The Bronx Zoo, opened in 1899 in Bronx Park, grew from the New York Zoological Society into one of the United States’ largest and best-known zoos, combining expansive naturalistic habitats with a mission of zoological study and wildlife preservation. Its historic core includes Astor Court, the Rainey Memorial Gates, and the Rockefeller Fountain. Under first director William Temple Hornaday, it helped shape modern zoo conservation, notably through the 1905 American Bison Society and later species reintroductions. The zoo also marked milestones in zoo history, from building the world’s first zoo animal hospital in 1916 to introducing unusual species to American audiences, while its past includes the racist 1906 display of Ota Benga.