Akron Zoo
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Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus)
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| Date opened | 1953 |
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| Location | Akron, Ohio, United States |
| Coordinates | 41°04′48″N 81°32′29″W / 41.080047°N 81.541429°WCoordinates: 41°04′48″N 81°32′29″W / 41.080047°N 81.541429°W |
| Land area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| No. of animals | 700 |
| No. of species | 90 |
| Annual visitors | 1,000,000 |
| Memberships | AZA,WAZA |
| Major exhibits | Legends of the Wild, Komodo Kingdom, Jellies Rhythm in the Blue (closed), Penguin Point, Wild Prairie, Tiger Valley, Journey to the Reef |
| Website | www |
The Akron Zoo is a 50-acre (20 ha) non-profit zoo located just west of downtown in Akron, Ohio, United States.
The Akron Zoo is home to over 700 animals representing over 90 different species and it has over 1 million visitors annually. The animal exhibits are divided into six different themed areas containing animals from different regions of the world. The zoo is the most visited attraction in Summit County and rated in the top 10% of all zoos and aquariums in the United States.
The Akron Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). As an AZA member, Akron Zoo participates in breeding programs to save endangered species.
In 1900, the 79 acres (32 ha) that is now Perkins Woods Park was donated to Akron by George and Ann Perkins, for "...the sole purpose of devoting the same to the uses of a public park, especially as a place for recreation for children." To this end, the Akron Museum of Natural History was incorporated in 1950, and the Akron Children’s Zoo was opened in 1953 in association with the Museum. The children's zoo illustrated Mother Goose rhymes with live animal exhibits.
Ten new exhibits were opened in 1954, and one more, the Merry Miller, in 1955. With the sponsorship of the Yusef-Khan Grotto, admission was free to all mentally challenged, handicapped, and underprivileged children.
In 1979, the zoo changed its name to the Akron Zoological Park, and the City of Akron turned over governance of the zoo to the Board of Trustees. The City of Akron retained ownership of the land, and non-profit Akron Zoo now owned all of the zoo’s contents. The zoo adopted a new theme of "North and South American Animals" to provide a stable base for education and conservation goals.
The Akron Zoo made nearly $500,000 in capital improvements between 1985 and 1988. Special events such as Holiday Lights and Boo at the Zoo bolstered the zoo’s annual attendance with 1988 drawing 133,000 guests breaking the 1957 attendance record of 128,344 visitors. As the decade closed, the Akron Zoological Park was accredited by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums, recognizing the Akron Zoo’s professional stature among accredited zoos and aquariums nationwide.
In May 2005, the zoo opened their largest expansion in their history, Legends of the Wild. This area features 16 animal exhibits, over 20 animal species, and over 400 total animals, including snow leopards, jaguars, lemurs, bats, and many more.
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Wikipedia