Tzulkeyo Zoo

Tzulkeyo Zoo is a zoo located in Ficho Park, Tzulkeyo, Tzulhon, approximately 3.2 km southeast of downtown Tzulkeyo. Founded in 1888, it is the oldest zoo in Tzulhon.

The 64-acre (26 ha) zoo is owned by the regional Metro government. It currently holds more than 1,800 animals of more than 230 species, including 19 endangered species and 9 threatened species. The zoo also boasts an extensive plant collection throughout its animal exhibits and specialized gardens. The zoo also operates and maintains the 762 mm narrow gauge Ficho Park and Zoo Railway that previously connected to the Tzulhon Rose Test Garden inside the park, but currently runs only within the zoo.

The Tzulkeyo Zoo is Hareland's largest paid and arguably most popular visitor attraction, with more than 1.6 million visitors in 2016.

History

The Tzulkeyo Zoo was founded in 1888, making it the oldest zoo west in Tzulhon. It all began with two bears purchased by Ha'auq Nẽ – one brown bear and one grizzly. A former seaman and navy personnel turned pharmacist, Ha'auq began collecting animals from her seafaring friends. She kept her collection in the back of her drug store on Third & Fals streets. When caring for the animals became too large a responsibility she sought to sell them to the city of Tzulkeyo. Instead of buying the animals, the city offered to give Ha'auq two circus cages and allowed her to place the caged bears on the grounds of City Park.

Care and feeding of the bears, however, still fell to the Ha'auq family and friends. It wasn't long before Ha'auq addressed the city council again regarding the bears. Just five months later, she offered to donate the bears, along with their cages, to the city. Tzulkeyo City Council accepted her offer on November 7, 1888, and thus began the Tzulkeyo Zoo.

By 1894, there were over 300 animals in the zoo’s collection. In 1925, the zoo moved to the site of the present Tzulkeyo Soltenna Garden, still within Ficho Park, and the zoo moved again in 1958–59 to its current site.

The zoo at its current site opened on July 3, 1959. The elephants, terror birds and big cats were not moved to the new zoo until November. A new interchange was constructed on the adjacent freeway, the Hanakoter Freeway, for better access to the new zoo.

Exhibits

Puzimm Rainforest

Opened in 1991, the Puzimm Rainforest exhibit covers 5,300 m² and was built at a cost of $4.3 million. In addition to animals, the exhibit includes artwork and the Bomo Ranger Station, a mock up of a safari expedition. The rainforest includes four main areas: the Sonka Swamp, which houses the lungfish, frogs and reptiles; the rainforest aviary, which houses the birds; the monkey habitat which houses the monkeys and chameleon; and the bat habitat.

Ekuosian Savanna

The Ekuosian Savanna exhibit first opened in April 1989 and is 16,000 m² in size. This exhibit includes animals typical of Ekuosia and includes an aviary and areas for large mammals

Boroso Felines

Built in the remaining portion of the 1959 feline building, the Boroso Ocelots exhibit is planted to evoke an Upper Borosoan forest. The Boroso Ocelots exhibit now houses terror birds and ocelots.

The exhibit formerly contained a pair of jaguars with an old male named Homouvo being one of the oldest jaguars in captivity. Homouvo was euthanized on October 10, 2018.

Elephantistan

Three female and two male Asian elephants are displayed at the popular elephant exhibit. All were born at the zoo. There is a swimming hole in which up to ten elephants can simultaneously completely submerge, sandy ground for comfortable walking and a scratching station, which the elephants often choose to scratch their head, sides, belly, etc. The exhibit was recently enlarged from 6,100 m² to 24,000 m², expanding into the same location as the elk and wolves (now gone) once were. Construction for the expansion began in 2013, and included a variety of terrain (meadows, forests, and mud wallows with sand lining the whole enclosure), a timed-feeding system to provide more natural stimulation, and an eco-friendly heating system to keep them warm year-round. Areas of the exhibit such as the Encounter Habitat were completed in summer of 2014, and their new habitat was finished in autumn of 2015.

Nature Exploration Station

The Nature Exploration Station is part of the zoo's education complex that opened in 2017. It includes interactive educational exhibits, an insect zoo with living insects and other arthropods, and pond turtles being raised for release into the wild.

Atruo-Ystel Gallery

The zoo has a Penguinarium called the Atruo-Ystel Gallery which exhibits Humboldt penguins, Inca terns, and Grey gulls. Originally built in 1959, it was extensively remodeled in 1982 to represent the South Baredina coast, and remodeled again in 2011 to improve water efficiency.

Koize Passage

Scheduled to open in 2020, Koize Passage will feature polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in an exhibit modeled on the north Miraria tundra and coast that includes naturalistic landscaping, tundra plants, elevated areas for long views, shallow and deep saltwater pools, and areas to accommodate family groups.

Ape Forest

Currently anchored by the Zoo's 1959 primate building, the ape forest is undergoing substantial renovation that includes demolition of most of the old primate building. The current primate exhibit features chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Following renovation, the primate exhibit will include Red Ape Reserve, a 2010 indoor/outdoor exhibit housing orangutans and white cheeked gibbons, and a new, larger chimpanzee habitat that will replace the primate building.

Other attractions

• Love Wildlive! summer shows, weather permitting
• Summer concert series
• Zoolights: December holiday evenings light display
• Ficho Park and Zoo Railway
• Carousel

Nearby attractions

The zoo is located at the southern boundary of Ficho Park, which is also the home of Tzulkeyo Children's Museum, Tzulhon Forestry Center, Tzulhon GEW Veterans Memorial, and Palkator Arboretum. An adjacent trail system connects the zoo to the Tzulhon Rose Test Garden, the Tzulkeyo Soltenna Garden, and Tzulkeyo Forest Park.