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Jeptha wade donated seventy-three acres of land to the City of Cleveland to be used for a zoo, called Wade Park. He also donated fourteen American Deer.

Deer Barn and animal enclosures painted.

Eighty-one acres of land, the nucleus for Brookside Park, was purchased. Later in the year, sixty-eight additional acres were purchased. This was to be the location of the zoo when it moved from Wade Park.

The City of Cleveland purchased 150 acres, named Brookside Park, which would eventually become the site of the present Cleveland Metroparks Zoo.

A pair of lions was presented to the Zoo.

Forty-nine animals were donated to the Zoo.

A grizzly bear captured in Yellowstone National Park was presented to the Zoo.

The seven-year move to the west side of Cleveland began. Construction started of the main building at the new location.

The new main building opened.

Zoo superintendent William Hadderath moved his headquarters to Brookside Park, although the zoo was still divided between the two locations.

Construction of new bear dens began, so the bears could be moved from Wade Park to Brookside Park.

The bear dens were completed, and the last remaining animals in Wade Park were moved to Brookside Park.

The aquatic fowl house and pond were completed, including a heavy six-foot wire fence around the pond.

As the Brookside Zoo grew, most of the exhibits were housed in the main building, except for bears and hoofed stock, which were housed in nearby pens and paddocks.

A notable claim to fame for the Brookside Zoo in the 1920s was the arrival of hero sled dog, Balto, on March 19, 1927. After a charity drive by the children of Cleveland—with the hopes that Balto would come to live at the zoo—a parade was thrown to celebrate his arrival. He and his fellow sled dogs then retired to their new home at the Brookside Zoo.

A letter to the editor of a Cleveland newspaper pointed a finger at “the world’s worst zoo”. There were 420 animals at the zoo, but 300 of them were domestics—ponies, ducks, geese, pigeons, rabbits, etc.

The Cuyahoga County Relief Administration, as part of the Federal work relief program, devoted time and labor to the zoo. The first project was a “monkey island” based on similar exhibits in Chicago, Detroit, and Toledo. Using materials from the old Superior Viaduct and the Ajax Building in downtown Cleveland, Monkey Island rose up, like a phoenix from the ashes of the Great Depression, and was ready for occupancy.

Monkey Island opened on Sunday, June 21. On August 11, the first Cleveland Zoological Society was formed.

A children’s area was completed by the Works Progress Administration, but was severely damaged by vandals before it officially opened.

3,600 WPA laborers were sent to Brookside Park. With incomplete working plans, they worked on a project to remodel the zoo and lay out a large athletic center west of the zoo.

The sea lion pool, started in 1936, was completed. It was learned that the cost of a sea lion was $340, but the cost of feeding it would be an additional $600 per year. Therefore, the purchase of sea lions was turned down, and the zoo had an empty $60,000 exhibit.

Legislation was introduced in Cleveland City Council to abolish the zoo at Brookside Park. The formation of a Zoological Society was again proposed, this time by the Cleveland Federation of Women’s Clubs.

The fence required around the sea lion pool was installed, and the I. J. Fox Company (a fur store company) renewed its offer to donate three sea lions. On Monday, August 26, Cleveland City Council turned the zoo over to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, effective October 2. In November, Frank Buck presented the zoo with an elephant.

Within a year, many accomplishments were evident: the sea lion pool was in operation, two bear enclosures had been renovated, main building animal cages had been painted, the heating system had been overhauled, uniforms were purchased for zoo personnel, new identification signs were installed on animal exhibits, and about 100 new animals had replaced old stock.

A traveling zoo was instituted on June 23, sponsored by the Cleveland Press, the City of Cleveland recreation department, and the zoo. Preliminary plans for a mini-farm within the zoo were unveiled, but were not approved, and the zoo farm idea was temporarily shelved.

A miniature train was acquired. Construction of the waterfowl sanctuary began.

The waterfowl sanctuary was completed. The first Cleveland Zoo Guide Book was published. It was written and edited by Omar Ranney, a Cleveland Press columnist, and published by Max Axelrod, who handled zoo concessions. A brand-new streamliner miniature train debuted.

Completion of the Fulton Road entrance to the zoo was ordered by Cleveland Mayor Thomas Burke. The first of a series of catastrophic floods occurred, causing a total of forty-one animal casualties (thirty-four birds and seven mammals).

Another flood in the spring hastened the Big Creek project, which called for putting Big Creek underground through three large culverts. The road through the zoo that allowed for a public throughway for automobiles was closed. A perimeter fence around the zoo was installed.

The culverting of Big Creek was completed.

On August 17, the zoo’s new beaver and otter pool was dedicated. The new bird building was dedicated in October. The building added a new dimension in the exhibition of ornithological specimens at the zoo. New cages were installed in the zoo's main building in December, and the reptile collections moved to the basement.

A teacher was assigned to the zoo by the Cleveland Board of Education. His task was to conduct animal science classes at the zoo, a living classroom.

The zoo’s first tour trains began operating. They were purchased from Greyhound Lines, who had operated them at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1933, and the New York World’s Fair in 1940. In the fall, a beautification program was completed in the area surrounding the bird building and waterfowl lake.

An improved children’s zoo opened, featuring new rides and a small-scale fairy tale theme park.

A contract to build the zoo’s new pachyderm building was awarded, with a projected cost of $600,000. It would house elephants, rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, and giraffes. A new tour train was added to the in-grounds transportation system. There was even a tour train providing transportation from the new parking area off Fulton Parkway to the zoo grounds.

Friends of the Zoo funds were used to build a tropical greenhouse in which exotic plants and flowers would be propagated to provide greenery in the bird building and other areas.

The new pachyderm building was dedicated on Saturday, May 19. Its appearance was enhanced by mammoth and mastodon terra-cotta reliefs, designed by Viktor Schreckengost, at the entranceways.

The zoo celebrated its 75th anniversary on March 13. The newly formed Cleveland Zoological Society assumed management responsibilities of the zoo in April. One of the first projects of the Zoological Society was an improved and expanded Children’s Zoo.

In January, a fund of $1,000 was set aside to study the possibility transferring the zoo to county ownership. Construction of the new Children’s Farm started in May, thanks to the Rotary Club of Cleveland.

On January 19 a flood destroyed the zoo’s reptile collection. The Children’s Farm was dedicated on May 18. “Bongo Days” were celebrated in July. “Karen”, the female bongo antelope, was the world’s only bongo in human care at the time. The old ostrich house was renovated and a new wing was added to accommodate the bongo.

On March 26, to commemorate their Golden Anniversary, the Cleveland Camp Fire Girls gave a totem pole to the zoo. It was placed in the picnic area west of monkey island. Ground was broken on June 16 for construction of a lion and tiger moat, the first step in the modernization program in the master development plan.

On April 25, the new lion and tiger veldt (from the Afrikaans, "veld", "field"), was dedicated. An extremely popular honeybee exhibit opened in the pachyderm building in June. On September 15, the zoo celebrated its 80th birthday.

“Karen” the bongo, welcomed “Biff,” a male from West Africa. Four sculptures (two goats and two polar bears) by William M. McVey, originally done for Leisy’s Brewery (located on the near west side), were donated to the zoo. The Leonard C. Hanna Fund allotted $300,000 for the construction of a new administration-education center.

The new administration-education center was dedicated on June 11. The zoo flooded again on July 28. One million dollars were earmarked for the zoo by the City of Cleveland, to build new bear grottoes.

The first pygmy hippopotamus born at the zoo made its appearance on June 29. Ostrich races were run on the zoo’s mall on July 9 and 10. The Cleveland Orchestra performed at the zoo for the third successive year.

On December 4, the zoo’s male gorilla, “Timmy,” was acquired from the Memphis Zoo.

Public Service Director Charles Voracek and Assistant Superintendent Ronald Seeley presented animal programs outside the zoo for people with disabilities, children in hospitals, residents of nursing homes, and at other off-site locations. On August 16, the one-millionth visitor passed through the barnyard gate of the Children’s Farm.

On July 2, the zoo experienced a first in its animal collection: the birth of twin male pronghorn antelopes. The twins were the mother pronghorn’s first, and the first-ever born at the Cleveland Zoo.

New moated bear grottoes and hoofed animal and bird exhibits opened. The bear grottoes featured four species—Kodiak, Eurasian Brown, Japanese Black and Malayan Sun. The oldest tree on zoo grounds, a white oak, was felled by a Cleveland Shade Trees Division Crew. A count of the rings revealed the tree to be at least 270 years old.

March 26: The City of Cleveland transferred ownership of the Zoo to Cleveland Metroparks. In late September, the original zoo building (the deer house)—located in Wade Park—was moved from the University Circle area and reconstructed at the north end of the Zoo's waterfowl lake.

Wade Memorial Hall, was dedicated on May 28. The moated bear grottoes' second phase was completed in June, with the Kodiak and Polar Bear displays located on the site of the old bear dens. Construction began on a new building to house an animal care unit for animal medical and surgical care, a maintenance garage for zoo vehicles, maintenance shops, a commissary for animal food storage, and winter quarters for animals.

The Stecher Animal Care Center and service building was dedicated on September 29.

The Zoo’s first successful king penguin hatching and survival occurred in August. A volunteer group was organized at the Zoo in the summer, consisting of twenty-five members.

The elephant ride opened, and elephant races were held, with much publicity.

The Zoo issued its first set of zoo local postage stamps, commemorating the heroism of “Balto”, the lead dog of the famous team that delivered diptheria antitoxin to Nome, Alaska, in February, 1925. On June 23, construction began on a new primate and cat building, located next to the administration-education complex. On October 28, through an agreement with the Cleveland Zoological Society (CZS), Cleveland Metroparks assumed complete operating responsibilities for the Zoo. CZS became a supportive agency for the Zoo.

Birth of two giraffes. A young male pygmy hippopotamus, named Wolee, was acquired from Liberia.

The long-awaited new primate and cat building was dedicated on June 23.

Completion of the hillside deck walk behind the primate and cat building, and the opening of the new restaurant, picnic patio, and the entranceway at Fulton Parkway. The new section, called Upland Commons, gave a new appearance to the southwest portion of the Zoo. The Sohio (Standard Oil of Ohio) Amphitheatre, built on the site of the old City of Cleveland swimming pool, was dedicated July 29. In November, contracts were let to construct a new seal and sea lion pool, near the bear grottoes. Contracts were also let for the ZooGate Commons project, to create a new admission entrance, visitor information center, library, classrooms, auditorium, administrative and education department offices, exhibit hall, gift shop, tour train station, concession facilities, and a showcase flamingo exhibit.

The 100th anniversary of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The seal and sea lion pool was dedicated on July 25. On September 23, the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums (AAZPA) gave the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo accreditation, meaning that standards and credentials were of the highest caliber, according to members of the official accreditation committee.

The new public greenhouse opened on Easter Sunday. ZooGate Commons, the main entrance complex, was dedicated on May 16.

March 27 marked the dedication of Birds of the World. On May 22 the new African Plains exhibit was dedicated. This exhibit occupied a six-acre site between Birds of the World and Monkey Island, and was home to giraffes, zebra, antelopes, vultures and other African animals. Visitors are separated only by dry moats, and can view all three compounds from several overlooks. The new lion exhibit is adjacent to Africa. Separated by a dry moat, the lions overlook, but cannot reach, their traditional prey.

The new ZooGate Commons Picnic Pavilion was completed and opened in the spring. This facility accommodated 600–700 people. The rhinoceros exhibit was constructed during the summer, located next to Monkey Island. During the summer and fall, Monkey Island was renovated. The Cleveland Aquarium (in Gordon Park) closed during this year, and its collection of fishes and invertebrates was moved to the Zoo. A portion of the cat and primate building was renovated and became the aquatics exhibit.

In April, the birds of prey exhibit was completed. A nesting area was created for bald eagles, and an additional pair of these birds was obtained as founder stock for the bald eagle breeding program. In June, 35 new aquatic exhibits opened at the Primate, Cat and Aquatics building. Monkey Island renovations completed. The Fanner Company building and land were acquired, and the new RainForest complex was built around the foundation and walls of the former manufacturing center. Additional parking was added.

Summer marked the opening of Australian Adventure, with exhibits, railroad, and train station. A wood viewing deck walk was built behind the pachyderm building. On August 21, the Rare and Beautiful Animals of China exhibit opened, located in a section of the Primate, Cat and Aquatics building. A new educational program, a 4th-grade summer reading class, called “Reading, Writing and Rhinos” began. The RainForest entered its construction phase.

The Zoo Library received a donation of 543 bird books (an over $10,000 value) from Patricia Sutherland, a resident of Brooklyn (Ohio). In September, the Zoo received a pair of clouded leopards from China, for permanent exhibit.

The Zoo welcomed director Steve H. Taylor. The Zoo's first siamang gibbon birth. The Zoo established its first Conservation Day, held in June, and its first Recycling Day, in August. The Zoo's Mission Statement—"Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is first and foremost dedicated to the responsible stewardship of our natural environment through exhibition of living animals and plants and programs in wildlife education and conservation. The Zoo will be recognized as a quality attraction for people of all ages and the pride of Cleveland"—was adopted on March 22 by the Board of Park Commissioners. Dr. Albert Lewandowski became the Zoo’s first full-time veterinarian in April. The Birds of Prey Show began on May 26, and continued daily through September 3.

Zoo attendance hit a new record of 872,713 visitors.

The Education Division received a new van donated by the Ryan Foundation. The van was named Ryan’s Roving RainForest, painted with rainforest plants and animals, and was used by education staff for outreach and other programs. Amidst controversy, Timmy the gorilla, was transferred to the Bronx Zoo, in order to realize his reproductive potential, an important element in gorilla conservation.

Historic Wade Hall (built 1884), was renovated and modified to house an ice cream shop. On June 17, a litter of four male cheetahs was born at CMZ. The cubs were the first for the mother and father, and also the first cheetahs ever born at CMZ. The RainForest opened on November 14. In its first six weeks, The RainForest attracted 102,636 visitors. Total Zoo attendance for the year was a new record: 935,006.

Dr. Hugh Quinn, former director of the Topeka Zoo and curator at the Houston Zoo, was hired as General Curator. Annual attendance hit a new record of 1,439,948 visitors.

Cleveland Metroparks signed a ninety-nine year lease with the City of Cleveland for Brookside Park, 141 acres located next to the Zoo, which provided for Zoo expansion. A new logo was developed for CMZ. Contract was awarded for schematic design of Wolf Wilderness and the Australian Family Ranch.

During the summer, the public greenhouse was transformed into a Tropical Butterfly Garden, where visitors walked amongst twenty-five butterfly species. The butterflies were farm-bred in Malaysia and the Philippines. Okpara, the two-year-old son of Cleveland’s well-known gorilla, Timmy, arrived at CMZ. Okpara was accompanied by Little Joe, another two-year-old born at the Bronx Zoo. Work began on a 3,000-square-foot production greenhouse for winter holding of display plant material and tropical plants for The RainForest.

Wolf Wilderness construction began. Wolf Wilderness was the most significant capital project since the opening of The RainForest in 1992.Work also commenced on the design of Kookaburra Station, the Australian exhibit that replaced the Children’s Farm. In April, the Zoo transferred its single remaining African elephant, Tiani, to the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas, which allowed for renovation of the pachyderm building to provide better safety for elephant keepers and the animals. Zoo staff worked with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) on trumpeter swan reintroduction. Eggs were collected in Alaska, hatched at the Zoo, and thirty birds were taken to the wilds in central Ohio to be raised until they were old enough to be released throughout the state. The Zoo debuted its first website. Susan Marshall became the first-ever Executive Director of the Cleveland Zoological Society.

On Friday, May 9, Wolf Wilderness opened to the public. At the time, the exhibit was home to a pack of five wolves, beavers, and American bald eagles. In June, three new elephants joined the Zoo’s animal collection: Jo (aged 30) and Moshi (aged 21), who came from Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon; and Kiah (aged 13), who came from the Erie (Pennsylvania) Zoo. Joanne Davies and Caroline Pitcher of Parks Victoria (Melbourne, Australia) participated in a staff exchange with Cleveland Metroparks. Their four-month assignment at the Zoo focused on helping with programs and exhibit design for Australian Adventure.

The Zoo won two achievement awards from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)—one for Wolf Wilderness exhibit, and one for the Wolf Wilderness education programs. The Board of Park Commissioners awarded a construction contract for Australian Adventure, and construction began in May. Top priority was given to a new Veterinary Hospital and Research Center, spurred by a gift of $1.5 million from an anonymous donor.

In the spring Dr. Tammie Bettinger, Coordinator of Scientific Research, and Dr. Hugh Quinn, General Curator, traveled to Uganda, and began a population census of reptiles and amphibians, paying particular attention to the effects of logging. They also explored the possibility of setting up a field study course for American and Ugandan students. The distance-learning program, Ohio Wetlands: a Story of Ruin, Reintroduction and Recovery, earned a "significant achievement" award from the AZA, a second-place award from the National Association of Interpreters (NAI), and first place for its corresponding website, “Return to the Wild.” New animals acquired for Australian Adventure were: Bennetts’ wallabies, feather gliders, frilled lizards, Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos, gray kangaroos, koalas, kowaris, lorikeets, Merino sheep, Parma wallabies, and wallaroos.

After various preview events, Australian Adventure opened to the public on June 8.

Twin male & female Amur (Siberian) Tiger cubs were born in April, the first pair of tiger cubs born at the Zoo in sixteen years. The Prehistoric Plant Garden debuted in 2001, with life-size dinosaur footprint castings and an assortment of prehistoric plants. The Zoo’s three female African elephants began painting as an enrichment activity. Grants permitted the continued expansion of the Distance Learning program, and the Theatrical Interpretive program, which promoted visitor “immersion” in the newest exhibit areas. A new ZooTram was purchased.

The "ride-the-movie" experience, “Wilderness Adventure” from SimEx-Iwerks, opened. Two new species were added to the animal collection: Wolf’s Guenons and Pallas’s Cat. Important Zoo births included: a Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo, a Red Flanked Duiker, and Emperor Tamarins. The Zoo hosted a regional Gorilla meeting, which brought keepers, curators and veterinarians from eleven regional zoos to discuss gorilla diet, nutritional needs, medical management, enrichment, training, and more. CMZ also hosted the 24th Annual Elephant Managers Association conference, which brought 125 delegates together to exchange information and ideas.

The Zoo had its second-best attendance ever with 1,365,371 guests. The year was highlighted by a string of animal births: a bontebok, twin slender-horned gazelles, Grant’s zebra, three Masai giraffe babies, and a black rhinoceros. Twenty-one animatronic dinosaurs were exhibited behind Waterfowl Lake. Construction began on the Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine (Steffee Center). Planning began for the next major project, “Elephant Oxbow,” an exhibit that would feature elephants, hippos, warthogs, meerkats, African savanna birds, reptiles, and more.

The Steffee Center opened, and voters passed a ten-year levy for Cleveland Metroparks and the Zoo. Four fossas—a rare carnivore from Madagascar—were born, an important part of the Zoo’s efforts to protect endangered animals. “Rising Waters Safari Camp” opened. A new exhibit, “Free Flight Falls,” opened on the south side of Big Creek. The area contained a 50-foot waterfall, and plants representing prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats were installed, to attract birds and butterflies.

Two new education programs, “Dr. Doolittle’s Wild Animal Show” (an interactive, live-action show performed at the Zoo Amphitheater) and the Summer Day Camp (where children learned about wildlife and conservation in the Rising Waters Safari Camp area), debuted. The Conservation and Science Staff, housed in the Steffee Center, expanded to include five full-time scientists who worked on a variety of projects. An epidemiology program is directed by Pam Dennis, D.V.M., Ph.D., whose research into phosphate depletion in Black Rhinos led to improvements in their management and diet in human care. DreamNight, an invitation-only evening at the zoo for children living with chronic or terminal illnesses debuted.

Expansion of the Conservation Education and Conservation and Science Programs. “TOUCH! Amazing Rays & Sharks”, which attracted nearly 300,000 guests. Acquisitions, births, and hatchings provided significant additions to the animal population. As part of an international effort to save the ocelot from extinction, the Zoo acquired a breeding pair from the Brazilian government under a cooperative agreement with that country. The Zoo’s Distance Learning Program went wireless, allowing instructors to teach video classes from almost every corner of the Zoo. Noon Year’s Eve, a daytime party to ring in the New Year debuted.

Three anniversaries! The Zoo celebrated its 125th anniversary, the Cleveland Zoological Society celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, and Steve Taylor celebrated his twentieth year as Zoo Director. The 80-year-old Fulton Road Bridge that spanned the Zoo was demolished.

The African elephants exhibit, now called "African Elephant Crossing," began construction. The elephants were moved temporarily to the Columbus Zoo, and three Cleveland elephant keepers were stationed in Columbus to ease the transition. The giraffe barn was expanded by 4,000 square feet to create a ‘retirement condo’ for "Blackie," the Nile hippopotamus, who was then fifty-three years old. Professor Wylde’s Live Animal Show debuted. The Zoo hosted two International conferences—Aquarium & Zoo Facilities Association (AZFA), and the Association of Zoological Horticulturists (AZH)—with nearly 200 people representing sixty-four zoos and aquariums.

Six Mexican wolves were welcomed to the Wolf Lodge in Northern Trek. A second public entrance opened in Northern Trek for use on busy days and evenings. The Zoo hosted sixty animal care professionals from across the country for a three-day Prosimian Husbandry Workshop. Conservation Quest, an interactive maze that taught children about energy and energy conservation. opened. Both gorillas began a healthier diet of green scattered about their enclosure, causing them to forage as they might in the wild, instead of just eating up a cache of biscuits in a single sitting. The diet change is part of a larger drive to improve the health of the gorillas.

The new Fulton Road Bridge (Fulton Parkway), on the Zoo's northwest side, reopened after more than three years of construction. Three female African elephants returned, after two years at the Columbus Zoo. Willy, a 31-year-old African bull elephant, was acquired from Disney's Animal Kingdom in Orlando, the Cleveland Zoo's first bull elephant. Standing eleven feet at the shoulder and weighing 13,000 pounds, Willy is the largest animal ever housed at the Zoo. An endangered Goodfellow's tree kangaroo emerged from her mother's pouch for the first time at the Zoo, a rare sight, as there were only eight such animals on exhibit in U.S. zoos.

African Elephant Crossing (AEC), opened on May 5. Spread over five acres of lightly wooded grasslands, AEC featured two large yards for roaming, ponds for swimming, expanded sleeping quarters, and a heated outdoor range. The naturalistic habitat can house up to ten elephants at a time. AEC is also home to meerkats, naked mole rats, an African rock python, and a number of colorful birds. Kallie, a female elephant, arrived from the International Conservation Center near Pittsburgh, a facility that specializes in the care and breeding of African elephants. Shenga, a 28-year-old African female elephant was acquired from Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium (Omaha, Nebraska). A free mobile app premiered, including maps, animal facts, and location of amenities. Trevor, a baby giraffe, was delivered at the Zoo in July. Four Grizzly bear cubs were acquired from Montana and Wyoming zoos. Two endangered species produced three new offspring at the Zoo: two golden lion tamarins, and a François' langur. The golden lion tamarins are part of a Species Survival Plan (SSP) organized by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, in which accredited member zoos and institutions collaborate to manage the population of endangered species. The Zoo has contributed nineteen golden lion tamarin births to the SSP since 1997.

After twenty-four years of service, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Director Steve Taylor retired. Cleveland Metroparks named Christopher Kuhar, Ph.D. the tenth director in Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's history. Three new animal species debuted: an aye-aye (a nocturnal primate), a Persian onager, and two dingoes. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo and the CZS support many important conservation projects around the world, from North America and Latin America to Africa and Asia. The Zoo debuted 'Quarters for Conservation' which invites guests to take a direct role by helping the Zoo decide where conservation funds should go. For each admission sold, visitors received a token, then could use their token to vote for one of three ongoing Zoo field projects. The Zoo rescued two adult female African lions from a private exotic animal rescue organization in southern Ohio. A male eastern black rhinoceros calf was born July 1. The birth marks the start of a third generation of rhinos at the Zoo. The calf is the offspring of Kibibbi, 8, and Jimma, 22, and it made the Zoo's other female adult rhino, Inge, a grandmother. AEC received two prestigious awards during the annual AZA Annual conference. Thousands of tiny tadpole travelers left Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Monday for a 1,800-mile journey to Puerto Rico, part of the Zoo's contribution to the Puerto Rican crested toad Species Survival Plan, managed by AZA.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo reached a significant milestone in 2012: twenty consecutive years with more than a million visitors through its gates. There were a number of births in the spring, including a black howler monkey, a Reed titi monkey and a litter of capybaras. The Zoo breeds capybaras as part of the AZA's Species Survival Program. African Elephant Crossing earned Gold certification through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program, the nationally accepted construction industry standard for sustainable architecture and construction. Key factors that contributed to the exhibit's Gold certification included: more than ninety percent of construction waste was recycled and diverted from a landfill, about a third of the materials used to build the exhibit came from recycled materials, and the exhibit's state-of-the-art water filtration system cut water usage from about 26.3 million gallons per year to about 7.5 million. The first annual Steve H. Taylor African Conservation Award, created by the Cleveland Zoological Society in honor of the retiring Zoo Director, was awarded to George Owoyesigire, senior wildlife officer for the Ugandan Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities. The Zoo had its first-ever birth of a baby giant anteater. The Zoo exhibited this species in The RainForest since 1992, a welcome addition to not only The RainForest, but also to the managed nationwide population of giant anteaters, which are classified as vulnerable in the wild. Two rare members of the crocodile family were put on exhibit in The RainForest—a pair of critically endangered gharials, born at a conservation institution in their home range country of India. Gharials are related to crocodiles and alligators, but they have more slender snout, which is adapted for their fish-heavy diet in the wild. They are classified as critically endangered.

In 2014 The Circle of Wildlife Carousel opened with sixty-four hand-carved carousel animals. Twelve bird tiles from Cleveland artist Viktor Schreckengost, originally used on the Birds of the World Building, are inlaid at the carousel pavilion. Solar recycling and trash compactors, donated by the Alcoa Foundation, were installed at numerous Zoo locations to support the Zoo’s sustainability goals. For the first time, Kera Wak, an orangutan, gave birth to the Zoo's first Bornean Orangutan.

Penguin Shores arrived at the Zoo, a temporary traveling exhibit featuring six African Black-footed Penguins. The Ben Gogolick Giraffe Encounter opened in summer of 2015, and guests can view giraffes up close and feed them lettuce leaves from the deck.

More animal births: an anteater was born in September in the RainForest, and Snow Leopard cub, Sameera, is born in July. Travis the giraffe passed away on June 24. Rosebrough Tiger Passage opens June 3.

Bebac, a male Gorilla passed away at thirty-two years of age. Zoo babies that arrived this year include kangaroos and a saki monkey.

Debut of the Asian Lantern Festival, an after-hours ticketed program, which brings Asian lanterns, culture, live performances, and foods to the Zoo's summer events calendar.

Rhino Yard expansion and additional barn replaces the Monkey Island exhibit. Work to prepare the site began April 22, 2019.

Construction completed on the Daniel Maltz Rhino Reserve. Two Amur (Siberian) Tiger cubs were born on December 24 to mother Zoya and father Hector. The RainForest dome roof was replaced.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed a Binturong, Northern orioles, Blue-headed doves, Golden-crested mynahs, a Red-crested turaco and Panamanian golden frogs to the RainForest. The first baby gorilla is born at the Zoo in October: "Kayembe" (Kah-YEM-Bay), which means "extraordinary."

Eastern Black Rhinoceroses Kibbibi (mom) and Forest (dad) welcome baby girl, Dalia, on July 19. Eastern black rhinos are a critically endangered species. A François' langur baby is born in the RainForest to mom, Glora, and dad, Vinh. These langurs are considered Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and are indigenous to China and Vietnam. Voters in Cuyahoga County overwhelmingly approve (by seventy-seven percent) a ten-year property tax levy for the Cleveland Metroparks, which will provide over sixty percent of the Metroparks' budget.

A baby Swamp monkey is born, the first at the Zoo since 2009.