Adult (13-64): $9.95 Prospect Park Zoo is located on the eastern side of Prospect Park in Brooklyn. Prospect Park Zoo Address: 450 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11225. [11] There is a freestanding wooden barn just north of the circular group of buildings. The Menagerie continued to accrue animals in the first decades of the 20th century. Prospect Park Zoo is open year-round. The zoo was taken over by the Wildlife Conservation Society who undertook a complete renovation that […] No parking is available at the zoo itself; however, there is street parking on Flatbush Avenue. The main Animal Lifestyles exhibit consists of a troop of hamadryas baboons. "[29] A decade later, a New York Times reporter visiting the zoo noted that "...an Asiatic Black Bear lay on a rock a short distance from a guard rail. Prospect Park Zoo is nice, the kids and adults really enjoyed. He reported that "Vultch", a Southern United States black vulture which was one of the zoo's earliest residents "…is still there, looking down his beak at visitors littering the walks, and celebrating his 35th anniversary in the same old cage. The volunteer program at the Prospect Park Zoo engages members of the community; it is a combination outreach and educational program for adults. [11] Zoo visitors may observe the troop in a large glassed-in gallery which looks out into a rocky outcrop. Over the next six months, new homes were found for the displaced animals in other zoos throughout the US. Conservation . The Prospect Park Zoo has joined a program to breed Pallas’s cats (Otocolobus manul), which are classified as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).. AZA Public Transit Access. Prospect Park is the flagship park of Brooklyn, New York City. 450 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, USA 11225, in Prospect Park Coordinates. In addition, a flock of sheep regularly maintained the grass in the park meadows and were kept in a paddock on the eastern flank of Sullivan Hill, near the now-demolished Dairy Farmhouse. [36] The Zoological Society hoped that the new name would suggest that the "Wildlife Conservation Center" was far more than a mere "zoo"; it was indeed a facility designed to preserve animal species. [41][42], By the start of the new fiscal year in July 2003, the approved budget restored a reduced funding level to the affected WCS facilities. As of 2016 , the zoo houses 864 animals representing about 176 species, and as of 2007 , it averages 300,000 visitors annually. Prospect Park is property of the City of New York and under the jurisdiction of the Department of Parks & Recreation. 'Vandalism is a major problem, and deterioration is overtaking repairs. This small zoo, set in the middle of Brooklyn's Prospect Park, doesn't have the big ticket animals (no lions, tigers or bears, oh my), but it does offer an opportunity to get very close to a handful of smaller exotic animals. Side exhibits center on pallas cats, cotton-top tamarins, meerkats, emerald tree boas, dwarf mongooses, desert monitors, among others. The Central Park Zoo would be focused toward conservation; the Prospect Park Zoo would be primarily a children's zoo; and the Queens Zoo would become a zoo with North American animals. The present facility first opened as a city zoo on July 3, 1935, and was part of a larger revitalization program of city parks, playgrounds and zoos initiated in 1934 by Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. The Prospect Park Alliance partners with the City to preserve and maintain the Park. Among other changes under way in the last decade of the 19th century, the Deer Paddock from the original park design merged with the Menagerie. Adult (13 & over) $9.95. You will get information about Prospect Park Zoo Hours Today, Sunday, What time does Prospect Park Zoo Open/ closed. [22][23] Of the original zoological facilities in the park, the Deer Paddock, located near the present Carousel, was converted into a meadow and the deer were moved to the new Menagerie, The Wild Fowl Pond remained, located on the east side of the park in a low area now forming the northern part of the zoo. The Prospect Park Zoo is a 12-acre (4.9 ha) zoo located off Flatbush Avenue on the eastern side of Prospect Park, Brooklyn, New York City. This small zoo, set in the middle of Brooklyn's Prospect Park, doesn't have the big ticket animals (no lions, tigers or bears, oh my), but it does offer an opportunity to get very close to a handful of smaller exotic animals. Initially, until July 23, the zoo access will be for members only. The facilities were turned over to the NY Zoological Society in April 1993. Posts about prospect park zoo written by swc. The zoo was, in past times, almost an “afterthought,” but today it ranks among the best in the nation. All tickets must be purchased in advance. The Zoo is operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, known throughout the world for its innovative ways of caring for animals while increasing visitor interaction. guides conduct tours for visitors, while volunteer docents augment the educational program. 141 (2007) Memberships. Prospect Park zoo may not be the biggest but it has some really nice features that make it worth your while. The Prospect Park Zoo’s savior would be an agreement signed between the city and the NY Zoological Society (since renamed Wildlife Conservation Society) to manage the Central, Prospect Park and Queens Zoos for 50 years starting in 1980. Demolition was managed by the Parks Department and began in June 1989, commencing what became a five year, $37 million effort, overrunning initial estimates by two and a half years and $19 million dollars. The zoo's indoor exhibitions are a great destination on winter days. Der Prospect Park im New Yorker Stadtbezirk Brooklyn ist eine im Jahr 1867 eröffnete, heute 2,4 km² große Parkanlage zwischen Park Slope, Prospect-Lefferts Gardens[1], Ditmas Park, Windsor Terrace und Flatbush Avenue, Grand Army Plaza und dem Botanischen Garten von Brooklyn. Every guest, every day. [11], Animal Lifestyles, in the western quadrant of the zoo, features indoor habitat exhibits. At the art station, drawing supplies are provided, and young visitors learn to observe wildlife by taking the time to sketch it. A set of stairs from the main entrance leads visitors down to zoo level. said John Kinzig, a park supervisor at the Prospect Park Zoo. The cheapest way to get from Penn Station to Prospect Park Zoo costs only $22, and the quickest way takes just 3 hours. The rear wall of the gallery illustrates common forms of baboon signalling and behavior, along with other social aspects of the animals. [36] The public, however, continued to call the facility "The Prospect Park Zoo", and over the ensuing thirteen years the old name quietly stuck. By 1893, one observer noted that “seven seals arrived, one buffalo, from the estate of Samuel B. Duryea, three red foxes, three bears, one sacred cow, two white deer, five red deer, seven seals, and twelve to fifteen peacocks. Arrive anytime, and your space will be waiting for you. You can also find out the Prospect Park Zoo Near me Locations and Holiday hours of Prospect Park Zoo. The Prospect Park Zoo, which has been closed during the coronavirus pandemic, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Also available: ice cream, Dippin' Dots, candy, and Green Mountain coffee. If the estimates were correct, reasoning went, it would be cheaper to run the zoos than to shut them down. Along one part of the Discovery Trail, young visitors may crawl through "underground burrows" to observation posts roofed with clear, hemispherical observation ports. As of 2016, the zoo houses 864 animals representing about 176 species, and as of 2007, it averages 300,000 visitors annually. Reminds me of Central Park zoo. The other side of the building showcases animals and their adaptations for a variety of survival needs. These revolve around the Discovery Center, a building with classrooms and laboratories designed to introduce school-age children to investigative practices of environmental and wildlife scientists. "Smith Decries 'Back-Alley Politics' Of La Guardia in Row With Moses; "Guests of the Park Commissioners - Prominent Citizens Enjoy a Banquet and Inspect Recent Improvements", "Menagerie, Prospect Park, Brooklyn, N.Y., c.1900", "Beauties of the Park - Many Improvements Contemplated by the Commissioners", "A Park Menagerie - Does Public Sentiment Favor One? Volunteer The Discovery Center is immediately to the right, occupying the northeastern quadrant of the zoo. Click on points for more details. The entrance on Flatbush Avenue is closed at this time. The Zoo is operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, known throughout the world for its innovative ways of caring for animals while increasing visitor interaction. Among other cuts to help close an overall $3.8 billion budget deficit, the Mayor proposed to cut all city funding for the Prospect Park Zoo and the Queens Zoo, as well as trim funding for the New York Aquarium and the Bronx Zoo. After 53 years of operation as a city zoo run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Prospect Park Zoo, also colloquially known as "Brooklyn Zoo", closed in June 1988 for reconstruction. 4,561 Followers, 22 Following, 381 Posts - See Instagram photos and videos from Prospect Park Zoo (@prospectparkzoo) The Prospect Park Zoo is located in Brooklyn, New York. [38], A further six months were needed to repopulate the zoo, prepare exhibits, and ready the facility for the public. Daily: 10 am - 4:30 pm [17] The facility consists of six red brick and lime-stoned trimmed buildings grouped in a semi-circular arrangement around a central courtyard with the sea lion pool occupying the center of the court. Find the travel option that best suits you. Docents enroll in a four-month training program. Guests can meander down the Discovery Trail and wander among dingoes and red pandas, or stroll over to the breathtaking rotunda to meet our mascots – a troop of Hamadryas baboons in a habitat designed to get you up close and personal. All visitors must reserve a date-specific ticket in advance. Prospect Park Zoo. Here, visitors learn how colors help animals attract one another, blend into their surroundings or send off warning signals. The Wildlife Conservation Society, which supports the Prospect Park Zoo through a combination of private funds and subsidies from the city, is vulnerable to funding shortfalls such as the one on April 15, 2003, when Mayor Michael Bloomberg published his "doomsday budget" proposal for the fiscal year beginning in July 2003.