Lee Richardson Zoo facts for kids
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| Location | Garden City, Kansas, United States |
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| Land area | 47 acres (19 ha) |
| Coordinates | 37°57′33″N 100°52′20″W / 37.9591°N 100.8722°W |
| No. of animals | 300 |
| No. of species | 110 |
| Annual visitors | 200,000 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Lee Richardson Zoo is a fun place to visit in Garden City, Kansas! It's a special zoo that is approved by the AZA. This means it meets high standards for animal care. The zoo is spread out over 47 acres (19 ha) inside Finnup Park. You can see more than 100 different kinds of animals here. Many of these animals come from far-off places, not just Kansas! It's free to walk into the zoo, or you can pay $10 per car to drive through.
Zoo History and Beginnings
The land for Finnup Park was given to Garden City by George Finnup. The zoo officially started in 1927. It began with two skunks brought in by Lee Richardson. He was the Chief of Police and also the first Park and Zoo Superintendent. The zoo was named after Lee Richardson in 1950, just one year before he passed away. Today, the Lee Richardson Zoo is a part of the City of Garden City.
Explore the Animal Exhibits
The Lee Richardson Zoo has many different areas where animals live. Each area is designed to look like the animals' natural homes. Let's explore some of them!
North American Plains Animals
This part of the zoo shows animals that live in North America. You can see "Kansas Waters" with playful river otters. The "Swift Fox" exhibit also opened in 2005. Other animals here include pronghorn, elk, and large bison.
South American Pampas Creatures
Step into the South American Pampas to see animals from that continent. This exhibit features maned wolves, anteaters, soft alpacas, and large rheas. Right next to this area, you can also find beautiful flamingos.
Marie Osterbuhr Aviary Birds
The "Marie Osterbuhr Aviary" opened in 1985. It has a big open-air cage where birds can fly freely. Here you might spot kookaburras, colorful Mandarin ducks, and different kinds of doves. There are also four indoor displays with birds like Bearded barbets.
Cat Canyon Predators
Opened in 2012, Cat Canyon is home to some of the zoo's amazing big cats. You can see powerful cougars, spotted jaguars, and clever bobcats here.
Pachyderm Exhibit (Past Residents)
This exhibit used to house large animals called pachyderms, like African bush elephants. The two elephants that lived here arrived in 2006. They moved to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs in 2015 to a new home.
Down Under Australian Animals
The "Down Under" area brings Australia to Kansas! It's home to emus and a group of red kangaroos that are part of a breeding program.
African Plains Wildlife
The African Plains area looks like the wide-open grasslands of Africa. It has two big yards where you can see animals like addax and graceful East African crowned cranes. This section also features tall giraffes, a group of eastern black rhinoceroses, and majestic lions.
Wild Asia Discoveries
The Wild Asia exhibit opened in 1998. It's home to many animals from Asia, including siamangs, cute red pandas, Bactrian camels, and rare snow leopards and Amur leopards. You can also see gorals, takins, and a pair of sloth bears. There's even an Asian farm area with sheep and chickens.
Locomotive Display
Near the Snack/Gift Shop and the Drive-In Entrance, you can see an old Garden City Western Railway steam locomotive. It's on display for everyone to enjoy!
Gallery
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Walking entrance to Lee Richardson Zoo
