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| BRONX ZOO Bronx, New York Fordham Road and the Bronx River Parkway Phone: 718-367-1010 Website: www.wcs.org Located on the Pelham Parkway stop of the #2 Metro Subway train. Current Hours: |
Bronx Zoo
General InformationCongo Gorilla Exhibit
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A Brief History
Over a hundred years old, the Bronx Zoo first opened its gates to the public in November 8, 1899. Of the original 22 exhibits and 843 animals, only the outer structure of the World of Reptiles remains. But what has not changed throughout its history is the Bronx Zoo ’s commitment to zoology, the wildlife protection and educating the public about the wonderful biospheres around the globe.
Originally established by the New York Zoological Society (NYZS) in 1895, this organization is now known as the Wildlife Conservation Society—and conserve they have. One of the first examples is the work by then Bronx Zoo director William T. Hornaday. Hornaday had a deep love for the wild American bison, which by 1905 had dwindled down to only 1,000 left in the great American West. In October of 1899, Hornaday began a breeding program, founding the American Bison Society and housing his small herd at the Bronx Zoo’s Lion House.
By 1907, Hornaday and his group had secured national protection for the last of the wild bison and established rangelands for new herds. This went into practice when later that year 15 of the Bronx Zoo bison were re-introduced to Oklahoma’s Wichita Mountain Preserve. The Bronx Zoo herd also supplied bison for refuges in Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska. Many of today’s wild bison in the western United States. are descendents of Hornaday’s program, without which our great bison herds would have never recovered.Another example of the Bronx Zoo’s preservation work are the snow leopards. These stunning large cats first arrived at the Bronx Zoo in 1903, becoming the first place in the western hemisphere to exhibit them. They quickly became a crowd favorite. The Bronx Zoo leads a very successful snow leopard breeding program, with 82 cubs born between 1966 and 1999.
These two animals are just one of many species under the care of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s Species Survival Plan (SSP). The SSPs help breeding programs in different zoos coordinate so they can sustain the captive populations of many endangered and threatened animals. Along with the snow leopard, the Bronx Zoo is also helping restore the population of lowland gorillas, Chinese alligators, Mauritius pink pigeons and over 40 other species.
Along with species preservation, the Bronx Zoo is a leader in creating new and interesting habitats for its animals. Starting with the African Plains exhibit in 1941, the Bronx Zoo was one of the first U.S. zoos to move away from the old-fashioned caged exhibits and move towards a more natural habitat. The African Plains was also the first predator-prey exhibit in North America, where lions (the predators) had a view of nyala (the prey), which were safely placed behind moats. But African Plains was just the first of many such exhibits that the Bronx Zoo developed through their Exhibition and Graphic Arts Department (EGAD)—the first of its kind in an American zoo. Here, artists, designers and other experts combined efforts to create realistic-looking rocks, trees, vines, termite mounds and other elements that help recreate the look of a natural ecosystem. They also combined plants and trees from the animals’ homelands to complete the effect. Through their efforts, the Bronx Zoo’s EGAD department has brought the public such delights as the Aquatic Bird House (1964), World of Darkness (1969), World of Birds (1972), Wild Asia (1977) and JungleWorld (1985). But they saved the best for last. One of the most innovative projects in the western hemisphere, the Congo Gorilla Forest is an amazing 6.5 acres of African rain forest habitat, in New York City! Home to 400 animals from 55 species, the centerpiece is the troop of 23 lowland gorillas, the largest and most important breeding group in North America. These majestic animals are worth the trip alone.
With all its quality work and exhibits, the Bronx Zoo is a jewel of conservation in New York City and a must-see for any visiting tourist. It is a great place for families to see animals and their natural habitats and learn more about biospheres from around the globe. And most tourist should know that by visiting the zoo they are supporting the Wildlife Conservation Society’s main mission: to advance the study of zoology, protect wildlife and educate the public.And we all get to have a fun time doing it, and the animals, too!
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