Lowry Park Zoo

Infobox zoo
zoo_name=Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo

---

area=56 acres (224,000 m²)
location=Tampa, Florida, USA
coordinates=coord|28.0133|-82.4697|display=inline,title
members=AZA, ZAOA
num_animals=2,000+ [http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/html/l2/l2_attractions_habitats.html retrieved January 28, 2007]
website=http://lowryparkzoo.com

Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo is a 56 acre zoo located in Tampa, Florida. It is noted for being one of the best mid-sized zoos in the United States. With its humble beginnings as an old style menagerie, the zoo now has over 200 employees, is run by a nonprofit society, and is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. The zoo was voted the #1 Family Friendly Zoo in the US by Child Magazine [ [http://www.parents.com/parents/story.jsp?page=2&storyid=/templatedata/child/story/data/1133454871975.xml The 10 Best Zoos for Kids: 1. Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa, FL ] ] , and is recognized by the State of Florida as the center for Florida wildlife conservation and biodiversity (HB 457).

Interactive exhibits

The zoo features a larger collection of Florida species than any other zoo and includes Bison, Alligator, Flamingos, Roseate Spoonbill, Florida Panther, American Crocodile, River Otter and many other species. The zoo also features several hands-on exhibits, including Lorikeet feeding, stingray feeding, camel rides, an interactive discovery center, safari rides, an Australian-themed children's zoo, a river ecotour and manatee encounters. The zoo recently opened a new section called "Safari Africa" that is home to African elephants, giraffe, Grant's zebra, white rhinoceros, shoebill stork, okapi, meerkats and many other interesting African species.

Aviary. As well as the new Asian Gardens, the Free Flight Aviary was also renovated.

Most of the exhibit graphics and theme areas are designed by the Trinidad born Simon Hackshaw. They are noted for their originality and attractiveness.

Conservation

The zoo has several Species Survival Plan projects, which includes threatened and endangered species species, as well as species of special concern including Chimpanzee, Bornean Orangutan, Mandrill, Siamang, Colobus, Golden Lion Tamarin, Geoffrey's Marmoset, Ring-tailed Lemur, Red Ruffed Lemur, Indian Rhinoceros, Sumatran Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Sloth Bear, Babirusa, Red Wolf, African Elephant, Bongo, Bali Mynah, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Great Indian Hornbill, Palm Cockatoo, and Komodo Dragons. Another large project involves Florida Manatees (Trichechus manatus). Other notable conservation projects include Key Largo Woodrats, Florida Panthers, Whooping Cranes, Key Deer, and the Butterfly Conservation Initiative.The zoo opened a safari ride in 2006, which offers a trip though many animal exhibits, and a behind the scenes tour in the same ride.

Controversy

In 2006, one of the zoo's two Sumatran tigers, a 14-year-old female named Enshala, slipped through an unlocked gate and into an area undergoing renovation. The zoo director, Lex Salisbury, defended his decision to shoot and kill the animal after attempts to tranquilize the tiger failed and the animal lurched towards the animal doctor that had shot the tranquilizer dart. [ [http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/23/Hillsborough/Loose_tiger_killed_at.shtml Hillsborough: Loose tiger killed at zoo ] ] [ [http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/25/Tampabay/As_tiger_leapt__zoo_d.shtml Tampabay: As tiger leapt, zoo director had no doubt ] ]

In 2006, a group known as "Tampa's Zoo Advocates" formed. The organization seeks to improve the living conditions of the animals as well as working conditions of the employees of Lowry Park Zoo.

Zoo History

Tampa's first zoo was a small collection of exotic animals in Plant Park on the grounds of the University of Tampa across the Hillsborough River from downtown.

During the middle 1950s, Mayor Nick Nuccio led the push to move the zoo to a more spacious location. Land further up the river near the neighborhood of Seminole Heights was chosen. The combination zoo and park was christened Lowry Park after General Sumter Loper Lowry, a local resident celebrated for civic contributions and his service in several wars, but vilified by some for his controversial political views. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862057-2,00.html The Land of Boycott - TIME ] ]

The new Lowry Park Zoo opened in 1957. In those days, the zoo shared the park with Fairyland. There, concrete statues depicting fairy tales and nursery rhymes were tucked beneath the limbs of sprawling oak trees along a winding maze of paths. Fittingly, this whimsical area was accessible via a large rainbow bridge. [ [http://www.tampagov.net/dept_City_Clerk/Information_resources/previous_mayors/nick_chillura_nuccio.asp Nick Chillura Nuccio – 47th and 49th Mayor of Tampa ] ]

As the wildlife collection grew, other attractions and rides were also added. By the early 1980s, the zoo featured a small roller coaster, a skyride, and a kid-sized train, among other kiddie rides.

About the same time, though, it became obvious that some parts of the park were in need of serious repair and renovation. The main problem was that animals were being housed in cramped concrete quarters that were not the best for either them or for visitors to the zoo.

After several years of fundraising and with the help and support of the city, the old zoo was closed in the mid-80s for a complete reconstruction. Almost all traces of the original zoo were removed (including Fairyland, to the chagrin of some local residents) and replaced with the first phase of the innovative modern facilities now in place.

The totally revamped zoo finally reopened in March 1988. Several additions since have brought the zoo to its current award-winning configuration. [ [http://www.lowryparkzoo.com/html/l2/l2_zooyou_history.html Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo - Zoo History ] ] Now the park is moving the Bison and White-Tailed Deer habitats for a new water flume ride Gator Falls.

In Popular Culture

In the 1990 Martin Scorsese film "Goodfellas", characters played by Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta dangle a debt-ridden Florida gambler over a lion cage at Lowry Park Zoo. Oddly enough, the zoo did not actually have a regular lion exhibit at the time. [ [http://imdb.com/title/tt0099685/locations Goodfellas (1990) - Filming locations ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.lowryparkzoo.com Official Zoo Website]
* [http://www.TampasZooAdvocates.com Tampa Zoo Advocates]
* [http://www.wildtracks.org/Florida/home.htm Florida Manatee Information]