NEW YORK—With a week full of activities planned ahead, the Central Park Zoo welcomed the first round of visitors to celebrate its 20th anniversary on Aug. 4.
Birthday-themed sea lion feedings will be performed three times a day this week. There will also be birthday card crafts each day, followed by the zoo’s annual Chill Out! Weekend. Chill Out! activities include ice carvings, ice chefs, icicles, and icy treats for humans and animals.
One zoo visitor, Debra fed the sea lions with her 9-year-old daughter Erika. She said that she brings her child to the zoo once every couple of years.
“Today’s weather is great, it’s not too crowded,” said Debra.
Several zoo residents are also celebrating. Polar bears Gus and Ida, and sea lion Scooter have all been at the zoo since it opened 20 years ago.
Lisa Marano, a visitor came from Las Vegas, was amazed by the turtles on a wood log. She said that she brings her 3-year-old son Jared to the zoo three times a month.
“My favorite animal is bats, because they are fun, they are always moving,” Jared said.
Next to the Central Park Zoo, the Tisch Children’s Zoo gives children the chance to pet animals. Tickets to the Central Park Zoo include admission to the children’s zoo.
The origins of the Central Park Zoo go all the way back to 1858, when a bear cub was donated to the city, and was put on display behind the arsenal building. In 1980, an agreement was signed between the Wildlife Conservation Society and the City of New York to renovate and operate the zoo. After more than three years of construction, the zoo opened on Aug 8, 1988.
With over one million visitors every year, the Central Park Zoo has become a staple location for New York visitors. In 2009, the zoo is going to open a new snow leopard exhibit which replicates the evergreen forests in the mountainous region of Central Asia.
The diversity of animals currently on display at the zoo includes red pandas, penguins, monkeys, birds, snakes, and ants.
