The Zollman Zoo is part of Oxbow Park in Byron, Minnesota, about 15 minutes away from Rochester. Admission is free, and it has more than 30 species of animals. Along with the zoo, this 572-acre park includes more than 10 miles of trails for hiking and bird watching, campsites, a baseball field, four picnic areas, and a ski trail. You can go fishing as well. The zoo focuses on native Minnesota animals, and environmental education classes are available. Here are some of the exhibits at Zollman Zoo that you shouldn’t miss.
The Oxbow Nature Center
The Oxbow Nature Center opened in December 1981, and it offers a variety of educational and recreational activities. School groups can participate in programs that cover particular animals, the ecology of the area, natural history, outdoor recreation skills, and more. There’s an area for classes and an exhibit with some of the most common snakes, frogs, and fish in the region. You can check out interesting artifacts and displays that are associated with the natural world as well. The Nature Center has maps and brochures with information about upcoming events, the animals at the zoo, and its history.
The Gordon Yeager Memorial Area
This 20-acre part of Oxbow Park is an ideal place to take a look at some of the animals that are native to the area. During many times of the year, you can hear birds chirping and frogs croaking. You can also see fish in the picturesque ponds nearby. This area is across the street from the zoo, and it has a restored prairie with a pioneer home and antique farming tools.
The zoo also keeps it larger animals here, including bison, white-tailed deer, ponies, donkeys, goats, and elk. The Gordon Yeager Memorial Area is named after a writer and nature photographer for the Post-Bulletin, a popular local paper.
The Newest Animals
At this fun zoo, you can see otters, black bears, eagles, and more. Many of the animals have injuries that mean they won’t be able to survive in the wild, and others come from zoos in other cities. One of the newest animals is a cute cougar kitten, one of three that were recently born in captivity. It’s small now, but it will weigh about 90 pounds as an adult.
This creature replaces a 13-year-old cougar that died in January 2018, after eating a piece of rope. Since then, keepers are checking enclosures for debris more frequently to make sure that the animals stay healthy and happy. Other new animals include a coyote and two opossums.
The Zollman Zoo is named for Dr. Paul Zollman, a veterinarian with passionate beliefs in environmental education and compassionate care for animals. Olmstead County purchased most of the land for this park and zoo in 1967, and it has been a favorite destination for people in the area ever since. Almost 50,000 people visit this fun place every year, and it’s open every day from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Image via Pixabay
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