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79-624: 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

158-733: A Blue Table and the various paintings of Mary Fedden and Sidney Nolan . Victor Vasarely depicted zebras as black and white lines and connected in a jigsaw puzzle fashion. Carel Weight 's Escape of the Zebra from the Zoo during an Air Raid was based on a real life incident of a zebra escaping during the bombing of London Zoo and consists of four comic book-like panels. Zebras have lent themselves to products and advertisements, notably for 'Zebra Grate Polish' cleaning supplies by British manufacturer Reckitt and Sons and Japanese pen manufacturer Zebra Co., Ltd. Zebras have been kept in captivity since at least

237-405: A curled lip and bared teeth ( flehmen response ) and the female will solicit mating by backing in. Gestation is typically around a year. A few days to a month later, mares can return to oestrus. In harem-holding species, oestrus in a female becomes less noticeable to outside males as she gets older, hence competition for older females is virtually nonexistent. Usually, a single foal is born, which

316-485: A distinct species. Later genetic studies have placed it as the same species as the plains zebra, either a subspecies or just the southernmost population. Molecular evidence supports zebras as a monophyletic lineage . Equus originated in North America and direct paleogenomic sequencing of a 700,000-year-old middle Pleistocene horse metapodial bone from Canada implies a date of 4.07 million years ago (mya) for

395-473: A harem nibble and rake along the neck, shoulder, and back with their teeth and lips. Grooming usually occurs between mothers and foals and between stallions and mares. Grooming establishes social rank and eases aggressive behaviour, although Grévy's zebras generally do not perform social grooming. Among plains and mountain zebras, the adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while in Grévy's zebras, mating

474-503: A harem stallion is healthy, he is not usually challenged. Only unhealthy stallions have their harems taken over, and even then, the new stallion slowly takes over, peacefully displacing the old one. Agonistic behaviour between male Grévy's zebras occurs at the border of their territories. Zebras produce a number of vocalisations and noises. The plains zebra has a distinctive, barking contact call heard as "a- ha , a- ha , a- ha " or "kwa-ha, kaw-ha, ha, ha". The mountain zebra may produce

553-588: A long initial vowel, but over the course of the 20th century the pronunciation with the short initial vowel became the norm in British English . The pronunciation with a long initial vowel remains standard in American English . Zebras are classified in the genus Equus (known as equines) along with horses and asses . These three groups are the only living members of the family Equidae . The plains zebra and mountain zebra were traditionally placed in

632-595: A similar sound while the call of Grévy's zebra has been described as "something like a hippo 's grunt combined with a donkey's wheeze". Loud snorting and rough "gasping" in zebras signals alarm. Squealing is usually made when in pain, but can also be heard in friendly interactions. Zebras also communicate with visual displays, and the flexibility of their lips allows them to make complex facial expressions. Visual displays also consist of head, ear, and tail postures. A zebra may signal an intention to kick by dropping back its ears and whipping its tail. Flattened ears, bared teeth and

711-447: A spade-shaped toe covered in a hard hoof . Their dentition is adapted for grazing ; they have large incisors that clip grass blades and rough molars and premolars well suited for grinding. Males have spade-shaped canines, which can be used as weapons in fighting. The eyes of zebras are at the sides and far up the head, which allows them to look over the tall grass while feeding. Their moderately long, erect ears are movable and can locate

790-435: A territory offers a female protection from harassment by outside males, as well as access to resources. In all species, excess males gather in bachelor groups . These are typically young males that are not yet ready to establish a harem or territory. With the plains zebra, the oldest males are the most dominant and group membership is stable. Bachelor groups tend to be at the boundaries of herds and during group movements,

869-701: A variety of habitats such as savannahs , grasslands , woodlands, shrublands , and mountainous areas. Zebras are primarily grazers and can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. They are preyed on mainly by lions , and typically flee when threatened but also bite and kick. Zebra species differ in social behaviour , with plains and mountain zebra living in stable harems consisting of an adult male or stallion , several adult females or mares , and their young or foals ; while Grévy's zebra live alone or in loosely associated herds. In harem-holding species, adult females mate only with their harem stallion, while male Grévy's zebras establish territories which attract females and

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948-502: A waving head may be used as threatening gestures by stallions. Individuals may greet each other by rubbing and sniffing and then mutually rub their cheeks, and move along their bodies towards each other's genitals to sniff. They then may caress their shoulders against each other and lay their heads on one another. This greeting usually occurs between harem or territorial males or among bachelor males playing. Plains and mountain zebras strengthen their social bonds with grooming . Members of

1027-405: A week without water but will drink it every day when given the chance, and their bodies maintain water better than cattle. Mountain zebras can be found at elevations of up to 2,000 m (6,600 ft). Zebras sleep for seven hours a day, standing up during the day and lying down during the night. They regularly use various objects as rubbing posts and will roll on the ground . A zebra's diet

1106-591: A zebra from Ethiopia in 1620 and Ustad Mansur made a painting of it. In the 1670s, Ethiopian Emperor Yohannes I exported two zebras to the Dutch governor of Jakarta . These animals would eventually be given by the Dutch to the Tokugawa Shogunate of Japan. When Queen Charlotte received a zebra as a wedding gift in 1762, the animal became a source of fascination for the people of Britain. Many flocked to see it at its paddock at Buckingham Palace . It soon became

1185-419: 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

1264-610: Is capable of running within an hour of birth. A newborn zebra will follow anything that moves, so new mothers prevent other mares from approaching their foals as they become more familiar with the mother's striping pattern, smell and voice. At a few weeks old, foals begin to graze, but may continue to nurse for eight to thirteen months. Living in an arid environment, Grévy's zebras have longer nursing intervals and young only begin to drink water three months after birth. In plains and mountain zebras, foals are cared for mostly by their mothers, but if threatened by pack-hunting hyenas and dogs,

1343-438: Is home to harbor seals , gray seals , and California sea lions . The sparky show is an educational show featuring Sparky the sea lion. The show runs most days and has been running since 1956. The show focusses on educating visitors on marine life conservation, sea lion behavior, and the training and tricks performed by Sparky. Over the years there have been many sea lions that have played Sparky. The African Hoof Stock exhibit

1422-416: Is more promiscuous and the males have larger testes for sperm competition . Female zebras have five to ten day long oestrous cycles; physical signs include a swollen, everted (inside out) labia and copious flows of urine and mucus. Upon reaching peak oestrous, mares spread-out their legs, lift their tails and open their mouths when in the presence of a male. Males assess the female's reproductive state with

1501-402: Is mostly grasses and sedges , but they will opportunistically consume bark , leaves, buds, fruits, and roots. Compared to ruminants , zebras have a simpler and less efficient digestive system. Nevertheless, they can subsist on lower-quality vegetation. Zebras may spend 60–80% of their time feeding, depending on the availability of vegetation. The plains zebra is a pioneer grazer, mowing down

1580-401: Is possible that having evolved under pressure from the many large predators of Africa, including early humans, they became more aggressive, thus making domestication more difficult. However, zebras have been trained throughout history. In Rome, zebras are recorded to have pulled chariots during amphitheatre games starting in the reign of Caracalla (198 to 217 AD). In the late 19th century,

1659-521: Is thought to be responsible for the differences in the striping patterns of the different species. Various abnormalities of the patterns have been documented in plains zebras. In " melanistic " zebras, dark stripes are highly concentrated on the torso but the legs are whiter. "Spotted" individuals have broken up black stripes around the dorsal area. There have even been morphs with white spots on dark backgrounds. Striping abnormalities have been linked to inbreeding . Albino zebras have been recorded in

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1738-524: The African diaspora , the zebra represented the politics of race and identity, being both black and white. In cultures outside of its range, the zebra has been thought of as a more exotic alternative to the horse; the comic book character Sheena, Queen of the Jungle , is depicted riding a zebra and explorer Osa Johnson was photographed riding one. The film Racing Stripes features a captive zebra ostracised from

1817-802: The IUCN Red List of mammals lists Grévy's zebra as endangered , the mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened . Grévy's zebra populations are estimated at less than 2,000 mature individuals, but they are stable. Mountain zebras number near 35,000 individuals and their population appears to be increasing. Plains zebra are estimated to number 150,000–250,000 with a decreasing population trend. Human intervention has fragmented zebra ranges and populations. Zebras are threatened by hunting for their hide and meat, and habitat destruction . They also compete with livestock and have their travelling routes obstruct by fences. Civil wars in some countries have also caused declines in zebra populations. By

1896-481: 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. The 1950s brought even more changes to the zoo including Rabbitville which later was expanded into a Children's Farm Zoo. In 1955, the city officials recommended the closing of Como Zoo because the zoo and city did not have

1975-568: The Roman Empire . In later times, captive zebras have been shipped around the world, often for diplomatic reasons. In 1261, Sultan Baibars of Egypt established an embassy with Alfonso X of Castile and sent a zebra and other exotic animals as gifts. In 1417, a zebra was gifted to the Chinese people by Somalia and displayed before the Yongle Emperor . The fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir received

2054-413: The metaconid and metastylid of the tooth by a V-shaped canal and rounded enamel wall . Zebras are easily recognised by their bold black-and-white striping patterns. The coat appears to be white with black stripes, as indicated by the belly and legs when unstriped, but the skin is black. Young or foals are born with brown and white coats, and the brown darkens with age. A dorsal line acts as

2133-480: The plains zebra ( E. quagga ), and the mountain zebra ( E. zebra ). Zebras share the genus Equus with horses and asses , the three groups being the only living members of the family Equidae . Zebra stripes come in different patterns, unique to each individual. Several theories have been proposed for the function of these patterns, with most evidence supporting them as a deterrent for biting flies. Zebras inhabit eastern and southern Africa and can be found in

2212-466: The subgenus Hippotigris (C. H. Smith, 1841) in contrast to the Grévy's zebra which was considered the sole species of subgenus Dolichohippus (Heller, 1912). Groves and Bell (2004) placed all three species in the subgenus Hippotigris . A 2013 phylogenetic study found that the plains zebra is more closely related to Grévy's zebras than mountain zebras. The extinct quagga was originally classified as

2291-633: The 1930s, including Monkey Island, barn and bear grotto. In the 1980s several new exhibits were added as part of a major renovation project, including the Large Cat exhibit (1980), Aquatic Animal Building and conversion of Monkey Island to Seal Island (1982), the Primate Facility (1985), the Land and Water Bird exhibit (1986) and the African Hoofed Stock Facility (1987). A new Polar bear exhibit

2370-945: The Eurasian Equus ovodovi and the subgenus Sussemionus lineage as closer to zebras than to asses. However, other studies disputed this placement, finding the Sussemionus lineage basal to the zebra+asses group, but suggested that the Sussemionus lineage may have received gene flow from zebras. The cladogram of Equus below is based on Vilstrup and colleagues (2013) and Jónsson and colleagues (2014): Mountain zebra ( E. zebra ) [REDACTED] Plains zebra ( E. quagga ) [REDACTED] Grévy's zebra ( E. grevyi ) [REDACTED] Kiang ( E. kiang ) [REDACTED] Onager ( E. hemionus ) [REDACTED] African wild ass ( E. africanus ) [REDACTED] Horse ( E. ferus caballus ) [REDACTED] Przewalski's horse ( E. ferus przewalski ) [REDACTED] In addition to

2449-542: The Polar Bear Odyssey marked the start of the 2010s decade. In 2011 Polar Bear Odyssey temporarily welcomed 3 grizzly bears that had to be evacuated from the Roosevelt Park Zoo due to flooding. 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. Permanent exhibits at

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2528-468: The animals are often used to represent the letter 'Z'. Zebra stripe patterns are popularly used for body paintings, dress, furniture and architecture. Zebras have been featured in African art and culture for millennia. They are depicted in rock art in Southern Africa dating from 28,000 to 20,000 years ago, though less often than antelope species like eland . How the zebra got its stripes has been

2607-489: 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

2686-778: The bachelors follow behind or along the sides. Mountain zebra bachelor groups may also include young females that have left their natal group early, as well as old, former harem males. A territorial Grévy's zebra stallion may allow non-territorial bachelors in their territory, however when a mare in oestrous is present the territorial stallion keeps other stallions at bay. Bachelors prepare for their future harem roles with play fights and greeting/challenge rituals, which make up most of their activities. Fights between males usually occur over mates and involve biting and kicking. In plains zebra, stallions fight each other over recently matured mares to bring into their group and her family stallion will fight off other males trying to abduct her. As long as

2765-409: The backbone for vertical stripes along the sides, from the head to the rump. On the snout they curve toward the nostrils, while the stripes above the front legs split into two branches. On the rump, they develop into species-specific patterns. The stripes on the legs, ears and tail are separate and horizontal. Striping patterns are unique to an individual and heritable. During embryonic development ,

2844-780: The big cats. In one study, the maximum speed of a zebra was found to be 50 km/h (31 mph) while a lion was measured at 74 km/h (46 mph). Zebras do not escape lions by speed alone but by sideways turning, especially when the cat is close behind. With smaller predators like hyenas and dogs, zebras may act more aggressively, especially in defense of their young. Zebra species have two basic social structures. Plains and mountain zebras live in stable, closed family groups or harems consisting of one stallion , several mares , and their offspring. These groups have their own home ranges , which overlap, and they tend to be nomadic. Stallions form and expand their harems by recruiting young mares from their natal (birth) harems. The stability of

2923-674: 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. The Gorilla Forest is the largest all mesh gorilla enclosure in North America. 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

3002-520: The early 20th century, zebra skins were being used to make rugs and chairs. In the 21st century, zebras may be taken by trophy hunters as zebra skin rugs sell for $ 1,000 to $ 2,000. Trophy hunting was rare among African peoples though the San were known to hunt zebra for meat. The quagga ( E. quagga quagga ) population was hunted by early Dutch settlers and later by Afrikaners to provide meat or for their skins. The skins were traded or used locally. The quagga

3081-576: The end of Como Zoo. In 1966, the Metropolitan Zoo Report of the Citizen's League decided that Como Zoo could not become a major zoo facility, so planning for the Minnesota Zoo began. With this, many people thought that Como Zoo would close, but, in 1969, the zoo built its original primate house where the one now stands, and brought in two new lowland gorillas named Don and Donna. In 1969, the zoo

3160-586: The entire group works together to protect all the young. The group forms a protective front with the foals in the centre, and the stallion will rush at predators that come too close. In Grévy's zebras, young stay in " kindergartens " when their mothers leave for water. These groups are tended to by the territorial male. A stallion may look after a foal in his territory to ensure that the mother stays, though it may not be his. By contrast, plains zebra stallions are generally intolerant of foals that are not theirs and may practice infanticide and feticide via violence to

3239-468: The females that enter them. Grazing and drinking areas tend to be separated in these environments and the most dominant males establish territories near watering holes, which attract females with dependent foals and those who simply want a drink, while less dominant males control territories away from water with more vegetation, and only attract mares without foals. Mares may travel through several territories but remain in one when they have young. Staying in

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3318-502: The forests of Mount Kenya , with the dark stripes being blonde. The quagga had brown and white stripes on the head and neck, brown upper parts and a white belly, tail and legs. The function of stripes in zebras has been discussed among biologists since at least the 19th century. Popular hypotheses include the following: Zebras may travel or migrate to wetter areas during the dry season. Plains zebras have been recorded travelling 500 km (310 mi) between Namibia and Botswana,

3397-417: The funds to support the zoo. Soon after a Citizen Volunteer Committee was formed to help save the zoo. In 1956, through the efforts of a rich Minnesotan business man, Archie Brand's Seal Show arrived at the zoo. Along with this many repairs were brought to the zoo, which brought new animals such as ostriches , jaguars , seals , llamas , baboons and monkeys . In 1957, a number of endangered animals joined

3476-731: The glacier ice caps in the Arctic. Como Park In 1873 the City of Saint Paul acquired 300 acres (120 ha) of land around Como Lake that would become a public park. Today the 384-acre (155 ha) park includes: In 1939 Lake Como hosted the Winter Carnival Ice Palace and the Winter Carnival Medallion has been hidden in Como Park eight times (1956, 1965, 1980, 1990, 1997, 2001, 2003, and 2014). The first zoo in Saint Paul

3555-565: The grandson of the Como's original Casey from Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas . In 1985, Como Zoo's Primate House was rebuilt, housing gorillas, orangutans, lemurs , monkeys, and tamarins . In 1986, the new Land Bird and Water Fowl exhibit was completed with a large outdoor pool and waterfall. In 1988, the African Hoof Stock exhibit, the final exhibit from the zoo's 1970s master plan,

3634-412: The group remains even when the family stallion is displaced. Plains zebras groups gather into large herds and may create temporarily stable subgroups within a herd, allowing individuals to interact with those outside their group. Females in harems can spend more time feeding, and gain protection both for them and their young. The females have a linear dominance hierarchy with the high-ranking females being

3713-475: The horses and ends up being ridden by a rebellious girl. Zebras have been featured as characters in animated films like Khumba , The Lion King and the Madagascar films and television series such as Zou . Zebras have been popular subjects for abstract , modernist and surrealist artists. Such art includes Christopher Wood 's Zebra and Parachute , Lucian Freud 's The Painter's Room and Quince on

3792-468: The longest land migration of mammals in Africa. When migrating, they appear to rely on some memory of the locations where foraging conditions were best and may predict conditions months after their arrival. Plains zebras are more water-dependent and live in moister environments than other species. They usually can be found 10–12 km (6.2–7.5 mi) from a water source. Grévy's zebras can survive almost

3871-411: The most recent common ancestor of the equines within a range of 4.0 to 4.5 mya. Horses split from asses and zebras around this time and equines colonised Eurasia and Africa around 2.1–3.4 mya. Zebras and asses diverged from each other close to 2 mya. The mountain zebra diverged from the other species around 1.6 mya and the plains and Grévy's zebra split 1.4 mya. A 2017 mitochondrial DNA study placed

3950-524: The mountain zebra as vulnerable and the plains zebra as near-threatened . The quagga ( E. quagga quagga ), a type of plains zebra, was driven to extinction in the 19th century. Nevertheless, zebras can be found in numerous protected areas. The English name "zebra" derives from Italian , Spanish or Portuguese . Its origins may lie in the Latin equiferus , meaning "wild horse". Equiferus appears to have entered into Portuguese as ezebro or zebro , which

4029-497: The ones that have lived in the group longest. While traveling, the most dominant females and their offspring lead the group, followed by the next most dominant. The family stallion trails behind. Young of both sexes leave their natal groups as they mature; females are usually herded by outside males to become part of their harems. In the more arid-living Grévy's zebras, adults have more fluid associations and adult males establish large territories , marked by dung piles, and mate with

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4108-591: The plains and mountain zebra, though it is possible that these are infertile due to the difference in chromosome numbers between the two species. Captive zebras have been bred with horses and donkeys ; these are known as zebroids . A zorse is a cross between a zebra and a horse; a zonkey, between a zebra and a donkey; and a zoni, between a zebra and a pony . Zebroids are often born sterile with dwarfism . As with all wild equines, zebras have barrel-chested bodies with tufted tails, elongated faces and long necks with long, erect manes . Their thin legs are each supported by

4187-573: The plains zebra. E. capensis , known as the Cape zebra, appeared around 2 mya and lived throughout southern and eastern Africa. Non-African equines that may have been basal to zebras include E. sansaniensis of Eurasia (circa 2.5 mya) and E. namadicus (circa 2.5 mya) and E. sivalensis (circa 2.0 mya) of the Indian subcontinent. Fertile hybrids have been reported in the wild between plains and Grévy's zebra. Hybridisation has also been recorded between

4266-521: The pregnant mare. With their distinctive black-and-white stripes, zebras are among the most recognizable mammals. They have been associated with beauty and grace, with naturalist Thomas Pennant describing them in 1781 as "the most elegant of quadrupeds". Zebras have been popular in photography, with some wildlife photographers describing them as the most photogenic animal. They have become staples in children's stories and wildlife-themed art, such as depictions of Noah's Ark . In children's alphabet books ,

4345-401: The source of a sound. Unlike horses, zebras and asses have chestnut callosities present only on their front legs. In contrast to other living equines, zebras have longer front legs than back legs. Diagnostic traits of the zebra skull include: its relatively small size with a straight dorsal outline, protruding eye sockets, narrower rostrum, less conspicuous postorbital bar , separation of

4424-581: The species is promiscuous . Zebras communicate with various vocalisations, body postures and facial expressions. Social grooming strengthens social bonds in plains and mountain zebras. Zebras' dazzling stripes make them among the most recognizable mammals. They have been featured in art and stories in Africa and beyond. Historically, they have been highly sought by exotic animal collectors, but unlike horses and donkeys , zebras have never been completely domesticated . The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists Grévy's zebra as endangered ,

4503-416: The stripes appear at eight months, but the patterns may be determined at three to five weeks. For each species there is a point in embryonic development where the stripes are perpendicular to the dorsal line and spaced 0.4 mm (0.016 in) apart. However, this happens at three weeks of development for the plains zebra, four weeks for the mountain zebra, and five for Grévy's zebra. The difference in timing

4582-521: The subject of folk tales , some of which involve it being scorched by fire. The Maasai proverb "a man without culture is like a zebra without stripes" has become popular in Africa. The San people connected zebra stripes with water, rain and lightning, and water spirits were conceived of having these markings. For the Shona people , the zebra is a totem animal and is glorified in a poem as an "iridescent and glittering creature". Its stripes have symbolised

4661-411: The subject of humour and satire, being referred to as "The Queen's Ass", and was the subject of an oil painting by George Stubbs in 1763. The zebra also gained a reputation for being ill-tempered and kicked at visitors. In 1882, Ethiopia sent a zebra to French president Jules Grévy , and the species it belonged to was named in his honour. Attempts to domesticate zebras were largely unsuccessful. It

4740-617: The three living species, some fossil zebras and relatives have also been identified. Equus koobiforensis is an early equine basal to zebras found in the Shungura Formation , Ethiopia and the Olduvai Gorge , Tanzania , and dated to around 2.3 mya. E. oldowayensis is identified from remains in Olduvai Gorge dating to 1.8 mya. Fossil skulls of E. mauritanicus from Algeria which date to around 1 mya appears to show affinities with

4819-500: The union of male and female and at the ruined city of Great Zimbabwe , zebra stripes decorate what is believed to be a domba , a school meant to prepare girls for adulthood. In the Shona language , the name madhuve means "woman/women of the zebra totem" and is a name for girls in Zimbabwe . The plains zebra is the national animal of Botswana and zebras have been depicted on stamps during colonial and post-colonial Africa. For people of

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4898-463: The upper, less nutritious grass canopy and preparing the way for more specialised grazers like wildebeest , which depend on shorter and more nutritious grasses below. Zebras are preyed on mainly by lions. Leopards , cheetahs , spotted hyenas , brown hyenas and wild dogs pose less of a threat to adults. Biting and kicking are a zebra's defense tactics. When threatened by lions, zebras flee, and when caught they are rarely effective in fighting off

4977-601: The zoo $ 8.5 million for the redevelopment process. The 1980s marked the beginning of new buildings at the zoo, which started in 1980 with the opening of the Large Cats exhibit. In 1982, the zoo opened its new Aquatic Animal building to the public. Other additions included a new polar bear exhibit, a new show amphitheater for the Sparky the Sea Lion Show, and the conversion of Monkey Island to Seal Island. Along with this came Casey II,

5056-536: The zoo for 45 minutes. Visitors were ushered to safety as zoo staff shot Casey with a tranquilizer and returned him to his enclosure. This resulted in the zoo building a temporary slanted wall around the enclosure to keep this from happening again. The zoo opened a new exhibit in 2013 called Gorilla Forest. Casey was moved to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans . The 0.5-acre (2,000 m ) Marjorie McNeely Conservatory

5135-542: The zoo including Siberian tigers , gorillas , and orangutans . In 1958, Toby, a Galápagos tortoise comes to live at the zoo. Small children were allowed to ride on Toby's back. Also, in 1958, the first Siberian tigers to be raised successfully in captivity were born at Como Zoo. In 1959, Casey the gorilla arrived at the Como Zoo and the Como Mobile Zoo started visiting local schools. The 1960s brought what seemed to be

5214-431: The zoo that have been replaced over the years include Prairie Dog Hill, The Raccoon Pit, Monkey Island, Rabbitville, Children's Farm Zoo, Kiddie Zoo, Deer Pasture, Seal Island, and the 1936 Zoological Building. 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

5293-461: The zoo's giraffes had a baby. The baby had some problems walking and almost died before it was moved to the University of Minnesota for special treatment. The baby giraffe was returned to the zoo and went on exhibit with its parents. Also, the building of the new Polar Bear Odyssey started removing the old bear grottoes to make a polar bear exhibit seven times larger than the original. The opening of

5372-503: The zoologist Walter Rothschild trained some zebras to draw a carriage in England, which he drove to Buckingham Palace to demonstrate that it can be done. However, he did not ride on them knowing that they were too small and aggressive. In the early 20th century, German colonial officers in East Africa tried to use zebras for both driving and riding, with limited success. As of 2016–2019,

5451-485: 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

5530-434: Was completed; it contained giraffes, zebras , ostriches, and two types of antelope. In 1994, Don, the gorilla, died and Casey II jumped out of his exhibit and took a short stroll in the park before jumping back into his enclosure. With this, came plans for a new and improved gorilla exhibit which made the walls straight up and down instead of slanted. Casey II was later moved to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans . In 2008,

5609-560: 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

5688-414: Was finished in 1980 and moved the large cats out of the small, original zoological building into larger enclosures. Cats in this exhibit include, Siberian tigers , serval , lions , snow leopards and cougars . The Aquatic Building was built in 1982, and is home to African penguins , lined seahorses , mudpuppies , tufted puffins , archerfish , and African cichlids . Como Harbor opened in 2021 and

5767-573: Was finished in 2010. The two twin Polar bear brothers (Buzz and Neil) returned from their temporary stay in Canada. The exhibit includes a shallow and deep pool plus a middle room. It also has a back room where the Polar bears can choose to stay in the AC. A new seal and sea lion exhibit with two pools was completed in 2021. On May 13, 1994, Casey a 400-pound gorilla, scaled the wall of his enclosure and wandered free around

5846-780: Was first opened to the public in November 1915. This facility is open to the public every day of the year. It includes the following gardens and galleries: The conservatory was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Zebras † E. capensis E. grevyi † E. koobiforensis † E. mauritanicus † E. oldowayensis E. quagga E. zebra Zebras ( US : / ˈ z iː b r ə z / , UK : / ˈ z ɛ b r ə z , ˈ z iː -/ ) (subgenus Hippotigris ) are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats . There are three living species: Grévy's zebra ( Equus grevyi ),

5925-619: Was originally used for a legendary equine in the wilds of the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. In 1591, Italian explorer Filippo Pigafetta recorded "zebra" being used to refer to the African animals by Portuguese visitors to the continent. In ancient times, the zebra was called hippotigris ("horse tiger") by the Greeks and Romans . The word zebra was traditionally pronounced with

6004-404: 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

6083-519: Was probably vulnerable to extinction due to its restricted range, and because they were easy to find in large groups. The last known wild quagga died in 1878. The last captive quagga, a female in Amsterdam's Natura Artis Magistra zoo, lived there from 9 May 1867 until it died on 12 August 1883. The Cape mountain zebra , a subspecies of mountain zebra, nearly went extinct due to hunting and habitat destruction, with less than 50 individuals left by

6162-539: Was saved once again by citizens who rallied to raise funds for the zoo. 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

6241-447: Was started when in 1897, the city of St. Paul received a gift of three deer. Additional animals followed, when more room was needed to house the animals they were moved to facilities at Como Park. Como Zoo continued to grow through donations of animals and money. The Art Deco Zoological Building was designed in 1936 by Charles Bassford as part of the federally funded Works Progress Administration . Other WPA structures were completed in

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