- Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park
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Chattanooga Zoo Location Warner Park, Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA Land area 13 acres (5.3 ha) Coordinates 35°02′35″N 85°16′58″W / 35.0431°N 85.2829°WCoordinates: 35°02′35″N 85°16′58″W / 35.0431°N 85.2829°W Memberships AZA[1] Major exhibits Himalayan Passage
Gombe ForestWebsite http://www.chattzoo.org The Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park, formerly the Warner Park Zoo, is a 13-acre (5.3 ha) zoo located in Warner Park in Downtown Chattanooga, Tennessee. The zoo was established in 1937 and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Contents
Exhibits and facilities
The most notable exhibit is Himalayan Passage, which houses the zoo's red pandas. Himalayan Passage boasts the largest indoor red panda exhibit in the world, despite the Chattanooga Zoo being one of the smallest zoos accredited by the AZA. Himalayan Passage was expanded in 2006 to include habitats for snow leopards and Hanuman langurs.
The Gombe Forest is a $2.1 million dollar exhibit that is home to the zoo's five chimpanzees. The Gombe Forest is an indoor/ outdoor exhibit built in 2001 to house Hank, the zoo's famous long-time resident, as well as four other chimps. Hank was donated to the zoo in 1976, and died of natural causes at age 42 on January 24, 2011. The Donovan Interpretive Center features an indoor chimpanzee viewing area and other small exhibits.
The Corcovado Jungle is home to animals from Latin America, including jaguars, spider monkeys, macaws, and capybaras.
Walkin' the Tracks holds the zoos North American animals, including prairie dogs and white-tailed deer. The Cougar Express has indoor viewing in a train car for the zoos two cougars.
A new front entrance complex is now open, and includes new parking areas, gift shop, restroom facility, concessions pavilion, and Endangered Species carousel.
Conservation
The Chattanooga Zoo is actively involved in conservation efforts, specifically the AZA's Species Survival Plan which manages the breeding, conservation, and welfare of endangered species throughout AZA accredited facilities in North America. Since 1998, the zoo has also been a partner with the Zoo Conservation Outreach Group/Fundacion Zoologica (ZCOG). ZCOG is an organization that partners with Latin American zoos and assists with conservation intitiatives in Latin America, specifically the saving of the Amazon Rainforest.
The future
The zoo is currently undergoing a five-phase, $12 million dollar Master Plan that is transforming it into a premier zoological facility. In the last 10 years, the zoo has expanded from 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) to its current 13 acres (5.3 ha). The Master Plan includes new exhibits and expansion of the animal collection to specifically include the African penguins, gibbons, and Komodo dragons. New species, not yet determined, will also be added to the zoo's South American, African, Asian, and North American zones.
Notes
- ^ "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. http://www.aza.org/current-accreditation-list/. Retrieved 9 April 2011.
External links
Zoos of Tennessee Aquariums - Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies
- Tennessee Aquarium
Zoos - Chattanooga Zoo at Warner Park
- Knoxville Zoo
- Memphis Zoo
- Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
Zoos, aquariums, and aviaries Types of zoos Conservation Lists Animals Other topics - Animals in captivity
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Categories:- Zoos in Tennessee
- Education in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Economy of Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Buildings and structures in Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Visitor attractions in Chattanooga, Tennessee
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