Alameda Park Zoo

Alameda Park Zoo, located in Alamogordo, New Mexico, was founded in 1898 and claims to be the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States. It participates in the Species Survival Plan for the Mexican wolf.

Alameda Park Zoo
Zoo sign on White Sands Blvd
Entrance gate and entrance bridge over the duck pond
Date opened1898 [1]
LocationWhite Sands Blvd at 10th Street, Alamogordo, New Mexico United States
Coordinates32.9015°N 105.9610°W / 32.9015; -105.9610
Land area13 acres (5.3 ha) [1]
No. of animals265[2]
No. of species90[2]
Annual visitors60,000[3]
Websiteci.alamogordo.nm.us/coa/communityservices/zoo.htm

Features

Notable species at the zoo include [2] the White Sands pupfish, the Mexican wolf, the Hawaiian goose, and the Ring-tailed Lemurs.

The zoo is a Species Survival Plan Captive Facility [4] for the Mexican gray wolf, and in 2006 there were two wolves resident [2] in the zoo. Three Mexican gray wolf pups were born at the zoo in 1994, and seven in 1995. [5]

The zoo receives birds of prey that have been injured and are non-releasable. [6]

Some special exhibits include a lemur exhibit, [3] a birds of prey exhibit, [6] and a butterfly garden. [7]

Several programs operate in the Educational Center, including an Eco-Ranger Junior Zookeeper program. [3] The center is also open to the public for viewing videos and reading books from the collection. Some animals are housed in the center. [6]

History

The zoo was created in 1898 at its present location at the south end of Alameda Park to entertain train passengers while they waited for the train to refuel. [1] In the early days the zoo received gifts of exotic pets such as raccoons, skunks and birds from local residents. [1] Cages in the early days were made of chain-link fencing, and these were gradually replaced beginning in the 1970s and 1980s. [1] The zoo went into decline in the 1970s, and in a 1987 interview the zoo director said that in the mid-70s "the zoo was a dilapidated menagerie". The zoo had become a hangout for loiterers and drug dealers, and the city was faced with a decision to either shut down the zoo or upgrade it. They chose to upgrade, and a perimeter fence was added in 1986 to control access. [8]

The zoo is sometimes claimed to be the "oldest zoo west of the Mississippi".[1] However, there are several older zoos, including

Even the more modest claim [6] that Alameda Park Zoo is the oldest zoo in the Southwestern United States depends on the definition of Southwest, as Denver and Dallas are sometimes considered to be in the Southwest.

  • Memorial Fountain
  • Puma sleeping on steps
  • River otter
  • Buford, about 2 feet (0.61 m) long

Notes
  1. Anderson, Karl (2007-07-07), "Once upon a time at the zoo", Alamogordo Daily News, pp. 1A, 2A, OCLC 10674593
  2. Stevens, Jeff (2006-12-28), "Alameda Park Zoo first ever to host White Sands Pup Fish display", Alamogordo Daily News, pp. 1A, 5A, OCLC 10674593
  3. Anderson, Karl (2007-07-10), "Zoo backers discuss needs, projects", Alamogordo Daily News, pp. 1A, 6A, OCLC 10674593
  4. "Mexican Wolf Captive Management". US Fish & Wildlife Service. Archived from the original on 25 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-05-10.
  5. Turner, Lisa (1995-07-03), "Local zoo source of Mexican wolves saved from extinction", Alamogordo Daily News, p. 1, OCLC 10674593
  6. Brown, Monica (2005-10-28), "A sweet 'Diehl' for Alameda Park Zoo", Alamogordo Daily News, p. 8A, OCLC 10674593
  7. "Butterfly garden spreads its wings", Alamogordo Daily News, p. 3, 2002-04-25, OCLC 10674593
  8. Molnar, Stephanie (1987-05-17). "A once-endangered zoo now a growing attraction". Las Cruces Sun-News. p. C1. ISSN 1081-2172.

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