Milwaukee County Zoo

Milwaukee County Zoo
Main Entrance
43°1′57.5724″N 88°2′14.64″W / 43.032659000°N 88.0374000°W / 43.032659000; -88.0374000
Date opened	January 16, 1892 (Washington Park site) May 13, 1961 (current site)[1]
Location	10001 W. Bluemound Rd. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Land area	200 acres (81 ha)[1]
No. of animals	3,100[2]
No. of species	350[2]
Annual visitors	1.3 million[2]
Memberships	Association of Zoos and Aquariums[3]
Major exhibits	Aviary Apes of Africa/Primates of the World Aquatic and Reptile Center Small Mammal Building Large Mammals Northwestern Mutual Family Farm
Public transit access	MCTS Waukesha Metro
Website	www.milwaukeezoo.org

The Milwaukee County Zoo is a zoo in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, operated by the Milwaukee County Parks Commission and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.^[3] The zoo averages about 1.3 million visitors a year.^[2] The zoo houses 3,100 animals from 350 species^[2] and covers an area of 190 acres (77 ha).^[4] The zoo is noted for the second birth of polar bears^[5] and siamangs^[6] in captivity and for their locally famous gorilla Samson, who lived from 1950 to 1981 and whose bones are now on display at the Milwaukee Public Museum. During World War II, a celebrity animal of the zoo was Gertie the Duck and her ducklings.^[7] The zoo is also home to one of the largest group of bonobos in one location outside their native Democratic Republic of the Congo,^[8] and has two cheetahs from the National Zoo in Washington, DC.^[9]