Erie Zoo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Erie Zoo

The entrance to Erie Zoo in June 2007
Date opened	1930
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 / 42.0968; -80.0755
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 not just a zoo, but also a beautiful botanical garden! The zoo covers 15 acres of land. You can find it in Glenwood Park.

The Erie Zoo is home to over 400 animals. Its botanical gardens and greenhouses have more than 600 types of plants. These plants come from all over the world. The zoo is open from March to November each year. It welcomes over 400,000 visitors annually.

The Erie Zoo was once part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This group sets high standards for zoos. The Erie Zoo was a member until 2021. As of August 2025, the zoo is working to become a member again.

How the Zoo Started

Erie has had a zoo since about 1927. That's when an elephant named "Tom-boy" arrived. Tom-boy was a 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 the elephant was built in 1929. The zoo officially opened its doors 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, new areas like the ice arena and the Children's Zoo were built. A special plaque honors his work in the main building.

How the Zoo is Run

Since 1964, the Erie Municipal Park Authority has owned the zoo. This group leases the zoo back to the City of Erie. The city helps pay for many of the zoo's costs. This includes things like utilities and insurance.

The Erie Zoological Society manages the daily operations of the zoo. This society is a non-profit group. It has a board of 14 members. These members represent many communities in the region. Most of the society's money comes from donations.

What You Can See and Do

Bornean orangutans at the Erie Zoo

The Main Zoo Building opened on August 7, 1930. It was updated in 1991. Today, it serves as the main entrance for visitors. It also has many animal displays inside.

Tiger Exhibit

The tiger exhibit opened in 2008. It has a large main area for the tigers. There are also indoor and outdoor spaces for them. In March 2008, a pair of Siberian tigers joined the zoo. They joined Kumar, a white tiger who had been at the zoo since 1994.

The zoo train crossing Mill Creek. The creek flows through the middle of the zoo.

Children's Zoo

The Children's Zoo was once called Pixieland. It has many fun things for kids. You can watch animal shows in a nature theater. There's also a playground and a water garden to explore.

JMC Ice Arena

The JMC Ice Arena is right next to the zoo. It is named after John M. Cochran. The Erie Zoological Society also runs this ice arena.

Zoo Mascots

The Erie Zoo has two friendly mascots. They are Cool Bear and Perry the Penguin. You can often see them at ZooBoo. This is the zoo's popular Halloween event. They also appear at local sporting events and other family activities. Cool Bear is friends with C. Wolf. C. Wolf is the mascot for the Erie SeaWolves baseball team.

Zoo Leaders

The zoo is managed by a board of directors. This board is led by a president and chief executive officer (CEO). Other important roles include the general curator and zoo director. Here are some of the people who have led the zoo: