It's really cold in Pennsylvania right now - no surprise, it's December. Speaking for myself, I don't do particularly well in the cold, so as I write this post I've bundled myself into a sort of fleece burrito and I'm thinking warm thoughts.
I don't know if I agree that it's always sunny in Philadelphia, but it was definitely sunny the last time I went down there. Over the summer, my husband Kevin and I were startled to learn that my best friend Andrea had - despite growing up an hour away from it - never been to the Philadelphia Zoo. Naturally, this needed to be rectified.
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| The marker is located just outside the zoo's main entrance on West Girard Avenue |
The Philadelphia Zoo is, of course, the oldest zoo in the United States, beating out the Cincinnatti Zoo by a little over a year. The Zoological Society of Philadelphia, which runs the zoo, was first established in 1859. However, the zoo itself didn't open to the public until 1874; the project got delayed by a certain upheaval known as the American Civil War. Today it's the second most popular ticketed attraction in the Philadelphia area, with only Independence Hall receiving more visitors.
The Victorian gate on West Girard Avenue is actually the same one that the zoo's original visitors entered on opening day in 1874. It's been modernized, and sadly you can no longer go in for the low low price of just 25 cents, of course, but it still has the look and charm. It was designed by Civil War veteran Frank Furness. On opening day, the zoo was home to roughly 600 animals - around 200 species of mammals, more than fifty kinds of birds, and several reptiles.
It's changed a lot since then, naturally. The population of the zoo has more than doubled in its lifetime, and it's regarded as one of the world's best places for the breeding of animals, particularly endangered species. It's actually got a long list of historic firsts in that vein - for example, it was home to the first cheetahs ever bred in a zoo (1956), the first echidna born in North America (1983), and the first successful birth of a giant river otter in North America (1985). The zoo is also home to the Penrose Research Lab, which was established in 1901 and was the first of its kind in a zoo. It was founded by and named after Dr. Charles Penrose, who taught at the University of Pennsylvania's medical school, and its purpose is to study the zoo animals after death in order to learn more about keeping them healthy. The lab's earliest work made huge strides in improving nutrition for the animals through these studies, and developed the "Philadelphia Zoocake" in the 1930s; the dietary program which included this nutrient-rich creation led to increased fertility and lifespan for zoo residents.
(One thing which has not changed is the presence of The Solitude, a small colonial mansion within the grounds, which was built by a member of the Penn clan roughly a hundred years before the zoo opened. I'm not going to go into detail about it here, because it has its own marker and so it has its own blog post. They won't let me move in, so this is the best I can do.)
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| We apparently visited the big cat area during naptime |
When we took Andrea, I hadn't been to the zoo in several years. We were so amazed by the changes. Coldilocks and Klondike, the resident polar bears, passed away in the last several years (at much older ages than polar bears usually reach!) and the zoo is still looking into getting new ones; the former polar bear habitat is now home to a flock of Humboldt penguins. It was also our first time seeing "Zoo360," which is a series of walkways and canopies which allow certain animals to travel around the zoo. You can see giant paws sauntering overhead in the Big Cat Crossing, or watch the various primates swing their way along the Treetop Trail. The zoo's position and shape being what it is, expanding is hard, but Zoo360 lets the animals have more freedom while also letting us see them more.
Speaking of more, we got to see Beau, the young giraffe born at the zoo earlier in 2018, whose growth I'd been observing on their Facebook page. He was strutting around the giraffe enclosure with his mother and older sister like the celebrity he is. We also had lunch at Tiger Terrace, near the old Carnivore House and the spot where Rocky proposed to Adrian. (No other zoo can say that!)
One of the most impressive things about the Philadelphia Zoo is how modern its thinking really is. They work with other organizations to stop the illegal smuggling of exotic birds and animals. When birds in the aviary molt, the feathers are gathered and donated to Native American tribes for use in their ceremonial garb. Signage around the zoo is provided not only in words, but also Braille and pictures; special programs and accommodations are provided for very young children and people on the autism spectrum. They really want everyone to be able to enjoy the zoo as much as possible.
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| Beau and his mom |
My one disappointment was learning that the zoo is not currently home to any elephants; I remember the elephants being my favorite when I was younger. As I read later, the last two elephants were sent to a sanctuary in 2009, which shows just how long it had been since I was there. What used to be the site of the Pachyderm House is now the Hamilton Family KidZooU, which replaced the old children's zoo. We don't have kids, so we'd have felt a little weird going in there, but we were pleased to learn that it's a very environmentally conscious part of the zoo, with features like geothermal wells and green roofs.
The Philadelphia Zoo is 42 acres, which is a perfect size for a day's visit. It combines a love of nature and science with the city's pride and history. It was the first of its kind, and it's still one of a kind.
And if you go, be sure to say hi to Beau.
Sources and Further Reading:
Sly, Margery. "A Free and Modern Zoo for Philadelphia." Published on History News - A Temple Libraries' Blog on November 1, 2016.
Philadelphia Zoo on Wikipedia
Philadelphia Zoo at the Historical Marker Database
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Except where indicated, all writing and photography on this blog is the intellectual property of Laura Klotz. This blog is written with permission of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. I am not employed by the PHMC. All rights reserved.
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