The Alaska Zoo
Posted by: Megadrile
N 61° 07.412 W 149° 47.643
6V E 349500 N 6779761
The Alaska Zoo in Anchorage features Arctic and sub-Arctic animals.
Waymark Code: WM3CQ5
Location: Alaska, United States
Date Posted: 03/16/2008
Views: 22
How does a Zoo start? In Alaska, as with everything here, there is a story behind it...
In 1966, the Crown Zellerbach paper company held a contest. The grand prize catch phrase was "win $3,000 or a baby elephant." The contest winner, a local grocer, surprised everyone when he chose the elephant! So a two-year-old female Asian elephant was brought to Alaska. Eventually the grocer offered the elephant to Mrs. Sammye Seawell, who owned the Diamond H horse ranch where the elephant had been kept previously (they had the only heated stalls).
As the local community became increasingly interested in visiting Annabelle, Mrs. Seawell began to realize that Anchorage needed a place where the public could visit animals and learn about them. In 1968, she led a small group of supporters in forming a non-profit corporation. In 1969, the Alaska Children's Zoo opened, taking in orphaned and injured animals that needed homes. Over 30 years later, the zoo is still committed to this mission with many of the animals on display part of the rehabilatative effort.
Today, the Alaska Zoo sits on 25 wooded acres located in the beautiful hillside area of Anchorage, home to just under 100 birds and mammals. The zoo is one of the most visited attractions in the state, with an annual attendance of close to 200,000 visitors.
Zoo Website address: [Web Link]
Admission Cost: 10.00 (listed in local currency)
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Visit Instructions:
Please tell us a story about your visit to the zoo and the date of your visit. Additional photos, especially animals, are appreciated, but not required.