The Bronx Zoo is one of the largest zoos in the US, and spans 265 acres of park, wood, and streams that house over 6,000 animals in naturalistic habitats. Located in Bronx Park, the zoo is known for having one of the most diverse animal collections in the world. The zoo features zoned habitats that reflect global environments or animal collections, such as the African Plains, Birds of Prey, Himalayan Highlands, and Tiger Mountain. When you tour the zoo, you'll see some of the rarest animals in the world, including Nubian Ibex, Arabian oryx, ABC Islands bears, and Malayan tigers.
photo by Postdlf (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified
Bronx Zoo highlights
The Bronx Zoo is renowned for its large and diverse habitats that reflect the natural environment. Throughout the exhibits, you'll see many animals that you're unlikely to encounter in the wild, including Cuban Amazon parrots, American bison, anacondas, Caribbean flamingos, and snow leopards.
The zoo also offers several premium exhibits, including the Bug Carousel, the Butterfly Garden, and the Congo Gorilla Forest. These exhibits offer a more up-close-and-personal experience, such as walking through the butterfly aviary while butterflies fly near you and land on your shoulder. Another highlight is the Wild Asia Monorail, which travels through recreated mud wallows, forests, riverbanks, and pastures to see Asian species like the Indian rhinoceros and Przewalski's horses. Some of the zoo's most treasured species can only be seen on the monorail ride.
History of Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo hosts over 2.2 million visitors annually. The impressive New York landmark idea came in 1895 when many people founded the New York Zoological Society intending to establish a zoo. Finally, their vision came to fruition in 1889 when the zoo was opened to the public. At its inception, the zoo had 843 animals. The first director was William Temple Hornaday, who stayed at the zoo for over 30 years. Today, the zoo animal population has boomed, numbering over 6,000 animals representing global habitats and many endangered or threatened species.
Several builders, sculptors, and architects worked on constructing its buildings. Heins & LaFarge and Paul Manship designed some of the zoo’s spectacular habitats to reflect the natural environment. The zoo has a strong history of captive-breeding conservation programs and a long-standing reputation for rehabilitating animals. Some of the zoo's successful program species include the black bear, yellow-headed box turtle, and bald eagle.
Good to know when visiting the Bronx Zoo
The zoo opens on Saturday and Sunday between 10 am to 4:30 pm. There are 2 main entrances to access the zoo: the Bronx River Gate and Southern Boulevard Gate. Both entrances offer parking areas nearby. The zoo requires admission, but many of the exhibits are free to visit. The premium exhibits and experiences, such as the monorail ride, require an additional ticket.
After visiting the zoo, you can spend time seeing the other attractions in the Bronx, such as Wave Hill, a spectacular garden and cultural center that hosts events, the New York Botanical Garden, and Yankee Stadium, home of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees. At the stadium, you can visit the Yankees shop for team gear and memorabilia, or visit the onsite museum to learn more about the historic baseball team.
Bronx Zoo in New York
Location: 2300 Southern Blvd, The Bronx, NY 10460, USA
Open: Saturday–Sunday from 10 am to 4.30 pm
Phone: +1 718-367-1010
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