The Mill Mountain Zoo is a zoo located atop Mill Mountain in Roanoke, Virginia, United States. When it opened in 1952, the zoo was operated by the City of Roanoke.[2] In 1976, the city turned its operation over to the Roanoke Jaycees. The Jaycees operated the zoo until 1988 when its operation was handed over to the non-profit Blue Ridge Zoological Society (BRZS).[2] The BRZS still serves as the operator and fund raiser for the zoo.[3]
History
With its location atop Mill Mountain not being conducive to a major expansion, a proposal was developed in 1984 to relocate the zoo to a 400-acre (160 ha) tract adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway to be called the Blue Ridge Zoo.[4] This proposal was later abandoned in favor of the development of Virginia's Explore Park at that location.[4] After the failed relocation proposal, the Blue Ridge Zoological Society voted in 1988 to keep the zoo permanently atop Mill Mountain.[5] As part of this decision, a 10-year master plan, called Zoo 2001, was completed in 1991, with some of its suggestions implemented over the course of the next decade.[5]
In June 2021, the zoo completed its largest capital project in three decades and added a black bear, heritage goats, hogs, turkeys and other animals.[6]
Additions since 2008
New holding/quarantine building (houses new animals and the birds during the winter) – not accessible to the public
The following are some of the more notable animals and attractions that have been at the zoo:
Frump Frump was an African elephant donated to the zoo from a passing circus in 1970. Although she would die just a few months after being placed in the zoo, a record 107,000 visitors came, with many making the trip specifically to see her.[7]
Ruby was a Siberian tiger. She was donated to the zoo by law enforcement officers who found her being kept illegally as a pet in Danville, Virginia. Ruby was at the zoo from November 1988 until her death on December 10, 2006. Her habitat has since been converted to a wolf habitat.
Oops is a Japanese macaque who escaped her cage in July 2006. Her escape was covered nationwide before she was recaptured a week later.[8] She has since been moved to a larger facility to live with a larger group.
Zoo Choo began operating when the zoo opened in 1952. It originally consisted of a gas-powered Model G-16 miniature train engine, two passenger cars and an observation car.[9] The train operated continuously except between 1994 and 1996 and in 2002. In 2007, it was relocated to the Virginia Museum of Transportation.[9] The zoo replaced it with another G-16 miniature train engine in August 2008.[10]
The zoo is host to 85 animals among 35 species, including two species on the endangered list, the red panda and snow leopard.[1] It is constantly undergoing changes with a variety of species being added including the opening of an interactive aviary in 2008 and a reptile house in 2009. Some of the favorite attractions are Bo, the very lovable wolverine; Nina, the cougar; Tasha (who died at a very old age recently) and Boris, the snow leopards; Nova, the red panda who was later joined by Takeo (Sophia, the zoo's red panda, was sent for breeding at Denver Zoo); and Richard, Mom, and Oops, the Japanese macaques. Recent additions are red wolves, cinereous vultures, four Asian small-clawed otters, and Pallas's cats.
