Moo at the zoo

Saturday, July 11
The Central Park Zoo’s history is one of chance and convenience for New York residents. It began with the city’s residents’ habit of dumping unwanted animals at the arsenal – ranging from swans to bears. In 1864, the city’s legislature gave the go-ahead for the construction of some permanent structures to house the ever-increasing collection of animals and finally by 1934, funds were made available for the construction of a (then) state-of-the-art facility. The location quickly became a major attraction for visitors to and within the city.

Over the decades, as the zoo’s popularity increased, it became clear that the present construction was insufficient for the city’s needs. In the early 1980s, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the New York’s Parks Department jointly funded the renovation and reconstruction of the zoo’s facilities. In 1985, the improved and modernized zoo was opened focusing on keeping animals in their natural habitat as much as possible, while promoting conservation and animal protection.

They say the Central Park Zoo houses over 130 different species of animals, but on our Saturday morning visit we concentrated on the sea lion feeding and the children's petting zoo area.

The sea lions are a major attraction right in the center of the park. There are two sea lions who perform a variety of tricks a few times per day for their breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Grace watched them closely and even mimicked their "barking" sound!

We also had fun feeding the goats, alpacas, and a big black cow in a specially designed area of the zoo that lets kids get close to the animals. Grace was hesitant at first, but Nana and Big Daddy showed her how to hold her hand out so the animals could get the food. Nana, being a city girl said this was the first time she was that close to a cow!