Niabi Zoo facts for kids
Snow leopard at Niabi Zoo
|
|
| Location | Coal Valley, Illinois, United States |
|---|---|
| Land area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Coordinates | 41°26′34″N 90°26′02″W / 41.4427°N 90.4339°W |
| No. of animals | 600 |
| No. of species | 200 |
The Niabi Zoo is a fun place to visit in Coal Valley, Illinois. It's a zoological park that serves the Quad Cities area. This amazing zoo covers 40 acres and is part of a much larger 287-acre forest preserve.
At Niabi Zoo, you can explore and discover over 600 animals. These animals represent nearly 200 different species from all over the world! The zoo is usually open from April to October each year. They also have cool education programs and outreach activities all year long. Niabi Zoo is one of six places managed by the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District.
Contents
The Zoo's Story
The name "Niabi" comes from the Native American Wazhazhe (Osage Nation) language. It means "the fawn spared by the hunter." This special meaning reminds us about making good choices. Just like a hunter might choose to spare a fawn to protect it, we also choose to protect animals and their homes. This helps with conservation for the future.
How Niabi Zoo Began
Niabi Zoo officially started in 1963. But its history goes back even further to 1959. That's when Gordon V. McLain, a local builder and animal lover, opened McLain's Wild Animal Farm. It was open for four years.
Then, in 1963, Patti S. Wiman bought the farm and some land around it. She gave it to the Rock Island County Forest Preserve District. This group still runs the zoo today.
Important Moments in Time
- 1972: The zoo held its first big fundraiser, the Zoofari Ball.
- 1974: A Petting zoo opened, where you could get close to friendly animals.
- 1975: The popular Zoo Train started running. It was a smaller copy of a Civil War-era train.
- 1984: An Education Center was built to help teach visitors.
- 1985: The Bird House opened. Today, it's called Biodiversity Hall.
- 1986: The zoo officially started its Volunteer program.
- 2002: The volunteer program grew to include teens in a Junior Zoo Keeper Program.
- 2003: A new exhibit for bald eagles opened.
- 2004: An animal care center was built for veterinary care.
- 2005: A modern habitat for Gibbons opened. An Australia walk-about was built too.
- 2006: Niabi Zoo earned special approval from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This means it met high standards for animal care.
- 2007: The Passport to Africa exhibit opened. It featured giraffes and colobus monkeys.
- 2008: A habitat was built for the critically endangered red wolf.
- 2011: The Zoo Discovery Center opened. It has areas for education, offices, and a new entry plaza.
- 2012: Niabi Zoo lost its AZA accreditation.
- 2015: The "Coins for Conservation" program began. It helps fund animal protection projects.
- 2017: The Oceans exhibit opened in the Discovery Center. Other areas were updated.
- 2018: The zoo started a speaker series about conservation. They partnered with groups like the Snow Leopard Trust.
- 2019: Niabi helped with education programs in Zimbabwe, Africa. They also joined Whale Shark research in Cancun, Mexico.
- 2020: Niabi Zoo received accreditation from the Zoological Association of America (ZAA).
- 2021: A new exhibit for White Rhinoceros was finished. The Spineless Wonders invertebrate exhibit also opened.
Animal Homes and Special Animals
Niabi Zoo has many different areas for its animals. Each area is designed to feel like the animals' natural homes.
Discovery Center
This is the first exhibit you see when you enter the zoo. It often changes! It has featured exhibits like Rainforest Trek, Oceans, and Spineless Wonders. You can also see tamarins here.
Passport to Africa
In this area, you'll find the giraffe habitat. You might even get to feed a giraffe from a special platform! There are also exhibits for Black-and-white colobus monkeys, Wolf's Guenon, and Allen's swamp monkeys. Look for giant aldabra tortoises too.
White Rhinoceros Exhibit
This exhibit teaches you about the threats facing the five types of rhinos. It also shows how African rhinos have adapted to their environment. You can see the large Southern white rhinoceros here.
Gibbons Habitat
Watch the Yellow-cheeked gibbons swing and play! Their habitat has a big artificial tree and a water feature.
Biodiversity Hall
This hall is full of many different kinds of animals. You might see Linnaeus's two-toed sloths, fennec foxes, slender-tailed meerkats, and African porcupines. There are also Seba's short-tailed bats, white cockatoos, Axolotls, and a very long reticulated python.
Big and Small Cats
Discover three types of leopards here! There are Snow leopards, African leopards, and the very rare Amur leopard. You can also see smaller cats like Bobcats and Pallas's cats.
Reptile House
This house is home to many lizards, tortoises, and snakes. You might even spot a Green anaconda or colorful Poison dart frogs.
Wolf Ridge
This forested habitat is home to critically endangered red wolves. It's located behind the Wolf's Paw concession stand.
Domestic Animal Area
This is a Petting zoo where you can meet friendly farm animals. You'll find chickens, miniature zebu cattle, llamas, alpacas, sheep, miniature donkeys, and San Clemente goats.
Other Amazing Animals
The zoo is also home to many other animals, including the Bactrian camel, Ostrich, and New Guinea singing dog!
Fun Things to Do and Learn
Niabi Zoo offers many ways to have fun and learn about animals and conservation.
Conservation Efforts
You can help protect animals! You can donate at the Coins for Conservation kiosk or in the Rhino donation boxes. You can also donate online or attend the Conservation & Science Speaker Series.
Education Programs
Niabi Zoo wants to inspire people to help protect nature. They offer many programs like Zoo Camp, classes, field trips, and tours. You can also have animal encounters or see their Zoo2U outreach programs.
Animal Feeding Experiences
Get up close and personal by feeding some of the animals! You can feed the Giraffes, fish in the Koi pond, or the domestic animals.
Exciting Rides
Take a ride on the Niabi Zoo Express Train. Or hop on the Endangered Species Carousel!
Special Events
The zoo hosts many fun events throughout the year. These include animal event days for giraffes or snow leopards, and the popular Boo at the Zoo for Halloween. They also have Pints for Preservation and Dine with the Animals events.
Other Amenities
You'll find a Playground for kids, picnic areas, and pavilions. There's also an education center, a gift shop, and places to buy snacks.
Future Plans
In 2018, the zoo shared its master plan for the next six years. This plan outlines new exhibits and improvements. The White Rhino exhibit was completed in 2021. New exhibits for African Painted Dogs and Prairie Dogs were finished in 2023-24.
How the Zoo Gets Money
Niabi Zoo gets its money from several sources. The Rock Island County Forest Preserve District helps fund it. Money also comes from zoo admission tickets, program fees, and memberships. They also receive grants and a small amount of tax support. Donations and fundraising from the Niabi Zoo and Forest Preserves Foundation also help support the zoo.
