Fresno Chaffee Zoo facts for kids
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| Date opened | 1929 |
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| Location | Fresno, California, United States |
| Land area | 39 acres (16 ha) |
| Coordinates | 36°45′08″N 119°49′17″W / 36.7522°N 119.8215°W |
| Memberships | AZA, WAZA |
| Major exhibits | African Adventure, Roo Walkabout, Sea Lion Cove, Stingray Bay, Sunda Forest, Tropical Rain Forest, Valley Farm |
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is a fun place to visit in Roeding Park in Fresno, California. It covers 39 acres and is home to over 190 different kinds of animals! Some of its popular spots include Stingray Bay, Sea Lion Cove, and the exciting African Adventure. The zoo is officially recognized by big organizations like the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA). This means it meets high standards for animal care and education.
Contents
History of the Zoo
How the Zoo Started
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo began a long time ago, around 1908. The first records show it had two bears and about 50 different birds. Over time, more animals like local cats, hoofed animals, and birds were added. They lived in exhibits that looked like log cabins. The zoo officially opened in 1929 as the Roeding Park Zoo. Back then, about 2,000 people visited each year, mostly from Fresno and nearby areas.
Growing Bigger: 1940s to 1960s
The zoo really started to grow in the 1940s and 1950s. By 1947, it had 100 animals and even more birds. The zoo hired its first foreman, Eldon "Curly" Blocker, from the San Diego Zoo.
A very special event happened in 1949: the zoo got its first Asian elephant named Nosey! Her name was chosen in a city-wide contest. Nosey even walked in Fresno's "49ers Days Rodeo Parade." This was so popular that it led to the creation of the Fresno Zoological Society. This group helped raise money and interest for the zoo.
In the 1950s, ten big new exhibits were built. These included homes for monkeys, sea lions, camels, and giraffes. There was also an African bird aviary and a flamingo habitat. The zoo became a member of the AZA in 1957. In 1965, Paul S. Chaffee became the zoo's first director. Animal exhibits were updated in the late 1960s, adding climate control to keep the animals comfy.
New Animals and Exhibits: 1970s to 1990s
The zoo grew even larger in the 1970s. New exhibits were added for bison, elk, and prairie dogs. In 1976, a bigger home for the grizzly bears was built. In 1979, the zoo opened the Edward A. Kane Reptile House. It was the first reptile habitat in the world controlled by a computer!
In 1982, Nosey the Elephant's home was updated, and three new elephants arrived. A red wolf exhibit called Wolf Woods opened in 1984. The Doris and Karl Falk Wildlife Education Center also opened, helping the zoo teach visitors about animals. In 1985, the zoo's name changed to the Fresno Zoo.
The zoo added a walk-through rainforest exhibit in 1988. A large classroom wing was built in 1989. The "Adopt-an-Animal" program also started, letting people help support the animals. Paul S. Chaffee, the zoo's director for many years, passed away in 1990. The zoo was then renamed the Chaffee Zoological Gardens of Fresno in his honor. Nosey the elephant died in 1993 at 47 years old.
The Modern Zoo: 2000s to Today
In 2004, people in Fresno voted for "Measure Z." This helped raise money to make the zoo bigger and better. The zoo's name was shortened to Fresno Chaffee Zoo in 2006.
A temporary "Stingray Bay" exhibit visited in 2007 and was very popular. Many stingrays were even born while they were there! In 2009, a permanent Stingray Bay exhibit opened, funded by Measure Z. Also in 2009, the former butterfly house in the rainforest exhibit reopened as Tropical Treasures. It now features cool animals like poison dart frogs and a sloth.
In August 2012, the amazing Sea Lion Cove opened. It looks like California's Central Coast and has a huge 250,000-gallon saltwater tank. You can watch the sea lions swim underwater through a 35-foot viewing glass! This exhibit also has pelicans. The old sea lion area was then changed for river otters.
In 2014, work began on the huge "African Adventure" area. This 18-acre expansion almost doubled the size of the zoo! It includes large homes for lions, elephants, cheetahs, rhinos, meerkats, hippos, gorillas, and penguins. Voters renewed Measure Z in November 2014, which helps fund these big projects.
African Adventure opened its first part in October 2015. This 13-acre area is home to over 100 animals. In 2016, the zoo opened the "Roo Walkabout," where you can walk through an Australian exhibit. It features red kangaroos, emus, and kookaburras. That year, almost 1 million people visited the zoo!
In May 2018, a new water play area for kids called "Wilderness Falls" opened. It lets younger visitors cool off and explore. Work also started in late 2018 on a project to prepare for future expansions. This includes the upcoming "Kingdoms of Asia" project. A new exhibit for warthogs and tortoises opened in African Adventure in June 2019.
The zoo was closed for about three months in 2020 due to COVID-19. Even so, planning for the "Kingdoms of Asia" exhibit continued. The zoo officially started building this new area in September 2020. This exciting new part of the zoo will feel like an "immersive southeast Asian forest." It will have homes for Malayan Tigers, Indian Rhinos, Orangutans, otters, and Sloth Bears, plus many song birds and bats.
Images for kids
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Colorful tropical birds in the rain forest exhibit.
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The underwater viewing area at Sea Lion Cove.
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The Kopje Lodge, part of the new African Adventure exhibit.
