Nashville Zoo at Grassmere facts for kids
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| Date opened | 1990, as Grassmere Wildlife Park |
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| Location | 3777 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
| Land area | 188 acres (76 ha) |
| Coordinates | 36°05′21.1″N 86°44′37.4″W / 36.089194°N 86.743722°W |
| No. of animals | 6,230 |
| No. of species | 339 |
| Annual visitors | 1.2 million |
| Memberships | Association of Zoos and Aquariums |
The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is a fun place to visit! It's a zoological garden (a zoo!) and also has an old farmhouse. It's located about 6 miles southeast of Downtown Nashville.
As of 2014, the zoo was the most popular paid attraction in middle Tennessee. It is home to 6,230 individual animals, representing 339 different kinds of species. The zoo covers about 188 acres of land. It is also an approved member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which means it meets high standards for animal care. About 1.2 million people visit the zoo each year!
Contents
History of the Nashville Zoo
The Grassmere Farm Story
The land where the Nashville Zoo now stands was once a large farm. The original farmhouse, built in 1810, is still on the property. The last family members to live there were Margaret and Elise Croft.
In 1989, experts found an old, unmarked burial ground near the farm's entrance. When the zoo started building in 1997, this area was left untouched. Later, in 2013, when a new entrance was planned, the zoo asked for permission to carefully move the remains. This process showed that between 9 and 30 people had been buried there.
Grassmere Wildlife Park Begins
In 1964, the Croft sisters gave their land and family home to the Children's Museum of Nashville. They wanted the house to stay and the land to be used as a 'nature study center.' After Elise passed away in 1985, the museum began working on this center. They called it Grassmere Wildlife Park.
The Nashville Zoo Finds a New Home
In December 1994, the Grassmere Wildlife Park closed. The city of Nashville took over the property in 1995. They started looking for a group to manage the land.
Meanwhile, the Nashville Zoo had opened as a separate, private zoo in Joelton, Tennessee, in May 1991. In June 1996, Nashville's Mayor, Phil Bredesen, suggested moving the Nashville Zoo from Joelton to Grassmere. In October 1996, the Nashville City Council agreed to let the Nashville Zoo move to the Grassmere site.
The Nashville Zoo stayed open in Joelton for a while. Then, in May 1997, the Nashville Wildlife Park at Grassmere opened. Both places were open at the same time, which caused some confusion for visitors. So, in October 1998, the Nashville Zoo closed its Joelton location and focused completely on the Grassmere site.
Conservation Efforts
The Nashville Zoo is very active in protecting animals and their habitats. In 2019, the zoo supported almost 50 different conservation programs!
These important efforts include:
- Helping to rescue coral reefs.
- Fighting against wildlife trafficking, which is the illegal trade of animals.
- Working to save endangered or threatened species. This includes animals found locally in Tennessee and around the world.
Some of the amazing animals the zoo helps protect are the hellbender (a giant salamander), cheetahs, loggerhead shrikes (a type of bird), alligator snapping turtles, streamside salamanders, oilbirds, flamingos, and even the Nashville crayfish.
Gallery
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Entrance sign
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African elephant (Loxodonta africana)
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American flamingo (Phoenicopterus ruber)
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Giraffe
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Plumed basilisk (Basiliscus plumifrons)
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Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
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Cockatoo
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Red panda
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Zebra
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Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)
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One of the many flowering plants at the zoo
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Images for kids
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The Historic Grassmere Home
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Interactions with kangaroos at the Kangaroo Kickabout
