Sequoia Park Zoo
Mission
Sequoia Park Zoo inspires conservation of the natural world by instilling wonder, respect and passion for wildlife.
We fulfill our mission by:
- Creating intimate connections between people and animals
- Providing the highest standards of animal care and exhibitry
- Providing innovative educational experiences
- Partnering with other institutions to ensure sustainability of zoo and wild populations
- Providing a place for our community to meet, relax, and enjoy
- Appreciating and utilizing our unique redwood setting
History
Sequoia Park Zoo was founded in 1907 - the oldest zoo in California, and is owned and operated by the City of Eureka. Its beginnings were modest and typical of many zoos of its day: some native animals - elk, most likely, kept for various reasons and given to the city for the enjoyment of its citizens, who wished to create a metropolitan feel in the remote outpost of Northern California. A fence was erected to contain these animals inside the newly created city park, and a zoo was born. During the early part of the 20th century, animals were brought to the zoo in happenstance manner, a black bear orphaned from an Alaska hunting expedition, a wallaroo purchased on the docks in Sydney, Australia and shipped back to Eureka by a sea captain, etc. During this century, quite a mix of species found a home at Sequoia Park Zoo: baboons, African lions, camels, chimpanzees, tigers, polar bears, bison and other large hoofstock, exotic birds, and small mammals.
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