El Paso Zoo

El Paso Zoo
Map
31°46′06″N 106°26′34″W / 31.7684°N 106.4429°W / 31.7684; -106.4429
LocationEl Paso, Texas, United States
Land area35 acres (14 ha)[1]
No. of species220[1]
MembershipsAZA[2]
Websitewww.elpasozoo.org

The El Paso Zoo is a zoo located in El Paso, Texas, United States. The 35-acre (14 ha) facility houses over 220 species, including the critically endangered animals. The El Paso Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).[2]

Zoo sections

The El Paso Zoo contains animals in four major areas – Animals of Africa, Animals of Asia, Animals of the Americas, and Animals of the Chihuahuan Desert.[3]

The Animals of Africa section was opened in March 2010 with African lion and meerkat exhibits.[4] In November 2010, it was further expanded with eight new antelope species, including kudu and Thomson's gazelles.[5] The Animals of Africa section also includes Red River hog, giraffe, zebra, grey crowned crane, Cape teal, Egyptian geese, spur-winged geese, and radiated tortoises.[4]

The Animals of Asia section highlights animals of that continent, including Sumatran orangutans, Malayan tapirs, Siamang gibbons, lion-tailed macaques, Malayan tigers, Malayan sun bears, and Przewalski's horses. The indoor Asian Forest Complex is home to small mammals like the Prevost's squirrel and slow loris, as well as birds including hooded cranes, pink pigeons, rhinoceros hornbill, white-eyed ducks, Bali myna, black-naped fruit dove, bleeding heart pigeon, Nicobar pigeon, and yellow-vented bulbuls. The building is also home to a Burmese python and goldfish.[6] A male Indian rhinoceros was introduced to this zoo in December 2023.[7]

The Animals of the Americas section contains exhibits of a variety of animals from the Americas including a sea lion program, the South American Pavilion, and a spider monkey exhibit.[8]

The Animals of the Chihuahuan Desert section contains exhibits of a variety of animals from the Chihuahuan Desert to include, Mexican gray wolves, prairie dogs, Peninsular pronghorn, white-nosed coati, collared peccary, cougars, jaguars, wild turkeys, and parrots along with a small mix area to include birds and reptiles.

Conservation

In November 2010, the zoo sent a female Mexican gray wolf to Tenino, Washington, to be bred with a male wolf. The wolves were selected by a panel of experts as part of an effort to save the species from extinction.[9] It is estimated that there are only 40 Mexican grey wolves left in the wild.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "About the Zoo". elpasozoo.org. El Paso Zoo. Archived from the original on 2012-10-22. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  2. ^ a b "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. Retrieved 9 January 2010.
  3. ^ "The Animals". El Paso Zoo. Archived from the original on 2010-08-26. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  4. ^ a b "Animals of Africa". elpasozoo.org. El Paso Zoo. Archived from the original on 2010-08-25. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  5. ^ "8 antelopes now call El Paso Zoo Africa exhibit home". El Paso Times. November 10, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-07-29. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  6. ^ "Animals of Asia". El Paso Zoo. Archived from the original on 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  7. ^ "El Paso Zoo welcomes 'Taj', a one-horned Indian rhino, to its expanding family". 15 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Animals of the Americas". El Paso Zoo. Archived from the original on 2010-09-05. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
  9. ^ Delgado, Anton L. (February 2, 2021). "Phoenix Zoo sends Mexican gray wolves packing as officials survey imperiled species". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2021-02-03.
  10. ^ "El Paso Zoo wolf part of effort to revitalize species". El Paso Times. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2011-01-09.
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