Riverbanks Zoo
Entrance to Riverbanks Zoo and Garden
|
|
| Date opened | April 25, 1974 |
|---|---|
| Location | Columbia and West Columbia, South Carolina United States |
| Coordinates | 34°00′35″N 81°04′21″W / 34.009651°N 81.072436°WCoordinates: 34°00′35″N 81°04′21″W / 34.009651°N 81.072436°W |
| Land area | 170 acres (69 ha) |
| Annual visitors | 1,000,000+ |
| Memberships | AZA |
| Major exhibits | African Plains, Aquarium Reptile Complex, Ndoki Forest, Riverbanks Farm |
| Owner | Rich-Lex Riverbanks Park Special Purpose District |
The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is a 170-acre (69 ha) zoo, aquarium, and botanical garden located along the Saluda River in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. A small portion of the zoo extends into the nearby city of West Columbia. It is operated by the Rich-Lex Riverbanks Park Special Purpose District, a partnership of the city of Columbia and Richland and Lexington counties. It is overseen by the Riverbanks Park Commission, comprising two members each from the three governments and one at-large member.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
In the early 1960s, Columbia-area businessmen conceived of a zoo for the state capital. However, the idea didn't get beyond the planning stages until 1969, when the state created the Rich-Lex Riverbanks Park Special Purpose District to run the proposed zoo. The zoo opened on April 25, 1974. Within two years, it was obvious that the zoo would not be self-supporting, and the Riverbanks Zoological Society was created to help raise money for it. At the same time, Palmer "Satch" Krantz was appointed executive director, a post he still holds today.
Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is South Carolina's largest gated attraction, averaging over one million visitors each year—a considerable amount for a zoo serving a region as small as Columbia (the Columbia metropolitan area has only 800,000 people). Riverbanks is a four-time winner of the Southeastern Tourism Society's Shining Example Award as the Southeast's top tourist attraction and a two-time winner of the SC Parks Recreation and Tourism Governor's Cup Award as South Carolina's Leading Attraction.
The zoo is home to over 2,000 animals, with collections of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. Recent additions to the zoo include exhibits for African elephants, gorillas, and koalas. The Birdhouse at Riverbanks (opened 2001) was given a Significant Achievement Award by the AZA as one of the best new zoo exhibits in the United States and features a display of king, rockhopper, and gentoo penguins.
...
Wikipedia