Cleveland pmetro zoo9/5/2023 ![]() 1940 the city entrusted management of the zoo's day-to-day operations to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, with Fletcher Reynolds as the zoo's first director. Other animals were added and a small building was erected in what became WADE PARK, but after the opening of the CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART there in 1916, the zoological collections were gradually moved to Brookside Park near W. Known as the Cleveland Zoological Park until 1975, it evolved from a herd of American deer placed in land on the east side donated to the city by JEPTHA WADE on 15 Sept. Occupying 165 acres, the zoo is home to 3,300 animals of over 500 different species, and by 1995 had an annual attendance of more than 1.2 million. African Elephant Crossing is also home to meerkats, naked mole rats, an African rock python and a spectacular collection of colorful birds.The CLEVELAND METROPARKS ZOO is located near BROOKSIDE PARK on the southwest side of Cleveland, with offices at 3900 Brookside Park Dr. The naturalistic habitat is capable of housing up to 10 elephants at a time, including at least one bull and eventually calves. Spread over five acres of lightly wooded grasslands, African Elephant Crossing features two large yards for roaming, ponds for swimming, expanded sleeping quarters and a heated outdoor range. In 1992, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed The RainForest, followed by Wolf Wilderness in 1997, Australian Adventure in 2000, and The Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine in 2004.Ĭleveland Metroparks Zoo’s newest exhibit, African Elephant Crossing, opened on May 5, 2011. Since 1989, many themed exhibits have opened under the leadership of Zoo Director Emeritus Steve Taylor. ![]() In 1985, a portion of the Cat and Primate Building was renovated after the Cleveland Aquarium in Gordon Park announced it was closing permanently, and its collection of fishes and invertebrates was moved to the Zoo. In 1982, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo received accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). In 1968, the City of Cleveland transferred ownership of the Zoo to the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District, and the Cleveland Zoological Society transferred management of the Zoo to Cleveland Metroparks in 1975.Īlso in 1975, construction began on The Primate & Cat Building, and it was during this time the Zoo’s original building, the Wade Park Deer Barn, was moved from Wade Park and placed on Zoo grounds. The Zoo recovered by 1962, however, and moated lion and tiger exhibits were added. In January of 1959, heavy rains and melting snow caused Big Creek to overflow, and the resulting flood wiped out the Zoo’s reptile collection and damaged many buildings. In 1957, the Cleveland Zoological Society assumed control of the Zoo. A year later, the Zoo’s Pachyderm Building opened to house many of the animals acquired on the safari. In 1955, Zoo staff and supporters organized an African safari and obtained three elephants, two hippos, two rhinos, three giraffes, and many smaller animals. She was one of the older elephants in the country and succumbed to a cerebral hemorrhage. Accounts of her age varied from 56 to 72. Frieda, the beloved Indian elephant, died on November 27, 1956. She responded in dramatic fashion and from then on, everyone called her Frieda. A few years after the elephant had been living at the Zoo, one of her ex-trainers happened to visit her and called to her by her original name. It’s extremely difficult to change names in the middle of an elephant’s life. However, the elephant had a name, “Frieda,” to which she had responded for many years. The Cleveland News sponsored an elephant naming contest, with the winning name “Osa” submitted by a 12-year-old boy from Cleveland Heights. In November 1940,a new Asian elephant arrived at the Zoo. ![]() The animals kept in the early Zoo were mostly of local origin, but the next thirty years saw the building of the Zoo’s first Monkey Island, Sea Lion Pools and bear exhibit before the Cleveland Natural History Museum assumed control in 1940. By 1907, however, Cleveland City Council had laid plans to build the Cleveland Museum of Art and decided to move the Zoo to its current location. Wade donated 73-acres of land and 14 American deer to the City of Cleveland. The Zoo began as Wade Park in 1882 after Jeptha H. ![]()
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