Change Must Start Now But Suffering May Continue For Decades
There is no obvious solution for Happy unless the zoo itself makes the right decision and chooses to free her from her solitary confinement and send her to a credible sanctuary where she can live out her days in relative freedom. This is a process which could begin if zoo officials reached out to those who want the best for Happy and seriously considered allowing her to be moved, yet, none such movement has been made. Happys sad story is a poignant reminder that keeping elephants in zoos will not be phased out overnight and even if all the zoos made the right decision tomorrow, elephant-free zoos are still decades away while those already in captivity live out their lives.
What seems clear is that the first step needs to be taken if Happys suffering in captivity is ever going to end. The Bronx Zoo is incentivized to continue holding Happy captive because her presence still draws visitors who are willing to pay to see her. We can all take action to help this establishment act in the best interest of this suffering elephant and make good on their promise to phase out their elephant program. They might have put an end to breeding and acquiring new animals, but the continued existence of the elephant exhibit certainly does not spell and end to their captivity.
Together, we can work to get this deserving elephant a truly happy ending.
Lead image source: marada/Flickr
Bronx Zooenjoy A Winter Visit To The Bronx Zoo
During the colder months, the zoo is a winter wonderland offering amazing experiences outdoors and inside. This guide will help you make the most of your winters day at the zoo.
For some Bronx Zoo animals, winter is where its at – and the chilly months are prime-time viewing season for catching cold-weather critters at their most active, and for getting some fresh air outdoors with your family. The Bronx Zoos Siberian tigers, sea lions, snow leopards, and Magellanic penguins are among the animals who consider winter weather just fine for a romp or splash in the outdoors. These species have all adapted to live in climates that can be considerably colder than that of New York, and a snowy morning in the Bronx suits them just fine. Youre also welcome to warm up with some hot chocolate or enjoy the tropical environments of and Madagascar!
Express Bus From Manhattan
You can take the BxM11 express bus from Manhattan to travel to Bronx Zoo NYC.
It makes a few initials stops along Madison Avenue between 26th Street and 99th Street. After that, it travels directly to the zoos Bronx River entrance, also known as Gate B.
On your way back, you can catch the bus just outside the same gate at the MTA BXM11 sign, which is just before the underpass.
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Free Exhibits And Attractions
- African Plains
- World of Reptiles
- Zoo Center
As of 2010, the Bronx Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals of 650 species, many of which are endangered or threatened. Some of its exhibits, such as World of Birds and World of Reptiles, are arranged by taxonomy, while others, such as African Plains and the Wild Asian Monorail, are arranged geographically.
Astor Court
Astor Court is an old section of the zoo that is home to many of the zoo’s original buildings, designed by Heins & LaFarge. While most of the buildings are closed to the public, the former Lion House was reopened as the “Madagascar!” exhibit in 2008, and the Zoo Center still exhibits various species. The highlight of the area is the historic sea lion pool featuring California sea lions. Small aviaries featuring small bird species can be found nearby and white-headed capuchins can be seen behind the old Monkey House.
The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated Astor Court’s buildings as a city landmark in 2000, after a failed attempt to do so in 1966.
African Plains
Until 2009, the southwestern corner of African Plains was home to the endangered Arabian oryx and blesbok. Due to budget cuts and the unpopularity of the species with visitors, they were phased-out of the collection. This section of the exhibit remains empty. In 2017 they received two baby cheetahs from the San Diego Zoo. Cheetahs are now part of their animal encounter programs. They were replaced by the hyenas.
Court Rejects Civil Rights Group’s Effort To Free Elephant In Bronx Zoo Ruling She Is Not Entitled To Same Rights As A ‘person’
New York’s highest court ruled Tuesday that an elephant at the Bronx Zoo is not a “person” and that the civil rights group fighting for her release to a sanctuary is not entitled to do so on her behalf.
CNN’s Benjamin Schiller contributed to this report
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Come In From The Cold: Jungleworld* And Madagascar
Ready to warm up? The steaming rainforests of are home to swinging gibbons, capering otters, vibrant fire-bellied toads, and distinctive pig-nosed Fly River turtles. Over in Astor Court, Madagascar! is your passport to one of the most exciting and exotic wild corners of the planet, where youll spend quality time with lemurs, Nile crocodiles, and fossas, among others.
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Evidence-based explanations of the Covid-19 pandemic, including how it started, how it might end, and how to protect yourself and others.
A tiger at New York Citys Bronx Zoo has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, officials at the US Department of Agriculture said Sunday, raising new questions about how the virus that causes Covid-19 spreads in animals, and whether other animals are at risk of becoming infected with the virus.
The Bronx Zoos tiger a 4-year-old Malayan tiger named Nadia is the first animal in the US and the first non-domesticated animal globally to have a confirmed Covid-19 case. At least two pets, a cat and a dog, were infected in Hong Kong and a cat in Belgium is also believed to have had the virus. All of the pets were owned by people with confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Zoo officials believe the cat as well as her sister, two Amur tigers, and three African lions that are all exhibiting similar symptoms may have been infected by a caretaker who has the virus but is asymptomatic, given that the zoo has been closed to the public since March 16.
Its the first time, to our knowledge, that a animal has gotten sick from Covid-19 from a person, Paul Calle, chief veterinarian for the Bronx Zoo, said Sunday.
Heres what we know and dont about Nadia, and how Covid-19 spreads in animals.
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American Animals At The Bronx Zoo
Whats really unique about The Bronx Zoo is that theres a large selection of animals that are native to the United States. You not only see the classic zoo animals, like zebras and giraffes but theres also a herd of American bison, some grizzly bears and even bald eagles. If youre in doubt about which New York zoo to visit and youre looking for the most impressive animals, you should definitely choose The Bronx Zoo.
Animals At The Nyc Bronx Zoo
Since it opened in 1899, the Bronx Zoo has been one of New York’s most beloved tourist attractions. Discover some of the most beautiful wild animals that have amazed the public for generations!
Isabel Catalán
9 min read
If you are spending a few days in New York and you have enough free time I recommend you to visit the Bronx Zoo. Located north of Manhattan, in the Bronx Park, is the largest urban zoo in the United States in which live about 6,000 animals belonging to 700 different species. That is why this visit is one of the things to see and do in New York.
The curious thing about this zoo is that it took advantage of its great extension to rebuild on its grounds the habitats of the animals that inhabit it. This way they were able to reduce the use of cages and mix different species that could coexist to create an environment similar to the one they would have in freedom. Would you like to meet some of them before visiting the Bronx Zoo? Keep reading!
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Seven More Big Cats Test Positive For Coronavirus At Bronx Zoo
Following a National Geographic inquiry, the zoo confirms that four more tigers and three lions have the virus. This comes the same day as two pet cats in New York become the first in the U.S. to test positive.
Four more tigers and three lions at the Bronx Zoo in New York City have tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19, the zoo announced Wednesday afternoon, following a National Geographic inquiry. This comes nearly three weeks after one tiger at the zoo was confirmed to have the virus and six other cats were said to be exhibiting symptoms.
The diagnosis of the tiger, named Nadia, represented the first time, to our knowledge, that a animal has gotten sick from COVID-19 from a person, Paul Calle, chief veterinarian for the Bronx Zoo, said April 5. The big cats likely contracted the coronavirus from an infected but asymptomatic zookeeper whose identity is unknown, Calle says: Its the only thing that makes sense. Calle says.
It is not clear when the additional tests on the three lions and four tigers were conducted or when the zoo received the results a zoo spokesperson did not respond to questions about the timing. The USDA did not respond to National Geographics request for comment by press time.
Visiting The Bronx Zoo Exhibits And Tickets
Some current exhibits include the 4-D Theater featuring Rio, Bug Carousel, Congo Gorilla Forest, JungleWorld, Childrens Zoo , Butterfly Garden , Madagascar and Tiger Mountain, all of which let you experience the wonder of wildlife in naturalistic settings and meet exotic, endangered animals from around the globe.
The Zoo Shuttle helps you see more of the campus, taking you from one end of the park to the other while the Wild Asia Monorail takes you on a ride past elephants, rhinos, wild horses and more.
If youve been home watching Animal Planets The Zoo with your kids, then visiting the Bronx is an absolute must! What kid doesnt love to see something theyve done or a place theyve been on TV?
Congo Gorilla Forest This replica of an African mountain rain forest has provided the primates with a setting almost indistinguishable from their native area. The 6.5 acre re-creation has treetop lookouts, lush greenery, and hundreds of animals. There are black and white Colobus monkeys, red-river hogs, and two troops of lowland gorillas over 50,000 square feet. The shady forest dotted with bamboo thickets and sunny meadows houses 400 species of plant in addition to the many animals. The exhibit trail is nearly 1/3 mile long and home to the first gorilla born in New York City. Open year-round.
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Bronx Zoo And New York Botanical Garden
Next to The Bronx Zoo, you find the New York Botanical Garden. These two attractions are therefore great to combine. I would recommend starting at the Botanical Garden. You can easily get here by taking subway trains 4 or D to Bedford Park Boulevard and from there walk in about 15 minutes to the north entrance of the garden. If you visit the garden from north to south, you can exit at what is actually the main entrance. From there you can walk to the Belmont entrance of the Bronx Zoo, which is located at 2348 Southern Boulevard.
Looking For More Outdoor Exhibits
The highlights above should help you have a great two-to-three hour outdoors experience, but if you have more time theres always an amazing animal around the next corner. Be sure to check out the American bison to learn about the role WCS played in saving them from extinction, the flamingos at Dancing Crane Plaza, the waterfowl at Northern Ponds, and more.
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How To Get To The Bronx Zoo
The fastest way to get to the Bronx Zoo is to take a cab or public transportation. If for budget reasons you choose the second option, I advise you to take the subway or the express bus . Here you have a guide about the New York subway that you may find useful.
As the saying goes, “all roads lead to Rome” but not for the same money. Of the above mentioned, the subway is the cheapest option while the express bus ticket costs a bit more . Keep this in mind when planning your visit!
A Little Penguin In A Big Big World
This blue baby penguin is the first of its species to be born at the Bronx Zoo, joining a family of 24 little blue penguins that made their debut at zoo last year. Little penguins, also known as blue penguins, little blue penguins, or fairy penguins, grow to about 13 inches tall and weigh two to three pounds as adults.
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When Is The Bronx Zoo Closed
Bronx Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Years Day, and Martin Luther King Jr.
The Bronx Zoo in New York is amongst the oldest, largest, and most popular zoos in the United States.
It tends to draw large crowds, especially during peak season.
The best time to reach Bronx Zoo is as soon as they open for the day at 10 am.
When you start early, you can beat the crowds and queues at the exhibits.
The animals are more visible during the early morning and may recede to shaded areas as the day gets hotter.
Weekends and Public holidays tend to draw a larger crowd to the Bronx Zoo since it is easily accessible from the tri-state area.
Buying the tickets in advance helps avoid the crowd.
The Most Dangerous Animal In The World
The Most Dangerous Animal in the World exhibit debuted at the Bronx Zoo on April 26, 1963. The exhibit was installed at the Great Apes House and it featured a statement about the danger humans pose.
The words: “The Most Dangerous Animal in the World” were printed in red on top of a cage. Behind the bars of the cage there was a mirror. The exhibit was reportedly still at the zoo in 1981.
- Asia Gate Boston Road
- Bronx River Parkway Gate
- Fordham Road Gate
- Southern Boulevard Gate
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Visiting The Bronx Zoo
Coming from Manhattan, the quickest way to get to the zoo is to take express bus BxM11. You can hop on at one of the bus stops at Madison Avenue, for example, the one at the corner of Madison Avenue and E 39 Street, and pay with a Pay-Per-Ride MetroCard or Apple Pay on your phone, connected to a credit card. You can get off at the stop named Bronx River Pkwy & Bronx Zoo Entrance. The Bronx Zoo opens at 10:00 and closes its doors between 16:30 and 17:30, depending on the season. As the park is quite big, I would recommend you to have a look at the map and plan your route beforehand.
Erics Tip:
Exhibits Closed After The 1990s
World of Darkness
World of Darkness opened in 1969 and was the world’s first major exhibit designed specifically to introduce the public to nocturnal animals such as the Chinese leopard cat , bay duiker, Pallas’s long-tongued bat, spiny mouse, lesser mouse lemur, small spotted genet, lesser spear-nosed bats, spotted skunk, fat-tailed lemursJamaican fruit bat, Mohol bushbaby, cloud rat, Hoffman’s two-toed sloth, rock cavy, pygmy slow loris, short-tailed bats, striped skunk, grey-legged night monkey, sand cat, Rodriguez flying fox, brush-tailed porcupine, broad-snouted caiman, sand boa and . Built by Morris Ketchum Jr. & Associates, the house was built where the zoo’s Rocking Stone Restaurant stood until 1942. The exhibit used red-lights to dimly illuminate the enclosures within the windowless building. Like all nocturnal exhibits, the house ran on a reversed lighting schedule, which simulated night and day at opposite times to allow visitors to view nocturnal animals in a more naturalistic setting. Due to budget cuts and the high cost of running the exhibit, it was closed in 2009.
Rare Animal Range
Skyfari
Monkey House
Some of the primates that were in the now-closed exhibit have been moved to other parts of the zoo, such as the cotton-top tamarins now being found in World of Birds others were sent to other New York City zoos, such as the sakis being moved to the Central Park Zoo. White-headed capuchins can still be seen in an outdoor cage behind the building.
4-D Theater
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A World First At The Bronx Zoo
After developing a dry cough in late March, Nadia, a four-year-old Malayan tiger, was tested for the virus on April 2, according to Calle. At that time Nadias sister, two Siberian tigers, and three African lions also had coughs and a loss of appetite. When Nadia started showing symptoms, the veterinary team did a number of diagnostic tests and blood work. Considering whats going on in New York City, we of course did the COVID testing, Calle said. The team took samples at the zoo, after sedating Nadia. They sent the samples for testing to the New York State Diagnostic Laboratory at Cornell University and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. It is not the same type of test that health care providers give to people, Calle said, so there is no competition for testing between these very different situations.
The zoo has all eight catsone of which is not showing symptomsunder veterinary care and expects them to recover, the Wildlife Conservation Society statement says. While its becoming clear humans can pass the disease to some animals, there is currently no evidence that animals can spread the novel coronavirus to people, both the USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say.