Sequoia Park Zoo
| Sequoia Park Zoo | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 40°46′37″N124°08′42″W/ 40.77698°N 124.14496°W | |
| Date opened | 1907[1] |
| Location | Eureka,California,United States |
| Land area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| No.of animals | Vertebrates: 195 (in 2013)[2] Invertebrates: ~1,700 (in 2013) |
| No.of species | 54 (in 2013)[2] |
| Memberships | AZA[3] |
| Website | www |
TheSequoia Park Zoois azoolocated inEureka, California,operated by the City of Eureka.[1]The zoo is part of a larger park complex including 60-acre (24 ha) of mature second-growthcoast redwoodforest, Eureka's largest public playground, and a duck pond, in addition to formal and natural gardens. The gardens include many varieties ofrhododendron.The zoo's mission is "to inspire wonder, understanding and respect for the natural world by providing fun, rewarding, educational experiences that encourage meaningful connections between animals, humans, and our environment".[4]The zoo is open to the public daily, except in winter when it is closed on Mondays. The zoo houses about 200vertebratesand hundreds ofinvertebrates,representing about 54 different species on 7-acre (2.8 ha).[2]Completed in 2021, the zoo unveiled the Redwood Sky Walk, the longest sky walk in the western United States at just under a quarter of a mile.[5]The sky walk is ADA accessible, and allows visitors to walk over 100 feet above the forest floor.
History[edit]
Sequoia Park Zoo was founded in 1907 and is the oldest zoo inCalifornia.[6]The zoo is located on the land of the native tribe of theWiyot people,who are a federally recognized tribe in California with over 600 members. The city of Eureka, where the zoo is located, is a city on Humboldt Bay, where the Wiyot tribe[7]has lived for thousands of years. Since 1907, the zoo has housed an array of animals including large hoof-stock, exotic birds, and small mammals.[8]The zoo achieved accreditation from theAssociation of Zoos and Aquariums(AZA) in 1995.[3]Since accreditation the zoo has prioritized conservation, includingSpecies Survival Planbreeding programs and education programs. After 100 years of free entry, the zoo started charging admission in the summer of 2008. The zoo is partially supported by a foundation which operates agift shop,caféand zoo facility for rentals in addition to fundraising and community outreach.
Collection[edit]
The zoo exhibitsbrown-headed spider monkeysandwhite-handed gibbons.Joh-leen the white-handed gibbon died in 2019 of old age. Her partner Bono was moved to theSanta Barbara Zooin February 2020 where he was partnered with a female widow. The zoo used to exhibitchimpanzees,one of which lived for fifty years at the zoo, dying at age 62.
The zoo's "Barnyard" is an educational exhibit that teaches about where food comes from and interact with domesticated animals including:goats,sheep,chickens,red jungle-fowl,rabbits,llamas,alpaca,donkeys,and acat.Non-interactive exhibits includemice,skunk,opossum,abeehiveandspiders.Birds in the walk-in free-flight aviary includescarlet ibis,spotted whistling ducks,band-tailed pigeons,green heron,Guira cuckoos,Nicobar pigeons,grey parrots,California quails,andGolden pheasants.
Sequoia Park Zoo's educational building is named "Secrets of the Forest", which features the animals and organisms in theredwoodforest.A number ofinsects,reptilesandamphibiansspecies exhibited in the Secrets of the Forest building.
More exotic animals includecrested screamers,Patagonian maras(cavies),Orinoco geese,flamingos,bush dogs,red pandas,Indian muntjac,yaks,Chacoan peccaries,andrheas.
The Sequoia Park Zoo has received top honors from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) 2016 award for Exhibit Design (within zoos operating with a budget under $5 million) for watershed heroes.
Controversy[edit]
In 1982, Sequoia Park Zoo was home to a family of fourblack bears,two parents, and their two offspring. The bears lived in an old-fashioned metal bar exhibit. The local community raised money to build a modern bear exhibit. During the construction of the new exhibit, the two bear cubs were sent to live at theWoodland Wildlife ParkinCave Junction, Oregon.The two adult bears were euthanized. Public reaction to the bears being euthanized was extremely negative, with protesters gathering and picketing in front of the zoo, and a petition calling for the zoo's closure gathered 5,000 signatures in the local community of 24,000.[9]The incident received national media coverage. The zoo's director was subsequently replaced.
In 2012, the zoo faced steep criticism because of its budget. The zoo's budget had doubled in size since 2002 while other departments within theCity of Eurekahad faced multimillion-dollar budget cuts in the same period of time. Closure of the zoo was proposed by multiple local media sources and by prominent local politicians.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ab"Sequoia Park Zoo".eureka.ca.gov.City of Eureka.RetrievedJanuary 10,2011.
- ^abc"2013 Annual Report".Sequoia Park Zoo. p. 7.RetrievedJuly 19,2014.
- ^ab"Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums".aza.org.AZA.RetrievedJanuary 10,2011.
- ^Sequoia Park ZooThe Mission of the Sequoia Park ZooURL Retrieved on October 18, 2007
- ^"Redwood Sky Walk | Eureka, California".Redwood Sky Walk.RetrievedFebruary 5,2024.
- ^"Sequoia Park Zoo".City of Eureka.RetrievedJuly 19,2014.
- ^"Wiyot Tribe".wiyot.com.RetrievedFebruary 25,2016.
- ^Harrell, Ashley (May 7, 2021)."What's it's like to hike 100 feet off the ground in a Calif. redwood forest".SFGATE.RetrievedMay 8,2021.
- ^Faber, Nancy (June 21, 1982)."In Eureka, Calif. a Drastic Economy Measure Brings Bad Bear News".People.Archived fromthe originalon January 16, 2016.RetrievedJuly 7,2014.
- ^Greenson, Thadeus (February 13, 2010)."Sequoia Park Zoo re-enters budget crosshairs; councilman wants Eureka voters to decide".The Times-Standard.Archived fromthe originalon January 16, 2016.RetrievedJuly 7,2014.