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Zoos which are no longer open

Discussion in 'Zoo History' started by BDub, 26 Dec 2017.

  1. BDub

    BDub Member

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    Let's create a list of zoos which are no longer open for visitors. Below is a start of what I have come up with. If I am mistaken (such as the zoo is now operating under a different name), please correct my list. Add zoos which you KNOW are closed as well.

    • Acadia Zoo/Kisma Preserve, 446 Bar Harbor Road (Rte. 3), Trenton, ME 04605-5808, kismapreserve.org
    • Clearsprings Aviaries & Zoological Gardens, 5686 IH-35 South, New Braunfels, TX 78132, (830)606-6029
    • Goose River Zoo, Highway 200, Mayville, ND 58257, (701)786-4048
    • Hornocker Wildlife Institute, 301 N. Willson Ave., Bozeman, MT 59715-3502
    • Oakhill Center for Rare & Endangered Species, 19800 East Coffee Creek Road, Luther, OK 73054
    • Pacific Primate Sanctuary, Makawao, Hawaii 96768
    • SEA Discovery Center in Poulsbo, 18743 Front Street NE, Poulsbo, WA 98370
    • Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Zoo, 1911 Gaynor Avenue, Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495
     
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  2. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Busch Gardens (Van Nuys, California, USA)
    California Alligator Farm (Buena Park, California, USA)
    Marineland (Palos Verdes, California, USA)
    Crandon Park Zoo (Miami, Florida, USA)
    Japanese Gardens Deer Farm (Buena Park, California, USA)
    Southern Nevada Zoo (Las Vegas, Nevada, USA)
    Lion Country Safari (Irvine, California, USA)

    I will note that I have personally visited all of these, though Crandon Park only in its closed state (ie with no animals on display)
     
  3. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    @BDub First of all welcome to ZooChat! This is an interesting topic and I hope we get lots of replies (including some from overseas).

    I don't think Hornocker Wildlife Institute was a zoo, was it? I think it was the research institution of Maurice Hornocker who studied wild mountain lions and other big cats.
     
  4. BDub

    BDub Member

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    Thank you, I agree. It would be great if this list could include defunct international zoos as well.
    I think you are correct about Hornocker. Since then, Maurice founded Selway Institute and is now on the board of Lava Lake Institute for Science & Conservation (neither institution is a zoo).
     
  5. Pleistohorse

    Pleistohorse Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Catskill Game Farm (NY)
    Benson’s Wild Animal Park (NH)
    Houlton Game Farm (ME)
    New London Zoo (CT)
    Mohegan Park Zoo (CT)
     
  6. Brum

    Brum Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    UK closed collections, off the top of my head :-
    • Kilverstone
    • Gatwick
    • Southport
    • Belle Vue (Manchester)
    • RSCC (due to be reopened by new owners)
    • Cricket St Thomas
    • Lambton Lion Park
    • Loch Lomond Bear Park
    • Malvern Hills Wildlife Park
    • Glasgow
    Plus lots of others... The above are all recent (last 50 years) closures.

    Older collections included Hull, Cheltenham, Edinburgh (original zoo, not the current one) and The Tower Menagerie.
     
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  7. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    I'd call the upcoming Sandwich Wildlife Park a completely different collection opened on the site of a previous collection rather than a mere re-opening or re-naming. For similar reasons I would argue Birmingham Zoo and Blackbrook Zoo - both collections whose sites are occupied once again - count for the purposes of this thread, as does Lowther Wildlife Country Park.


    A few other recent losses (including one which is still open, but only for another 6 days)

    Chestnut Centre
    Skye Serpentarium
    Galloway Wildlife Park
    Tropical Wings
    Beaver Water World
     
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  8. SealPup

    SealPup Well-Known Member

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    Poole Serpentarium and Riber Castle were former collections of renown, the latter for lynxes and the former for its unmatched herp collection. I'm surprised no one mentioned Penscynor, either.
     
  9. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    In the summer of 1988 I went to Poole with the intention of visiting the Serpentarium. I found the placeonly to see that it had closed a few weeks earlier.
     
  10. Batto

    Batto Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  11. Brum

    Brum Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    You sure about that Rob? I visited in the 90's and it was open then... :p ;)
     
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  12. SealPup

    SealPup Well-Known Member

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    Would be nice if anyone would upload old camcorder footage of deceased collections. It must be hassle but, the record in real time must be more valuable heritage than the static photo gallery.
     
  13. SealPup

    SealPup Well-Known Member

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  14. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Brum, were there two places in Poole? I did not go to Poole in the 1990s.
     
  15. SealPup

    SealPup Well-Known Member

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    I think the collection existed 1976 - 2002?
     
  16. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Lakewood Zoo (Lakewood, WI, USA)

    I visited this zoo when I was little, and don't remember much of it. But the things I do remember were pretty good. I was sad when I heard it closed.
     
  17. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Is the Wisconsin Rapids Zoo permanently closed? Or is it just closed for the season?
     
  18. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    As far as I know, just closed for the season. Have you ever visited this zoo?
     
  19. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    No I have not.
     
  20. bongorob

    bongorob Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    I made a mistake in my dates. It was 2002 when I attempted to visit Poole aquarium.Thank you Brum and Sealpup for pointing out my error. Although I was right when I said I did not goto Poole in the 1990s :D
     
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