Rolling Hills Zoo facts for kids
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| Location | Salina, Kansas, USA |
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| Coordinates | 38°51′12″N 97°45′53″W / 38.853341°N 97.764771°W |
| No. of species | 100+ |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Rolling Hills Zoo is a cool place to visit near Salina, Kansas. It's a medium-sized zoo located in the countryside of Saline County. You can find it about six miles west of where two major highways, I-70 and I-135, meet.
This zoo is home to over 100 different kinds of animals! It also has a huge wildlife museum. Rolling Hills Zoo is a trusted member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This means it meets high standards for animal care. When you visit, your ticket gets you into both the zoo and the museum. Inside the museum, there's a fun play area called Helen L Graves Hideaway Hollow. There's also the Earl Bane gallery, which shows different exhibits throughout the year.
Contents
Discovering Rolling Hills Zoo's History
How the Zoo Began
The story of Rolling Hills Zoo started in the early 1980s. A businessman from Salina named Charlie Walker bought some land. He built a big barn there for his Belgian horses. This place was first known as Rolling Hills Ranch. Many schoolchildren came to the "Main Barn" to learn about these large horses.
In the late 1980s, Charlie Walker added some new animals. He brought in two black bear cubs, some llamas, and a lioness. Soon, not just schools, but families and other groups wanted to visit. Everyone was excited to see these amazing animals. This excitement made Walker realize that the Salina area would love having a wildlife park.
Building a Home for Wildlife
In 1995, the animal part of the ranch became its own group. It turned into a private, non-profit foundation. This new group was dedicated to helping rare and endangered animals. The animals, land, and equipment were given to this new foundation. It was called Rolling Hills Refuge Wildlife Conservation Center.
Building the zoo began in a big way. After five years of hard work, the zoo opened to the public in the fall of 1999. When you visit today, you see animals living in exhibits that look like their natural homes. The zoo is beautifully designed, even though it's in a rural area. It lets guests see animals living with the respect they deserve.
Adding the Wildlife Museum
In 2000, the idea grew to include a wildlife museum. A very large building was constructed for it. Part of this building was made into a conference center. This center could be rented for meetings or used for the zoo's own events. The conference center hosted its first event in April 2002.
Work started on the inside of the wildlife museum in 2003. The museum takes visitors on a trip around the world. You can explore seven different regions, like Africa, North America, and the rainforest. The museum also has a special area for traveling exhibits. There's a children's exploration room and a domed ADM Theater too. The museum opened in March 2005. It helps teach people even more about animals. It shows animals not found in the zoo and offers a fun, indoor experience all year.
A New Name for a Great Place
In 2009, the park officially changed its name. It became Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure. Today, Rolling Hills Zoo is a non-profit organization. It works to protect wildlife by joining conservation programs. It also provides fun and educational experiences for everyone.
