ZOO ATLANTA (Wikipedia)

Zoo Atlanta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Zoo Atlanta is an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited wildlife park and major attraction in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. The 40 acre (16 hectare) zoo, founded in 1889, is located in Atlanta's Grant Park and attracts around one million visitors a year. The Zoo features almost 1,000 animals representing 250 species from around the world.

Among the Zoo's most notable holdings are three giant pandas, Lun Lun, Yang Yang, and Mei Lan, on loan from China's Chengdu Zoo until 2009. Lun Lun had been the focus of a captive-breeding program for seven years before finally giving birth to Mei Lan on September 6, 2006.

The $4.5 million Ford African Rain Forest habitat is home to 24 western lowland gorillas, one of the two largest collections of the species in North America. The Zoo was also home to the popular Willie B., a gorilla named for former Mayor of Atlanta William B. Hartsfield (as was the Hartsfield International Airport). Recently, one of Willie. B.'s former mates gave birth to twins, a very rare occurrence among gorillas in general, and extremely rare in captive ones.

Zoo Atlanta is a participant in the AZA's Species Survival Program with efforts for the red panda, and the Sumatran tiger — one of the most endangered animals in the world. Other significant animal exhibits include Sumatran orangutans, black rhinos, African elephants and a Komodo dragon. A petting zoo allows visitors to interact with several species of goats and sheep.

History

The Zoo was founded in 1889 when local lumber merchant George Gress bought a traveling zoo that had gone bankrupt (the manager had absconded with all the money) and was stranded in the city.^[1] Gress also bought the Cyclorama painting, "The Battle of Atlanta," which he located next to the Zoo as the Atlanta Cyclorama. In the 1930s, the Zoo expanded with the addition of a private menagerie owned by Asa Candler, Jr., son of the founder of The Coca-Cola Company.

The Gress Zoo, later known as the Atlanta Zoological Park, gradually fell into disrepair and in 1984 was named one of the ten worst zoos in the country. Ashamed of this, Atlanta hired a new administrator, Dr. Terry L. Maple of Georgia Tech, to revitalize the zoo.^[1]

Dr. Maple pressed to change the name to Zoo Atlanta and brought in corporate sponsors to raise needed money, as well as many good people to help in his work of making the zoo one that the city could be proud of.^{[neutrality disputed]} One of Dr. Maple's proudest accomplishments^{[neutrality disputed]} was the building and opening of the aforementioned Ford African Rain Forest.^[1] Today, the Zoo Atlanta is recognized as one of the finest zoological parks in the nation.^{[citation needed]}

Breeding Achievements

At 4:51 EST on September 6, 2006, the zoo's female giant panda, Lun Lun gave birth to her first cub. ^[2]^[3]^[4] She was artificially inseminated in March, ^[2]^[4] for the third year. During the summer, she had exhibited signs of a pregnancy or pseudo-pregnancy, but the zoo was unable to confirm the existence of a fetus. After monitoring her hormone levels and behaviors all summer, the staff was rewarded with a baby panda. The birth of this cub is the fifth panda birth in U.S. zoos in the last six years. The cub is expected to be introduced to Zoo members and guests in early 2007. Following Chinese tradition, Zoo Atlanta officials named the cub, in cooperation with the country of China, when it was 100 days old. The female cub was named Mei Lan (美兰 "Atlanta Beauty") during a naming ceremony held on December 15, 2006. ^[5] The final ten names were: ^[6]^[7]^[8]