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Phoenix Zoo

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Phoenix Zoo
   Main entrance
   Main entrance
   Date opened    November 1962
   Location       Phoenix, Arizona, USA
   Land area      125  acres (0.51  km²)
   # of Animals   1,200
   Accreditations/
   Memberships    AZA
                                 Website
     ___________________________________________________________________

   The Phoenix Zoo, opened in 1962, is the largest non-profit zoo in the
   United States. Located in Phoenix, Arizona, the zoo operates on 125
   acres of land in the Papago Park area of Phoenix. It has been
   designated as a Phoenix Point of Pride.

   The zoo has approximately 1,200 animals on display, 2.5  miles (4.0
   km) of walking trails, and other attractions. It was founded by Robert
   Maytag, a member of the famous Maytag family.

History

   The Phoenix Zoo began as a personal project of Maytag's, who formed the
   Arizona Zoological Society with the intention of opening a zoo in
   Phoenix. Although Maytag died a few months before the opening, the zoo
   opened on schedule in November of 1962. It was originally named the
   "Maytag Zoo", but was renamed the following year to its current name to
   give it a heightened sense of community. The zoo has been a privately
   owned, non-profit venture since it opened.

   While the zoo initially has some financial struggles in the 1960's, it
   grew substantially during the 1970's as it added numerous new exhibits,
   landscaping features, and visitor amenities. The 1980's saw continued
   growth, with the addition of African Savanna habitat areas, a
   children's zoo, a new entrance complex, and other exhibits. During this
   time, the zoo also underwent a renovation project to divide it into
   four "trails", themed zones that feature different types of exhibits.

   In 1998, the zoo significantly expanded again with the opening of
   Harmony Farms, home to a petting zoo and many domestic farm animals.

Areas and attractions

   A cheetah at the Phoenix Zoo
   A cheetah at the Phoenix Zoo

   The Phoenix Zoo is made up of four major themed areas, or "trails",
   where visitors can experience exhibits representing different areas of
   the world and their native wildlife: the Arizona Trail, the Africa
   Trail, the Tropics Trail, and the Discovery/Children's Trail. There are
   also side trails including the Desert Lives Trail (featuring native Big
   Horn Sheep and Arabian Oryx amongst the natural buttes) and the Forest
   of Uco (featuring a mock South American mercado, a fake scientific
   expedition and ruins, and highlighting a number of tropical animals
   including the Spectacled Bear).

   The Arizona Trail is designed to emulate the wildlife and plant life of
   the state of Arizona. It features several plants native to the Sonoran
   Desert including the saguaro cactus, and animals such as the coyote,
   collared peccary (more commonly known as the Javelina), mountain lion,
   bobcat, bald eagle, raven, turkey vulture, coati, thick billed parrot,
   Sonoran pronghorn, and the mexican grey wolf.

   The Africa Trail showcases many of the most popular animals in the
   world, including the cheetah, African Wild Dogs, baboon, mandrill,
   ostrich, Mhorr gazelle, White Rhino, meerkats, African Lions, and
   Sumatran Tigers. The Desert Lives (pronounced like "life") trail
   diverts off of the Africa Trail before and after the lion and tiger
   exhibits.

   The Tropics Trail has two parts. The inner trail following the lake is
   home to the Tropical Flights aviary as well as the ringtailed lemurs,
   and orangutans who recently brought a new baby, Kasih, into the world.
   The outer tropics trail passes by Asian elephants, black jaguar,
   Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises, iguanas, capybaras, anteaters, Chacoan
   peccary, and an assortment of other tropical birds. The outer tropics
   trail also includes the Forest of Uco and a maze for children.

   The Discovery/Children's Trail has many animals that children as well
   as adults will enjoy seeing, and usually very close-up including an
   ocelot, a caracal, an Indian crested porcupine, racoons, Siamang
   gibbons, and golden-mantled tamarins. Continuing on the trail though
   will take you through Harmony Farms, a large farm area featuring all
   the favorite farm animals, a petting zoo, and demonstrations on farming
   and agriculture oriented toward children.

   In addition to the trails, several attractions have appeared over the
   past few years. An endangered species carousel is featured in the
   entrance plaza. The zoo also has a wide array of youth programs, animal
   encounters, and specialty attractions such as the Safari Train, the
   custom animal carousel, and various retail outlets.

Conservation efforts

   Since opening, the Phoenix Zoo has had a reputation for focusing on
   animal conservation efforts. During its first year of operation, the
   zoo was home to a captive breeding program involving the last seven
   known Arabian oryx. By 1980, more than a hundred of the oryx had been
   born at the zoo, which literally brought them back from
   near-extinction. Of the Arabian oryx that exist today, almost all of
   them can be traced back to the Phoenix Zoo.

   In conjunction with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, the zoo
   has participated in the Species Survival Plan (SSP). The goal of the
   SSP is to engage in animal husbandry and research projects for selected
   species that are in need of conservation efforts. Conservation programs
   at the Phoenix Zoo include the Arabian oryx, black-footed ferret,
   Mexican wolf, Ramsey Canyon leopard frog, and thick-billed parrot.

   The zoo provides a treatment program for California condors, one of the
   most endangered species on the planet. In February of 2006, a wild
   female condor gave birth to a baby that survived—a very rare occurrence
   for wild condors. Both birds were captured in the Grand Canyon region
   and brought back to the zoo to be treated for lead poisoning.

Sanctuary

   The Phoenix Zoo provides sanctuary to many animals that need a place to
   live for various reasons. Some participate in captive breeding
   programs, some have retired from such programs and need a home, some
   have behavioural problems, and some are being rehabilitated to return
   to the wild. Such animals include white rhinoceros, Asian elephants,
   Mexican gray wolves, and cheetahs, among others. Animals that are in
   sanctuary are treated somewhat differently from other animals by the
   zoo. While normal exhibits balance the needs of the animals with those
   of visitors (for example, incorporating large viewing areas), the
   sanctuary exhibits are almost completely focused on the comfort and
   well-being of the animals.

   After the 1998 death of Ruby, the zoo's famous painting elephant, the
   zoo abandoned its elephant breeding program and began to focus on
   elephant behavior. The zoo is currently home to three Asian elephants
   that have a variety of behavioural issues, the most common being
   aggression toward other elephants. One elephant is a former performer
   at a circus and was subject to mistreatment, while the other two were
   captured in remote regions where they were never properly socialized.
   The zoo employs an elephant specialist, Alan Roocroft, who works with
   the elephants to condition them for normal living conditions.

Ruby the elephant

   One of Ruby's paintings
   Enlarge
   One of Ruby's paintings

   The Phoenix Zoo garnered worldwide attention for one of its animals, an
   Asian Elephant named Ruby. Ruby came to the zoo in 1973, just months
   after being born in Thailand. After noticing Ruby doodling in the sand
   with sticks, her keeper decided to give her a brush and paint. Ruby
   quickly became famous for her paintings, whose sales raised over
   US$200,000 for the zoo. Art collectors all over the world joined
   18-month waiting lists and paid hundreds of dollars for original
   prints.

   In 1997, Ruby became pregnant. Near the end of her 22-month pregnancy,
   veterinarians discovered that the baby was dead. Ruby's uterus had
   ruptured, and the baby had slipped out and into Ruby's abdomen. Due to
   complications during the surgery to remove the 200-pound fetus, Ruby
   had to be euthanized.

Controversies

   In 1997, zoo director Jeff Williamson merged some departments of the
   zoo in a business move that was intended to provide a more clear
   direction for zoo operations. Many of the zoo's approximately 350
   volunteers interpreted the merger as an elimination of volunteer
   training efforts. As a result, more than half of them left the zoo by
   1999.

   In May of 2005, a veterinarian named Kris Nelson filed a series of
   complaints against the zoo regarding animal care and management. Her
   complaints were backed by two former zoo employees: a chief
   veterinarian and an animal nutritionist. The complaints stated that
   dozens of animals had been harmed or died as a result of poor
   management, feeding practices, and quarantine procedures. Another
   veterinarian, 15-year zoo employee Kathy Orr, discounted many of
   Nelson's claims as being either invalid, or having been corrected
   already.

   The following June, an independent committee of zoological experts from
   other areas of the country cleared the Phoenix Zoo of the charges. In a
   published report, the committee outlined some minor flaws in the zoo's
   operation, but reported no "serious deficiencies".

Fundraising for redesign

   On June 8, 2006, zoo director Jeff Williamson announced a major
   fund-raising drive over the next 10 years to update the zoo's
   infrastructure and many of its aging exhibits. The zoo needs to raise
   $70 million to complete the project. Recently, a Phoenix municipal bond
   election provided $2 million to the project, marking the first time the
   zoo has received public funds in its history.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenix_Zoo"
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