Miller Park Zoo facts for kids
| Location | Bloomington, Illinois |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°28′08″N 89°00′20″W / 40.4690°N 89.0055°W |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Miller Park Zoo is a fun place to visit in Bloomington, Illinois, USA. It's part of Miller Park, a public park run by the City of Bloomington's Parks and Recreation Department. This zoo is a great spot to learn about animals and see many different species up close.
Contents
Zoo History: How It Started
The story of Miller Park Zoo began a long time ago. In 1891, the city of Bloomington first spent money to care for animals in Miller Park. We don't know exactly which animals were there at first, but we do know there was at least one deer.
Big Jim the Lion
The zoo truly started around 1900 with a special animal. A baby lion from a circus ended up on a local farm. The farmer eventually gave the lion cub to the city of Bloomington. This lion was named "Big Jim." He lived at the park until March 26, 1912.
Early Buildings and Growth
After Big Jim passed away, people in Bloomington raised money for a new building. This building, called the Koetthoefer Animal Building, was designed by architect A. L. Pillsbury. Construction started in 1913, and the building opened to the public in 1914.
The zoo grew quite a bit in 1960 with the addition of the Woodland Wing. This area once housed two sea lions. In the mid-1970s, the Woodland Wing became the Tropical Rainforest Exhibit. The main Animal Building also got updates, and new pools were built for sea lions and otters.
New Exhibits Over the Years
Many new areas have been added to the zoo since the 1990s.
- In 1992, the Entrance Building and Education Center opened.
- The wolf exhibit was built in 1993.
- The Wallaby Walkabout opened in 1994.
- A bald eagle exhibit was added in 1995.
- Animals of Asia opened in 1996.
- Zoolab was created in 1999.
- The Children's Zoo Complex opened in 2001.
- The Tropical Rainforest Exhibit was updated in 2004.
These new additions more than doubled the size of the zoo, making it much larger for both animals and visitors.
Over the years, the Miller Park Zoo has been home to many different kinds of animals. These include chimpanzees, lions, a polar bear, moose, mountain lions, black bears, penguins, and even an elephant! You could also find bison, gray wolves, alligators, monkeys, bats, foxes, porcupines, raccoons, and many other amazing species.
Explore the Exhibits
The Miller Park Zoo has many cool exhibits where you can see animals from all over the world.
- Entryway: Look for the colorful Flamingos right when you enter!
- Tropical America Rainforest: This exhibit feels like a real rainforest. Here, you might spot saki monkeys, bright scarlet ibis birds, troupials, and saffron finches. You can also see brown basilisk lizards, slow-moving two-toed sloths, playful coatimundis, and tiny callimico monkeys. Other animals include agoutis and even a boa snake.
- Tortoise Exhibit: Meet some of the largest tortoises here! This exhibit features huge Galapagos tortoises and African spurred tortoises.
- Savannah Exhibit: Imagine you're on an African safari! This area has animals like the majestic African elephant, the powerful white rhino, tall reticulated giraffes, striped zebras, stealthy leopards, and roaring lions.
- Birds of North America: Discover amazing birds native to North America. This exhibit is home to the impressive bald eagle, the soaring red-tailed hawk, and the clever burrowing owl.
- Wolf Exhibit: See the beautiful red wolf in its natural-looking habitat.
- ZooLab: This indoor exhibit is full of fascinating smaller creatures. You can find tarantulas, curious meerkats, colorful parrots, active degus, and unique desert pupfish. It also features interesting insects like walking sticks and giant cockroaches.
- Other Exhibits:
- Alligator
- Red Panda
- Red Ruffed Lemur
- Pallas cat
- Katthoefer Animal Building: Inside this historic building, you can see a beautiful rainbow boa, small tamarins, and a quick genet. It's also home to big cats like the powerful Sumatran tiger and the elusive snow leopard. You can even watch the tiger feedings at 4:00 pm!
- River Otters: Watch the playful river otters swim and play. You can see them being fed at 10:30 am and 3:00 pm.
Junior Zookeepers (JZK) Program
The Junior Zoo Keeper program is a fantastic opportunity for students who love animals! It started in 1972.
Today, this program lets middle and high school students learn all about animals and how zoos work. It begins with classroom training to teach you important facts. After training, students can become volunteers at the zoo.
For advanced Junior Zookeepers, there are special educational activities from October through April. These students then volunteer their time at the zoo during the summer months. You can join the program once you are in fifth grade and continue until the summer after you graduate from high school. It's a great way to get hands-on experience and help care for animals!
The Zoo's Future
The Miller Park Zoo is always looking to improve! There are plans to make big updates to the historic Animal Building. These renovations will make it more modern and better for the animals and visitors. The ZooLab is also going to be redesigned to create a brand new and exciting experience for everyone who visits.
