The Lincoln Children's Zoo was the idea of Arnott Folsom in 1959. Today, his granddaughter says that it is exactly what her grandfather envisioned.
In everything they do, they keep the mission in mind - to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things. The animals are not just on exhibit - there are opportunities for close encounters.
The zoo was originally opened as a seasonal zoo - open only Memorial Day through Labor Day. So the buildings were basically summer houses. That meant that some animals had to be moved to other locations for the off months.
The zoo has improved the buildings and made it possible for the animals to be cared for year round. With the expansion, the buildings are constructed in a way that they will be able to care for the animals year-round.
Lincoln Children’s Zoo is home to over 400 animals including snow leopards, red pandas, Humboldt penguins, ring-tailed lemurs, camels and Galapagos tortoises.
Lincoln Children’s Zoo is committed to animal conservation efforts and saving animals from extinction. Home to over 30 endangered animals, the Zoo strives to provide the highest-quality care to these near extinct species. Lincoln Children’s Zoo partners with organizations throughout the world that manage captive animals and wild animals with a goal to create a plan to ensure endangered animals are saved and protected for future generations.
The Zoo is part of the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s Species Survival Plan, which oversees the management of select species with the goal of enhancing conservation in the wild. Species Survival Plan is led by expert advisors who work together to manage the demographic distribution and long-term sustainability of nearly 500 species.
The zoo is #1 in production and breeding of the endangered Matschie's tree kangaroo. They are also one of the lead zoos in raising red pandas.
Of the 2600 licensed zoo exhibitors in the US, only 220 are AZA certified.
They want to be sure that everyone can enjoy the zoo. They give away over 1000 memberships a year and 20,000 individual admission tickets to groups supporting underprivileged families and children such as Lincoln Lighthouse and Cedars.
The zoo staff organizes expeditions and invite the public to join them. They also have some events designed specifically for students and introducing them to the zoo careers and the world of animal care.
John said that the zoo is very involved in the community and they understand how important the community is to the zoo.
Visit the zoo's website for photos, stories and to keep up with the expansion work. https://www.lincolnzoo.org/