See the singing Amazon parrot at the Philadelphia Zoo sing Yankee Doodle Dandy! One of many daily animal activities available to visitors. |
Watch a video of the Philadelphia Zoo Balloon Gondola being blown around on a windy day, while being winched back to Earth. |
The Philadelphia Zoo’s 42-acre Victorian garden is home to more than 1,300 animals, many of them rare and endangered. The Zoo, fulfilling its mission of conservation, science, education and recreation, supports and engages in conservation efforts to protect endangered species around the world. Cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and much more make the Zoo Philadelphia's leading family attraction with over 1.2 million visitors last year.
Like many other Philadelphia landmarks and institutions, the Philadelphia Zoo is an American first. The charter establishing the Zoological Society of Philadelphia was approved and signed on March 21, 1859. Due to the Civil War, however, it was another 15 years before America's first zoo was ready to open.
The Zoo opened its gates on July 1, 1874. The Frank Furness Victorian gates and gatehouses, and the Zoo's location, are the same today as they were on the day it opened. One of its assets, then and now, is John Penn's home, The Solitude, which sat on the land chosen for the Zoo. John Penn was the grandson of William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania. The Solitude is considered to be Philadelphia's most precise and elegant expression of neoclassical style.
On opening day, flags flew, and a brass band welcomed more than 3,000 visitors. Admission was 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children, a rate that held for the next half century. Visitors came on foot, on streetcars, by horse and carriage, and every 15 minutes by steamboat on the Schuylkill River, landing at the Zoo's own wharf. The Girard Avenue Bridge opened three days later.
Since the early 1700's, the idea of an American zoo was inspired by English settlers with a keen interest in wildlife and by sailors and hunters who returned from faraway lands with exotic animals they'd never seen before. People would gather and pay shillings to see animals such as lions and elephants displayed at places like general stores and museums. As a hub of scientific inquiry and discovery over many years, Philadelphia's well-known leaders of the time began to formulate the idea of a zoo. In the mid-1850's, a prominent Philadelphia physician, Dr. William Camac-the Zoo's founding father-became involved and led the way to making America's first zoo a reality.
In its first year of operation, the Philadelphia Zoo had 813 animals and received well over 228,000 visitors. Today, the Zoo has more than 1,300 rare and endangered animals, and its attendance is approximately 1.1 million visitors a year.
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01philadelphiazoo.jpg Welcome sign at the Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA |
02philadelphiazoo.jpg Festival tent at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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03philadelphiazoo.jpg Anchoring mechanism for the festival tent at the Philadelphia Zoo |
04philadelphiazoo.jpg City official welcoming visiting students at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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05philadelphiazoo.jpg Sculpture and fountains combine to make a pleasing display at the Phillie Zoo |
06philadelphiazoo.jpg A Galapagos tortoise enjoys a snack of watermelon. |
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07philadelphiazoo.jpg An Aldabra tortoise eating watermelon at the Philadelphia Zoo |
08philadelphiazoo.jpg Scottish Highland Cattle, one of many rare breeds at the Zoo |
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09philadelphiazoo.jpg A weathervane on top of a cupula at the Phillie Zoo |
10philadelphiazoo.jpg A bronze dinosaur is part of the extensive sculpture collection displayed throughout the Philadelphia Zoo. |
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11philadelphiazoo.jpg A female Great Asian Rhinoceros in it's habitat at the Zoo |
12philadelphiazoo.jpg An African Elephant at the Philadelphia Zoo. The elephant exhibit will be closing in 2009 |
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13philadelphiazoo.jpg The current elephant house at the Phillie Zoo |
14philadelphiazoo.jpg A bonze statue of a mother lion with cub at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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15philadelphiazoo.jpg A male Lion and one of three females are part of the Lion enclosure in Philadelphia |
16philadelphiazoo.jpg Gorgeous sculpture of a lizard. One of many sculptures and pieces of art throughout the Zoo |
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17philadelphiazoo.jpg A female Lion rests in her habitat at the Philadelphia Zoo in Pennsylvnia |
18philadelphiazoo.jpg Swan paddle boats at the Philadelphia Zoo, Philadelphia, PA |
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19philadelphiazoo.jpg Swan paddle boats at the Philadelphia Zoo |
20philadelphiazoo.jpg Propulsion mechanism for the swan paddle boats at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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21philadelphiazoo.jpg A native of South America, Giant Otters are another exhibit at the Phillie Zoo |
22philadelphiazoo.jpg Giant Otters' webbed feet and strong tails help to make them great swimmers |
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23philadelphiazoo.jpg Brown Pelicans roost at the Philadelphia Zoo |
24philadelphiazoo.jpg Rehab eagle at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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25philadelphiazoo.jpg A singing Amazon parrot at the Philadelphia Zoo. See the video. |
26philadelphiazoo.jpg The White-nosed Coati is a native of the SW US, Central and northern South America |
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27philadelphiazoo.jpg A native of South Africa, this Southern White Rhinoceros lives at the Philadelphia Zoo |
28philadelphiazoo.jpg The Cheetah exhibit at the Phillie Zoo consists of 3 male brothers and an unrelated female |
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29philadelphiazoo.jpg These Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, sitting high in their habitat, are siblings |
30philadelphiazoo.jpg A commercial crab trap is part of an educational exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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31philadelphiazoo.jpg Spider Monkeys observing from above, part of the Monkey Junction at the Philadelphia Zoo |
32philadelphiazoo.jpg This large bronze sculpture at the Zoo is of a Western Lowland Gorilla |
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33philadelphiazoo.jpg A Western Lowland Gorilla walks across the grass of the PECO Primate Preserve at the Phillie Zoo |
34philadelphiazoo.jpg These Scottish Highland Cattle are a recognized rare breed, one of the many supported by the Philadelphia Zoo |
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35philadelphiazoo.jpg Red Kangaroos are part of the Australian Animals exhibit at the Zoo |
36philadelphiazoo.jpg Winch mechanism for the ballon and gondola at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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37philadelphiazoo.jpg The Channel 6 Zooballoon is a great way to see the Zoo and surrounding area from high above the treetops |
38philadelphiazoo.jpg Winch mechanism for the ballon and gondola at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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39philadelphiazoo.jpg View of Philadelphia and the river from the balloon gondola at the Philadelphia Zoo |
40philadelphiazoo.jpg View of the railroad yard and an Amtrak train and the river from the Channel 6 Zooballoon at the Philadelphia Zoo |
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41philadelphiazoo.jpg View of the ground below the balloon gondola at the Philadelphia Zoo |
42philadelphiazoo.jpg View of the balloon and gondola at night at the Philadelphia Zoo |
This page last updated January 2015
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