Honolulu Zoo
American flamingos featured at the entrance to the zoo
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| Location | Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA |
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| Coordinates | 21°16′15″N 157°49′09″W / 21.2709°N 157.8192°WCoordinates: 21°16′15″N 157°49′09″W / 21.2709°N 157.8192°W |
| Land area | 42 acres (17 ha) |
| No. of animals | 1,230 |
| Annual visitors | 601,510 (2007) |
| Memberships | AZA |
| Website | www |
The Honolulu Zoo is a 42-acre (17 ha) zoo located in Queen Kapiʻolani Park in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, USA. It is the only zoo in the United States to be established by grants made by a sovereign monarch, and is built on part of the 300 acres (121 ha) royal Queen Kapiʻolani Park. The Honolulu Zoo now features over 1,230 animals in specially designed habitats.
Over 601,510 people visit the zoo annually. The zoo is administered by the City & County of Honolulu through the Department of Enterprise Services. Its support agency, the Honolulu Zoo Society (HZS), provides program services for the zoo.
In 1876, King Kalākaua made royal lands near the slopes of Lē‘ahi available for the establishment of a grand public park for the people of his kingdom. Two hundred subscribers to the king's project formed the Kapiʻolani Park Association for the purpose of pursuing the mission. In 1877, the marshes, ponds and lagoons in the area were beautified and it was opened as Queen Kapiʻolani Park in honor of Queen Kapiʻolani, wife of Kalākaua.
Even as a public park, King Kalākaua continued using the park as a place for his personal collection of exotic birds and horses. The park brought more exotic animals as it staged the Kamehameha Day celebrations and various carnivals and fairs. In 1896, the City & County of Honolulu assumed control of Queen Kapiʻolani Park.
In 1914, the City & County of Honolulu appointed Ben Hollinger to be its new Administrator of Parks and Recreation and Queen Kapiʻolani Park came under his control. Hollinger maintained a fascination with animals and began collecting them to showcase at the park in Waikīkī. The park became home for a monkey, a sun bear and several lion cubs. In 1916, a steamship on its way from Australia to Canada pulled into port at Honolulu Harbor. On board was an African elephant named Daisy. Hollinger pleaded with the City & County of Honolulu to purchase the elephant, which they did. With the acquisition of an elephant, Honolulu officially had a zoo. Daisy entertained visitors at the park until 1933, when Daisy was killed by Honolulu Police Department officers after trampling her trainer, George Conradt.
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Wikipedia