By Contributing Writer
Though relatively new by zoo standards, the Minnesota Zoo is a unique zoo with an interesting history. The Minnesota Zoo has become one of the premier zoos in the upper Midwest.
Planning
Planning for the Minnesota Zoo began in 1960, when a group of conservationists in the area began gathering to create a zoo setting that featured both areas native to the area and animals from around the world.
Location
In 1970, a large piece of land was donated by Dakota County to the state of Minnesota. This parcel of land, near the town of Apple Valley, Minnesota was large enough to contain the expansive exhibits and buildings that had been imagined for the zoo. Construction of the zoo began in 1974.
Grand Opening
The Minnesota Zoo opened to the public on May 22, 1978. It was called the "New Zoo" The Zoo featured over 1,200 animals and it's defining characteristic was the garden-like setting that greeted patrons of the zoo.
Saving Animals
The Minnesota Zoo has put a great effort into breeding and releasing animals that are near extinction back into the wild. The zoo has bolstered the populations of many animals near extinction including the Bali mynah bird and the Asian wild horse.
Adopt-a-Park
In 1990, the Minnesota Zoo became the first zoo in the world to "adopt a park" by adopting the Ujung Kulon National Park in Java, Indonesia to help preserve the endangered Javon rhino. Many other zoos have followed the Minnesota Zoo's lead since by adopting their own nature refuges around the world.
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