At the Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden in Evansville Indiana, guests can enjoy the natural beauty of the Eveansville area, while also learning about many different types of plants and animals native to the area and from around the world. Located on over 50 acres of rolling hills, this zoo is home to 700 different animals, divided into a number of different exhibits. This zoo has been showcasing animals to visitors since 1928, when the Evansville Zoological Society formed and two circus lions were donated to the zoo. Less than a year later, the zoo bought Kay the elephant, and in 1930, it moved to its current location in Mesker Park so it could begin building their collection of animals.
The animals - hundreds of different species - are housed in exhibits that cater to all of their needs, and that allow them to have the freedom to explore their surroundings. While guests watch, animals at the Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden interact with one another in a natural habitat.
The zoo, like many others, is divided into sections. In each of the sections, one can experience the lives of the animals that live in that particular area of the world. There are so many different animals in each of the sections. The zoo sections are called Amazonia, Africa, the African Rift, Asia & Australia, Tropic America, and North America. There is also Kley, which has interesting and exotic animals, and a Discovery Center, which has hands-on activities that guests can partake in during the day. With so many different sections to visit, it is encouraged that guests give several hours in which they are able to be at the zoo. Some of the animals that guests can see in these exhibits include tigers, lions, wallabies, emus, camels, rhinos, hippos, ostriches, zebras, rheas, bobcats, prairie dogs, bald eagles, and gray wolves. The Kley Building has a reptile exhibit, a nocturnal exhibit, a mangrove swamp, and tropical birds, while the Discovery Center has leopards, hornbills, frogs, macaws, and more.
The entire zoo has paths around Lake Victoria, where guests can see water animals and take a ride on paddle boats at Port Victoria. There's also a smaller lake called Lake Titicaca and a swamp known as Pantanal Swamp. Children may also want to visit the Children's Enchanted Forest, which features interactive exhibits and shows to help families learn more about some of the animals found in the zoo and their natural environments.
The Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden is open every day from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. There is no admittance into the zoo after 4 PM, and late in the day, some of the animals may already be housed for the night. The rates are different depending on the season and the age of the visitor. There are also special discounts for groups, zoo members, and certain other patrons. The facility can be rented out for birthday parties and other events, and they welcome school groups and other organizations that want to tour the zoo and learn more about the animals. To learn more, interested visitor can call 812-435-6143.
