Washington Park Zoo facts for kids
| Location | Michigan City, Indiana, United States |
|---|---|
| Land area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Coordinates | 41°33′41.54″N 86°54′03.43″W / 41.5615389°N 86.9009528°W |
| No. of animals | ~220 |
| No. of species | ~90 |
The Washington Park Zoo is a fun place to visit in Michigan City, Indiana. It's located inside Washington Park, covering about 9 acres on a sandy hill near Lake Michigan. This special park and zoo were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, meaning they are important historical sites.
The zoo is home to over 220 animals from about 90 different types of species, coming from all over the world! The zoo is always working to make things better for the animals. They are building new homes that look more like the animals' natural environments, surrounded by beautiful plants. You can see amazing animals like grizzly bears and Bengal tigers. Inside the Castle building, you might find interesting creatures like fennec foxes, corn snakes, and even a living beehive. Don't miss the Winged Wonders, where you can walk right through an aviary with birds flying around you! At the Farm, you can meet miniature horses, donkeys, pigs, and goats, and even feed them.
Contents
History of the Zoo
How the Zoo Started
The Washington Park Zoo began in a unique way in 1925. A retired animal trainer brought his brown bear, named "Jake," to the Washington Park lakefront. He hoped Jake would get more visitors there. Soon after, the local fire department, which sometimes took care of lost or abandoned exotic animals, brought more animals and birds to the park. This was the very beginning of a zoo for Michigan City!
In 1927, people started planning for a special group to manage the zoo. The first zoo board was officially created in 1928. Everyone hoped the zoo would be a great place for fun and learning, not just for people living in Michigan City, but also for the many visitors who spent their summers at nearby resorts.
Building the Zoo with Help
The zoo later moved to its current spot on the sand dunes overlooking the lake. The zoo board started building new animal homes using only materials they could find or that were given to them. Then, big government programs like the Federal Emergency Relief Administration (FERA), the Civil Works Administration (CWA), and later the Works Progress Administration (WPA) came along. These programs helped completely redesign the zoo!
It's believed that the Washington Park Zoo is the only zoo in Indiana that was fully designed and built by these agencies. The WPA provided the workers, and the zoo board found all the materials. Today, eleven buildings at the zoo are listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of their historical importance.
Special Zoo Features
One of the first big projects was Monkey Island, finished in 1934. This was an island surrounded by a moat (a water ditch) with a tall wall around it. The animals could go to their indoor homes through a secret tunnel. Today, a family of Ringtail lemurs lives on the island, and there are plans to make their home even better in the future.
By 1937, an observation tower was built east of the zoo, offering amazing views of the lake. Also, the "castle" building was finished, which houses smaller mammals. The tower is made of steel covered with limestone. The very top of its roof has a round decoration, which is said to be a part from the city's first fire engine!
In 1977, a new feline house was built. It used special artwork to make the animal areas look more like their natural homes. A new elephant house opened in 1978. It was home to the zoo's elephants until 1990, when the zoo decided to stop having elephants. The building was then changed into a learning center. The three elephants who lived there moved to other places like the North Carolina Zoo.
Recent Upgrades
The zoo has continued to grow and improve! In 2004, a new main entrance and a new gift shop were opened. Repairs were made to the observation tower and the walk-through aviary in 2005. In 2007, the North American Carnivore exhibit opened, featuring grizzly bears, mountain lions, and river otters. Then, in 2009, the Avian Adventure exhibit opened, where visitors can feed parakeets and cockatiels!
Animals at the Zoo
The Washington Park Zoo usually has around 250 animals, representing about 85 to 100 different types of species. Many of these animals are part of Species Survival Plans (SSP). These plans are special programs that help protect and increase the numbers of endangered species. The zoo also helps animals that have been hurt or are wild pets that can no longer live in the wild. They give these animals a safe place to live and care for them.
Zoo Landscaping
The way the zoo and park looked was very important from the beginning. The original buildings had watering systems to help plants grow in the sandy environment. The city's greenhouses provided many plants, making the landscaping almost as popular as the animals themselves!
Since 1994, many of the flower beds have been replanted or redesigned. Other areas of the zoo have been replanted to attract native birds and insects. Some plants are even grown to provide healthy food for the animals living at the zoo.
