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What was the first US zoo?

Philadelphia Zoo, America's first zoo, is renowned for innovation in animal care and unwavering commitment to wildlife. A zoo of firsts, Philadelphia Zoo has been a leader since opening its historic gates on July 1, 1874.



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The Zoological Society of Cincinnati was founded in 1873 and officially opened its doors in 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden the second oldest Zoo in the United States.

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Due to the effort of William Camac, a Philaelphia doctor, the Pennsylvania State Legislature established a nonprofit Philadelphia Zoological Society in 1859, making it America's first zoo. William Camac was able to secure 30 acres for the Philadelphia Zoo in Fairmount Park along Girard Avenue.

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The first real zoo was established by Queen Hatshepsut in 1500 B.C. in Egypt by collecting animals from all over Africa. Later, Emperor Wen Wang of China built a zoo to show his wealth and power. Spread over 1,500 acres, it had animals from all over his empire and was named the Garden of Intelligence.

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The Philadelphia Zoo, located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, is the first true zoo in the United States. It was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, but its opening was delayed by the Civil War until July 1, 1874.

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Schönbrunn Zoo (German: Tiergarten Schönbrunn; also simply called Vienna Zoo) is a 17-hectare (42-acre) zoo in the city of Vienna, Austria. Established in 1752, it is the world's oldest zoo still in operation.

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The first zoo in the United States opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874. The Philadelphia Zoo remains one of the most important zoos and facilities for breeding rare and endangered animals.

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1. San Diego Zoo | San Diego, CA. Renowned across the country, San Diego's zoo, founded in 1916, is home to over 12,000 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. Among them are red pandas; African elephants; and bonobo apes.

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The Charles Paddock Zoo is a small 5-acre (2.0 ha) community zoo located in San Luis Obispo County, California, in the City of Atascadero, California.

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The Ross Park Zoo is 90 acres of beautiful forest located just south of the city of Binghamton, New York, USA. The zoo was opened in 1875, making it the 5th oldest zoo in the nation. The Ross Park Zoo is open seasonally from April through November.

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The Zoological Society of Cincinnati was founded in 1873 and officially opened its doors in 1875, making the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden the second oldest Zoo in the United States.

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Austin, TX is the largest city in the United States without an AZA-accredited zoo.

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1. Henry Doorly Zoo
  • Animals: 17,000.
  • Species: 962.
  • Size: 160 acres.
  • First Opened: 1894.
  • Most Popular Feature: Lied Jungle (America's largest indoor jungle).
  • Mission Statement: “To inspire, educate and engage people to serve as lifelong stewards for the conservation of animals and their habitats.


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Cheyenne Mountain is known for its large and prolific giraffe herd. Two hundred giraffes have been born at the zoo since 1954.

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Binghamton's Ross Park Zoo, established in 1875 as the fifth-oldest zoo in the United States, relies heavily on community support, with over 40% of its operational funding coming from generous contributions.

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Only in very special circumstances do zoos obtain animals from the wild, which is illegal in many nations. Thus, zoos are not in the practice of actively capturing animals in the wild from their natural habitats.

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The first zoo in the United States opened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1874.

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The second oldest zoo in the world is Paris' Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes. Having already been France's premier botanical garden for 150 years, Jardin des Plantes sought to add a little fauna to its abundance of flora in 1793.

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A menagerie is a collection of captive animals, frequently exotic, kept for display; or the place where such a collection is kept, a precursor to the modern zoo or zoological garden. The term was first used in 17th-century France, in reference to the management of household or domestic stock.

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It wasn't until 1958 that the United Nations condemned human zoos, recognizing them as a violation of human rights. The last human zoo was hosted in Brussels, Belgium, and it closed its doors that same year. This means that human zoos were in operation as recently as 60 years ago, which is a shocking fact to consider.

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