats.For example, if someone enters through Astor Court, they will first walk by some gardens containing birds before getting to the lion house.From there they can go on to explore more of Africa including camels, meerkats, and elephants, or they can head to the Asia exhibits which include tigers, gibbons, as well as a panda exhibit.The World of Reptiles is a reptile house for many different types of snakes, lizards, turtles, and alligators, while those who enter through The African Plains will walk by buffalo and giraffes before getting to the gorilla exhibit.No matter what entrance someone uses there’s always something new to see at the Bronx Zoo.Things To Do At The Bronx ZooThe zoo officials charge an admission fee, provide a gift shop and parking lot, and offer educational programs for school groups as well as behind-the-scenes tours.The Bronx Zoo center is open every day of the year, except December 25th, from ten in the morning until five in the afternoon.One of the goals of the Bronx Zoo is to educate people about animal conservation.This is done in a variety of ways, such as having educational signage throughout the zoo with information about each animal, offering school group tours where students learn about animal biology and ecology, and having special exhibits that focus on a specific topic.For example, the zoo has an exhibit called ‘Tigers: Born in the Bronx’, which tells the story of how tigers have been studied at the zoo for over 100 years.Another exhibit, called ‘World of Darkness’, is all about nocturnal animals and what they do during the day when we can’t see them.The Bronx Zoo also offers behind-the-scenes tours where guests can learn more about how the zoo works and see some of the areas that aren’t open to the public.These are just a few examples of how the Bronx Zoo seeks to educate people about the animal kingdom!In addition to its animal exhibits and educational programs, the Bronx Zoo also offers many recreational activities for visitors of all ages.Visitors can go on a safari adventure ride through African Plains or take a scenic train tour through Woodland Park. The zoo also features children’s rides such as carousels and merry-go-rounds.Visitors who want something more adventurous will enjoy sliding down one of two waterslides at Wild Asia Monorail Station!Visitors who are looking for an exciting way to explore nature can visit the Discovery Trail where they’ll find live animal exhibits, a zoo center, and a playground.Main image credit: littlenySTOCK / Shutterstock.com
If you’re looking for an amazing zoo to visit on your trip to New York, look no further than the Bronx Zoo!
