The Zoo In Forest Park

History

The Zoo in Forest Park opened in 1894 and was initially run by the city's Parks Department. Animals at the zoo in its first decade included badgers, a bald eagle, bears, a Brazilian marmoset, boars, a buffalo, cockatoos, deer, doves, finches, Java pigeons, a pair of Indian leopards, lions (named Caesar and Calpurnia), lynxes, macaws, monkeys, an ostrich, prairie dogs, a rabbit, red-faced apes, timber wolves, toucans, waterfowl, and a wildcat. Domestic animals included cattle, horses, sheep, and Angora goats. Many of the animals were purchased from the animal show market of Coney Island, although some were donated.

It was not until 1923 that the zoo began systematically labeling animals with their species, name, and origin.

For thirty years, the zoo was curated by Theodor Robert Geisel, father of famous author and illustrator Theodor Seuss Geisel. While working at the zoo, the elder Geisel occasionally gave his son antlers, beaks, and horns from deceased zoo animals, which Seuss would purpose for a rogue taxidermy art collection he titled Unorthodox Taxidermy. The zoo also inspired Seuss's acclaimed children's book If I Ran the Zoo (1950).

During World War II the zoo replaced the standard beef given to carnivores with horse meat. The smaller animals were fed grain, acorns, and stale bread along with their standard vegetables.

Well-known animals over the years included Jiggs the chimpanzee (until 1967), Snowball the polar bear (1951-1979), and Morganetta the elephant (1965-1980). Both Jiggs and Snowball were taxidermied and donated to the Springfield Science Museum.

The zoo faced financial difficulties in the 1970s, leading to many of the animals being sold off. In 1976 the zoo received negative media attention as the result of their inclusion in a book titled Living Trophies: A Shocking Look at the Conditions in America's Zoos. In 1979 a proposal for a new $2.7 million zoo was unveiled, but it received little public support. In 1980 the Springfield Parks Commission officially voted against the proposal.

In early 1982 the zoo was officially demolished in the name of aesthetic improvements. However, a zoo did remain in Forest Park: the James P. Heady Kiddieland Zoo, a petting zoo, which was relocated to elsewhere in the park. After the closing and demolition of the original Forest Park Zoo, the Kiddieland Zoo was often referred to as the Forest Park Zoo. It was eventually expanded, and in 1986 the zoo received a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts government for the redevelopment and relocation of the zoo.

In June 2016 one of the zoo's guenon monkeys, Dizzy, escaped his enclosure and made his way into Forest Park. He was re-captured several days later.

The zoo temporarily closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was able to re-open with restrictions in June 2020.

In 2023 one of the zoo's screech owls, Clint Screechwood, won BonusFinder.com's 'Superb Owl' contest, which came with a $5000 prize for the zoo.

Operations

The zoo operates from late March until early November.

During the hottest days of summer, some animals are kept inside, with the floors of their enclosures kept free of hay, and staff provide animals with ice.

Programs

Adopt an Animal

The Zoo offers the opportunity to become closer to the animals by 'adopting them': assisting in supporting the cost of their food and care. Any individual or group can adopt an animal. Most animals are adopted by more than one person or group.

The program launched in 1989 as a way to raise money for animals' food and veterinary care.

Animals

Most of the animals at the zoo (~85%) are unable to be released in the wild due to injury, illness, or familiarity with humans.

Animals that currently reside at the Zoo In Forest Park and Education Center include:

• African bullfrog
• African common toad
• African pygmy hedgehog
• Alpaca
• American alligator
• American beaver
• Arctic fox
• Argentine black and white tegu
• Axolotl
• Baby Dahl sheep
• Bald eagle (-1913, 2019-)
• Ball python
• Barred owl
• Bearded dragon
• Bennett's wallaby
• Black-handed spider monkey
• Blue-and-yellow macaw
• Blue-tongued skink
• Boa constrictor
• Bobcat
• California kingsnake
• Catalina macaw
• Chinese water dragon
• Common degu (2019-)
• Corn snake
• Cottontail rabbit
• Coyote
• Dromedary camel
• Dumeril's boa
• Emu
• Fennec fox
• Ferret
• Flemish giant rabbit
• Gray fox (2019-)
• Green iguana
• Grey parrot
• Groundhog
• Huarizo
• Indian peafowl
• Leopard
• Leghorn chicken
• Llama
• Long-tailed chinchilla
• Madagascar hissing cockroach
• Miniature donkey
• Miniature horse
• Miniature mule
• Miniature rex rabbit
• Moluccan cockatoo
• Nigerian dwarf goat
• North American porcupine
• Narragansett turkey
• Painted turtle
• Patagonian cavy
• Pekin duck
• Plush-crested jay
• Poitou donkey
• Pot-bellied pig
• Pygmy goat
• Raccoon
• Red-and-green macaw
• Red-eared slider
• Red-footed tortoise
• Red-tailed hawk
• Red fox
• Rhode Island red chicken
• Ring-tailed lemur
• Russian tortoise
• Screech owl
• Serval (2018-)
• Severe macaw
• Short-tailed opossum
• Sika deer
• Silkie chicken
• Six-banded armadillo
• Spotted Leopard Gecko
• Striped skunk
• Sulcata tortoise
• Sulphur-crested cockatoo
• Swedish blue duck
• Timber wolf
• Umbrella cockatoo
• Virginia opossum
• White's tree frog
• Yellow-bellied slider}}

Species that previously resided at the zoo include:

• Antelope
• Chimpanzee, until 1967
• Elephant, until 1980
• Elk
• Gazelle
• Polar bear, until 1979
• Rhinoceros
• Toucan

Events

Brew at the Zoo

Brew at the Zoo is an annual fundraiser featuring local breweries, held since 2017.

Eggstravaganza

Eggstravaganza is the zoo's annual Easter event, held the Saturday before Easter.

Spooky Safari

Spooky Safari is the zoo's annual Halloween event. Stations are set up within the zoo for trick-or-treating, and additional activities like crafts and face painting are also offered. This event is the successor to "Halloween Happening", which first occurred in 1988.

Wine Safari

Wine Safari is an annual fundraiser event held since 2018, where guests taste test different wines and are able to meet animals from the regions where the different wines are produced.

Awards

• 2021: Educational Award of Excellence; Zoological Association of America
• 2022: Educational Award of Excellence; Zoological Association of America

References

References

1. Kinney, Jim. (2019-01-25). "The Zoo in Forest Park preps for 125th anniversary season; promises three new exhibits including eagles".
2. (17 January 1922). "Calpurnia, Queen of Forest Park Zoo, Passes on to Happy Hunting Ground". Springfield Republican.
3. (28 November 1886). "Springfield". Springfield Republican.
4. (2 May 1913). "Bald Eagle Presented to Co H". Springfield Republican.
5. (15 June 1912). "Additions to Park Zoo". Springfield Republican.
6. (26 May 1914). "Mike and Tou-Tou Jealous: Rivals Arrive at the Park". Springfield Republican.
7. (21 June 1914). "Park's Happy Family". Springfield Republican.
8. (28 January 1923). "Animals at Forest Park Zoo to be Properly Labeled". Springfield Republican.
9. (2004). "Your Favorite Seuss". [[Random House]].
10. Lunden, Jeff. (November 17, 2016). "Before His Name Was Known At All, Seuss Put Creatures On The Wall". [[NPR]].
11. (11 July 1943). "No Meat Shortage at Forest Park Zoo". Springfield Republican.
12. Taylor, Miriam. (17 October 1943). "Animals at Forest Park Zoo Thrive on Changed Diet Due to Wartime Rations". Springfield Republican.
13. Goonan, Peter. (2016-07-01). "The Zoo in Forest Park: A happy ending for escapee Dizzy brings back sad memories of Snowball, Morganetta and Jiggs".
14. Osterman, Elsie. (19 June 1990). "Forest Park remains a gathering place, a slice of country". Springfield Republican.
15. (1 February 1981). "African". Springfield Union.
16. Siteman, Linda. (17 December 1980). "Snowball: From cantankerous to cuddly". Springfield Union.
17. Filosi, Penny. (11 February 1982). "Requiem for Forest Park Zoo - only the memories remain". Springfield Union.
18. (9 January 1982). "Zoo demolition set". Springfield Union.
19. Briere, Glenn A.. (5 February 1986). "Grant gives $1 million to zoo". Springfield Union.
20. (22 June 2016). "A Zoo in Massachusetts Can't Seem to Find Its Missing Monkey".
21. DeForge, Jeanette. (2016-06-26). "Dizzy the Monkey captivated Springfield's attention after escaping: What people were Tweeting".
22. (2020-06-08). "Zoo in Forest Park re-opens with certain restrictions".
23. Rotondo, Irene. (2023-02-13). "Superb Owl winner from Springfield Forest Park Zoo is the 'best owl in country'".
24. DeGray, Nick. (2023-02-13). "Clint Screechwood, one-eyed owl from Forest Park Zoo, named Superb Owl 2023 winner".
25. Hickey, Olivia. (26 March 2022). "Visitors head to The Zoo in Forest Park for opening day".
26. (4 November 2019). "THE ZOO IS CLOSED FOR WINTER".
27. Flynn, Anne-Gerard. (2010-07-08). "Wallaby or cow, rabbit or emu, zoo and farm animals get hot too".
28. Pugh, Susannah. (19 February 1991). "Zoo offers cut rate on love - Animal-adoption prices drop". The Republican.
29. "Exhibits".
30. Dobbs, G. Michael. (2019-04-11). "Zoo in Forest Park welcomes bald eagles, 'Jack' and 'Eva'".
31. (2022-07-13). "Meet Arrow, the blue-tongued skink, from the Zoo in Forest Park".
32. (2019-12-26). "Meet the new animal at the Zoo in Forest Park that will by named after Danny".
33. (2019-09-04). "Meet a family of corn snakes and hear about The Zoo in Forest Park's discount days".
34. (2020-12-16). "Meet the fennec fox and check out these unique gift ideas".
35. WWLP-22News. (11 May 2019). "New exhibit at Forest Park Zoo features 3-year-old grey fox 'Gandalf'".
36. (2022-12-14). "Meet Cheese, the leghorn rooster, at the Zoo in Forest Park".
37. (2016-09-01). "Meet Forest Park's cutest porcupine".
38. Goonan, Peter. (2018-07-11). "New 'cats' added as the latest residents at Springfield's Zoo in Forest Park (photos, video)".
39. (2018-03-08). "Zoo in Forest Park gets ready for Easter".
40. (2018-06-21). "Ally the armadillo".
41. (2022-04-13). "The Zoo in Forest Park: Meet Blue Ivy the gecko".
42. (2021-11-10). "Meet Blossom the opossum and learn about the Zoo in Forest Park's upcoming events".
43. Goonan, Peter. (2017-08-24). "More than 250 expected at first ever 'Brew at the Zoo' fundraiser tonight at Springfield's Forest Park".
44. (2022-08-06). "Brew at the Zoo returns to Forest Park".
45. (16 April 2022). "Zoo in Forest Park celebrates Easter with return of Eggstravaganza".
46. "Zoo in Forest Park in Springfield hosts 'Spooky Safari'".
47. Stephenson, Denise. (30 October 1989). "Forest Park Zoo hosts costumed tots". Springfield Republican.
48. (2018-03-30). "Zoo in Forest Park hosts first ever Wine Safari event".
49. (2019-04-26). "Zoo in Forest Park holds third-annual "Wine-Safari"".
50. (24 January 2022). "Forest Park Zoo receives second national award for education programming".