Metro Richmond Zoo

Metro Richmond Zoo is a privately-owned, for-profit zoo in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It is located in the central Virginia area, on the western side of I-95. Metro Richmond Zoo encompasses about 70 acres (28 ha) and houses around 1,400 animals representing over 150 species, including Reticulated Giraffe, White Rhinoceros, Snow Leopard and Grant's Zebra. It is visited by 25,000-30,000 visitors annually.

The zoo is accredited by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA), and has one of the largest primate collections in the United States.

History

In 1980 Jim Andelin, then 27 years old began collecting animals. This hobby turned into a full time profession and eventually land was allocated solely for his collection. The zoo was opened to the public on April 22, 1995, and was home to 167 animals of 15 species at the time. Many animals were donated to the zoo; in 1999, the zoo received 38 animals.

Animals and Exhibits

Giraffes in Metro Richmond Zoo

The Metro Richmond Zoo is noted for giraffe-feeding opportunities and its display of white Bengal tigers. Visitors can purchase zoo treats for giraffe feeding. The zoo houses a herd of nine Reticulated Giraffe and a single Masai Giraffe, kept in a yard across from the main giraffe exhibit along with another Reticulated Giraffe. Animals residing with the giraffes include Eastern Bongo, Klipspringer, Ostrich, Black-necked Swan, Stanley Crane and Crowned Crane. Visitors can also purchase zoo treats for deer, goats, sheep, donkeys, and young antelope in the children's farm. Some of the larger animals can be fed zoo treats via tubes that reach to their feeding troughs. Those animals are Dromedaries, Bactrian Camel, Elk, American Bison, and Warthog.

The zoo has one of the largest collections of primates in the United States, with more than 200 individuals representing 30 species,such as Sulawesi Macaque, Diana Monkey, Orangutan, Cottontop Tamarin and three species of lemur, including Ring-tailed Lemur.^[1]. The zoo has the world's best Diana Monkey breeding program.

2003 was the opening year of the zoo's safari sky ride, a fifteen minute ride that gives visitors a high view of much of the zoo. 2003 was also the year the north american area of the zoo opened. Elk, Bison, White-tailed Deer, Pronghorn, American Alligator and Bighorn Sheep live here.

2007 saw the opening of an aviary near the zoo entrance containing Roseate Spoonbill, Sacred Ibis, and multiple species of waterfowl such as Rosybill, Yellow-billed duck, Mandarin Duck, Black Swan and Red-crested Pochard. The aviary also houses Golden Pheasants. Adjacent to the aviary is a flock of Chilean Flamingo

A $250,000 expansion in 2008 introduced a safari-like ride through a new 8-acre (32,000 m²) animal enclosure, with visitors in a two car "train."^[1] The enclosure includes Grant's gazelle, Addra gazelle, Gemsbok, Waterbuck, Greater Kudu, Eland, Nyala , Scimitar-Horned Oryx, Addax, Thomson's Gazelle, Yellow-backed Duiker, Marabou Stork, Ostrich and Impala. It should be noted that the Addra Gazelles and Scimitar-horned Oryx are temporarily quarantined for behaving aggressively towards the other animals in the safari enclosure. The Addra Gazelles can still be seen in their holding pen from the viewing deck at the zebra enclosure and they can also be seen from the safari sky ride.

Adjacent to the safari enclosure is a large wooded valley viewable only from the safari train and a small viewing deck. Four species of ungulates native to India and China reside in this exhibit. They are Blackbuck, Mouflon, Himalayan Tahr and Takin. The Metro Richmond Zoo is one of the few zoos in the United States to have Takin on display, as it is considered a national treasure in China and receives the same protection as the Giant Panda. The exhibit opened in 2003.

Near the station where the visitors get on the zoo train is an African Penguin exhibit where visitors can view an educational penguin feeding program at 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM. Around the penguin exhibit are enclosures containing Indian Muntjac, Red River Hog, African Clawless Otter, King Vulture, toucans, New World Primates, camels and an enclosure containing south american speciemens such as Brazilian Tapir, Greater Rhea, Llama and Alpaca. A bat house is placed adjacent to the King Vulture enclosure and contains Indian Flying Fox, Straw-colored Fruit Bat, Two-toed Sloth and Douroucouli.

2008 saw the debut of a coconut-climb and a walk-through aviary for about 400 Budgerigars. The aviary offers seed-coated Popsicle sticks that visitors can purchase to attract the birds to perch and feed.

New arrivals in 2010 and 2011 were Golden Pheasant, White-faced Saki, Kirk's Dik-dik, Steenbok, Great White Pelican, Marabou Stork, Himalayan Tahr, Yellow-backed Duiker, Toco Toucan, Red-billed Toucan, Black Howler Monkey, Crested Screamer, Reeve's Pheasant and Allen's Swamp Monkey. More exhibits are currently being built, including a large reptile and small mammal building near the zoo entrance, an enclosure for a pair of juvenile orangutans, and many small enclosures around the safari paddock.

During 2011 and 2012, the zoo remodeled their front entrance, creating four ticket windows and a brand new zoo pass purchasing and processing center. This project also created more space in the zoo's gift shop and extra offices. The zoo built a large safari pavilion that covers guests as they wait in African-themed queue lines out front.

The zoo allows Indian Peafowl to roam free among the visitors. Barnacle Geese and Egyptian Geese also have this opportunity. The zoo is also a rest stop for wild virginia-native waterfowl such as Wood Duck, Mallards and Canada Geese.

Miracle of Christmas Live at the Zoo

Every year, the Metro Richmond Zoo hosts a Christmas pageant on December 21, 22, and 23. The fifteen minute outdoor pageant celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. The showings are 7:00, 7:45, and 8:30. The Miracle of Christmas features live animals from the zoo.^[3]

Research projects and conservation efforts

Metro Richmond Zoo participates in several scientific research and wild life conservation projects. The zoo also plays a key part in Addax and Eastern Bongo conservation. The bongo herd has had several calves born in the past several years and many of the Addax born at the zoo have been released to the wild. The zoo also supports cheetah conservation. Annually, the zoo donates money to a cheetah conservation program in Africa. The zoo also houses an offsite cheetah breeding complex. Other threatened and endangered animals living here include Asiatic Black Bear, Binturong, Galapagos Giant Tortoise, and Black-and-White Ruffed Lemur.

See also

• List of zoos

Notes

External links

• Official website Metro Richmond Zoo