Lehigh Valley Zoo

The Lehigh Valley Zoo is a 29-acre (11.7 ha) zoo located in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, United States, inside the 1,100-acre (445 ha) Trexler Nature Preserve. The zoo is open year round.

Lehigh Valley Zoo
Entrance to the Lehigh Valley Zoo. June 2013.
Date opened1974 [1]
LocationSchnecksville, Pennsylvania
Coordinates40.658251°N 75.625956°W / 40.658251; -75.625956
Land area29 acres (11.7 ha) [1]
No. of animals275 [2]
No. of species70 [2]
Annual visitors100,000 + 30,000 students (2011) [1]
MembershipsAZA[3]
Websitewww.lvzoo.org

The Lehigh Valley Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since March 2006.[1]

History

In 1906, Harry Clay Trexler started purchasing farms in the Lowhill and North Whitehall townships of Pennsylvania to create a preserve to help protect bison, elk, and white-tailed deer. In all, he purchased 36 farms totaling 1,108 acres (448 ha) before he died, and then bequeathed the land to Lehigh County. In 1935, the area officially became the Trexler-Lehigh County Game Preserve.[4]

Construction on the children's zoo within the park began in 1974. When it opened, the zoo included petting and feeding exhibits as well as exotic animals from Africa, Asia, and Australia.[5]

In 2004, since the original purpose of saving native species had been accomplished, the county opened the entire preserve to the public.[4] At the same time, the Lehigh Valley Zoological Society took over management of the zoo within the park.[5]

Conservation

In 2009, the zoo was participating in three Species Survival Plans (SSP): African penguin, mongoose lemur, and scimitar-horned oryx.

Notes
  1. "Lehigh Valley Zoo Fact Sheet". lvzoo.org. Lehigh Valley Zoo. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  2. "Who We Are". lvzoo.org. Lehigh Valley Zoo. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  3. "List of Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  4. "History - 1935 - Present". trexlernaturepreserve.org. Trexler Nature Preserve. Archived from the original on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  5. "History of the Zoo". lvzoo.org. Lehigh Valley Zoo. Archived from the original on 30 October 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
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