Spring Break
Zoo welcomes new friends
BJ Allen
Issue date: 6/1/09 Section: Culture
Saki monkeys, golden lion tamarinds and blue monkeys climb the trees while small-clawed otters swim below.
The tropics exhibit opened on May 1 at the Kansas City Zoo celebrating the zoo's 100th anniversary.
It is located in the only original building, which was built in 1909.
The exhibit also features several capybaras, an animal that looks like an enormous guinea pig.
The exhibit's winged friends include such species as the crested screamers.
With 8,000 square feet of exhibit space for guests, and another 5,000 square feet for the trainers, the climate-controlled building provides entertainment at the zoo even on rainy days.
The exhibit has a glass overhead walkway for the animals and a stream that flows beneath and gives the animals full access to wander.
The zoo has gone through many expansions since its opening.
The Africa exhibit alone has added more than a mile of walkway. They have added exhibits from Australia and Asia.
The zoo has also done work on the Discovery Barn, a building focused on family and learning.
An exciting feature to the Discovery Barn is the two-story slide.
The expansions aren't done yet. In 2010, the zoo has received approval from voters to bring in a polar bear exhibit.
The zoo continues to expand every year, and currently has more than 200 acres of park.
The Zoo Learning Center (ZLC) has also been created in the past year.
It has four classrooms for students, and also includes a library and wet labs.
The center is designed for education and is part of one of the largest remodeling projects at the zoo in the past 10 years.
The ZLC also includes an 8,000 cubic feet aquarium that is not open for general viewing.
The aquarium holds many fish native to Missouri. The aquarium room and the upper sunroom are available for rent.
ballen@unews.com
The tropics exhibit opened on May 1 at the Kansas City Zoo celebrating the zoo's 100th anniversary.
It is located in the only original building, which was built in 1909.
The exhibit also features several capybaras, an animal that looks like an enormous guinea pig.
The exhibit's winged friends include such species as the crested screamers.
With 8,000 square feet of exhibit space for guests, and another 5,000 square feet for the trainers, the climate-controlled building provides entertainment at the zoo even on rainy days.
The exhibit has a glass overhead walkway for the animals and a stream that flows beneath and gives the animals full access to wander.
The zoo has gone through many expansions since its opening.
The Africa exhibit alone has added more than a mile of walkway. They have added exhibits from Australia and Asia.
The zoo has also done work on the Discovery Barn, a building focused on family and learning.
An exciting feature to the Discovery Barn is the two-story slide.
The expansions aren't done yet. In 2010, the zoo has received approval from voters to bring in a polar bear exhibit.
The zoo continues to expand every year, and currently has more than 200 acres of park.
The Zoo Learning Center (ZLC) has also been created in the past year.
It has four classrooms for students, and also includes a library and wet labs.
The center is designed for education and is part of one of the largest remodeling projects at the zoo in the past 10 years.
The ZLC also includes an 8,000 cubic feet aquarium that is not open for general viewing.
The aquarium holds many fish native to Missouri. The aquarium room and the upper sunroom are available for rent.
ballen@unews.com
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