Fort Wayne Children's Zoo facts for kids
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Sign at the main entrance
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| Date opened | July 3, 1965 |
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| Location | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
| Land area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Coordinates | 41°6′23″N 85°9′16.25″W / 41.10639°N 85.1545139°W |
| No. of animals | 1,000 |
| No. of species | 200 |
| Memberships | AZA |
| Major exhibits | African Lion, Dr. Diversity's Research Station, Giraffe Feeding Station, Indiana Family Farm, Orangutan Valley, Sea Lion Beach, Stingray Bay, The Reef, Tiger Forest |
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo is a popular zoo located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States. It opened its doors in 1965 and is home to about 1,000 animals. The zoo covers 40 acres (16 hectares) within Fort Wayne's Franke Park.
The Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo is a non-profit organization. It is run by the Fort Wayne Zoological Society. The zoo gets its money from tickets and donations. It does not use tax money for its daily operations. This zoo is often ranked among the best zoos in the U.S. In 2015, TripAdvisor called it the seventh best zoo in the country.
Contents
A Look Back: The Zoo's History
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo started in 1952. That year, 54 acres (22 hectares) were added to Franke Park. This new area was meant to be a nature preserve. People in Fort Wayne loved the preserve. By 1962, city leaders decided to build a full zoo. Their main goal was to teach children about animals.
The zoo officially opened on July 3, 1965. It began with 18 animal exhibits on 5.5 acres (2.2 hectares). In 1976, the zoo added a big new area called the African Veldt. Here, savanna animals could roam in open fields. In 1987, the Australian Adventure opened. This exhibit showed animals from the Outback.
A special domed Indonesian Rain Forest exhibit opened in 1994. The Orangutan Valley followed a year later in 1995. The Tiger Forest was added in 1996.
One of the zoo's famous animals was Coolah, a Tasmanian devil. Coolah was the last Tasmanian devil to live outside of Australia. Australia stopped exporting these animals because they became endangered. Coolah passed away in 2004 due to an illness. Over the years, the zoo housed 12 Tasmanian devils. This was more than any other zoo in the U.S.
On July 1, 2015, the zoo celebrated its 50th anniversary. About 400 guests joined the celebration. The city's 47th Three Rivers Festival parade honored the zoo. Its theme was "Here's to Zoo."
In 2020, Jim Anderson, the zoo's longtime director, retired. He had led the zoo for over 40 years. He helped it grow into a nationally known place. Rick Schuiteman from the San Diego Zoo became the new Executive Director.
Exploring the Zoo: Amazing Exhibits
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo has four main areas. Each area is designed to look like a different part of the world. These are called biomes.
African Journey: A Safari Adventure
The African Journey opened on June 6, 2009. It was built where the old African Veldt used to be. This was the biggest expansion in the zoo's history. It cost about $9 million. This area features an African Lion exhibit and an African Village. You can also find a giraffe feeding area here.
Other animals in the African Journey include zebras and wildebeests. You can also see mongooses, buzzards, dik diks, and hyenas. Look for honey badgers, bat-eared foxes, pelicans, and servals too. There are also leopards. The Sky Safari is a ski lift-like ride. It gives you a great view of the Serengeti-like landscape from above.
Australian Adventure: Down Under Fun
The Australian Adventure is home to most of the zoo's Australian animals. The original area had an "Australia After Dark" exhibit. This showed nocturnal animals like bats and echidnas. It also had a large aquarium. This aquarium featured sharks, rays, and jellyfish. It also had a model coral reef with tropical fish.
In the Kangaroo Walkabout, you can walk on a path through an open area. Kangaroos might even cross your path! The dingo exhibit once had a mating pair. They even had new dingo pups in 2012. An aviary in this area is home to many Australian birds. There was also a Dugout Canoe Ride. You could see the Australian Adventure from a canal on this ride.
The new Australian Adventure has some exciting changes. It now has a Stingray exhibit. This replaced the "Australia After Dark" area. There is also a new Aquarium. Both are accessed through a new plaza. This area also has a new exhibit for Tasmanian devils.
Central Zoo: Animals from Near and Far
The Central Zoo has animals from the Americas and other places. You can see canada lynx and ring-tailed lemurs. There are also African penguins and otters. Look for tortoises, alligators, and macaws.
Sea Lion Beach is a very popular spot. It is full of California sea lions. You can watch them during scheduled feeding shows. Monkey Island is home to a family of Panamanian white-faced capuchins. Peacocks walk freely around this area. There is also a peaceful duck pond.
The Indiana Family Farm is a newer area. It used to be a small petting zoo. Now, it has a model barn and farmhouse. Signs tell stories from the view of children living on a farm. You can see Horses, sheep, and rabbits. There are also calves and other farm animals. Many animals are in open stalls. Visitors can pet them.
Goats live in an open paddock. You can go inside and feed them pellets or milk. You can also brush them for free. This farm area is part of the Central Zoo. It is located near the exit. The Wild Things Gift Shop at the exit has also been made larger.
Indonesian Rain Forest: A Tropical Escape
The Indonesian Rain Forest features amazing animals. You can see orangutans and tigers. There are also Komodo dragons and reticulated pythons. Look for clouded leopards and many kinds of birds.
This area has a special domed aviary. It is called the Domeaviary. Inside, you can find birds, fish, and reptiles. The dome lets visitors feel like they are in a real rain forest. You can hear the sounds and feel the air. There is also a display of an Asian elephant skeleton. You can also see a skull of a Sumatran rhinoceros. This area also has an Endangered Species Carousel ride.
On November 22, 2014, Tara, a 19-year-old Sumatran orangutan, gave birth. Her baby was a healthy female. Orangutans are critically endangered. The baby's father is a 28-year-old male named Tengku. Tara came to Fort Wayne in 2013 from the Columbus Zoo. The zoo staff were very hopeful about the baby. They had a special plan for Tara's pregnancy.
The baby orangutan was named Asmara. She made Orangutan Valley a very popular spot. Guests can often see her and her mother, Tara. Another adult male orangutan, Owen, also lives here. He acts like a father figure to Asmara.
Treetop Trail: High Above the Animals
The Treetop Trail is a special boardwalk path. From here, visitors can see rare animals from above. These include the prevost's squirrel and wrinkled hornbill. You might also spot the Javan gibbon and white-crested laughing thrush.
Fun Rides at the Zoo
The Fort Wayne Children's Zoo offers several fun rides. These rides are great for kids. You can buy tokens to ride them.
The Endangered Species Carousel is in the Indonesian Rain Forest.
The Sky Safari is like a ski lift. It gives you a bird's-eye view of the African Journey area. You can see the Serengeti-like landscape from above.
In the Central Zoo, you can ride a miniature train. There is also a pony trail where kids can ride ponies.
The Australian Adventure Area has a Log Ride. On this ride, you can view the Australian Adventure from a canal.
Images for kids
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Reticulated giraffe in the zoo's African Journey exhibit
