Henry Vilas Zoo facts for kids
.jpg) |
|
| Location | Madison, Wisconsin, United States |
|---|---|
| Land area | 28 acres (11 ha) |
| Coordinates | 43°3′34″N 89°24′37″W / 43.05944°N 89.41028°W |
| Annual visitors | 750,000 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Henry Vilas Zoo is a fun public zoo located in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. It covers about 28 acres and is special because it's one of the few zoos in North America that you can visit for free! The zoo is owned by Dane County and welcomes over 750,000 visitors every year. It's also officially recognized by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), which means it meets high standards for animal care and conservation.
Contents
A Gift for Everyone: The Zoo's Beginning
The story of the Henry Vilas Zoo started in 1904. A kind couple, William and Anna Vilas, gave 50 acres of land to the city. They had one important rule: the land had to be used as a public park for everyone to enjoy. They named the park after their son, Henry, who sadly passed away when he was young. The Vilas family also made sure that the park would always be free to enter.
By 1911, about 28 acres of this park became home to animal exhibits. This was the official start of the zoo! A group called the Madison Zoological and Aquarium Society was formed in 1914. This group later became the Henry Vilas Park Zoological Society in 1926, and it still helps the zoo today.
Exciting New Exhibits and Events
To celebrate the zoo's 100th birthday, the society started a big fundraising effort called the "Zoo Century campaign." Their goal was to raise $27 million to make the zoo even better over the next 10 years.
Part of these plans included a brand-new area called the Arctic Passage. This cool exhibit opened on May 23, 2015. It has a new restaurant and updated homes for seals. It also brought back grizzly bears and polar bears to the zoo! There are also plans for a redesigned Children's Zoo, making it even more fun for younger visitors.
The zoo also hosts an exciting yearly event called the Zoo Run Run. This race includes a 5K and 10K run/walk. The race begins and ends right inside the zoo, and parts of the course go through the nearby University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum.
The Henry Vilas Zoo is one of only ten zoos in North America that you can visit for free. As an AZA-accredited zoo, its main goal is to help protect and save amazing animals and their natural homes around the world.
Animals and Exhibits
The Henry Vilas Zoo is home to many different kinds of animals from all over the world. You can see amphibians (like frogs), birds, fish, insects, mammals (like monkeys and lions), and reptiles (like snakes and lizards). These animals come from various continents, giving visitors a chance to learn about wildlife from different parts of the globe.
Images for kids
-
Green iguana
-
Rhinos
-
Flamingos
