Shelley Beatty

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Kansas City Zoo

September 8, 2017 by shelley

Kansas City Zoo

more summer fun…we did the Kansas City Zoo…more than once!

The Kansas City Zoo is ranked in the top zoos in the country and NUMBER ONE for their African Exhibit

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

 

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

Kansas City Zoo

HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY ZOO: In 1907 a dream began. City activists declared “An idea to create the largest zoological garden in the United States. There will be nothing better in the world. Swope Park is an admirable site for this purpose…” An affluent real estate speculator, Thomas Swope, donated land to Kansas City in 1896 for the park. Barron Fradenburg, a wealthy businessman and leading member of the Chamber of Commerce, made a plea that “Kansas City cannot be a metropolitan without a zoological garden.” Thus, a Zoological Society was formed.

In December 1909 the Kansas City Zoological Gardens officially opened with four lions, three monkeys, a wolf, fox, coyote, badger, lynx, eagle and other birds.

The first expansion took place in 1912. During that same year the Zoo became primarily self-sufficient, producing most of the animal’s food from gardens within the park itself.

In 1948, almost 40 years after the opening of the Kansas City Zoo, a children’s zoo, named Touchtown, was launched featuring a petting zoo with domestic animals, including goats, sheep, rabbits and tortoises, free standing structures such as Noah’s Ark, the Old Woman’s Shoe, the Great Blue Whale and a hollow fabricated lion, that kids could enter from the bottom and stick their heads out the open mouth. In 1961 the Hallmark Company donated the “Birthday Pavilion.” A puppet theater opened in Touchtown in 1964; it was remodeled in 1970 and became the Education building.

In 2002, Friends of the Zoo, Inc., (FOTZ) a private non-profit, took the reins of the Zoo with a focused commitment to improving and supporting Zoo facilities, animals and education programs. In 2003 Randy Wisthoff became the Zoo’s Executive Directors/CEO. He previously worked at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, NE. Wisthoff wasted no time as he immediately collaborated with Zoo Board Members, the Mayor and Community Leaders to spearhead a $30 million bond package that began to set the stage for the future.

Since 2007, the Zoo has invested over $85 million in capital projects including the Discovery Barn, the Zoo Learning Center, river otters, trumpeter swans, an Endangered Species Carousel, Polar Bear Passage, the African Sky Safari, Tiger Terrace, Orangutan Canopy, Tuxedo Grill and Helzberg Penguin Plaza. The original Zoo building was also transformed into what is called Tropics providing up close views of primates, otters, birds and lush tropical plants.

The Kansas City Zoo was honored in “America’s Best Zoos 2008” as one of the top 60 zoos in the United Sates and was ranked No. 1 in the nation for “African Animals and Exhibits.” and ranked in the top 10 in the nation for “Australian Animals and Exhibits” and for “Pachyderms: Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos.” In addition, famed ape expert Jane Goodall complimented that Kansas City has “one of the finest chimpanzee exhibits in North America.” In fact, “America’s Best Zoos 2008” ranked the Kansas City Zoo as the No. 1 zoo in the nation to see both chimpanzees and kangaroos.

The Zoo also features a Sea Lion Show, Keeper Chats, elephant painting demonstrations and many other opportunities for animal encounters. The education department offers campouts, on-site as well as off-site classes and guided tours. Visitors can take a safari boat ride across the lake in the Zoo’s African Plains area where they’ll see hoofstock, including zebra, giraffe and more.

Now a 202-acre nature sanctuary, it is the most useful and accessible resource in the region for bringing urban and suburban families in touch with the diverse habitats, cultures and animals of the natural world. A visit to the Kansas City Zoo is a journey around the world, an interactive experience that utilizes all the senses to entertain, educate and engage visitors of all ages. For many in our community, the Zoo serves as the only link to animals and habitats that remain wild on our planet and opens hearts and minds to the importance of preserving the natural world for generations to come.

Filed Under: Family, Kansas City Tagged With: Kansas City Zoo

The Kansas City Zoo

August 15, 2013 by shelley

The Kansas City Zoo is the perfect place to visit on a summer day before school starts.  Before everyone left to head home  we decided to visit the zoo.  We started the day early since it can get hot in the summer in Kansas City.  The Zoo is open at 8:00 am and closes at 4:00 p.m. during the week but stays open until 5:00 p.m. on weekends.

Close to the front entrance is the polar bear exhibit and it did not disappoint.  You can get up close and personal with a polar bear with only a few inches of acrylic glass separating you and the bear.

Polar Bear Exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo.

Polar Bear Exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo.

Our group near the front entrance heading to the polar bear exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo.

Our group near the front entrance heading to the polar bear exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo.

The polar bear exhibit has recreated glaciers, a large sandbox and open spaces along the banks which create a Polar BearEnvironment of Fun for digging, plunging and napping. This awesome Arctic adventure creates an interactive public connection to these magnificent northern species through above and below water viewing in the 140,000 gallon pool and a climate controlled viewing area with multiple viewing angles.

Polar Bear Exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo

Polar Bear Exhibit at the Kansas City Zoo

Everyone was mesmerized watching Nikita, the 6 year old polar bear, do his flip turns in front of the public viewing area.

Nakita, the polar bear at the Kansas City Zoo does his flip turn in front of the public viewing area.

Nakita, the polar bear at the Kansas City Zoo does his flip turn in front of the public viewing area.

 

Polar Bear Exhibit Kansas City Zoo

Polar Bear Exhibit Kansas City Zoo

Polar Bear Exhibit Kansas City Zoo

Polar Bear Exhibit Kansas City Zoo

One can actually check out the polar bears  24/7 with a webcam.
KCTV5

The Kansas City Zoo started as a dream in 1907.   City activists declared ”An idea to create the largest zoological garden in the United States. There will be nothing better in the world.  Swope Park is an admirable site for this purpose…” An affluent real estate speculator, Thomas Swope, donated land to Kansas City in 1896 for the park. Barron Fradenburg, a wealthy businessman and leading member of the Chamber of Commerce, made a plea that “Kansas City cannot be a metropolitan without a zoological garden.” A Zoological Society was formed.

100- years later, the zoo has  expanded to include more than 200 acres of beautifully landscaped park, the Kansas City Zoo, a private non-profit, is home to 1,000 animals from around the world and has hosted over 2.1 million guests in just the last five years.

 

A beautiful view at the Kansas City Zoo.

A beautiful view at the Kansas City Zoo.

Flowers

Flowers

The carousel was a big hit.  The Kansas City zoo carousel is an Endangered Species Carousel. Thirty-six, hand-carved wooden animals grace the traditionally-styled carousel. Most depict an endangered species. (The carousel is adjacent to the Lorikeet Exhibit, just off the new promenade that runs through the center of the Zoo. )
Carousel animals include a rhino, hippo, chimpanzee, cheetah, koala, dart frog and many more. Plus there are some not-so-endangered – but certainly fun – critters, such as the Mizzou Tiger, Kansas City Royals Lion and UMKC Kangaroo.

Henry, Adam and Caroline

Henry, Adam and Caroline

Miriam and Nial

Miriam and Nial

Becca

Becca

Aalia

Aalia

Jack and B.J.

Jack and B.J.

Close Encounters of the Animal Kind in Lobby Auditorium

Henry and Becca get up close and personal after show to touch the reptiles.

Henry and Becca get up close and personal after show to touch the reptiles.

Aalia stars in animal show

Aalia stars in animal show

The Kansas City Zoo was ranked number one in the nation for “African Animals and Exhibits.”
We took the tram to see the Africa exhibit.

Aalia, Jack and Becca waiting for tram.

Aalia, Jack and Becca waiting for tram.

Zain and Henry waiting for tram

Zain and Henry waiting for tram

Adam, Nial, Jen, Caroline and Miriam

Adam, Nial, Jen, Caroline and Miriam

Waiting for tram; Aalia, Becca, Zain, and Henry

Waiting for tram; Aalia, Becca, Zain, and Henry

Jen, Caroline and Miriam

Nial

Nial

Becca on tram

Lions, hippos, cheetah, chimps and more live in Africa, the largest themed exhibit area at the Zoo. Visitor’s will see acres of plains animals, such as zebra, giraffe, gazelles and more.
Next door, lions play along a grassy hillside, and cheetahs run along a ridge. Farther into the exhibit, gorillas cool themselves under shady trees, and hippos dip and dive in a water pool.

Chimpanzees climb in a forest of trees. Baboons scavenge the ground looking for treats, while rhinos cover themselves in mud.

A herd of five African elephants roam the acreage on the way to the Africa exhibit.

Elephant in Africa exhibit of the Kansas City Zoo

Elephant in Africa exhibit of the Kansas City Zoo

Elephants in Africa exhibit of the Kansas City Zoo

Elephants in Africa exhibit of the Kansas City Zoo

Jack

Jack

Becca

Becca

Henry

Henry

Zain, Henry, Nial, Becca, Aalia

Zain, Henry, Nial, Becca, Aalia

Lion exhibit

Lion exhibit

Henry and the Lions

Henry and the Lions

Caroline and Jen

Caroline and Jen

Becca and the Lions

Becca and the Lions

Giraffe

Giraffe

Zain

Zain

Hippo

Hippo

 

Snack shop was our last stop with a ride on the coin operated zoo car.

Becca also takes a ride.

Becca also takes a ride.

Henry

Henry riding on coin operated zoo car.

Henry riding on coin operated zoo car.

2013 KCZoo Map

Filed Under: Family, Kansas City Tagged With: Elephants, Kansas City Zoo, Lions, Polar Bears, Summer day

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I'm Shelley. Mom of three and grandma of eight... living right in the middle of the country, Kansas City! I'm happy to be alive and enjoy sharing exciting goodies that I find and make. Here you will find ideas for LDS Young Women's activities, family updates, and a compilation of all things wonderful.

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