Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo facts for kids
| Location | Suamico, Wisconsin, United States |
|---|---|
| Land area | 43 acres (17 ha) |
| Coordinates | 44°39′38.688″N 88°5′23.26″W / 44.66074667°N 88.0897944°W |
| No. of animals | 215+ |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo, often called the NEW Zoo, is a fun place to visit in Suamico, Wisconsin, United States. This zoo covers about 43 acres (17 hectares) of land. It's located near the Brown County Reforestation Camp. Together, the zoo and the camp cover a huge area of 1,560 acres (631 hectares). More than half a million people visit these places every year!
The NEW Zoo is special because it doesn't get money from local taxes to help with its daily costs.
Contents
Discover the NEW Zoo's History
The land where the zoo is now was once covered with thick pine and oak forests. This was before European settlers arrived in the 1800s. People cut down most of the trees for lumber. After the forests were gone, the sandy soil couldn't grow crops well anymore.
In the late 1800s, Brown County bought this large area. It became known as the Reforestation Camp. In 1948, a fire started by a train burned about 80 acres (32 hectares) of the county's land. This made the County Board decide to build a special camp. People who had committed crimes helped plant new trees there. This is why it was called the Brown County Reforestation Camp.
Starting in 1950, the first camp superintendent, Harry Barth, and his wife led the tree-planting efforts. They planted over 250,000 young trees. These included white pine, Norway pine, Jack pine, cedar, and spruce. This work continued for several years. Soon, the sandy land was green forest again.
During the 1950s, the reforestation camp became part of the county's park system. Ponds were dug for fire safety and for people to enjoy. Fish were added to the ponds. Hiking and ski trails were also created. By 1952, the park started showing animals like bears, deer, and timber-wolves. This is how the zoo began!
In 1985, the county decided to stop giving money for big improvements at the zoo. Since then, new animal homes and major upgrades have been paid for by the NEW Zoological Society. This is a non-profit group, and they get money from private donations.
The newest exciting part of the zoo is the Adventure Park. It has "racing" zip lines, an aerial adventure course, and a climbing tower. This park was built to look natural and not harm the environment. For example, the old fire tower from 1955 is now the starting point for the zip lines!
Amazing Animal Exhibits
The NEW Zoo is home to many different kinds of plants and animals. You can find over 215 animals from all over the world in more than 92 exhibits.
Playful Penguins
Near the zoo's main entrance, you'll find the penguin exhibit. It's home to both African penguins and South African shelducks. In 2013, two of the zoo's penguins had a baby. Visitors could watch the baby penguin grow later that year! The exhibit has two viewing areas. One is a bridge where you can look down at the whole area. The other lets you watch the penguins swim underwater.
Japanese Macaque Monkeys
This exhibit features a group of Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys. These animals are part of a special program called the Species Survival Plan. This plan helps make sure that animal populations stay healthy. Because of this program, you can often see baby macaques almost every year!
Education and Conservation Center
The education building is a cool place to learn about smaller creatures. It houses reptiles, arachnids (like spiders), amphibians, and even an emperor scorpion.
You can see different types of reptiles here, such as:
- Bearded dragons
- Red-tailed boas
- Ball pythons
- Blue-tongued skinks
- European glass lizards
There are also two kinds of amphibians:
And for arachnids, you can find:
- Chilean rose hair tarantulas
- Orange baboon tarantulas
Giant Tortoise Den
The tortoise den is home to a male and a female Aldabra tortoise. These huge tortoises are only found on the Aldabra Atoll. Their home has an outdoor area and a special den shaped like a tortoise shell.
Wisconsin Trail Animals
The Wisconsin Trail shows many animals that live in Wisconsin and nearby areas. Here are some of the animals you might see:
- North American otters
- Wild turkeys
- American black bears
- Red foxes
- Red wolfs
- Cougars
- Helmeted guineafowl
- Ruffed grouse
- Chukar partridge
- Ring-necked pheasant
- Bobcats
- Canada lynx
- White-tailed deer
- American badgers
- Raccoons
- Porcupines
Even though it's not from the Western Hemisphere, a red panda also lives on the Wisconsin Trail!
Northern Trail Creatures
In the northeastern part of the zoo, you can visit the Riley Building to see animals from the Northern Trail. This trail features mammals like:
You'll also find birds such as:
Two large tanks on the Northern Trail are filled with fish like northern pike, largemouth bass, and yellow perch. The Riley Building also has two types of frogs: the green frog and the American bullfrog.
North American Bird Aviary
The North American Aviary is home to birds found in Wisconsin and other parts of the United States. Some of the largest birds here are the American white pelican, bald eagle, and turkey vulture.
You can also spot ten different kinds of ducks in the aviary, including:
- Pintails
- Common shovelers
- Green-winged teal
- English call ducks
- Ring-necked ducks
- Canvasbacks
- Redheads
- Barrow's goldeneye
- Hooded mergansers
- Wood ducks
North American Plains Animals
On the eastern side of the zoo, you'll find animals that typically live on the Great Plains of the United States. One large area has American bison, pronghorn antelope, and elk. Another area is home to black-tailed prairie dogs. The pond in the plains exhibit has beautiful trumpeter swans. Since 1994, the NEW Zoo has worked with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources to help these swans. Young swans born at the zoo are released into the wild after two years.
Animals from Australia
The Australia exhibit features animals from Australia and a few other places. Australian species you can see include:
Other animals in this area are the blue duiker and the snow leopard.
African Wildlife
In the Africa section of the zoo, you'll find amazing animals like African lions, wattled cranes, African pied crows, and reticulated giraffes. You can also see an albino alligator here. Even though most alligators are found in the southern United States, this special white alligator lives in the Africa section.
Children's Petting Zoo Fun
The children's petting zoo is a great place for kids to get close to animals. It's located on the south side of the zoo. Here you can meet:
- Domestic goats
- Sheep
- Red corn snakes
- African leopard tortoises
- Llamas
- Alpacas
- Domestic chickens
- Koi fish
- Fallow deer
Adventure Park Thrills
In 2014, the NEW Zoo opened its exciting Adventure Park! It's right next to the zoo. The park has a zip line, a rock climbing wall, and a ropes course. Each activity lets you choose how challenging you want it to be, based on your strength. The park was built carefully to fit into nature, making very few changes to the land.
Dual Racing Zipline
Get ready to race! This zip line starts from the Reforestation Camp's historic fire tower. You'll zoom down 1,000 feet (305 meters) of cable to a platform near the zoo entrance. There are two cables, so you can race a friend at speeds up to 40 miles per hour (64 km/h)!
Aerial Adventure Course
The ropes course has sixty different challenges! These challenges are spread across three levels, getting harder as you go up. You can decide how far you want to go on the course, depending on your experience.
Climbing Tower Challenge
The 40-foot (12-meter) climbing tower has three different sides. Two sides are rock walls with various climbing structures to test your skills. The third side has a cargo net for a different kind of climb!
Being a Green Zoo
The NEW Zoo uses "green practices" to help protect the environment. These practices help the zoo reduce its impact on nature and become more sustainable. The zoo wants to use less water and energy. It also works to reduce pollution from gases and transportation. The zoo focuses on using eco-friendly materials and managing waste properly. They also teach visitors about caring for the environment.
