“Everybody thinks it’s adorable,” DeMaar said. “It is considered to be threatened because of all the human impacts to its ecosystem,” DeMaar said.Īs the shy baby pygmy hippo becomes braver over time, DeMaar told the Herald it will continue to bring joy to zoo-goers from across the Rio Grande Valley. He said pygmy hippos are currently being threatened by habitat destruction, waterway changes, hunters and climate change, but some have found their home at the zoo. They are inseparable.”Īccording to DeMaar, the pygmy hippo is so rare that experts aren’t even sure how many exist. “Mom disapproves of us cuddling the baby. “We did not weigh the baby because mom is very protective of (the) baby,” DeMaar told the newspaper. Are you ready to see monkeys, exotic birds and lifelike dinosaurs One of the top-rated zoos in the U.S., Gladys Porter Zoo has new and updated exhibits. DeMaar told the Herald that he is unsure of the calf’s gender, but believes it is female. The Education department was also expanded in 1989 and a walk-through aviary (Zack's Aerie, made possible by private donations) was also opened.A new baby of one of the world’s most elusive animals made its debut at a zoo in the Rio Grande Valley, according to The Brownsville Herald.Īn unnamed five-month-old baby pygmy hippo was introduced to the public at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville on April 10 and can now be seen at the exhibit with its mother, Clover, and its father, Juanito. The Australian exhibit opened in February 1988 - the largest addition to the zoo since its opening. Income from this permanent endowment now ensures that the zoo can maintain and improve itself. Sams (dollar for dollar up to $2 million) and the Lightner Sams Foundation (dollar for dollar up to $1 million). In 1986, the zoo created an endowment fund with the help of matching grants from the Earl C. Most of these projects were made possible by the zoo's annual Zoofari fundraisers. In subsequent years, Orangutan Island was enlarged, the Herpetarium was expanded with a new aquatic wing, and many other exhibits as well as facilities such as the gift shop, offices, and concession stands were remodeled or added. The zoo also received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1978. With 26 acres of lush tropical plants and some 1,600 animals. Although only four classes were taught that summer, the program has expanded over the years and now includes classes in the spring and fall as well as summer. Gladys Porter Zoo is an oasis nestled in South Texas. In 1978, the zoo launched its summer study programs on a trial basis with classes for children in grades 1 through 12. The naturalistic exhibits at the zoo won the 1979 Texas Building Branch of Associated General Contractors Outstanding Construction Award. The zoo published the first issue of its Zoo News (its official newsletter and now a quarterly publication) in January 1972. The zoo has been the single largest recipient from the foundation funds established by Sams. The first addition to its exhibits was the Herpetarium, which opened in April 1973. Sams Foundation to the City of Brownsville. The zoo was planned, built, stocked, and given by the Earl C. After its opening, the zoo was given to the city of Brownsville. Porter, a wildlife enthusiast, helped to plan and stock the zoo, which was entirely funded by the Earl C. FREE Admission to over 100 Zoos nationwide FREE Parking in our limited access lot, space permitting FREE Subscription to our quarterly newsletter, Zoo News. The zoo is named after Gladys Porter, the daughter of Earl C. It is also the birthplace of Harambe, the gorilla. It is the first zoo to have successfully bred the endangered Jentink's duiker (although none are currently in captivity in the US). Situated on 31 acres (13 ha), the zoo houses about 400 animal species (including 47 endangered species) and over 250 tropical and neo-tropical species and subspecies. The zoo officially opened on September 3, 1971, and currently averages over 424,000 visitors annually. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ - On Wednesday, October 12, 2011, Gladys Porter Zoo animal staff departed for a trip north to Welland, Ontario. Gladys Porter Zoo is a zoological and botanical park located in Brownsville, Texas, United States.
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