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Saint Louis Zoo
DESCRIPTION: The 90-acre Saint Louis Zoo has been named America’s #1 zoo (Zagat Survey’s U.S. Family Travel Guide with Parenting magazine). With more than 22,805 exotic animals, many of them rare and endangered, the Zoo’s collection represents the major continents and habitats of the world. The Zoo is also a leader in natural exhibits and an active participant in wildlife conservation.
ADDRESS: One Government Drive, St. Louis, MO 63110
LOCATION: Forest Park, six miles west of downtown St. Louis.
PHONE NUMBER:314-781-0900; Toll-free 1-800-966-8877
WEB SITE: www.stlzoo.org
SLOGAN: Animals Always
GETTING THERE: From downtown, take I-64 west to Exit 34D. To South Entrance, turn left onto Wells Drive, follow signs to Zoo. To North Entrance, merge onto Concourse Drive, turn left onto Washington Drive, then left on Government Drive and proceed 3/10 of a mile to the zoo.
METROLINK: Take MetroLink light rail to the Forest Park station where you catch the #58, #90 or #93 bus to the Zoo.
HOURS:9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
SUMMER HOURS: Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
ADMISSION: Free
ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 3 million
WHAT’S NEW: In 2007 the Zoo opened a new state-of-the art Animal Nutrition Center. The building is closed to the public however visitors can watch the nutrition staff through a bank of windows as they prepare diets for the animals.
The world’s largest public zoo sculpture debuted at the Zoo in May 2006. Called “Animals Always,” the 200-ton sculpture is 130-feet long, 36-feet tall and eight feet deep. It features more than 1,300 elements including 60 sculpted animals among trees and plant life. Noted artist Albert Paley is the sculptor. His work is also found in the permanent collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Also new is the addition of Build-a-Bear Workshop at the Zoo. The store where visitors can stuff and dress their own animals is the first at a visitor attraction for the St. Louis-based company. The Zoo debuted Fragile Forest, a captivating new outdoor home for the Zoo’s great apes – chimpanzees, orangutans and gorillas in late 2005. As visitors walk down meandering pathways through lush vegetation, they’ll see fascinating social interaction in these family groups. In 2004, the Zoo opened Cypress Swamp – inside the historic 1904 World’s Fair flight cage – showcasing animals native to southern Missouri and Illinois. Also new at the Zoo is a Conservation Carousel with hand-carved animal figures of endangered species. In 2003, the Zoo opened a first-of-its-kind walk-through habitat for ocean-going birds, Penguin & Puffin Coast. It joins other new Zoo features including the River’s Edge animal habitat with its amazing underwater hippo viewing area, the Insectarium with its butterfly dome, and the recently renovated Children’s Zoo. The Insectarium gives visitors a larger-than-life look at a bug’s life. Visitors can learn about 100 species of invertebrates through 20 interactive exhibits, then walk through a geodesic dome filled with free-flying butterflies and other dazzlers. River’s Edge, a winding waterway devoted to animals that live along the rivers of the world, is home to the Zoo’s elephant family – including Raja, the Zoo’s popular Asian elephant – as well as cheetahs, rhinos, Red River hogs and many more. The latest addition to the River’s Ridge, “Hippo Harbor,” provides a viewing area that lets visitors peek at the underwater antics of four handsome hippos.
HIGHLIGHTS:
- Sea Lion Show sea lion superstars Alex, Roby and Bennie, along with Elaine and Rosie, show off their natural abilities with front flipper walks, balancing acts, hurdle jumps in the water, Frisbee throws and lots of splashing! They also pass along an important conservation message when they recycle objects that may clutter up our oceans.
- Penguin & Puffin Coast fun loving sea birds can be seen swimming, diving underwater in this unique new exhibit. Humboldt, rockhopper, gentoo and king penguins from the Southern Hemisphere, along with horned and tufted puffins from the Northern Hemisphere.
- River's Edge features a lush spacious home for Asian elephants, hippos (with underwater viewing), cheetahs, black rhinos, red river hops, spotted hyenas, bush dogs, carmine bee-eater birds and more.
- Fragile Forest new outdoor summer habitat for chimpanzees, orangutans and lowland gorillas. During winter, visit the apes in their indoor home at Jungle of the Apes.
- Jungle of the Apes gives visitors a look at the larger apes in a lush tropical and a close-up look indoors at chimpanzees and orangutans. It reopened after a renovation in 2006.
- Big Cat Country houses powerful predators -- Amur tigers, African lions, Amur leopards, snow leopards, jaguars and cougars -- in spacious outdoor surroundings.
- The Bear Pits, an open-mooted exhibit popular with visitors, were a "first" in zoo architecture in the 1920's. The pits are molded from limestone found along the Mississippi River.
- In the Children’s Zoo, kids can meet animals up close, zoom down a slide through an otter exhibit, see live animal shows. At the play ground, kids can swing on rope vines like monkeys, climb on a giant spider, splash in the water geysers. See tree kangaroos, naked mole rats, meerkats, fennec foxes and more. Admission fee applies for Children's Zoo.
WHAT'S COOL: Penguin and Puffin Coast is always a chilly temp and features close-up water views of these fun-loving sea birds. The Zooline Railroad’s 20-minute narrated tour weaves through tunnels and past favorite animal exhibits on a 1½-mile round trip with four stops. There is a charge to ride the Zooline Railroad. Zoo Friends receive free train rides with membership. Groups of 15 or more receive discounted rates. Since opening in 1963, the Zooline Railroad has transported more than 27 million visitors. A round trip on the Zooline Railroad is $4.00. Zoo Friends receive free train rides with membership. Groups of 15 or more receive discounted rates. Visitors can ride the complete route at one time or get off at any of four stops and reboard using the same ticket until completing the circle. Conservation Carousel features 64 beautiful hand-carved wooden animal figures representing protected and endangered species at the Saint Louis Zoo. Admission of $2.00 per person helps support the Zoo's conservation efforts around the world.
ANNUAL SPECIAL EVENTS:
- Memorial Weekend through Labor Day
-- Summer Zoo Evening: Zoo open extended hour 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
-- Jungle Boogie Friday Night Concert Series for the whole family 5 - 7 p.m. - Make Tracks for the Zoo is the zoo's annual walk/run held each June.
- Ottertoberfest in October features activities for kids.
- Pumpkin Prowl Nights and Boo at the Zoo are popular non-scary Halloween events for kids.
- During December the Zoo is dressed in holiday lights for a special event called Wild Lights.
HISTORY: The Smithsonian Institute erected a large walk-through birdcage filled with hundreds of exotic birds in Forest Park for the 1904 World's Fair. After the Fair, St. Louis purchased the cage, and it and other animal exhibits attracted visitors to the park leading to the establishment of the Zoo in 1913. In 1916 the citizens voted to tax themselves to construct the Zoo. The Zoo/Museum tax is a property tax paid by residents of the St. Louis area and in 1972 voter approved the creation of the Zoo/Museum Tax District so admission could remain free.
HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY: All major facilities and most restrooms are wheelchair accessible. Wheelchairs and strollers can be rented at Guest Services. Each Zooline train can carry one wheelchair.
GIFT SHOP: Distinctive gifts with animal themes are available at the Zootique in the Living World and at the Safari Shop at the South Gate. Souvenirs and apparel are available at other shops and carts on the grounds.
WHERE TO GET LUNCH: Lakeside Café and River Camp serve burgers, hot dogs and such while The Painted Giraffe Café in the Living World features distinctive sandwiches and salads.
WHAT'S NEARBY: Forest Park is home to several other major attractions -- the Saint Louis Art Museum, the Saint Louis Science Center, the Missouri History Museum and The Muny outdoor theatre. The park also offers miles of jogging, biking and skating paths, two golf courses and a lake for paddleboat and gondola rides.
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Janet Powell, 314-781-0900, ext. 233, powell@stlzoo.org Press room on web site www.stlouiszoo.org/pressroom.
Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com
