Jackson Zoo Informations

The Jackson Zoo is located in Jackson, Mississippi. The Jackson Zoo has attracted people from across the state and beyond for more than 90 years. The zoo boasts an animal collection representing over 200 species and nearly 380 individual animals that provide glimpses of native wildlife from around the world.

The Jackson Zoo is situated within the historic 110-acre (0.45 km2) Livingston Park and welcomes approximately 112,000 visitors annually from Mississippi and surrounding states. 20,000 school children make their way to the zoo throughout the school year.

Guests can also enjoy fare from the Elephant House Cafe, purchase keepsake merchandise from the Jackson Zoo Trading Company. Picnics are permitted in Livingston Park and rides are available on the Endangered Species Carousel or the train. A Splash Pad is open in the summer.

The Jackson Zoo is the second largest zoo in the state (behind the 175-acre (0.71 km2) Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo) and is the only zoo accredited by the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA) in the state.

In 1916, the city of Jackson purchased from Samuel Livingston 79 acres (320,000 m2) of undeveloped land, then on the outskirts of town. By 1919, a group of firefighters were collecting various animals, housing them in the central fire station, what is now the Chamber of Commerce Building.

In 1921, after the collection had evolved from rabbits and squirrels to include exotics like zebras, the city decided to move them to the newly purchased land and the Livingston Park Zoo was created.

In the 1930s, many new buildings were erected with help from the Works Progress Administration (WPA) during the Great Depression. The City of Jackson, like almost every other city and state, used funds from the New Deal programs to create construction jobs for its citizens in those hard times. With the public works, the City and zoo director Irl Bennett left a heritage of facilities that have served Jackson for some 80 years. Today, many of the buildings constructed by the WPA are still standing. At the time, the Castle served as Monkey Island, housing several dozen rhesus macaques and the Elephant House Café was home to a young Asian elephant. The grounds also served as a park to its visitors, with much of the zoo's land remaining open, a scenic location with a lake for visitors to enjoy during the hot summers.

In 1948, the collection was expanded thanks to the efforts of Dr. Jacob L. Reddix, President of Jackson State College. With his help, the zoo was able to purchase several rain forest specimens from the government of Liberia, including three chimpanzees, three rare mangabey monkeys, a colobus monkey, a lemur, and two pythons.

In 1962, three African American residents of Jackson sued the City of Jackson for de facto segregation of the city's recreational facilities, including the city's zoo, golf courses, pools, and parks. Even though a three judge panel concluded that the arrest of an African American "boy and girl" at Livingston Park was an "isolated publicity stunt," the court did not agree with the city's argument in favor of "voluntary segregation" and supported the racial integration of all of Jackson's recreational facilities, including Jackson Zoo. Soon thereafter, instead of allowing for a seamless integration of the Jackson's recreational facilities, Mayor Thompson ordered all of the city's public pools and bathrooms closed, while also removing benches and picnic tables from public parks, including the Jackson Zoo.

In the 1970s, the children's petting zoo was added, later renovated to what is now the Discovery Zoo. An animal hospital was built to perform routine checkups, for surgeries for any of the residents, and to quarantine new arrivals before they can live amongst the permanent collection. In 1975, James L. Swigert became the director. With the help of the City Council and a design group, he put together the first Master Plan.

In 1985, taking in more space from Livingston Park allowed for the development of the African Rainforest Exhibit. In 1987, Barbara Barrett Piazza was hired as director. In 1989, accreditation came from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (now known as the AZA).

In 1995, the state government provided $4 million for improvements to the facilities. In 1998, the city agreed to a $1.5 million match. Including the African Savannah and the Mississippi Wilderness Exhibits, it would be the largest capital improvement project in the zoo's history.

In 1996, the zoo became a member of a community organization called ZAPP (Zoo Area Progressive Partnership) in an endeavor to assist with the regeneration of the neighborhoods surrounding the location.

In 2004, the Friends of the Zoo installed a new Endangered Species Carousel. Built with the site in mind, it features zebras, leopards, giraffes, and tigers to ride, instead of the traditional horses. Even an alligator bench was built, with handicapped accessibility.

In 2005, the African Savannah Exhibit opened to the public. Barbara Piazza retired as director; Beth Poff became the fifth.

In 2006, the Wilderness Mississippi area opened. Renovations were completed to exhibit two orangutans from Borneo. The zoo was named a "Southern Travel Treasure" by AAA Magazine.

In 2007, recognizing the expanded facilities, the Jackson Zoo was named the "Travel Attraction of the Year" presented by the Mississippi Tourism Association; it received the "Attraction of the Year" at the Jackson Convention and Visitors Bureau Summit Awards. Drawings began for Asia exhibit improvements, including a new tiger facility and a water garden.

Also in 2007, a groundbreaking was held for the Gertrude C. Ford Education Center in the Wilderness Mississippi area. In October that year, renovations were completed in the animal hospital, with state funding and donations from Baptist Medical Center.

In August, 2018, amid an ongoing funding crisis, the Jackson Zoological Society asked for, and received, Director Poff's resignation the same day in which the City of Jackson provided a $200,000 bailout. Director Poff was asked to resign for misusing state funds to improperly cover operating costs, an event that caused the City of Jackson to begin the search to replace the Jackson Zoological Society that had been managing the Zoo since the 1980s.

The Jackson Zoo currently has nearly 380 animals, representing more than 200 different species from all over the world. Currently, the zoo is renovating many of its older exhibits to new exhibits that simulate the animal's natural environment so that visitors can not only see many of the world's beautiful animals, but also the scenery in which these animals live.

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