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| DESCRIPTION: Celebrating its 100th year in 2009, the Kansas City Zoo offers visitors the unique experience of seeing more than 1,000 animals in naturalistic settings-all stretched across 200 acres in Swope Park. The Zoo's exhibits are organized by continent with major sections for Africa and Australia. |
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| ADDRESS: 6800 Zoo Drive, Kansas City, Mo. |
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| LOCATION: In Swope Park, across from Starlight Theatre. |
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| PHONE: 816-513-5700 |
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| WEB SITE: www.kansascityzoo.org |
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HIGHLIGHTS:
- Four areas — Africa, Australia, KidZone and Tiger Trail — comprise the Zoo's largest sections. Two of the Zoo's most recent animal additions are critically endangered Sumatran tigers, Langka and Manis. Less than 250 are thought to exist in the wild.
- Discovery Barn is an enclosed, air-conditioned environment that brings children and their families in close contact with exotic animals like lemurs, meerkats and squirrel monkeys.
- One of the largest chimpanzee environments in North America, featuring 17 animals on exhibit.
- Five transportation options to explore the Zoo. Golf cart and Segway tours, as well as boat, train and tram rides are available to the public seasonally.
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| HOURS: Open 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily. |
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| ADMISSION: Adults $10.50, seniors $9.50, children (ages 3-11) $7. Discounted Tues. admission, adults $8, seniors $7, children $6. Children ages 3 and under are always free. |
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| ANNUAL ATTENDANCE: 400,000. |
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| HISTORY: Planning for the Kansas City Zoo began following the formation of the Kansas City Zoological Society in 1907. The society requested 60 acres in Swope Park and $32,000 from the Kansas City Board of Parks and Recreation to begin construction. The gates opened to the public on Dec. 13, 1909. Zoo development gained momentum in the '50s and '60s, with the addition of several new exhibits and the launch of its non-profit organization, Friends of the Zoo. In 1991, a $50-million bond issue brought the Zoo to its current 202 acres, adding the Australia and Africa sections. In January 2006, zoo officials announced a $30 million fundraising campaign to aid exhibit maintenance, walkway renovations plus the additions of penguin and polar bear exhibits. |
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| WHERE TO GET LUNCH: Located throughout the park, the zoo's three restaurants and six snack bars offer everything from cotton candy and Dip-N-Dots to larger meals and margaritas. Picnic areas are also available. |
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| WHAT'S NEARBY: The Zoo is located in Swope Park, a 1,769-acre urban park that offers two golf courses, a Braille trail and the Lakeside Nature Center among its many amenities. Starlight Theatre, which plays host to several Broadway musicals and concerts in the summer season, is next door to the Zoo. |
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| WHAT'S NEW: The Kansas City Zoo is becoming even more visitor friendly, thanks to the park's most aggressive renovation in 10 years. The project includes the addition of a North American river otter exhibit just inside the zoo's entrance; the opening of a Zoo Learning Center; and a total reconstruction of the parking lots and admission gates, which will make parking easier and shorten the walk into the zoo. (To be completed May 2008). A polar bear exhibit will debut in 2009 during the zoo's centennial. |
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| HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES: A free, year-round activity lets Kansas City Zoo visitors feed and interact with small lorikeet birds. These brightly-colored Australian parrots fly right onto a visitor's hands, arms or head to get a sample of fruit nectar. |
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| DID YOU KNOW: The Kansas City Zoo has five black rhinos, 1 percent of the species' world population. |
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| DON'T FORGET: The size of the Kansas City Zoo. With more than 200 acres of exhibits and attractions, Zoo officials recommend allotting four to six hours to view all the animals. Prior to your visit, access the Zoo's Web site for a printable map of exhibits, show schedules and list of visitor tips. For example, plan to arrive before 10 a.m. or after 2 p.m. to avoid crowds. |
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| GROUP TOURS: Accommodating 10 to 500 participants, Kansas City Zoo Docents offer two group tour packages-The Australian Outback and African Safari Adventure. Visit the Web site for more information. |
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DRIVING THERE: From the north: Take US-71 S to the 63rd Street exit. Turn left on 63rd Street and take a right onto Starlight Road. Turn left at Mall Drive and then another left onto Zoo Boulevard.
From the east: Traveling on I-70 W, merge onto I-435 S via Exit 8A. Then take Exit 66, Blue Parkway/MO-350 E. Take the 63rd Street ramp towards Raytown. Travel a couple miles and turn left onto Starlight Road. Turn left at Mall Drive and then another left onto Zoo Boulevard.
From the south: From I-435 S, take Exit 66A, MO-350 East/63rd Street. Turn left on 63rd Street. From US-71, go north to the 63rd Street exit. Turn right on 63rd Street and travel several blocks. Turn left on Starlight Road. Turn left at Mall Drive and then another left onto Zoo Boulevard.
From the west: Using I-70 East, merge onto I-670 East/I-70 ALT East via the exit on the left. Take Exit 2M US-71 South. Take the 63rd Street exit. Turn a slight right onto Starlight Road. Turn left at Mall Drive and then another left onto Zoo Boulevard.
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| PARKING: Free in the Zoo's two large parking lots near the front entrance. |
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| PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Max Evans, media relations/online marketing manager, 816-513-5715 or max_evans@fotzkc.org. |
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