A travel enthusiast, Betty Leung has visited many locations in both the United States and Canada, including San Francisco, Boca Raton, Niagara Falls, and Cape Cod. Betty Leung was born and raised in New York City, where she enjoys visiting the many parks and aquariums. A favorite destination is the iconic Central Park Zoo.
Since the 1860s, people have been visiting animals at the Central Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the nation. Even before there was an official zoo in the park, animals were on display, drawing 7,000 people per day. At that time, exotic animals donated by prominent citizens, such as August Belmont, Samuel Morse, General Custer, and General Sherman, were housed in Victorian-style structures for public viewing.
Later, during the 1930s, the zoo was renovated to provide better living conditions for the animals. The most popular exhibit was the sea lion habitat located in the center of the zoo. During the 1980s, the zoo underwent additional changes when its management was taken over by the New York Zoological Society, now called the Wildlife Conservation Society. Under new management, most of the larger animals were transferred to other locations, and traditional cages were replaced by more natural habitats.
The modern Central Park Zoo features several state-of-the-art exhibits for animals from tropical, temperate, and polar zones. While the sea lion exhibit continues to be the most popular area of the zoo, guests also enjoy the new Tisch Children’s Zoo and the Enchanted Forest, featuring an aviary and children’s theaters.
Architects of the remodeled zoo worked to incorporate symbols from the original Central Park Zoo into the new design. For example, original limestone reliefs by Frederick G.R. Roth are on display in several buildings. The reliefs feature animals that were on display in the original zoo, such as antelopes, birds, monkeys, lions, and wolves. Bronze sculptures from the 1930s are also on display near the George Delacorte Musical Clock.
