| Zoo Name: | Como Zoo |
| Location: | Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States |
| Date Opened: | 1897 |
| Area: | 17acres |
| Num Species: | 66 |
| Num Animals: | 1,700 |
| Members: | AZA |
| Annual Visitors: | 1.9 million[1] |
| Publictransit: | Metro Transit |
Como Zoo was the first zoo established in Minnesota. Founded in 1897, when the then mayor of Saint Paul wanted a place for his deer to live. The zoo is located within Como Park, in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Como Zoo is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
Como Zoo was founded in 1897 when the city of Saint Paul received a donation of three deer and provided a simple fenced in pasture for the animals.
In 1902, the animal collection at Como Zoo was expanded to include animals native to Minnesota such as elk, moose, foxes, and two cebus cattle. The zoo also received donations of pets, such as a parrot, two Mexican red birds and a monkey.
In 1915, the zoo received a donation of two bison from the future Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota Thomas Frankson. Also, in 1915, the Como Park's Marjorie McNeely Conservatory was built. The conservatory was used as a warm winter home for the animals.
In 1926, Como Zoo received the donation of an American black bear named Peggy. Her cage was built out of old iron arches already at the zoo.
The 1930s brought exotic animals to the zoo. Monkey Island was built in 1932, followed by the bear grottos, and the Main Zoological building in 1936. Along with these changes came many exotic animals from the Longfellow Gardens zoo, which closed in 1934.
In the 1940s, the zoo expanded once again to include paved parking lots, a Kiddie Zoo, and a raccoon pit which later became prairie dog hill.
In January 1972, zoo keepers were forced to shoot Whitey, a male polar bear, to save a midnight visitor who fell into the bear grotto. In 1974, the zoo's favorite Galapagos tortoise, Toby, was moved to the Honolulu Zoo, where he still lives today. In 1976, a new Master Plan was developed to revitalize the zoo, and the State Legislature granted the zoo $8.5 million for the redevelopment process.
The opening of the Polar Bear Odyssey marked the start of the 2010s decade. Gorilla Forest, opened in 2013. It is home to Schroeder, a 500-pound silverback male, 3 female companions for him, 2 daughters who were born to the females, and a bachelor group of three other males.
The bird yard is the first thing visitors of the zoo see after they leave the visitor center. The bird yard contains a large pool, waterfall, and a mill house with a water wheel. The exhibit has large rocks separating the birds from two large galapagos tortoises. Animals in the exhibit include Chilean flamingos, Galápagos tortoises, mallard ducks, red-breasted geese, ruddy ducks, common shelducks, swan geese, and white-faced whistling ducks.
The first Como Zoo primate house was built in 1969 and was rebuilt in 1985. Animals in this exhibited include, blue-eyed lemurs, patas monkeys, emperor tamarins, golden-headed lion tamarins, spider monkeys, western lowland gorillas, Sumatran orangutans, white-faced sakis, and Hoffmann's two-toed sloths.
The large cats exhibit was finished in 1980 and moved the large cats out of the small, original zoological building into larger pastures. Cats in this exhibit include, Siberian tigers, lions, snow leopards and cougars.
The Aquatic Building was created in 1982, and is home to African penguins, lined seahorses, mudpuppies, tufted puffins, archerfish, and African cichlids.
Como Harbor opened in 2021 and is home to harbor seals, gray seals, and California sea lions.[2]
The African Hoof Stock exhibit was part of the 1970s zoo master plan and was finished in the mid-1980s. Animals in this exhibit include Grant's zebras, reticulated giraffes, Nyala, an African spurred tortoise ostriches and a Crowned crane.
The old hoof stock building is one of the oldest exhibits at the zoo, and is home to plains bison, Dall sheep, Arctic foxes, and reindeer.
The Tropical Encounters Exhibit was created in 2005. Animals in this exhibit include Arrau turtles, bay-headed tanagers, black pacu, turquoise honeycreepers, Emerald tree boas, golden-headed manakins, leafcutter ants, mata matas, paradise tanagers, peacock bass, red-capped cardinals, redtail catfish, rufous-crowned tanagers, silver-beaked tanagers, freshwater stingrays, sunbitterns, swallow tanagers, turquoise tanagers, violaceous euphonia, yellow-rumped cacique, yellow-spotted river turtle, green anaconda, and saffron finches.
Wolf Woods is a forested enclosure that is home to two gray wolves.
The Polar Bear Odyssey opened in 2010 and is home to the zoo's polar bears. It replaces the old bear grottoes, and is four times the size of the old polar bear exhibit. An inside viewing area lets visitors view the bears swimming and the bears' indoor facility. The viewing area includes interactive computers that show how the world is changing, including the glacier ice caps in the Arctic.