Philadelphia, PA - Philadelphia Zoo is located near Fairmont park, and it is one of the oldest American zoos. It opened in the year 1876 when the country was celebrating the first hundred years of independence.
History of The Philly Zoo
The zoo accommodates over 2,000 animals and also includes many attractions inside the zoo. The notably more excellent interests inside the zoo include the Reptile House, Bird House, Primate Reserve, Carnivore Kingdom, African Plains, Amphibian house, and children's zoo.
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in the Centennial District of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874.
Facts About the Philadelphia Zoo
- It opened with 1,000 animals and an admission price of 25 cents.
- For a brief time, the zoo also housed animals brought over from safari on behalf of the Smithsonian Institution, which had not yet built the National Zoo in the 1850s.
- The Philadelphia Zoo is one of the premier zoos globally for breeding animals found challenging to breed in captivity.
- The zoo also works with many groups worldwide to protect the animals' natural habitats in their care.
- The zoo is 42 acres (17 ha) and is home to more than 1,300 animals, many of which are rare and endangered.
- The zoo features a children's zoo, a paddleboat lake, a rainforest-themed carousel, and many interactive and educational exhibits.
Overview of Philly's Zoo
OPEN DAILY
9:30am-5:00pm
One of the country's best laid-out and most animal-packed zoos, the Philadelphia Zoo is set among a charming 42-acre Victorian garden with tree-lined walks, formal shrubbery, ornate iron cages, and animal sculptures.
The zoo has garnered many "firsts" in addition to being the first zoo charted in the United States (1859), including the first orangutan and chimp births in a U.S. zoo (1928), the world's first children's zoo (1957), and the first U.S. exhibit of white lions (1993), among others.
In addition to its animals, the zoo is known for its historic architecture, including the country home of William Penn's grandson, its botanical collections of over 500 plant species, its groundbreaking research, and its good veterinary facilities.
