Detroit Zoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Detroit Zoo

The Horace Rackham Memorial Fountain by Corrado Parducci, in 2007.
Date opened	1883; August 1, 1928
Location	Huntington Woods/Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S.
Land area	125 acres (51 ha)
Coordinates	42°28′37″N 83°09′25″W / 42.47694°N 83.15694°W / 42.47694; -83.15694
No. of animals	2,000+
No. of species	245+
Annual visitors	1,560,981 (2017)
Memberships	AZA, AAM, WAZA
Major exhibits	Arctic Ring of Life, Australian Outback Adventure, Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness, Great Apes of Harambee, Holden Reptile Conservation Center, National Amphibian Conservation Center, Polk Penguin Conservation Center, Matilda Wilson Free-Flight Aviary
Website
Detroit Zoological Park
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
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Location	8450 West Ten Mile Road, Huntington Woods/Royal Oak, Michigan
Architect	Arthur A. Shurtleff, Heinrich Hagenbeck
NRHP reference No.	90001226
Added to NRHP	August 24, 1990

The Detroit Zoo is a fun place to visit in Royal Oak, Michigan and Huntington Woods, Michigan. It's about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Detroit. The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS), a non-profit group, runs the zoo. They also manage the Belle Isle Nature Center in Detroit.

The Detroit Zoo is one of Michigan's biggest family attractions. Over 1.5 million people visit it every year! It covers 125 acres and is home to more than 2,400 animals. These animals represent 235 different kinds of species. The Detroit Zoo was the first zoo in the United States to use exhibits without cages. This means animals have more natural-looking homes.

Discovering the Detroit Zoo's Past

Historical marker at main entrance

The very first Detroit Zoo opened way back in 1883. It was located in Detroit, across from where Tiger Stadium used to be. A local businessman bought circus animals and created the Detroit Zoological Garden. But this first zoo closed after only one year.

The Detroit Zoological Society started in 1911. However, the zoo we know today officially opened on August 1, 1928. At the opening, something funny happened! The acting mayor, John C. Nagel, was late. He parked behind the bear dens. As he walked around, Morris, a polar bear, jumped out of his moat! The bear stood right in front of the mayor. The mayor didn't realize the danger. He joked, "He's the reception committee!" Keepers quickly moved the bear back, and the mayor was safe.

By 1930, the zoo added Bear Dens and Sheep Rock. Soon after, the Bird House was built. Then came the Elk Exhibit, Baboon Rock, and houses for primates and reptiles. The Detroit Zoo was the first zoo in America to have exhibits without cages.

Zoo Life During the Great Depression

The Great Depression slowed down new projects. But the zoo still had popular attractions. One favorite was Jo Mendi, a four-year-old chimpanzee. The zoo director bought him with his own money. Jo was famous from Broadway and movies. He would perform for the audience. He could count his fingers, dress himself, and even drink tea! When Jo got sick, people sent him toys, peanuts, and thousands of cards. Sadly, Jo died in 1934.

In 1939, a sculptor named Corrado Parducci created the Horace Rackham Memorial Fountain. It's often called "the Bear Fountain." From the 1950s to the 1970s, a local weatherman named Sonny Eliot hosted a TV show called At the Zoo.

Until 1982, trained chimpanzees used to perform for visitors. But this stopped because animal rights groups asked for it. Also in 1982, the zoo started charging an admission fee for the first time.

Modernizing the Zoo's Habitats

The Arctic Ring of Life opened in 2001. It's one of North America's biggest homes for polar bears. This exhibit has a huge 300,000-gallon aquarium. Visitors can see polar bears and seals from a 70-foot (21 m) long underwater tunnel. The tunnel has thick clear walls, giving you a 360-degree view! Other new buildings include the Ruth Roby Glancy Animal Health Complex (2004) and the Ford Education Center (2005). The education center has programs for schools and a theater.

In 2005, the zoo made news for a big decision. It became the first U.S. zoo to stop keeping elephants. They felt Michigan winters were too cold for them. Also, keeping them inside during cold months was stressful for the elephants. The elephants, Wanda and Winky, moved to a sanctuary in California. The zoo had housed elephants since it opened. The old elephant exhibit is now home to two white rhinoceros, Jasiri and Tamba.

The Australian Outback Adventure opened in 2006. Visitors can walk through a 2-acre (0.8 ha) area that looks like the Outback. Red kangaroos and red-necked wallabies live here. Nothing separates visitors from these animals. They can hop freely onto the walking path!

In 2006, there was a concern about the zoo closing due to budget issues. But people were upset, and the city decided to transfer operations to the Detroit Zoological Society. This group is now in charge of running the zoo. In 2008, voters in nearby counties approved a special tax. This tax helps provide steady funding for the zoo.

In 2009, the Penguinarium was briefly called the "Winguinarium." This was when the Detroit Red Wings played the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Stanley Cup Final!

In 2011, the lion habitat got a makeover. It now has more than double the space for the lions to roam. It also has new plants and a glass wall. This lets visitors get a much closer look at the lions. The Detroit Zoo also has a Simulator Ride, a 4-D Theater, the Tauber Family Railroad, and a carousel.

In 2013, the zoo received its largest donation ever ($10 million). This led to plans for the Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC). It opened in 2016. This new penguin center replaced the old Penguinarium (built in 1968). It became the largest place on Earth just for studying penguins.

In 2017, a special machine called a biodigester was installed. It turns animal waste and food scraps into methane gas. This gas is then used to power the zoo's animal hospital!

In September 2019, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center closed for repairs. The penguins moved back to their old home, the original Penguinarium. The Polk Center is expected to reopen in early 2021.

On July 6, 2019, the zoo celebrated the birth of Keti. Keti is a cute red panda cub!

Amazing Mammals at the Zoo

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  Bactrian camels

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  Red kangaroo

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  Ring-tailed lemur

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  African lion

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  Western lowland gorilla

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  White rhinoceros

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  Warthog

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  Common eland

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  Chimpanzees

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  American bison

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  Gray wolf

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  Grevy's zebras

Beautiful Birds to See

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  Laughing kookaburra

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  Bald eagle

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  Chilean flamingo

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  Saddle-billed stork

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  Ostrich

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  Crowned crane

Remarkable Reptiles to Discover

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  Chinese alligator

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  Cuvier's dwarf caiman

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  Shingle-back skink

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  Gaboon viper

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  Sonoran iguana

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  The reticulated python

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  Water monitor

Awesome Amphibians to Spot

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  Panamanian golden frog

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  Golden mantellas

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  Poison dart frog

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  Japanese giant salamander

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  Hellbender

Exploring the Zoo's Habitats

National Amphibian Conservation Center

The National Amphibian Conservation Center is a special 12,000-square-foot building. It's located in a two-acre wetland area called "Amphibiville." This center opened in June 2000. It's home to many different frogs, toads, salamanders, newts, and caecilians. The Wall Street Journal even called it "Disneyland for toads"! This center helps with research and protecting species like the Panamanian golden frog and Puerto Rican crested toad.

The Arctic Ring of Life

A polar bear swimming

The Arctic Ring of Life is a huge 4-acre (1.6 ha) habitat. It opened in October 2001. This area is home to three polar bears, gray seals, a harbor seal, and arctic foxes. It's one of the biggest polar bear habitats in zoos across North America.

Cotton Family Wetlands and Boardwalk

This area looks like a Michigan wetland. It has a 1.7-acre (0.7 ha) pond and wetlands. There's also a 7,200-square-foot boardwalk. You can see native fish, frogs, turtles, and birds here. The zoo's trumpeter swans also live in this area. The boardwalk is made from recycled materials, like plastic grocery bags.

Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness

The Cotton Family Wolf Wilderness is a 2-acre (0.8 ha) home for animals. It cost $1.4 million to build. This sanctuary has meadows, trees, a stream, and rocky areas. Two gray wolves live here. They can look out over their surroundings from high rocks. The habitat also includes an old log cabin that was already on the property.

Giraffe Encounter

At the Giraffe Encounter, you can feed the giraffes! You stand on an 18-foot-tall platform that goes into their habitat. This experience started in July 2007. It runs from spring through fall, Tuesday through Sunday. There is an extra fee for this activity.

The Great Apes of Harambee

The Great Apes of Harambee is a large 4-acre (1.6 ha) habitat. It has both indoor and outdoor spaces. Chimpanzees and western lowland gorillas live here. The animals can switch between different parts of the habitat. This helps them move around like they would in the wild.

Holden Reptile Conservation Center

This center opened in 1960 as the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles. Today, it's called the Holden Reptile Conservation Center. It's home to 150 reptiles from 70 different species. Almost half of these species are considered threatened or endangered in the wild.

Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat

River otters playing

The Edward Mardigian Sr. River Otter Habitat is home to river otters. It has a 9,000-gallon pool with a waterfall and waterslide. One side of the pool has a glass wall. This lets visitors, even small children, see the otters swimming at eye-level.

Polk Penguin Conservation Center

The Polk Penguin Conservation Center

The Polk Penguin Conservation Center (PPCC) opened in April 2016. It is the biggest center for penguins in the world! It even won an award in 2017 for its excellent design. The PPCC is currently closed for repairs. The penguins are staying in the old Penguinarium until it reopens in spring 2021.

Jane and Frank Warchol Beaver Habitat

This habitat opened in 2013. It's next to the Cotton Family Wetlands. Nine beavers live here. Beavers are nocturnal, meaning they are active at night. So, their night-time activities are recorded. You can watch these videos on TVs in the exhibit during the day. This is the first time beavers have been at the Detroit Zoo since 1969.

The Wildlife Interpretive Gallery

The Wildlife Interpretive Gallery has several cool areas. It includes the Butterfly Garden and the Matilda Wilson Free-Flight Aviary. It also features Science On a Sphere, a giant globe that shows Earth data. Plus, it has the DZS's collection of fine art. You can also see Shelle Isle, an exhibit about the partula snail. The DZS helped save this snail, which was once extinct!

Other Fun Things to Do

The Detroit Zoo has many other exciting attractions. You can see the Horace H. Rackham Memorial Fountain. Ride the narrow gauge Tauber Family Railroad. Enjoy a spin on the Carousel. Visit the Ford Education Center, which has the Simulator Ride and a 4-D Theater. In the summer, the fountain by the penguin house becomes a splash pad. In the winter, it turns into an ice rink!

The Detroit Zoological Society

The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is a non-profit group. They run the Detroit Zoo and the Belle Isle Nature Center. The DZS is a leader in protecting and caring for animals. They work with other groups to help endangered animals. For example, they release Karner blue butterflies into their natural homes in Michigan. They also help save piping plover eggs in northern Michigan. The DZS even helped create a nesting site for common terns on Belle Isle.

The Detroit Zoological Society often helps rescue exotic animals. They save animals from private owners, fake sanctuaries, roadside zoos, and circuses. They've rescued over 1,000 exotic animals from a wholesaler in Texas. They also saved a polar bear from a circus and a lioness used to guard a house. The DZS also works with the Michigan Humane Society. Together, they host "Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo." This is a huge event where people can adopt dogs, cats, and rabbits. Since 1993, over 25,000 pets have found new homes through this program!

In 2009, the Center for Zoo and Aquarium Animal Welfare and Ethics (CZAAWE) was created. It's a place to learn about how to best care for exotic animals in zoos. It also gives awards for good animal welfare projects.

The DZS offers educational programs to almost 70,000 teachers and students each year. These include camps, field trips, and family programs. They also help students and teachers in rainforest communities learn about conservation. The Berman Academy for Humane Education teaches people to treat animals with kindness and respect.

The Detroit Zoo is approved by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums. It has many award-winning habitats. These include the Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, National Amphibian Conservation Center, Great Apes of Harambee, and Arctic Ring of Life. The Arctic Ring of Life was even named the number-two best zoo exhibit in the U.S.!

The Simulator Ride is an exciting experience. You sit in a special motion-simulated seat. It feels like you are right there in the action on a big screen! The 126-seat 4-D Theater is the only one of its kind at a Michigan zoo. It shows high-definition 3-D movies. Plus, it has special 4-D effects like wind, mist, and scents!

The Detroit Zoo is located at 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue in Royal Oak, Michigan. It's open daily. Check their website for specific hours and admission prices. Children under 2 years old get in for free.

Belle Isle Nature Center

The Belle Isle Nature Center is on a five-acre site. It's surrounded by beautiful forested wetlands on Belle Isle State Park in Detroit. The center has indoor animal habitats, a bee exhibit, and a bird observation window. Outside, you'll find a native butterfly garden, outdoor classrooms, and a nature play area. There's also the Blue Heron Lagoon Nature Trail. This center offers educational and fun activities all year round.

Images for kids

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  Barrier free kangaroo exhibit

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  The Wildlife Interpretive Gallery

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  Dahlia Garden to the west of Rackham Memorial Fountain, 1963.