Minnesota Zoo - Apple Valley, Minnesota - zoo that connects visitors with nature

The Minnesota Zoo opened in 1978 with the goal of connecting people in the Minnesota area to the natural world. They have education opportunities for all age groups, as well as a wide variety of animals to watch and enjoy. Over 1.1 million people visitor this zoo every year, and over 300,000 of these guests take part in the educational programs.

There are nearly 450 animal species represented at the zoo, which has over 2,700 individual animals, not including all of their insect colonies. Since the zoo opened, there have been 247 births at the zoo. As of 2009, 22 of the zoo's species are part of their Species Survival Plan program, and these SSPs will hopefully help revive these animal species to keep them around for years to come. Some of the animals found at the zoo include tigers, gray wolves, bison, coyotes, leopards, porcupines, red pandas, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sheep, sea otters, kangaroos, wild boars, bald eagles, macaws, and komodo monitors.

The Minnesota Zoo is divided into trails and areas to help guests experience animals in a way that makes sense as to what one would find in nature. For example, on the Medtronic Minnesota Trail, guests can see animals like the beaver, lynx, and woodpecker, which are all found in the state of Minnesota. In addition, there's Discovery Bay, where visitors can see Atlantic reef schools of fish and dolphins, and there are other trails such as the Northern Trail, Russia's Grizzly Coast, and the Tropics Trail.

One of the most popular places in the Minnesota Zoo for children is the Wells Fargo Family Farm. This area has animal that kids can see up close, and in some cases, even pet. Some of these animals include cows, chickens, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep.

The Minnesota Zoo has not only Species Survival Plans (SSPs), but other programs as well to get involved with species protection and conservation. They have a number of behind-the-scene recycling and sustainability programs, and have designed the zoo to be as green as possible. Visitors can get involved by donating to the zoo or learning more through one of the zoo's educational programs.

Hours for the zoo vary according to the time of year. From Labor Day to Memorial Day, during the winter, the zoo is open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM during the week, with longer hours during some of the early fall and late spring weekends. During the summer, the Minnesota Zoo is open from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM every day of the week. The admission price for the zoo ranges from $8 to $14, depending on age, and they have zoo/IMAX combo tickets for a slightly higher price for guests who intend to visit the IMAX theater on-site. Parking costs $5.00. To save money, guests who visit the zoo often can become Zoo Members for just $40 to $105. The zoo and parking are free for zoo members. Interested guests can call 952-431-9200 to learn more about the Minnesota Zoo.