Erie Zoo facts for kids
The entrance to Erie Zoo in June 2007
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| Date opened | 1930 |
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| Location | Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Land area | 15 acres (6.1 ha) |
| Coordinates | 42°05′48″N 80°04′32″W / 42.0968°N 80.0755°W |
| No. of animals | 400+ |
| Annual visitors | 400,000 (2007) |
| Memberships | previous member of AZA before November 2021 |
The Erie Zoo is a fun place to visit in Erie, Pennsylvania. It's officially called the Erie Zoological Park and Botanical Garden of Northwestern Pennsylvania. This zoo covers 15 acres of land. It's located in Glenwood Park.
The zoo is home to over 400 animals. It also has beautiful botanical gardens. These gardens and a greenhouse feature more than 600 types of plants. These plants come from all over the world. The Erie Zoo is open from March to November. It welcomes over 400,000 visitors every year!
The Erie Zoo used to be a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This group sets high standards for zoos. The Erie Zoo is working to become a member again.
History of the Erie Zoo
The city of Erie has had a zoo since about 1927. That's when "Tom-boy" the elephant arrived. Tom-boy was a special gift to the city. Soon after, the Robert Evans estate was given to the city. This land was used to create a zoological park. A permanent home for Tom-boy was built in 1929. The zoo officially opened its doors a year later, in 1930.
John M. Cochran helped the zoo grow a lot. He was the first president of the Erie Zoological Society, starting in 1962. He worked hard to expand and improve the zoo. Thanks to his efforts, the zoo got a lot of money for new projects. These projects included an ice arena and the Pixieland children's zoo. A special plaque honors his hard work in the main building.
Since 1964, the Erie Municipal Park Authority has owned the zoo. This group leases the zoo back to the City of Erie. The city created this authority to help fund zoo improvements. A board of five people helps run the authority. The Erie City Council chooses these board members. The city also helps pay for the zoo's utilities and insurance. However, the Erie Zoological Society manages the zoo's daily operations. This society is a non-profit organization. It has a 14-member board. Most of the society's money comes from donations.
What to See and Do at the Erie Zoo
The Main Zoo Building opened on August 7, 1930. It was updated in 1991. Now, it serves as the main entrance for visitors. This building still has many animal displays inside.
The tiger exhibit is a popular spot. It opened in the summer of 2008. It has a large main area for the tigers. It also includes indoor and outdoor spaces for them. In March 2008, a pair of Siberian tigers arrived. They joined Kumar, a white tiger. Kumar has been at the zoo since 1994.
The Children's Zoo is a fun area for younger visitors. It was once called Pixieland. This area has many cool exhibits. You can watch animal shows in a nature theater. There's also a playground and a pretty water garden.
The JMC Ice Arena is right next to the zoo. It's named after John M Cochran. The Erie Zoological Society also runs this ice arena.
Erie Zoo Mascots
The Erie Zoo has two friendly mascots. They are Cool Bear and Perry the Penguin. You can often see them at ZooBoo. ZooBoo is the zoo's popular Halloween event. They also appear at local sporting events. Cool Bear is good friends with C. Wolf. C. Wolf is the mascot for the Erie SeaWolves baseball team.
