The Chaffee Zoological Gardens (or, informally, Chaffee Zoo) is Fresno, California's only zoo. In addition to many animal displays, it is also the home of Ross Laird's Winged Wonders Bird Show. In the past, it has also been known as the Roeding Park Zoo and the Fresno Zoo. For a quick link, please see the city of Fresno, California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 410,000 km² 402. ... Free monkeys islands at the São Paulo Zoo Panda enclosure at Chiang Mai Zoo Visitors feeding and petting tamed marmots at the Parc Animalier des Pyrenées Aquarium with a dolphin at the Barcelona Zoo Sea lions at the Melbourne Zoo For other uses of the term Zoo...

History

Early Days

What would eventually become the Chaffee Zoo was formed some time around 1908. The first animals were largely comprised of unwanted pets which had been donated. The earliest zoo record states a collection comprised of two bears and around fifty birds of various species. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) officially recognizes the park opening in 1929 as the Roeding Park Zoo. 1908 (MCMVIII) is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The American Zoo and Aquarium Association, or AZA is a people-based association dedicated to raising awareness of zoos and aquariums. ... 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

1940's

The zoo grew both in size and quality of facilities substantially in the 1940's and 50's, reaching the 100 animal milestone in 1947, with still more birds in residence. The zoo's first foreman, Eldon "Curly" Blocker, was hired away from the San Diego Zoo, and his status made it easier for the zoo to expand its collection. In 1949, the zoo's iconic Asian elephant Nosey was obtained with help from the Fresno Rotary Club (Nosey's name was determined by a city-wide "Name-the-Elephant Contest"). Her arrival coincided with Fresno's "49ers Days Rodeo Parade", and Nosey's presence in that parade was popular enough to spurn the creation of the Fresno Zoological Society, which would create interest in the zoo and provide fundraising mechanisms for years to come. 1947 (MCMXLVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... San Diego Zoo Entrance The world-famous San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California is one of the largest, most progressive zoos in the world. ... 1949 (MCMXLIX) is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Binomial name Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758 The Asian Elephant, sometimes known as the Indian Elephant (Elephas maximus) is one of the two or three living species of elephant. ... Rotary International is an organisation whose members comprise Rotary Clubs (service clubs) located all over the world. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

1950's

In the 1950's, ten large exhibits were added to the zoo grounds, ranging from monkeys, sea lions, camels, giraffes, an African bird aviary, to a polar bear habitat and on-site feed and medical compounds. The zoo became an institutional member of the AZA in 1957. Cynomolgus Monkey at Batu Caves, Malaysia Monkeys, Mori Sosen (1749-1821) A monkey is any member of two of the three groupings of simian primates. ... Genera Eumetopias Zalophus Otaria Neophoca Phocarctos A sea lion is any of several marine mammals of the family Otariidae. ... Species Camelus bactrianus Camelus dromedarius A camel is either of the two species of large even-toed ungulate in the genus Camelus, the Dromedary (single hump) and the Bactrian Camel (double hump). ... Binomial name Giraffa camelopardalis Linnaeus, 1758 The Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) is an even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all land living animal species. ... An aviary is a large enclosure for confining birds. ... Binomial name Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774 The Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus), aka white bear aka northern bear aka sea bear, is a large bear native to the Arctic. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1960's

In the 1960's, the zoo's operation underwent some major changes: in response to increased vandalism, the park's grounds were fenced off; a 25 cent admission fee was implemented; a Parks Zoo Admissions Trust Fund was established to provide a link between the zoo and the Fresno City Council. In 1965, Dr. Paul Chaffee was hired as the zoo's first director and veterinarian, and the management duties switched from the Zoo Society to the director. In the late 1960's, the animal exhibits were renovated, with features such as climate control being added to increase the comfort of the animals. Nutritional programs were also reevaluated, which extended the lifespans of the zoo's animals. In 1967, the large Bird of Prey exhibit was constructed, and in 1968 a Zoo Master Plan was drafted, to guide the future development of the Zoo. A caricature of Gustave Courbet taking down a Morris column, published by Le Père Duchêne illustré magazine Vandalism is the conspicuous defacement or destruction of a structure or symbol against the will of the owner/governing body. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards and appeal to a wider international audience, this article may require cleanup. ... HVAC may also stand for High-voltage alternating current HVAC is an initialism that stands for heating, ventilation and air_conditioning. This is sometimes referred to as climate control. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1968 calendar). ...

1970's

The Zoo's area expanded by a third, and new exhibits featuring bison, elk, and prairie dogs were added. In 1976, in honor of the American Bicentennial Celebration, the park's grizzly bear facility was expanded. In 1978, the Park Zoo Trust Fund (different from the Zoo Admissions Trust Fund) was established to make sure a portion of concession sales were used to improve the zoo. This freed the Zoo from having to approve a budget with the City Council. In 1979, the Zoo added the Edward A. Kane Reptile House, which was the world's first computer-controlled reptile habitat. Species B. bison B. bonasus B. priscus A North American bison Bison is a taxonomic genus containing six species of large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. ... Binomial name Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Numerous - see text. ... Species Cynomys gunnisoni Cynomys leucurus Cynomys ludovicianus Cynomys mexicanus Cynomys parvidens Prairie dogs are small stout-bodied burrowing rodents with shallow cheek pouches native to both North and Central America. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... The United States Bicentennial was celebrated on Sunday, July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. ... Trinomial name Ursus arctos horribilis (Ord, 1815) The Grizzly Bear, sometimes called the Silvertip Bear, has traditionally been treated as a subspecies, Ursus arctos horribilis, of the brown bear living in North America. ... 1978 (MCMLXXVIII in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1978 calendar). ... In politics, a concession is the act of a candidate yielding to the other condidate. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ...

1980's

In 1982, Nosey the Elephant's habitat was renovated and three new elephants were brought in to live alongside her. A red wolf exhibit known as Wolf Woods was added in 1984, and the Doris and Karl Falk Wildlife Education Center was completed. It would become the backbone for the zoo's Educational Center. In 1985, the Zoo's name changed from the Roeding Park Zoo to the Fresno Zoo. In 1988, the Zoo's walkthrough rainforest exhibit was added. 1989 saw the addition of a large classroom wing, and the implementation of the Adopt-an-Animal fundraising program. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Binomial name Canis rufus Audubon and Bachman, 1851 The Red Wolf (Canis rufus) is the rarest and most endangered of all wolves. ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

1990's

The Fresno Zoo name did not last long, as it was changed to the Chaffee Zoological Gardens in 1990, in honor of Dr. Chaffee who passed away that year. Ralph Waterhouse became the director of the Zoo in 1991, the same year that the Zoo's entrance was extended to connect with the nearby Roeding Park Storyland and Playland attractions. The Winged Wonders Bird Show was added, with shows taking place in the newly built Amphitheater. A full-time veterinarian was hired in 1992. In 1993, Nosey the Elephant passed away at age 47, and a bronze sculpture of a baby elephant was placed in front of her habitat. This article is about the year. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

External links

• Chaffee Zoological Gardens