Buffalo Zoo

The Buffalo Zoo evolved from a menagerie of unusual animals into an educational institution focused on conservation, breeding, and the reproduction of endangered species, and it has reintroduced some endangered animals to their native habitats. It began in 1870 when a pair of deer was presented to the City of Buffalo, and in 1875 Elam R. Jewett housed them on his grounds at the corner of Jewett and Parkside Avenues, where the Buffalo Zoological Gardens was established and its first permanent building was erected. Sheep were added to keep the meadow mowed, followed by bison, elk, and a cow, and public awareness later grew as many animals were donated. Bear pits were created in 1890, Frank J. Thompson became the first zoo curator in 1895, Francis Crandall was hired in 1898 and served for 36 years, and Big Frank, the first elephant, arrived in 1901 in time for the Pan-American Exhibition; the Elephant House built for him in 1912 still stands. Located in Delaware Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the zoo was redeveloped beginning in 1935 by the Works Progress Administration, which built many of the natural stone structures that contributed to the park's nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. Marlin Perkins was hired as curator in 1938, the Reptile House opened in 1942 and was declared the finest in America, gorillas arrived in the 1960s, and the Children's Zoo, Giraffe House, and Animal Hospital opened. The Zoological Society was incorporated in 1931, took over zoo operations in 1973, and by the 1980s the emphasis had shifted from the number of animals to breeding and reproduction. In 2002, a master plan called for major new exhibits and visitor facilities organized around the theme of water, using realistic, immersive animal enclosures to deepen appreciation for animals, their behaviors, and the shared world of water linking plants, animals, and human cultures.

Buffalo, New York · United States