The history of the Prospect Park Zoo, which was

established back when Brooklyn was a city

When it comes to the zoo's history in the Brooklyn borough, it dates back to

a time before the city became part of the great New York. However, a

modest menagerie that appeared in the late 1800s could hardly be

considered a real zoo in the conventional sense of the term. The 1896

Annual Report entry mentioned "live cattle" possessed by the Brooklyn

Parks Commission. It included primarily domestic animals, such as 59

sheep, a buffalo, a cow, 10 rabbits, one dog, eight chickens, eight pigeons,

39 Chinese geese, 15 Egyptian geese, seven musk ducks, four common

ducks, and three turkeys. However, there were several wild animals,

including three bears, a cougar, two raccoons, 28 deer, and one eagle.

Learn more about the Brooklyn zoo in Prospect Park at brooklyn-

name.com

The zoo on Flatbush Avenue

This diverse variety of animals was formally registered as the Prospect
Park Zoo on Flatbush Avenue. It opened to the public on July 3, 1935.
According to the Works Progress Administration (WPA) initiative, the zoo
was part of a large-scale citywide park improvement program initiated and
carried out by former Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. New York
Governor Al Smith, who previously volunteered to oversee the Manhattan
zoo near his home and later became known as the "night superintendent"
of that zoo, referred to the zoo in Brooklyn's Prospect Park as a "renting
agent." To his satisfaction, he mentioned that two-thirds of the "apartments"
were occupied and that tenants were highly sought-after.

Similar to the Central Park Zoo, the original old Park Zoo eventually
became outdated and imperfect as time passed and new knowledge about
the needs of captive animals emerged. As a result, thanks to a partnership,
in the early 1980s, the Wildlife Conservation Society took over the
reconstruction and management of a new zoo in Prospect Park. After 53
years of operation, the Prospect Park Zoo was closed for renovation in
1988. The closure marked the beginning of a five-year, 37-million-dollar
reconstruction program that entirely transformed the zoo, with the
exception of the 1930s exterior buildings.

Renovations at the Prospect Park Zoo

Some architectural elements of the old zoo have been preserved, such as
the primary layout of the zoo's center, however, the terrible animal living
conditions have been eliminated or improved. The renovated Prospect Park
Zoo opened on October 5, 1993.

The Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn, like the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan,
has preserved limestone relief works created by the great sculptor and
animalist Frederick Roth. His most renowned sculpture is a sled dog
named Balto, which is located in Central Park. In Prospect Park, there are
eleven bas-reliefs representing characters from Rudyard Kipling's classic
work "The Jungle Book". Among them, of course, is Mowgli, a boy raised
by wolves. Bas-reliefs have been preserved to this day. These works of art
provide a vivid representation of how artists portrayed animals in the
nineteenth century.

Here, you can also find another example of nineteenth-century animal art,
"Lioness and Cubs" by French sculptor Victor Peter. It is located east of the
pond with sea lions. This is a gift from the renowned sculptor Frederick
MacMonnies, who himself is represented by a good dozen works in New
York parks, including the "Horse Tamers" in the same park. There is also a
piece of white marble depicting a naked boy with his faithful dog. The
sculpture is known as "Boy and Dog" and was produced in 1866. It's
located in the Education Center.

Lions, monkeys, hippos and elephants

Both then and today, a gorgeous plaza and seal pool serve as the focal

points of the zoo's semicircular fan-shaped layout. Its geometric design

differs from typical zoo designs. It is constructed around a winding path

through animal habitats. The 7-acre zoo houses lions, monkeys, birds,

hippos, and elephants in a large domed building. The most modern

ventilation system is designed to keep the cells clear from the smells.
There are also bear dens with boulders that resemble the mountainside

facing Flatbush Avenue and are protected by a protective moat.

There were also a few modifications. For example, where the former polar

bear exhibition had stood, there is now an administration building. A tragic

event occurred here before the facility was closed for restoration. In 1989,

two boys came to see polar bears and were attacked, after which only one

child survived.

Following the incident, lattices, cages, and pits were replaced by

naturalistic habitat displays. Although the three main exhibition areas were

designed to engage children in wildlife exploration. Overall, the updated

Prospect Park Zoo focused primarily on small animals. The administration

opted to follow the practice of keeping large animals in large zoos that are

better equipped for their care. Among the improvements, we should

mention the sculptural project of animal-shaped topiaries, which was

completed in 1993. It adorns the path near the administrative building.