Albuquerque Biological Park facts for kids
| Location | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 35°04′41″N 106°39′48″W / 35.0781°N 106.6632°W |
| Annual visitors | 1.5 million |
| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
The ABQ BioPark (also called the Albuquerque Biological Park) is a special place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It's like a big environmental museum where you can learn about nature and animals. The park has four amazing parts to explore. About 1.5 million people visit the BioPark every year.
The ABQ BioPark is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This means it follows high standards for taking care of its animals. As of 2016, the BioPark looks after more than 1,100 animals!
Contents
Exploring the ABQ BioPark
The ABQ BioPark is made up of four different and exciting places:
ABQ BioPark Aquarium
The ABQ BioPark Aquarium is a fantastic place to see ocean creatures. It has a huge ocean tank that holds 285,000 gallons of saltwater! This tank is home to many species from the Gulf of Mexico. You can see animals from estuaries (where rivers meet the sea), surf zones, shallow waters, and even coral reefs. There are also many other cool exhibits to discover.
ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden
The ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden is a beautiful 36-acre garden. It's filled with all kinds of plants from around the world. A special part of the garden is its 10,000-square-foot glass conservatory. This conservatory keeps plants from desert and Mediterranean climates warm and safe. It's a great place to see plants you might not find anywhere else.
ABQ BioPark Zoo
The ABQ BioPark Zoo is a large 64-acre home for animals. It has 2.5 miles of paths for you to walk along. You can see more than 250 different kinds of animals here! Some of the popular animals include Asian elephants, reticulated giraffes, African lions, and Malayan tigers. You might also spot snow leopards, polar bears, and hippos.
The zoo is also home to gorillas, chimpanzees, and Hartmann's mountain zebras. You can even find some more unusual animals like spotted hyenas, southern white rhinos, Tasmanian devils, wombats, and African wild dogs. Plus, there are many different birds, from tall storks and powerful eagles to speedy roadrunners.
Tingley Beach
Tingley Beach is a fun spot within the BioPark. It has a lake where you can go fishing. There's also a special lake for model boating. It's a perfect place for a picnic with friends and family. You can also enjoy the paths for walking or biking.
Getting Around the BioPark
The ABQ BioPark used to have a special 36-inch narrow gauge railroad that connected its different parts. This train was a very popular way for visitors to travel between the facilities. However, the train has not been running for almost two years.
Good news! There's a new plan to bring back a way to travel around the park. A new electric tram is being planned. This tram will be able to carry about 60 people at a time. It will take visitors between the zoo, the botanical gardens, and the aquarium in just a few minutes. The electric tram is planned to start at the zoo, go to Tingley Beach, and then continue to the botanical gardens.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Parque biológico de Albuquerque para niños
- List of botanical gardens in the United States
- List of zoos in the United States
- List of aquariums in the United States
