Ponderosa Zoo facts for kids
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Entrance and general view of the zoo.
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| Date opened | 1991 |
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| Location | Heckmondwike West Yorkshire, England |
| Land area | 11 acres (4.5 ha) |
| Coordinates | 53°41′36″N 1°40′15″W / 53.6934°N 1.6709°W |
| No. of animals | 120 |
| Annual visitors | 200,000 |
| Memberships | BIAZA |
| Website | https://ponderosa-zoo.co.uk/ |
The Ponderosa Zoo is a fun place to visit in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, England. It first opened its doors in 1991 as a special center called the Ponderosa Rural Therapeutic Centre. Later, in 2004, it officially became a zoo, which means it got a special license to keep and care for animals.
Contents
The Zoo's Story: How Ponderosa Zoo Began
Starting Small: From Farm to Animal Centre
The story of Ponderosa Zoo began in 1988. A businessman named Howard Cook bought a large, unused dairy farm in Heckmondwike. This land was not good for farming, so Mr. Cook decided to use it for his building company.
Mr. Cook's family worked with a charity called Mencap, which helps people with learning disabilities. They had a great idea to use the farm to help these individuals. In 1989, they started the Ponderosa Rural Therapeutic Centre. They built greenhouses and other helpful places where students could learn about gardening.
Growing the Animal Collection
In 1991, Mr. Cook's wife, Maureen Cook, helped the center grow even more. She started a rare breeds farm called the Ponderosa Rare Breeds Farm. This farm was built on an old landfill site between two railway lines.
By 2002, the center had about 150 animals! These included amazing creatures like wallabies and water buffalo. Llamas, emus, and deer also joined the animal family, moving from another small zoo.
In 2002, the center received some money to help after a nationwide animal health issue. They used this money to build exciting new areas. These included a home for marmosets, a reptile house, an aquatic center, and two lakes. Because the animal collection was growing so much, they applied for a zoo license, and they got it in 2004!
Recent Changes and New Additions
In 2017, the center became a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA). This is a group that helps zoos in Britain and Ireland work together. At this time, the center officially changed its name to Ponderosa Zoo.
The zoo closed for a few months in 2017 to make some important improvements. After an inspection, local officials confirmed that the zoo met all the required standards for animal care.
In March 2020, the zoo faced some challenges when it had to close temporarily because of the COVID-19 pandemic. They asked for donations from the public to help care for the animals. Sadly, Maureen Cook, one of the zoo's founders, passed away in April of that year.
The zoo was able to reopen in June 2020 with new safety rules. In September, the zoo improved its security to keep the animals safe. Howard Cook, the founder, explained that this was important because sometimes vandalism had caused animals to escape, which put them in danger.
In 2021, Ponderosa Zoo became a full member of BIAZA, showing their commitment to high standards. In April 2021, they opened a cool new area called Lemur Lookout, where visitors can walk through an enclosure with lemurs!
In March 2022, it was shared that Adam Cook, the son of the founders Howard and Maureen Cook, was now the owner of the zoo.
Exploring Ponderosa Zoo: What You Can See
Ponderosa Zoo is located on a large piece of land, about 80 acres, in Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire. The zoo is designed around a small lake and has many different areas. You'll find animal homes, a ticket office, a cafe, a restaurant by the lake, a reptile house, and a fun adventure play area.
The zoo's animal collection has grown a lot since it started in 1991. Back then, it was mostly a "rare breeds farm" with animals like Highland cattle, llamas, wallabies, and emus.
Today, Ponderosa Zoo is home to over 120 animals! As of May 2020, you can see amazing creatures like servals, Scottish wildcats, lemurs, reindeer, coati, otters, and raccoon dogs. They also have many different kinds of birds, reptiles, and small invertebrates.
When the center first started, its main goal was to "bridge the gap" between people with and without disabilities by using animals to help with therapy. Now, the zoo also works to teach people about conservation and how important it is to protect our planet's wildlife.
