OKC Zoo

[Bill Robertson]

We went to the first Safari Soirée at the Zoo tonight, it was my birthday present from the wife. It's a new conservation fundraiser they were doing this year, and I hope it manages to become an annual thing.

The Zoo was open from 7pm-11pm for a 21+ event, and your ticket included admission, food and drinks (with many alcoholic options available), a DJ in one area, a cover band in another, and a string orchestra in a third, many areas where zoo staff had some of the smaller animals that usually make the rounds at birthday parties for us to touch and learn more about. Most of the animals were out and about, and it was fun to explore the zoo by flashlight after it got dark. It was $75 a person, with the option to buy behind-the-scenes tickets with the Elephants, Gorillas, Rhinos, and Bears (I think that was it), Your entrance also included the giraffe feeding, stingray visit, and sea lion show. And you could ride the tram from exhibit to exhibit, or drinking station to drinking station, if you so desired.

It was definitely a bit expensive (especially if you went for the behind-the-scenes experiences which we didn't), but it was a fund raiser after all. It was nice to experience the zoo without any kids, being able to spend a lot of time talking to keepers and staff about the different animals and conservation programs they are involved it, and just have a zoo that wasn't packed at all.

I don't know if they had enough people show up to make it worth the effort, but the behind-the-scenes experiences were sold out and they ran out of food and some of the pre-mixed specialty drinks in some areas. I think it's a great event for the zoo and for OKC, and I hope it becomes an annual thing.

Also: The parking lot is finished!

Glad it was a good time. We got the invite in the mail and I wanted to go but after a job scare with the wife's job couple few months ago I'm on a mission to get everything paid off but the house. I'll have that done by New Years so we'll go next year if they do it again.

[d-usa]

The only complaint would be that it was a hot day, but the event was planned for May before it got postponed to June due to severe weather. I imagine that having it in May, as originally planned, would have had cooler weather and an earlier sunset.

[turnpup]

The only complaint would be that it was a hot day, but the event was planned for May before it got postponed to June due to severe weather. I imagine that having it in May, as originally planned, would have had cooler weather and an earlier sunset.

I was just about to say, wouldn't it have been awesome if it could've been tonight? Anyway, it sounds like a really neat evening and cool birthday present!

[Pete]

Some new photos showing the new parking lot and the Africa exhibit under construction.

[FighttheGoodFight]

That new parking lot is amazing. I am so happy they finally did that. The old one was just awful.

[d-usa]

That's the Asia Exhibit under construction rather than the Africa Exhibit, right?

I'm thinking that the remodel of the picnic pavilion near the lake is the first step of the actual Africa Exhibit, which will then be followed by the replacement of the pachyderm building and the island life building.

[pw405]

Some new photos showing the new parking lot and the Africa exhibit under construction.

Oh, Pete. Aren't you glad I suggested that drone! Loving all the aerial pics!

[turnpup]

We drove through Lincoln Park, on the side of the lake opposite the zoo, the other day. It seems to be underutilized, considering its proximity to the zoo and other attractions in the area. The trees and lawns are all overgrown, and it's not a place I'd be comfortable driving through at night (it's a one-way loop with little or not ingress or egress besides the main entry). My husband remembers it as a thriving park when he was a youngster. Does anyone know what has happened to it, or if there are any plans for it?

[d-usa]

Does the Zoo own that land? I noticed some talk about the "park across the lake" in one of the zoo trust minutes.

[turnpup]

Does the Zoo own that land? I noticed some talk about the "park across the lake" in one of the zoo trust minutes.

Not sure. It seems like it could be repurposed in a number of cool ways, though.

[Urbanized]

Yes, they own the land. There is desire among their administrative staff to develop it in some way, but those plans would be long-term as they have a number of projects they want to take on within the currently-developed zoo grounds. It's on their radar though.

Regarding Lincoln Park, that section is only a small portion of what once was. The park used to include the golf courses (still known as Lincoln Park) and the zoo itself. You could drive through all of these, picnic throughout, etc. Eventually the zoo was fenced off for security, animal protection and crowd control/admission purposes, while the golf course was fenced off for similar reasons. Cars driving through such uses just aren't a good fit. So that section and a couple of other small sections were orphaned.

[cinnamonjock]

That land across the lake has been a trouble spot for the zoo for awhile. A lot of illegal dumping goes on there; along with other nefarious activities.

[turnpup]

Yes, they own the land. There is desire among their administrative staff to develop it in some way, but those plans would be long-term as they have a number of projects they want to take on within the currently-developed zoo grounds. It's on their radar though.

Regarding Lincoln Park, that section is only a small portion of what once was. The park used to include the golf courses (still known as Lincoln Park) and the zoo itself. You could drive through all of these, picnic throughout, etc. Eventually the zoo was fenced off for security, animal protection and crowd control/admission purposes, while the golf course was fenced off for similar reasons. Cars driving through such uses just aren't a good fit. So that section and a couple of other small sections were orphaned.

Thanks, Urbanized. Glad to hear that there are some potential future plans for the space.

[d-usa]

I see there an easy enough way to connect that section to the zoo itself?

I guess in the future they could run one of the boats between the two parks if needed.

[John1744]

If I'm looking at the satellite images correctly that area across the lake is mostly golf course with some strips of land for the park. Not sure if they could find anything to incorporate into the zoo in that area that would make sense. And then figuring out the logistics of getting to it. Maybe a bridge on the south end of the lake with a river life exhibit along the edges? I dunno. It'd be neat to have a world class aquarium over there with separate parking.

[d-usa]

Can someone whip up a map of what parts actually belong to the zoo?

[Urbanized]

There's not really a good way to connect the two areas by land, as the lake that separates them runs past the borders of both and into Lincoln Park Golf Course.

[ChargerAg]

Went to the zoo on Sunday and was shocked to see them working on the new Asia section. New parking is really nice but did notice that their were cars in the overflow area across the street.

[soonerguru]

I visited the zoo recently and came away super impressed. It is an amazing facility: beautifully landscaped, well staffed, and wonderfully cohesive as an attraction. It is just a gem for this city.

[d-usa]

One thing that still surprises me over a year later is how much bigger and more open the zoo feels after they removed a lot of the tall wooden fences that used to be next to many of the paths.

[erasmusred]

The Oklahoma City Zoo is great, and I'm pretty impressed with it when I go...with the exception of the aquatics area. I remember when the zoo re-vamped the apes and cats exhibits, and later they did great things with the elephant exhibit. I realize these animals are probably receiving upgrades due to the bigger draw than an any of the fish or marine life they have. However, does anyone have any insight into why they have put so little focus into this area of the zoo? The great improvements made to the other areas make the aquatics area stand out like a sore thumb, and I can't figure out why after seemingly every other area of the zoo has received a facelift they continue to neglect this one. Especially with the lack of any activity in the aquatics arena it seems prime for a change.

[d-usa]

It's on the list to be renovated, I want to say within the next couple of years.

The projects in the works that I know off:

1) Asia 2, which is in progress.
2) Africa (tearing down the old Pachyderm Building and Island Life after Aisa 2 is complete). The new picnic area is already being build to match the future theme.
3) The food court will become some sort of exhibit, I think.
4) The Aquarium area.

[jn1780]

The existing food court is going to become the new herpetarium at some point.

They need to do something with the space the tigers and lions use to be located at. Those original concrete pens are still there, they have been covered by a fence all these years. Hopefully, that will be part of an aquatic center renovation and remodel along with the butterfly garden.

[Bellaboo]

The Oklahoma City Zoo is great, and I'm pretty impressed with it when I go...with the exception of the aquatics area. I remember when the zoo re-vamped the apes and cats exhibits, and later they did great things with the elephant exhibit. I realize these animals are probably receiving upgrades due to the bigger draw than an any of the fish or marine life they have. However, does anyone have any insight into why they have put so little focus into this area of the zoo? The great improvements made to the other areas make the aquatics area stand out like a sore thumb, and I can't figure out why after seemingly every other area of the zoo has received a facelift they continue to neglect this one. Especially with the lack of any activity in the aquatics arena it seems prime for a change.

Years ago the Dolphin exhibits around the country were getting protested to the point they hardly exist anymore.

[OkiePoke]

Years ago the Dolphin exhibits around the country were getting protested to the point they hardly exist anymore.

They had issues with bacteria. I heard it may be transmitted via horses and having the exhibit that close to the horse track could be an issue. Not sure if that last part it true though...

http://newsok.com/article/2701726