Зоопарк Генри Виласа: история, развитие и текущие проблемы.

Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin

In 1904, the city received of land from William and Anna Vilas under the conditions that it be used "for the uses and purposes of a public park and pleasure ground". and in 1926 became the Henry Vilas Park Zoological Society, which continues today. In 1964, the society was incorporated as a non profit corporation. For the hundredth anniversary of the zoo, the society operated a Zoo Century campaign to support a $27 million redevelopment of the zoo over the next 10 years. Plans call for a new Arctic Passage exhibit and a redesigned Children's Zoo. The Arctic Passage, which includes a major expansion that includes a new restaurant, and new enclosures for seals and returning grizzly and polar bears opened May 23, 2015. The zoo hosts an annual Zoo Run Run with a 5K 10K run/walk. The race starts and finishes in the zoo, and uses portions of the adjacent University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum. The Henry Vilas Zoo is one of ten remaining free zoos in North America. As an accredited AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) zoo, their mission is to conserve and protect the wonders of the natural living world.

In 2022, after the two only black zookeepers at the Zoo resigned in part due to perceived poor management, racism, and retaliation from management, Dane County started an investigation into the practices of the zoo. The county found that the zoo created a toxic work environment, a lack of employees of color, inadequate welfare for animals, and management favoritism toward certain employees. The county then authorized an independent investigation. This investigation found no evidence of a hostile work environment nor discrimination, but some evidence of isolated past issues with animal treatment.

The zoo houses amphibians, birds, fish, insects, mammals, and reptiles from several continents.

Opened in 2015, the Arctic Passage features large, natural habitats for polar bears, grizzly bears and harbour seals. The polar bear and harbour seal exhibits have underwater viewing and there is a stream for the grizzly bears. The exhibit includes several sustainability features like solar panels, rainwater harvesting and an underground storage unit that saves over 2 million gallons of water.

A large yard home to the zoo's American bison.

The Wisconsin Heritage Trail opened in 2016 and highlights Wisconsin's rich mining history. It has enclosures for American badgers and rescued sandhill cranes.

A $4.2 million dollar aviary opened in 2000. Outside the aviary are enclosures for capybaras and North American river otters. The aviary is home to many tropical birds like blue and yellow macaws, blue crowned motmots, laughing kookaburra, white cheeked turaco and sunbittern as well as Geoffroy's marmoset, red rumped agouti and fish like red bellied piranhas and ocellate river stingrays.

The zoo houses African lions and Amur tigers in enclosures simulating their natural habitats in the wild with features like heated rocks to keep them warm during winter. Nearby is an enclosure for Indian crested porcupines.

Opened in 1995, the Primate House houses three species of primates, Bornean orangutans, black and white ruffed lemurs and ring tailed lemurs.

These yards are home to the zoo's larger hoofstock, Bactrian camels, Somali wild ass and white rhinoceros.

The Children's Zoo features the sustainably designed Red Barn, which houses their goats, which can be hand fed. It also features exhibits for red pandas, white handed gibbons, Indian crested porcupines, meerkats, aardvarks, red footed tortoises, American flamingos and Chilean flamingos. There is also a koi pond, a train and a carousel.

The Herpetarium is home to the zoo's reptiles and amphibians. Aldabra giant tortoises and American alligators have outdoor exhibits. Some of the collection include green anaconda, massasauga, alligator snapping turtle, Gila monster, Standing's day geckos, leopard geckos, desert tortoises, dyeing poison dart frogs, Golfodulcean poison frogs, green and black poison dart frogs, strawberry poison dart frogs, yellow banded poison dart frogs and red eyed tree frogs. The Discovery Center allows hands on interactions with animals. It houses giant African millipedes, lemur leaf frogs, Madagascar hissing cockroaches and Seba's short tailed bats.

The zoo also houses African penguins and North American porcupines. Some animals at the zoo include capybaras, badgers and polar bears.