Toronto Zoo

The Toronto Zoo is my favorite place to visit, I've even learned how to say the word "zoo".

Aside from being fun, a great place to get some exercise and very educational, the Toronto Zoo always keeps changing. This year the Toronto Zoo has opened their new African Savanna exhibit which allows you to get closer to animals like lions, cheetahs, giraffes and elephants. It is the second largest project in the Zoo's history in terms of scale and complexity costing $18 million with 75 percent of the funding coming from the City of Toronto.

My favorite animals to visit are the monkeys. It doesn't matter what type or how big. I love to watch them play and swing around. Mommy and Daddy like visiting the big cats especially the white lion. In the wild there are only a handful of white lions in South Africa's remote Timbavati Game Reserve. The Toronto Zoo's white lion's name is Nokanda and they are hoping she will successfully breed and bring more lion cubs to the zoo.

Another big highlight for me is getting to see all the new zoo babies and the Toronto Zoo has many new arrivals each season from baby Meerkats, warthogs, even sea-horses.

This zebra (or striped neigh as I like to call it) wasn't too sure about Mommy's camera. Photo by Teresa Maybury

Nokanda, the White Lion. Photograph by Teresa Maybury

Current Toronto Zoo Projects

The Toronto Zoo is an internationally recongized centre for conservation and research into endangered animals and plants. Some of the zoo's current projects include:

* Komodo Dragon: the Zoo is researching the behavior of the Komodo Dragon and has established a captive breeding programme for them.

* Trumpeter Swan: young birds are released at the Zoo as part of a programme to restore them to Ontario.

* Vancouver Island Marmots: in conjunction with the Vancouver Island Marmot Recovery Team, a conservation programme has been established for these animals.

* Karner Blue Butterfly: the Curator of Invertebrates is established a breeding protocol for this endangered Canadian species

* Red Mulberry: the Curator of Botany has initiated a Recovery Plan for this Canadian tree species in Point Pelee National Park

Resting in the Maya Ruins, this is one of two Jagars at the Toronto Zoo. Photo by Teresa Maybury

Some History on the Toronto Zoo

* The Toronto Zoo developed out of the Riverdale Zoo which opened in 1887.

* In 1966, the Zoological Society of Metropolitan Toronto was formed.

* Metro Council approved funding of $22 million in 1970, while the Zoological Society raised $6 million to purchase the animal collection.

* Architect Raymond Moriyama lead a team that chose the site in the Rouge River Valley.

* Construction began in the fall of 1970 and the Toronto Zoo officially opened on August 15, 1974.