The historic Ross Park Zoo is the fifth oldest in America, and in 2025 will celebrate their 150th anniversary. Home to a range of wildlife, the zoo is one of only 49 facilities in the United States working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect and restore red wolves in the wild. In 2023, a $250,000 Assembly grant along with a grant from the George and Margaret Mee Foundation helped pay for extensive upgrades Wolf Woods and other animal habitats as well as make essential infrastructure repairs.
At Wolf Woods, the addition of insulation, new walls and flooring, and wheelchair accessible ramps created a more comfortable, accessible, year-round viewing experience for guests while maintaining a safe and natural habitat for the wolves. The binturong habitat received new roofing and a new viewing area while the Cats of Asia building had its roofs replaced and saw the addition of a new viewing area. Preserving our area’s unique history is a priority, and these upgrades will help ensure this historic zoo will be enjoyed for years to come.