Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Omaha's Henry Doorly
Zoo and Aquarium

Date opened	1894 as Riverview Park Zoo
Location	Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Land area	Over 130 acres (53 ha)
Coordinates	41°13′29″N 95°55′43″W / 41.224703°N 95.928701°W / 41.224703; -95.928701
No. of species	962
Annual visitors	2+ million
Memberships	AZA, WAZA
Major exhibits	Lied Jungle, Desert Dome, Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night, Suzanne and Scott Aquarium, Berniece Grewcock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion, Hubbard Gorilla Valley, Hubbard Orangutan Forest, Scott African Grasslands, Asian Highlands, and Owen Sea Lion Shores.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a famous zoo located in Omaha, Nebraska. It is known for its amazing animal conservation and research efforts. In 2014, TripAdvisor even called it the "world's best zoo"!

The zoo is home to several incredible exhibits. You can explore "Kingdoms of the Night," the world's largest indoor swamp and nocturnal animal exhibit. The "Lied Jungle" is one of the biggest indoor rainforests, and the "Desert Dome" is one of the largest indoor deserts. The Desert Dome also features the biggest glazed geodesic dome in the world.

The zoo's main goals are "Conservation, Research, Recreation, and Education." These four ideas are shown by the four squares in the zoo's logo.

Discovering the Zoo's History

The desert dome, Imax building, and parking area at Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

The zoo first opened in 1894 as the Riverview Park Zoo. By 1898, it already had over 120 animals. In 1952, the Omaha Zoological Society was created to help the zoo grow.

The zoo's name changed in 1963 to Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. This happened after Margaret Hitchcock Doorly donated $750,000. She asked that the zoo be named after her late husband, Henry Doorly. He was an important chairman of the World Publishing Company.

The zoo also has a special connection with Union Pacific railroad. In 1968, Union Pacific helped the zoo build 2.5 mi (4.0 km) of train tracks. The first ride on the Omaha Zoo Railroad was on July 22, 1968.

The zoo has fun rides like a carousel and the Skyfari. The Skyfari is a chairlift that opened in 2009. It takes visitors from the Butterfly and Insect Pavilion to the lion exhibit.

The zoo is next to where Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium used to be. In 2011, the zoo started using that land for a new parking area and visitor center. They even left a small memorial where home plate used to be.

Exploring Major Exhibits

African Grasslands: A Safari Adventure

White rhinoceros at the zoo

Grevy's zebra

The African Grasslands exhibit is huge! It covers 28 acres and cost $73 million to build. It opened on May 27, 2016, after six years of planning. This area replaced older exhibits at the zoo.

In 2016, six African elephants arrived from Eswatini to escape a drought. In 2019, a male elephant named Callee joined the herd for breeding. Since then, two baby elephants, Eugenia and Sonny, were born in 2022. Another male calf was born in March 2023.

Animals you can see here include:

Asian Highlands: Journey to the Mountains

The Asian Highlands is a new exhibit built on land that was not used before. It cost $22 million and covers 8 acres. This area looks like the mountains of central Asia, including parts of India and China.

It's designed to feel like you are climbing a mountain. You'll see animals from this region. There's also a Yeti Camp with themed food and gifts. The first part of the exhibit opened in 2018, and the second part opened in 2019.

Animals in this exhibit include:

Butterfly and Insect Pavilion: A World of Tiny Wonders

The Berniece Grewcock Butterfly and Insect Pavilion opened in 2008. This 14,000-square-foot (1,300 m²) exhibit lets you walk right through it! It's located between the Scott Aquarium and the Giraffe Complex. From above, the building looks like a winged insect.

The pavilion has several cool areas:

• Butterfly Conservatory: This area is filled with butterflies and moths. It has tall glass walls, large trees, rocks, and waterfalls. You can see many types of butterflies, like the blue Morpho.
• Chrysalis Hatching Room: Here, you can watch butterflies and moths hatch from their chrysalis or cocoon. They come from all over the world!
• Insect Zoo: This part has many different insects. You can see ants, spiders, scorpions, and walking sticks. There are also exhibits with tropical hummingbirds.

Desert Dome: The World's Largest Indoor Desert

The exterior of the Desert Dome during the winter season

The Desert Dome opened in April 2002. It cost $31.5 million, which also included the Kingdoms of the Night exhibit below it. It is one of the world's largest indoor deserts. It covers about 42,000 square feet.

The Desert Dome shows features from deserts around the world. These include the Namib Desert in Africa, the Red Center of Australia, and the Sonoran Desert in the United States.

Animals you might see here are:

The Desert Dome is not only the largest indoor desert, but its geodesic dome is also the largest 'glazed' geodesic dome. It is 137 ft (42 m) tall and 230 ft (70 m) wide. The 1,760 acrylic windows are designed to save energy.

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  Cape thick-knee

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  Central bearded dragon

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  Collared peccary

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  Greater roadrunner

Expedition Madagascar: Island of Unique Animals

Expedition Madagascar opened on May 7, 2010. It features many animals from Madagascar, an island known for its unique plants and animals. The exhibit teaches visitors about the zoo's conservation work in Madagascar.

The exhibit was updated in 2021 and reopened in July 2021.

Animals in this exhibit include:

Hubbard Gorilla Valley: Home of the Gorillas

The Hubbard Gorilla Valley is a gorilla exhibit named after Dr. Theodore Hubbard. It opened on April 8, 2004, and cost $14 million. This area used to be called the Owen Gorilla House.

It was renovated in 2021 and reopened in July 2021.

Some of the animals here are:

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  A Diana monkey

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  Mantled guereza

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  Western lowland gorilla

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  Wolf's mona monkey

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  Cattle egret

Hubbard Orangutan Forest: A Canopy Adventure

Orangutan at the zoo

The Hubbard Orangutan Forest opened in 2005 and cost $8.5 million. The outdoor part has two 65-foot (20 m)-tall Banyan trees connected by vines. These are inside a stainless steel net.

A 20-foot (6.1 m) waterfall is named after Claire Hubbard, a main donor for the exhibit. The exhibit was renovated in 2021 and reopened in July 2021.

Animals in this exhibit include:

• Bornean orangutan
• François' langur
• Siamang

Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium: Under the Sea

Sea Nettle Jellyfish, Scott Aquarium

The Walter and Suzanne Scott Aquarium opened on April 1, 1995. It cost $16 million. This building covers 71,000 sq ft (6,600 m²) and holds 1,200,000 US gal (4,500,000 L; 1,000,000 imp gal) of water. It is one of the biggest aquariums inside a zoo anywhere in the world.

The aquarium shows aquatic habitats from different parts of the world. These include polar regions, oceans, the Amazon rainforest, and coral reefs. There's a 450,000 US gal (1,700,000 L; 370,000 imp gal) shark tank with a 70 ft (21 m) shark tunnel. You can walk through the tunnel and see sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles swimming above you!

Other tanks have different types of jellyfish and a Giant pacific octopus. There's also a touch tank where you can feel starfish and shells. The only freshwater display shows animals from the Amazon rainforest.

The aquarium features aquatic animals from around the world, including:

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  Tufted puffin

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  Gentoo penguins

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  Cassiopea (upside-down jellyfish)

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  Sea turtle

Kingdoms of the Night: Animals of the Dark

Inside the Desert Dome

The Eugene T. Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night opened in April 2003. It is located right beneath the Desert Dome. This exhibit is the world's largest nocturnal animal exhibit. It covers 42,000 square feet.

Together, the Kingdoms of the Night and the Desert Dome cover a total of 84,000 square feet. The Kingdoms of the Night has a wet cave, a canyon, an African area, a eucalyptus forest, a dry bat cave, and a swamp. The swamp is also the world's largest indoor swamp.

Some of the animals you can find here include:

Lied Jungle: A Tropical Rainforest Experience

Wing clipped scarlet macaw

The Lied Jungle opened on April 4, 1992. It cost $15 million to build. It is one of the largest indoor rainforest exhibits in the world. The building is 80-foot (24 m) tall and covers 1.5 acres (0.61 ha). You can even see a 50-foot (15 m)-tall waterfall inside!

The exhibit has 123,000 square feet of space. Visitors can walk along a trail on the jungle floor or on a walkway above the animals. The exhibit is divided into sections for Asia, Africa, and South America.

About 90 species live here, including:

The Lied Jungle has won several awards. Family Life Magazine called it the "Single best zoo exhibit in the country" in 1994.

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  Blue monkey

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  Common squirrel monkey

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  Black howler monkey

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  Malayan tapir (with calf)

Owen Sea Lion Shores: Splashing Fun with Sea Lions

The Owen Sea Lion Shores opened on September 4, 2020. It cost $27.5 million. This one-acre exhibit replaced an older bear area and a smaller sea lion exhibit.

It has a 275,000-gallon saltwater pool with natural wave chambers. There are shallow beaches for young pups to learn to swim. Fish feeders release food at random times to encourage hunting behavior. You can also watch the sea lions from an underwater viewing area!

The exhibit features two species: California sea lions and harbour seals.

Simmons Aviary: A World of Birds

The Simmons Aviary opened in 1983. It is the world's third-largest free-flight aviary. It is home to about 500 birds from all over the world.

The Aviary is 800 feet (240 m) long and 75 feet (23 m) tall in the center. It is covered with 142,000 sq ft (13,200 m²) of nylon mesh. Using nylon instead of wire is a special feature of this aviary.

In this 4-acre (16,000 m²) exhibit, you can see American flamingos, black crowned cranes, scarlet ibises, and many types of ducks.

The Wild Kingdom Pavilion: Diverse Animal Encounters

A female peahen and her chicks freely roam the zoo's grounds.

The Wild Kingdom Pavilion opened in 1987. It houses reptiles, insects, amphibians, and small mammals. It also has classrooms and an auditorium.

Part of the pavilion is now the Exploration Station exhibit. This area acts as a "Trail Head" for visitors. It has an interactive map of the zoo and videos of the main attractions. The center of the pavilion has a 20-foot (6 m)-high netted tree with free-flying birds. Below the tree are water displays with turtles and archer fish.

The Small Animal Collection area has part of the zoo's reptile collection. It also has many invertebrates. You can see tarantulas, snakes, hedgehogs, and other small animals here.

Stingray Beach: Touch and Feed Stingrays

Stingray Beach has a shallow saltwater pool. Here, visitors can touch and feed three types of stingrays. These include Cownose, Southern, and Atlantic stingrays.

Other Exciting Exhibits

The zoo also has the Lozier IMAX Theater. You can also find Glacier Bay Landing and a Budgie Encounter in the Adventure Trails play area. Peacocks and peahens often wander freely throughout the zoo grounds.

Conservation Efforts: Protecting Animals

Amphibian Conservation Area: Saving Frogs and Toads

The zoo's Amphibian Conservation Area opened after a report in 2005. This report said that amphibians were the most threatened group of animals in the world. This special area is behind the scenes, so visitors cannot access it.

Its goal is to help wild amphibians. They work to improve how they care for, breed, and reintroduce amphibians. The facility has 13 temperature-controlled rooms. It also has a special water treatment system.

The Amphibian Conservation Area has helped release over 121,000 amphibians back into the wild!

Amphibian Recovery Programs

The zoo is involved in many programs to save amphibians:

• Wyoming Toad
  • Status: Almost extinct in the wild.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 1992. They help manage the breeding program.
  • Contribution: Over 31,000 toads released.

• Western Boreal Toad
  • Status: Numbers have dropped since 1994.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 1995.
  • Contribution: 3,877 toads released.

• Eastern Hellbender
  • Status: North America's giant salamander.
  • Zoo's role: Active from 2012–2017.
  • Contribution: 91 individuals released.

• Puerto Rican Crested Toads
  • Status: Critically endangered. Only 1,000–3,000 left in the wild.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 1998.
  • Contribution: Over 80,000 toads released.

• Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog
  • Status: Endangered.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 2017.
  • Contribution: Over 800 frogs released.

• Dusky Gopher Frog
  • Status: Most critically endangered frog in the U.S.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 2008.
  • Contribution: 792 frogs released.

• Amphibian Rescue and Translocation Program for Native Species
  • Status: Helps local amphibians that are in danger.
  • Species: Includes American toads, Woodhouse toads, and eastern tiger salamanders.
  • Zoo's role: Active since 2012.
  • Contribution: 3,480 individuals released.

Research: Discovering New Knowledge

The Bill and Berniece Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research is a top-notch research center at the zoo. Scientists here have even discovered new species!

The world's first in vitro-fertilized (IVF, or "test-tube") gorilla lives at this zoo. Also, the world's first artificially inseminated tiger was born here in 1991. The center was built in 1996 and expanded in 2006. It now covers 32,000 sq ft (3,000 m²).

The research center focuses on six main areas:

• Education and technology
• Conservation medicine
• Molecular genetics
• Reproductive physiology
• Horticulture (plant science)
• Nutrition

Mouse Lemurs: New Discoveries

A study led by Edward Louis, a geneticist at the zoo, found three new types of mouse lemurs. One was named after Lee Simmons, the zoo's director.

Rides and Transportation: Getting Around the Zoo

Railroad: A Scenic Train Ride

The Omaha Zoo Railroad is a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) narrow gauge train ride. It loops through the zoo. The train started running on July 22, 1968. Union Pacific railroad helped lay the tracks.

The train uses one of two oil-powered steam locomotives. Riva is very powerful and used on busy days. The #119 is the zoo's original locomotive. A new diesel locomotive arrived in 2008 for switching cars.

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  Kenefick Train Station

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  1890 "Riva", CFR #395-104

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  1957 "VIRGIE"

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  1968 #119

Tram: Easy Zoo Travel

The tram is a trackless vehicle that drives on the zoo's paths. It has four stops to help you get around:

• By the Desert Dome
• Between the elephant/zebra yard and pygmy goat corral
• By the playground near the sea lions
• Between the carousel and Alaskan Adventure splashpad

Skyfari: A Ride in the Sky

The Skyfari opened in 2009. It is an aerial tram, like a chairlift. It goes from the Butterfly and Insect Pavilion to the lion platform. You'll fly over the African veldt (where you can see ostriches and giraffes), cheetahs, and the lions.

Carousel: Classic Fun

A carousel is available for visitors to ride. It features handcrafted animals. In 2021, it moved to the newly renovated Glacier Bay area.

Educational Programs: Learning at the Zoo

The zoo offers many educational programs. These include preschool and high school courses, internships, and volunteer work. You can also go on field trips, guided tours, and attend workshops.

Other fun programs include overnight campouts, scouting events, summer camps, and birthday parties. The zoo also has speakers who visit schools.

Images for kids

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  Garden of the Senses

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  U.S. Navy Band Great Lakes, Horizon performing at the zoo, 2011

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  A Siberian tiger

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  A polar bear floating