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Cape May County Park & Zoo facts for kids
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| Date opened | 1942 (park), 1978 (zoo) |
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| Location | Cape May Court House, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Land area | 200 acres (81 ha) (Park Central) |
| Coordinates | 39°06′09″N 74°48′55″W / 39.1025°N 74.8154°W |
| No. of animals | 550 |
| No. of species | 250 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Cape May County Park & Zoo is a super cool place to visit in Cape May Court House, New Jersey. It's home to over 550 animals from 250 different species! The best part? It's free to visit all year round.
The zoo covers about 85 acres (34 ha) with its animal exhibits. It's part of a bigger area called Cape May County's Central Park. Together, the zoo and park stretch across 220 acres (89 ha). The zoo first opened its doors in 1978.
You can explore amazing areas like the 57-acre (23 ha) African Savanna. There's also a special aviary where birds fly freely. Don't forget to check out the reptile collection too!
The zoo is open every day except Christmas, if the weather is good. In winter, it's open from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM. In summer, it stays open a bit longer, until 4:30 PM. You can also enjoy a fun train ride that goes all around the zoo. Plus, there's a carousel with unique zoo animals instead of horses!
The Cape May County Zoological Society, also known as ZooFriends, helps support the zoo. This group raises money to build new exhibits and improve the zoo. They also help buy new animals for the collection. They work hard to protect animals and get people excited about the zoo.
History of the Zoo
The story of the zoo began in 1942. A large piece of wooded land, about 40 acres (16 ha), was given to Cape May County. This land was once a plantation. Later, it became a place for the 4-H fair.
In 1967, the Cape May Park Commission was created. Their job was to take care of the county's parks. The land from 1942 became known as Park Central. It grew to be about 200 acres (81 ha) in size. Finally, in 1978, the Cape May County Park & Zoo officially opened inside Park Central.
In 2010, a big snowstorm damaged the bald eagle habitat. But don't worry, it was rebuilt and is now strong again! In 2016, a new home for the snow leopards was finished. It's called the Walter Trettin Snow Leopard Habitat.
Zoo's Great Reputation
The Cape May County Park & Zoo is very popular! In 2015, TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice ranked it as the 13th best zoo in the world. It was also named the 5th best zoo in the United States that year. Back in 2012, TripAdvisor called it the 3rd best zoo in the whole country.
Helping Animals: Conservation Efforts
The zoo is officially recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This means it meets high standards for animal care and conservation. The zoo takes part in special programs called Species Survival Plans. These plans help protect endangered animals.
For example, a Mountain Bongo antelope from the zoo went to Mount Kenya in 2004. This was part of a plan to help these rare antelopes. The goal is to breed them and eventually release them back into the wild.
On May 10, 2010, something exciting happened at the zoo. Two adorable snow leopard cubs were born! Their parents were Himani and Vijay. These were the first snow leopard cubs ever born at the zoo. Only a few snow leopards are born each year in the U.S.
The two male cubs, named Kaba and Sabu, are part of the AZA Species Survival Plan. This program helps manage and protect populations of endangered species in zoos. Kaba now lives at the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester. Sabu moved to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.