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The Mill Mountain Zoo is a zoo located atop Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. When it opened in 1952, the zoo was operated by the City of Roanoke. In 1976, the city turned its operation over to the Roanoke Jaycees. The Jaycees operated the zoo until 1988 when its operation was handed over to the non-profit Blue Ridge Zoological Society (BRZS). The BRZS still serves as the operator and fund raiser for the zoo.

History

The zoo opened as the Children’s Zoo in 1952. Originally operating with a fairy tale and nursery rhyme theme, the zoo had various structures and attractions that paid homage to popular children’s stories, including the schoolhouse from "Mary Had a Little Lamb", the houses from the "Three Little Pigs", and the shoe from "There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe", which stood at the entrance to the zoo. In its early years, most of the animals on exhibit were native to the area, with a notable exception being a group of prairie dogs that were brought from Texas.

With its location atop Mill Mountain not being conducive to a major expansion, a proposal was developed in 1984 to relocate the zoo to a 400-acre (160 ha) tract adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway to be called the Blue Ridge Zoo. This proposal was later abandoned in favor of the development of Virginia's Explore Park at that location. After the failed relocation proposal, the Blue Ridge Zoological Society voted in 1988 to keep the zoo permanently atop Mill Mountain. As part of this decision, a 10-year master plan, called Zoo 2001, was completed in 1991, with some of its suggestions implemented over the course of the next decade.

The zoo was accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) from 1995 to 2016. Due to the zoo's financial situation at the time, the AZA declined to renew its accreditation, but the organization upheld that the zoo continued to excel in its general operation and animal welfare. Since 2019, Mill Mountain Zoo has retained accreditation through the Zoological Association of America (ZAA).

In June 2021, the zoo completed its largest capital project in three decades and added a black bear, heritage goats, hogs, and other animals.

Additions since 2008

• New holding/quarantine building (houses new animals and the birds during the winter) – not accessible to the public
• New animal clinic – not accessible to the public
• Red Wolf Exhibit
• Black Bear Exhibit
• Interactive Aviary
• Reptile House

Attractions and notable animals

The zoo is host to 85 animals among 35 species, including one critically endangered species the red wolf and four on the endangered list, the red panda, wood turtle, Golden Poison Dart Frog, and snow leopard. It is constantly undergoing changes with a variety of species being added including the opening of an interactive aviary in 2008, a reptile house in 2009, red wolf exhibit 2020 and the black bear exhibit in 2021.

Some of the favorite animals at the Zoo are Bali, the snow leopard; Hyde the black bear, Frank the red panda and Porkchop and Lara the Asian small-clawed otters. Recent additions to the Zoo include various types of poison dart frogs including blue dart frogs and golden dart frogs, 3 Bennett's Wallabies and a Hoffmann's Two-Toed Sloth, Lady.

Red Wolves are protected under SAFE (Saving Animals From Extinction). This program supports conservation efforts for this species by maintaining a healthy and viable population of red wolves under human care, growing education and awareness efforts, and aiding in research vital to supporting recovery and management. Captive red wolves are located throughout the country at different SAFE facilities, but they are managed as a single population. Transfers between facilities for breeding to accommodate genetics management objectives to help maintain a healthy and diverse population.

• Zoo Choo began operating when the zoo opened in 1952. It originally consisted of a gas-powered Model G-16 miniature train engine, two passenger cars and an observation car. The train operated continuously except between 1994 and 1996 and in 2002. In 2007, it was relocated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation. The zoo replaced it with another G-16 miniature train engine in August 2008.

The following are some of the more notable animals and attractions that have been at the zoo:

• Frump Frump was an African elephant donated to the zoo from a passing circus in 1970. Although she would die just a few months after being placed in the zoo, a record 107,000 visitors came, with many making the trip specifically to see her.
• Ruby was a Siberian tiger. She was donated to the zoo by law enforcement officers who found her being kept illegally as a pet in Danville, Virginia. Ruby was at the zoo from November 1988 until her death on December 10, 2006. Her habitat has since been converted to a wolf habitat.
• Oops is a Japanese macaque who escaped her cage in July 2006. Her escape was covered nationwide before she was recaptured a week later. She has since been moved to a larger facility to live with a larger group.

References

1. ^ "Zoo Facts". Mill Mountain Zoo. Archived from the original on 2008-03-16. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
2. ^ Shamy, Ed; Dwayne Yancey (September 16, 1990). "These are the Zoo's best and worst of times". The Roanoke Times. p. A1.
3. "Zoo Membership". Mill Mountain Zoo. Archived from the original on 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2008-04-06.
4. Harris, Nelson (October 31, 2023). "Let's Do a Zoo!". The Roanoker. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
5. ^ Yancey, Dwayne (July 16, 1990). "Ruby making Zoo something to roar about". The Roanoke Times. p. A1.
6. ^ Lu, Kathy (January 17, 2000). "Proposed zoo renovations leave nothing to Occident". The Roanoke Times. p. C1.
7. "History". Mill Mountain Zoo. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
8. Lucas, Rachel (2016-09-24). "Mill Mountain Zoo loses AZA accredidation". WSLS. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
9. Dashiell, Joe (2019-03-15). "Mill Mountain Zoo earns accreditation". WDBJ7. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
10. "Accreditation". Zoological Association of America. Retrieved 2024-10-10.
11. Dashiell, Joe (6 July 2021). "Mill Mountain Zoo has new animals and new leadership". www.wdbj7.com. Retrieved 2021-07-30.
12. ^ Cramer, John (May 5, 2007). "Zoo Choo to take one-way trip". The Roanoke Times. p. B1.
13. "History of the Zoo". Mill Mountain Zoo (Official Web Site). Archived from the original on July 7, 2010. Retrieved July 17, 2010.
14. Shamy, Ed; Yancey, Dwayne (September 16, 1990). "Small crisis on par for Zoo's 38-year course". The Roanoke Times. p. A1.
15. Codispoti, Amanda (July 10, 2006). "Oops the monkey found, returned to zoo". The Roanoke Times. p. A1. Archived from the original on February 1, 2013.

External links

• Official website

• Zoos in Virginia
• 1952 establishments in Virginia
• Tourist attractions in Roanoke, Virginia
• Zoos established in 1952