Wild Kingdom Train Zoo

Infobox zoo
zoo_name=Wild Kingdom Train Zoo


date_opened=1961
location=Farmington, Utah, United States
area=
num_species=15+
num_animals=40+

Wild Kingdom Train Zoo, located in Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington Utah, United States, is a small zoo that can be seen when riding the Wild Kingdom Train. The zoo is located on the banks of a pond. The zoo opened in 1961 as the I.Q. Zoo. In 1967 the Animaland Train opened, taking guests past the various animal exhibits. [cite web |url=http://www.lagoonisfun.com/html/wild_kingdom_train.html|title=Wild Kingdom Train |accessdate=2008-01-15 |work=http://Lagoonisfun.com ] The name of the attraction was changed around 1975 to the Wild Kingdom Train. [cite web |url=http://www.farmingtonstar.com/wildkingdomtrain.html|title=Wild Kingdom Train |accessdate=2008-01-15 |work=http://Farmingtonstar.com ] The park has advertised the zoo as the second largest zoo in Utah.

Animal collection

Big cats exhibited in the zoo include Siberian Tigers, a Jaguar, and Cougars. Other species include a Brown Bear, Grevy's Zebra, Llamas, Golden Eagle, Camels, Miniature Donkey Addax, Kangaroo, Fallow Deer, Peccary, Muntjac, Rocky Mountain Elk, Emus, Ostrich and Buffalos. [cite web |url= http://www.wildlifepimps.com/Lagoon.htm|title= Factsheets: Lagoon Corporation |accessdate=2008-01-15 |work=www.wildlifepimps.com] cite web |url=http://lagoonpark.com/show_ride.php?id=36 |title=Wild Kingdom Train |accessdate=2008-01-15 |work=http://Lagoonpark.com ] In addition to the regular exhibits at the zoo, many ducks and geese have made the zoo and the adjacent pond their home.

Wild Kingdom Train

Some of the exhibits such as the Siberian Tiger, Zebras, Fallow Deer and the Kangaroos, can be seen from various paths within the park. The Buffalos currently can only be seen from out side the park along the Lagoon Trail. All of the exhibits except for the Buffalos can be seen from the train.

The ride has two steam powered engines named Houston and Merriweather. Guests board the train at the train station located on the South Midway of the Lagoon Amusement Park. The train travels clockwise around a lagoon. The tracks go through a tunnel, past the various exhibits and the ride ends back at the train station.

Protests

The Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) have stated that they are concerned with the living conditions of the animals in the zoo at Lagoon. They state that the animal cages, especially for the big cats are too small, and that most new amusement park zoos have larger habitats for the big cats. Even though the cages meet or exceed the minimum USDA standards and have passed inspections, the UARC would prefer to see these animals in a more natural and larger habitat.Citation| last = Weist| first = Larry| publication-date = October 23|year = 2002| title =Lagoon gets plea to give wild animals more space| periodical = Deseret News| place = Salt Lake City |accessdate = 2008-01-14.] The coalition organized a protest in July 2000 asking patrons of lagoon to boycott the park until the Wild Kingdom ride was shut down.Citation| last = Cheney| first = Jacqueline| publication-date = July 16|year = 2000| title =Group protests at Lagoon | periodical = Deseret News| place = Salt Lake City |accessdate = 2008-01-14.]

Lagoon states that the park has met all of the strict regulations and has all of the required permits to run an animal park. Lagoon also disputes that the size of the animal cages are too small. Lagoon has no plans to close the zoo.

References