Alameda Park Zoo Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids
Alameda Park Zoo
Zoo sign on White Sands Blvd
Entrance gate and entrance bridge over the duck pond
Date opened	1898
Location	White Sands Blvd at 10th Street, Alamogordo, New Mexico United States
Land area	13 acres (5.3 ha)
Coordinates	32°54′05″N 105°57′40″W / 32.9015°N 105.9610°W / 32.9015; -105.9610
No. of animals	265
No. of species	90
Annual visitors	60,000

The Alameda Park Zoo is a fun place to visit in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It first opened in 1898. This makes it one of the oldest zoos in the Southwestern United States.

The zoo helps protect animals through a special program. This program is called the Species Survival Plan. They work to save animals like the Mexican wolf.

Amazing Animals and Exhibits
Zoo History and Growth
Images for kids
See also

Amazing Animals and Exhibits

The Alameda Park Zoo is home to many interesting animals. You can see creatures from different parts of the world. The zoo has about 265 animals from 90 different species.

Special Species at the Zoo

Some of the unique animals you can find here include:

The White Sands pupfish: A small fish found only in the White Sands area.
The Mexican wolf: A rare type of wolf that the zoo helps protect.
The Hawaiian goose: Also known as Nene, it's the world's rarest goose.
Ring-tailed Lemurs: These playful primates are known for their long, striped tails.

Helping Mexican Wolves Survive

The zoo is part of the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican gray wolf. This means they help breed these wolves to increase their numbers. In 2006, two Mexican wolves lived at the zoo. The zoo has had success with wolf pups being born there. For example, three pups were born in 1994, and seven more in 1995.

Birds of Prey and Other Exhibits

The zoo also cares for birds of prey that are injured. These birds cannot go back into the wild. They find a safe home at the zoo.

You can explore several special areas at the zoo:

A cool lemur exhibit where you can watch these active animals.
A birds of prey exhibit to see majestic raptors up close.
A beautiful butterfly garden, full of colorful butterflies.

Learning at the Educational Center

The zoo has an Educational Center. It offers many programs for visitors. One popular program is the Eco-Ranger Junior Zookeeper program. This program teaches kids about caring for animals.

The center is also open to everyone. You can watch videos about animals or read books from their collection. Some smaller animals even live right in the center.

Zoo History and Growth

The Alameda Park Zoo has a long and interesting history. It started over 125 years ago.

How the Zoo Began

The zoo was created in 1898. It was built at the south end of Alameda Park. The main reason was to entertain train passengers. They would wait for their trains to refuel there.

In its early days, local people would often give the zoo exotic pets. These gifts included animals like raccoons, skunks, and various birds.

Improvements Over Time

At first, the animal cages were made with chain-link fences. Starting in the 1970s and 1980s, these old cages were slowly replaced. The zoo worked to make better homes for its animals.

In the mid-1970s, the zoo faced some challenges. It needed a lot of repairs and updates. The city had to decide whether to close the zoo or make it better. They chose to improve it! In 1986, a fence was added around the zoo. This helped control who came in and out.

Oldest Zoo Claims

The Alameda Park Zoo is sometimes called the "oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River." However, there are a few other zoos that are even older. These include:

Oregon Zoo (started in 1887)
Dallas Zoo (started in 1888)
Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha (started in 1894)
Denver Zoo (started in 1896)

Even the claim of being the oldest in the Southwestern United States can be debated. This is because cities like Denver and Dallas are sometimes considered part of the Southwest.