Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo in Bridgeport, Connecticut

The Beardsley Zoo is the only zoo located in the state of Connecticut and is one of the main reasons why Bridgeport has been nicknamed, "The Park City''. James Beardsley was a wealthy cattle dealer who gifted the City of Bridgeport with more than 100-acres of land in 1878. The City of Bridgeport contracted Fredrick Law Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park, to create a design for Beardsley Park. Bridgeport Parks Commissioner, Wesley Hayes, began to campaign for a City Zoo to be created in Beardsley Park. In 1920, the zoo received a donation of 18 exotic birds and Barnum and Bailey Circus donated a portion of their retired animals as well.

The Beardsley Zoo has more than 300 animals that represent North and South American species. Visitors can see many endangered and threatened animals including Amur (Siberian) tigers, Andean condors, Ocelots, Red and Maned wolves, Andean (spectacled) bears and Golden lion tamarin. Guests can walk through a South American rainforest exhibit complete with a free-flight aviary and "pop up'' prairie dog viewing area. The New England Barnyard exhibit features goats, cows, pigs, sheep and other barnyard animals. A walk along the hoofstock trail will bring guests face-to-face with bison, deer, pronghorn and many other animals.

For visitors that wonder about how a zoo operates behind the scenes, the Beardsley Zoo offers guided tours. Visitors can watch as tigers are fed, insect meals are prepared and see how animal bedding is made. It takes some 90 volunteers devoting more than 5,000 hours of their time to keep the zoo clean and safe for visitors and animals.

Each year, the Beardsley Zoo hosts several different programs designed to enhance appreciation for the environment and to give people a better understanding of conservation. Some of the programs are for children such as the Wild Wednesdays and Zoo Tots, and the Explorer Open House programs are geared towards preteens and teens. The zoo also has other conservation programs available for those who are seeking more specific information.

The Beardsley Zoo has an antique Carousel, Victorian Greenhouse and the Hanson Exploration Station. With a wide variety of animals, lush tropical rainforest habitat, and 52-acre Beardsley Park, people are sure to have an unforgettable experience. For those seeking a unique venue, the grounds are perfect for a wedding, birthday party or any other type of event.

Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo is the perfect place to introduce children to the wonders of nature and the wild world of animals. Guests of the zoo are welcome to learn about natural history, animals and conservation. The facility is open daily from 9 am until 4 pm, the New World Tropics Building is open daily from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm, and the Carousel is open seasonally from 10:30 am until 3:30 pm.