Utica Zoo facts for kids
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Utica Zoo entrance sign
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| Date opened | 1914 |
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| Location | 1 Utica Zoo Way, Utica, New York, US |
| Land area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Coordinates | 43°04′55″N 75°14′46″W / 43.082°N 75.246°W |
| No. of animals | 200 |
| Memberships | AZA |
The Utica Zoo is a cool place to visit in Utica, New York! It's found within Roscoe Conkling Park. This zoo has many different animal homes, both outside and inside. You can also enjoy a petting zoo, fun nature trails, and other exciting things to do.
The Utica Zoo gets most of its money from the Oneida County government and the New York State Natural Heritage Program. They also raise money through events and donations from people who love animals. The city of Utica owns the land, but it doesn't give money to the zoo right now.
History of the Utica Zoo
The Utica Zoo first opened its doors in 1914. Back then, it only had three fallow deer. The city of Utica owns about 80 acres of land where the zoo is. About 40 acres of this land are currently used for the zoo.
The first permanent building at the zoo was built in 1920. For many years, the City of Utica Parks Department took care of the zoo. But in 1964, a special group called the Utica Zoological Society took over. This group was later recognized by New York State as an educational place. The zoo hired its first professional director in 1966.
In 2000, the zoo got a really big metal sculpture of a watering can. It's about 15.5 feet tall! This giant watering can is even listed in Guinness World Records as the largest in the world.
Around 2004, the zoo had some money problems. Because of this, they couldn't keep up with all the repairs needed. They even lost their special approval from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). This AZA approval means a zoo meets high standards for animal care.
The zoo worked hard to get back on track. By 2011, they started trying to get their AZA approval again after paying off their debts. The home for the white-handed gibbons needed a lot of work. From 2015 to 2018, the zoo raised money to fix up the primate building. They also received help from the state and county. After a lot of planning, the Utica Zoo was approved by the AZA again in 2018! Later that year, the first outdoor part of the primate exhibit was finished.
In 2011, two African lions named Bakari and Monni came to the zoo. It had been 30 years since the zoo had lions! Bakari and Monni had three cubs. Once the cubs grew up, their parents moved to another home. As of 2022, the three cubs still live at the Utica Zoo. In 2019, a white peacock named Merlin accidentally flew into the lion's area and was killed.
The zoo's red panda couple had cubs in 2015. This was part of a special program called the Species Survival Plan. This plan helps protect endangered animals like red pandas. In 2021, both red panda parents sadly passed away due to health issues.
In 2020, the Utica Zoo took over a nature sanctuary called Beaversprite in Fulton County, New York. This helps them do even more for nature.
In 2021, the zoo moved its California sea lions to a new home. They decided the sea lion exhibit was too small for them to swim and play freely. This shows how much the zoo cares about its animals' well-being.
A baby Hartmann's Mountain Zebra was born at the zoo in July 2022! This was exciting news for everyone.
Conservation Efforts
The Utica Zoo does important work to help animals in the wild. This is called in situ conservation, which means helping animals in their natural homes.
They have helped with projects for local populations of:
- frosted elfins (a type of butterfly)
- Chittenango ovate amber snails (a special kind of snail)
- turtles
Images for kids
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Welcome sign at the Utica Zoo
