Riverside Discovery Center facts for kids
| Location | Scottsbluff, Nebraska |
|---|---|
| Land area | 23 acres (9.3 ha) |
| Coordinates | 41°51′19″N 103°41′03″W / 41.8552°N 103.6841°W |
| No. of animals | 125+ |
| No. of species | 50+ |
The Riverside Discovery Center, formerly named the Riverside Park and Zoo, is a park and zoo complex along the North Platte River in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States.
Riverside Park is Scottsbluff's city park, and has the only zoo in western Nebraska. It includes three lakes with camping and recreation areas, and a riverside trail that runs along the banks of the North Platte River. There are also over 30 garden spots. December 16, 2017 two brother grizzly bears went on exhibit. In the spring of 2017 their mother was illegally killed in Wyoming. State and Federal wildlife officials hoped the two orphaned cubs would survive in the wild without their mother. After several months on their own in the wild, the two cubs became increasingly habituated to humans for food. State and Federal wildlife officials were concerned about public safety and the well-being of the grizzly cubs. When it was evident the cubs were not going to survive in the wild on their own, State and Federal wildlife officials made the decision to capture the two cubs and try to find them a home. Riverside Discovery Center offered to assist in the rescue of the two cubs and to provide a new home for these two grizzly bear cubs.
Riverside Discovery Center was directly in the path of the August 21, 2017 total eclipse.
Riverside discovery center was not re-accredited by the AZA in September 2023.
Contents
Animals
The Riverside Discovery Center has a collection of over 125 animals representing 50+ different species, in various exhibits.
North American Grasslands
Contains animals once common in the grasslands of North America:
- American bison (Bison bison)
Garden Walk
- Box turtle
- Greek tortoise
- African spurred tortoise
- Blue-and-yellow macaw
Slither Inn
mostly education animals behind the scenes
- Bearded dragon
- Boa constrictor
- Borneo python
- Grammostola pulchripes
- Mexican black kingsnake
- Uromastyx lizard
- Chinese water dragon
Raptor Row
Contains a collection of various raptors:
- Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
- Swainson's hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
- Red Tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Buzzard
Rainforest Discovery Center
An area dedicated to some of the smaller animals of the rainforest
- Waldrapp ibis (Geronticus eremita)
- Mission golden-eyed tree frog
- Squirrel Monkey
- Emerald Tree Boa
Chimpanzee Building
Home of the areas chimpanzee and other unique creatures:
- Chimpanzee
- Ball python
- Uromastyx
- Leopard Gecko
Cat Complex
Home to various big cats:
Primate Building
Contains a small collection of primates:
Zebra Circle
Children's Zoo
- Donkey (Equus asinus)
- Pot-bellied pig
- Highland Cattle
- Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Pond
- Trumpeter Swan
Miscellaneous exhibits
There are other animals that are not included in any of the aforementioned exhibits:
- Grizzly Bear
- Marbled Fox
- Porcupine
Conservation
The Riverside Discovery Center is actively involved in the Survival Species Program for various species of imperiled wildlife on display.
The zoo and park is located a half mile west of Nebraska Highway 71.
