Phoenix, Arizona is one of the largest cities in the United
States… which makes it all the more surprising that it didn’t have a zoo until
the 1960’s. While there had been
several tentative discussions to open a zoo, one did not come into being until
1962 at the direction of Robert Maytag.
The Maytag Zoo, shortly after renamed “Phoenix Zoo,” opened in Papago
Park, on the site of a 1930’s era fish hatchery, the remnants of which can
still be seen at the entrance.
Few zoos have their origin and story so closely tied to the
fate of an endangered species. Not long
after its opening, the zoo was selected as the site for “Operation Oryx,” a
last ditch effort to save one of the world’s rarest antelope. Every known Arabian oryx, captive and wild,
was rounded up and sent to the Phoenix Zoo to form what became known as the
World Herd, which, at nine strong, may not have seemed the most promising of
enterprises. The World Herd was
originally set to be based out of Kenya, but disease concerns forced
conservationists to consider alternate sites, with Phoenix eventually being
chosen due to its climate. Thankfully,
the herd flourished (the first birth actually taking place as result of a
conception that occurred while the animals were en route to Phoenix); by 2002,
over 200 oryxes had been born at Phoenix, eventually resulting in the
reintroduction of this species to the wild.
The animals and exhibits of the Phoenix Zoo can be seen
along four looping trails, roughly positioned around a central lagoon. For many visitors, the first exhibit area
that will be explored is Arizona Trail¸ which
displays the impressive wildlife of the state.
Visitors begin their experience in a walk-through desert aviary, where
quails, waterfowl, and other birds fly overhead or dart about their feet. Exhibits of tortoises and lizards, such as
chuckwallas, are stationed around the aviary.
A gallery building on either side of the aviary features an impressive
collection of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates from Arizona. The rattlesnake collection is especially
impressive, but visitors can also observe a variety of non-venomous snakes, as
well as tarantulas, toads, and lizards, including Gila monsters. I especially enjoyed the horned lizards; I
saw more varieties of these armored little lizards on this one day than I had
in my entire life up until that point. For
some of the species, the enclosures feature underground burrows stationed up
against the glass, allowing visitors to see the animals in their burrows.
More birds can be seen outside of the aviary, including
burrowing owls, bald and golden eagles, and perhaps the most charismatic of
desert birds, greater roadrunners, as well as a small town of black-tailed
prairie dogs. You can also see many of
Arizona’s larger mammals. Collared
peccaries and pronghorn occupy open, dusty yards, while pumas and bobcats have
meshed-in habitats. The latter two might
have been some of the less-impressive habitats on the trail, perhaps too
dependent on gunite and fake rockwork than in natural exhibit features. Far more impressive to me was the habitat for
endangered Mexican gray wolves, which bore pups shortly after my visit. I also
liked the white-nosed coati habitat, though I wasn’t able to see the animals
themselves. Tucked along the trail are
two large aviaries for two of the rarest birds in the southwest: thick-billed parrots, now sadly extinct in Arizona, and California condors, which have been
reintroduced to the Grand Canyon, just a few hours away.
The Phoenix Zoo’s commitment to the conservation of native
species extends far beyond exhibition.
Elsewhere on zoo grounds is the Arizona Center for Nature
Conservation. Largely off-view to the
public, though a few windows provide a peak into some of the rooms, the center
is a multi-building compound devoted to the breeding of some of Arizona’s most
endangered species. Perhaps most famous
of these to the public is the black-footed ferret, but the center does not
limit itself to the cute and fuzzy. It
also maintains research and breeding programs for snakes, frogs, and even
aquatic mollusks.
One final exhibit of Arizonan wildlife, and perhaps the zoo’s
flagship exhibit, it located on a cactus-lined side trail that loops off of Arizona Trail. It can take a bit of a hike to get to the Desert Lives trail, but visitors who do
make it will be rewarded with an impressive view. A herd of desert bighorn sheep clambers atop
the massive mountain that looms over the trail, or may come down to feed at its
foot. Nearby is a habitat for Arabian
oryxes.
The animals of the dry plains of East Africa are just as much at home in Phoenix as are many of the natives. Africa Trail begins at the sweeping Savanna Yard, where giraffes and antelope share their plains with ostriches, storks, and vultures. Giraffes can be seen eye-to-eye in a wooden tower at the front of the habitat.
The animals of the dry plains of East Africa are just as much at home in Phoenix as are many of the natives. Africa Trail begins at the sweeping Savanna Yard, where giraffes and antelope share their plains with ostriches, storks, and vultures. Giraffes can be seen eye-to-eye in a wooden tower at the front of the habitat.
Following the trail, visitors will pass a habitat of fennec
foxes (maybe the best I’d ever seen for this species) before coming
face-to-face with considerably larger carnivores – lions and spotted hyenas in
moated yards. Down the trail, two more
yards, more spacious and grassy than those for the lions and hyenas, house two
additional African predators, cheetahs and African wild dogs. Gerenuk, white rhinoceros, warthog, and Grevy’s
zebras each occupy separate yards along the trail. Among the most popular of the exhibits for
visitors is the baboon area – visitors can observe mandrills and hamadryas
baboons for a small courtyard, with viewing windows into each habitat on either
side of the path.
To complete the
African experience, visitors may have the chance to ride a dromedary
camel. This is an experience that many
zoos used to offer, but relatively few do these days. Part of it, I suspect, is worrying about the
message that the image of riding an animal conveys (most zoo visitors don’t
recognize that dromedaries are domestic animals), and part might be welfare
concerns. I do know that I rode a few
camels as a kid and found the experience to be highly memorable. If done properly, as it seemed to be done at
Phoenix, with plenty of breaks, water, and limits on the workload (and above
all, plenty of supervision), I see no problem with allowing camel rides.
The completion of the Africa
Trail takes us about halfway through the Phoenix Zoo. We’ll take a break for now and resume the
trip tomorrow.
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