Seneca Park Zoo facts for kids
The entrance to Seneca Park Zoo
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| Date opened | 1894 |
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| Location | Rochester, New York, United States |
| Land area | 20 acres (8.1 ha) |
| Coordinates | 43°12′23″N 77°37′26″W / 43.2065°N 77.6238°W |
| Annual visitors | 335,663 (2015) |
| Memberships | AZA |
| Major exhibits | Animals of the Savanna, A Step into Africa, Cold Asia, Genesee Trail, Rocky Coasts |
Welcome to the Seneca Park Zoo, a 20-acre animal adventure in the city of Rochester, New York. The zoo is a home for more than 90 different species, including mammals, reptiles, birds, and fish from all over the world.
The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This is a special honor that means the zoo provides excellent care for its animals. The zoo is run by Monroe County with help from a group called the Seneca Park Zoo Society.
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The Zoo's Long History
The zoo is located inside Seneca Park, which was designed by the famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and opened in 1893. Just one year later, in 1894, the park began to display animals, and the zoo was born!
In 1931, the Main Zoo Building was built, which housed many different kinds of animals. As the zoo grew, the Seneca Park Zoo Society was formed in 1957. This group helps the zoo with fun events, educational programs, and raising money to protect wildlife in their natural habitats.
A fun story from the zoo's past happened in 1975. The zoo wanted to get two polar bears, but needed money. School children from the area helped by collecting pennies and nickels. With their help, the zoo welcomed two polar bears, who were named Penny and Nickels!
The zoo has continued to grow and create better homes for its animals. In 2012, it opened A Step Into Africa, an exhibit designed to look like the NgoroNgoro Crater in Tanzania. In 2018, the zoo opened a Cold Asia area for its snow leopards and new red pandas.
Amazing Animal Exhibits
The zoo has several exciting areas where you can see animals in habitats that look just like their homes in the wild.
Rocky Coasts
Opened in 1997, the Rocky Coasts exhibit is home to animals from cool coastal areas. Here you can see playful California sea lions, African penguins, and beautiful snowy owls. One of the best parts is the underwater viewing area, where you can watch the sea lions swim right past the glass!
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A Step Into Africa
This large exhibit, which opened in 2012, makes you feel like you're on an African safari. It has a replica of a Maasai hut and a safari bus where you can safely view the zoo's Southern African lions. This area is also home to mighty African bush elephants and lively olive baboons. Seneca Park Zoo was the first zoo in New York State to have African bush elephants.
Animals of the Savanna
This area is an expansion of the African exhibit that opened in 2018. It features tall Masai giraffes, striped plains zebras, and a southern white rhinoceros. You can also see unique creatures like naked mole-rats and colorful fish from Lake Malawi.
Cold Asia
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Next to the animal hospital, the Cold Asia area opened in 2018. It features amazing new homes for the zoo's mysterious snow leopards and adorable red pandas.
Welcoming New Animals
The zoo's animal family is always changing. The zoo works with the AZA on Species Survival Plans (SSPs). These plans help make sure that endangered animals can have babies and that their species will survive for years to come. In 2013, the zoo welcomed two lion cubs, six penguin chicks, a baby Bornean orangutan, and many other new animals.
Learning and Helping Wildlife
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The Seneca Park Zoo does more than just care for animals; it also teaches people about them! The zoo is a popular place for school field trips. It also has a "ZooMobile" that brings smaller animals to schools, libraries, and festivals so more people can learn about them.
The zoo also helps local wildlife. Through its Butterfly Beltway program, the zoo encourages people to plant special gardens that help monarch butterflies, which are important for pollinating plants in the area.
Fun Events at the Zoo
The zoo hosts many fun events all year long. Some events, like conservation education days, are free with a zoo ticket. Popular events that help raise money for the zoo include ZooBrew, ZooBoo (a Halloween event), and Breakfast with Santa.
Every July, the zoo hosts the Jungle Jog, a 5K race where runners get to go through both Seneca Park and the zoo. It's a very popular race for families and runners in the Rochester area.
