Assiniboine Park Zoo

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Assiniboine Park Zoo entrance

Date opened 1904 [1]
Location 2595 Roblin Blvd, Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N7
Coordinates 49°52′09″N 97°13′50″W  /  49.86917°N 97.23056°W  / 49.86917; -97.23056 Coordinates : 49°52′09″N 97°13′50″W  /  49.86917°N 97.23056°W  / 49.86917; -97.23056
Land area 32 hectares (80 acres)
No. of species 200
Memberships
Major exhibits 11
Owner Assiniboine Park Conservancy
Director Grant Furniss, Senior Director of Zoological Operations
Public transit access
  • 11 Portage/Kildonan
  • 18 North Main / Corydon
  • 21 Portage Express
  • 67 Charleswood Express
  • 79 Charleswood
Website assiniboinepark.ca/zoo

Assiniboine Park Zoo

All Hours Holiday

Assiniboine National Park Zoo is available 364 days a calendar year. Our hours are reduced on the following:

November 11: Open 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

December 25: CLOSED

NO OFFICE OPEN on any other holiday, including Good Friday and Easter Monday.

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Canadian Forces Appreciation Program

Assiniboine National Park Zoo is proud participant in the Canadian Forces Appreciation Program. Members of the Program must bring their CFOne Card to the Zoo entrance in order to get 10% off your regular Zoo admission. To receive the 10% discount, CFOne cardholders must present their CFOne Card at the Zoo entrance. Discount can also be applied to the purchase of an Assiniboine Park & Zoo individual, duel, or family membership. The CFOne Card must be shown at purchase for each individual covered by the membership. Other promotions and discounts cannot be combined.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

1960S-1990S

The zoo officially became

Holiday Hours

">Assiniboine Park Zoo in 1959.

 

The gibbon/monkeyhouse was built in 1960. In addition to another cub from polar bear orphans arriving at the zoo with their mother, a snow leopard was adopted. The polar bear enclosure was renovated in 1967, adding an upper story, and two more orphaned cubs arrived. The Tropical House, Native Animal Exhibit and new south gate were then added in 1968, 1969.

Since the 1970s, money was provided by the Zoological Society of Manitoba for infrastructure, signage, and exhibits. It was rebuilt to house a Zoological Society gift shop and renovated the Carousel Restaurant.

A new area was opened at the northwest end for the Zebras, Yaks, and Camels in 1995. It was the debut year of Lights of the Wild, which featured animal light sculptures from the Zoo and the Society. The program ran for three weeks.

In 1997, the "Saturn Playground" was constructed and the main restaurant facilities were renovated. The Zoo also received an update to its electrical infrastructure in 1998. This included the creation of the Saturn Shuttle project and Kiosk info booths. By 1998, the Zoo's animal collection had increased to include 77 different mammal species (390 animals), 151 different birds (700 specimens), and 14 reptiles (34 specimens), with the total collection including about 1,193 individuals of 271 species; the zoo budget was $2,497,173 ($161,800 for food and supplies, and $1,952,707 for labour).

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Assiniboine Park Zoo

2000S

From 9 am until sunset (or 9pm) in 2000, Zoo open. Later [when]?

The Zoo had significantly reduced its hours.

In July 2015, the Zoo extended visiting hours every Wednesday till 8 pm as a trial, because there were many requests from zoo visitors that the earlier closing was not convenient for people who work during the day.

In 2000, the Zoological Society of Manitoba and the Zoo started work on a new Master Plan Development Proposal (the first since 1960) for the Zoo. The original proposals included the renovation of the Polar Bear enclosure. But, it evolved into a more extensive Master Plan Development project. Assiniboine Park Conservancy (Assiniboine Park Conservancy) was founded in 2008. Its purpose is to oversee, manage and develop Assiniboine Park. The Assiniboine Park Conservancy presented a $200 million redevelopment plan to Assiniboine Park and Zoo in June 2009. It was expected that it would be finished within 10 years.

De. Fehr Foundation donated funds to the Palliser Interpretive Center as headquarters for ICE Camp. Mini U Zoo is a camper's opportunity to experience the University of Manitoba summer camps and the Zoo for one week.

As part of an agreement with the University of Manitoba Architecture Department in 2004, substantial renovations were made to Education Centre. [ Citation needed] In 2009, Assiniboine Zoo Conservancy presented a plan to redevelop both Assiniboine Zoo and Assiniboine park. It will be implemented in phases. In the second phase of this plan, the Zoo's revitalization was the main focus. The Zoo's flagship exhibit is the Journey to Churchill.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Boo At The Zoo

Boo at The Zoo is BACK This reinvented experience is more spectacular, funnier, and more memorable than ever. Tickets now on sale

Casinos of Winnipeg Summer Entertainment Series

The Casinos of Winnipeg Summer Entertainment Series is back for 2021! Events including the Summer Music Series at the Lyric Theatre and Movies in the Park will take place from August 1 – September 9. Free admission is available to all events. For more details and a complete list of events, please click here.

Programming & Workshops

Make an investment in your well-being and health. Have fun with creativity. Join us for some family fun! The Park and Zoo offer workshops and programs.

Dinosaurs Uncovered

Something BIG is here at Assiniboine Park Zoo! Dinosaurs uncovered showcases 17 animatronic dinosaurs that can be seen walking along an outdoor forest trail. Museum-quality fossils and skeletons are also displayed indoors at the rotating gallery.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Chris Enright of The Assiniboine Park Zoo’S Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre: 5 Questions

Chris Enright (DVM), director of veterinary service at Assiniboine Zoo and Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, examines a Polar Bear.

Chris Enright, DVM knows for a while that he was meant to be in wildlife management.

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Since high school Dr. Enright was attracted to all types of animals. His passion for helping them led him as a volunteer in a Canadian program that focused on northern ecosystems.

Just two years after he started working at the Assiniboine Park Conservancy in Winnipeg, Man., he found himself involved in helping create a new vision for the facility, a process which included the development of the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre (LIPBCC).

This centre, which was funded by the Province of Manitoba, is used as a refuge for and transition area for polar bears and a central hub for conservation and research activities. It is the first home within the zoo for orphaned and at-risk polar bears and a place where they are given care as they adjust and transition to their new surroundings.

Enright hopes the centre will offer cubs an opportunity to live a fulfilled life as humans and to inspire millions of people over their lifetime to understand about climate change.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

1. How did you get started as a veterinarian caring for polar bears?

As a high school student, I was interested in wildlife conservation. In addition to becoming a veterinarian. These interests were further explored during university and in veterinary school.

My mentorship was extraordinary and I got to enjoy the wonderful opportunities of learning about veterinary medicine as it applies to free-ranging wild wildlife. Although I loved working alongside some wonderful clients and colleagues after graduation, the attraction to wildlife never diminished. I was offered a job as a Zookeeper at Assiniboine in 2007. Since then, it has been my home. I first encountered polar bears in the clinic when Debbie, an old female polar bear, was my patient. Debbie was an exceptional bear who had a team dedicated to her care. As a caretaker for several species as well, along with many more polar bees, such as the 10 newly rescued bears that currently live at the Zoo, it has been an amazing experience. A wonderful group of animal and veterinary care staff have supported me. They are committed to both conservation and providing excellent care.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

The Zoo At The Zoo: Blizzard Was An Orphan Cub

Blizzard died at Assiniboine Park Zoo on Monday. (Supplied in Assiniboine Conservancy) Blizzard is a five-year old polar bear, who lived at Assiniboine National Zoo as an orphan cub, and has now died.

It's the second death of Polar Bears in the past 20 years.

"Blizzard was a beautiful bear and he will be dearly missed by zoo staff visitors and volunteers. Chris Enright is the director at the zoo of veterinary care. "It's not often that a bear loses this young."

Blizzard lost his appetite and started acting lethargic 13 days ago.

Enright stated, "Our veterinarian team made the decision that Blizzard would be anesthetized in order to carry out a full evaluation of his condition."

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Blizzard underwent treatment with antibiotics. His behavior and health improved until this weekend.

Monday morning, it was decided to anesthetize Blizzard again to assess his situation and to take the appropriate steps. While the procedure was successful, Blizzard developed respiratory distress while being resuscitated. Enright reported that the veterinarian and animal staff attempted to save him. However, it was too late.

 

Assiniboine Park Zoo

Introduction

"Biodiversity and Jeopardy" – This year's Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums conference theme is a reflection of where both zoos and aquarias stand in this moment of dire need in terms of environmental and wildlife conservation. The challenges of researching and preserving biodiversity, in our own regions or in other countries, are so daunting that we as zoo and aquarium biologists, managers and animal-care staff must make well-thought-out decisions on how we may best contribute. There are many variables that can influence these decisions, such as the institution's priorities, expertise and personal interests of staff, travel budgets, logistics in the field, and how much time is available for such programs.

The Assiniboine Zoo Zoo (APZ), aside from occasional grants to conservation funds (e.g. Snow Leopard Trust), and participation by our staff in the American Association of Zoo Keepers' "Rummaging For Rhinos” fund-raising program for animals, hasn't been able to undertake major conservation projects abroad. We therefore have focused our activities in Manitoba on formal breeding programs. The following paper addresses the diverse biodiversity-related programs offered by our Zoo in conjunction with several other local conservation organizations. Through my more than four decades of experience in conservation, ecology, and interpretation I am able to share some of these experiences. These are just a few of my examples. I hope they will motivate new employees at the aquarium to look for innovative ways to get involved with conservation efforts of wild animals and wildlife.

Editor's Note

Modern zoos have come along way from their early origins as the private menageries of the wealthy. The Wikipedia article Zoos gives a historical overview of zoos. While zoos are making efforts to support ethical animal care, education and conservation of wildlife, there's still an element of society that views zoos inhumane and cruel. This group considers it unnatural to confine wild animals to public display. Sadly, the real tragedy is that in the very near future many of these animals may only exist in zoos. As a Winnipegger, I have visited the Assiniboine Park Zoo numerous times. Up until recently, I wasn't aware of how significant our Zoo plays in conserving wildlife. To share the wonderful work done by the CAZA and Dr. Wrigley's article, I requested that Dr. Wrigley allow me to publish it.

Doug Collicutt, Nature. North.com

 

.Assiniboine Park Zoo