Pittsburgh Zoo celebrates 125th birthday

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pittsburgh Zoo is celebrating its 125th birthday. 

When you think of the Pittsburgh Zoo, you automatically think of its location in Highland Park. But that wasn't Pittsburgh's very first zoo.

"Pittsburgh had many zoos in the early years. The first one was actually in Castle Shannon, then there was one in Schenley Park, one in Riverview Park on the North Side," said Ray Bamrick, a lead keeper at the zoo.

The zoo that we all know and love in Highland Park first opened in 1898. The main building sat in the part of the zoo currently known as the African Savannah.

A lot of the first animals were transferred from the city of Pittsburgh's zoo in Schenley Park. They had elephants, lions, alligators, lots of monkeys, birds and bears.

Back then, the zoo had many of the same types of animals you see today but how you see them has definitely changed over the years. 

"When our zoo opened in 1898, the style of exhibiting, menagerie, they actually called them apartments for the animals, they were in cages. Over those 125 years, the zoo has transitioned as all zoos have to more natural exhibits," Bamrick said. 

One of the zoo's most radical developments happened in 1967 when it opened the aquazoo. We have one of only six major zoo and aquarium combinations in the United States. 

Not long after it opened, one of the most famous and beloved residents moved in -- Chuckles, an Amazon River dolphin. Many others of the same species died in captivity. But Chuckles beat all odds and lived to the age of 34. 

While most of the zoo has changed over the years, a few things have made it 125 years.  

"When the zoo opened in 1898, there were six griffins present, they are statues, they supported a lamp base," Bamrick said. "We have all six griffins, minus the lamps. We also have some park benches that were present at the opening."

As part of the celebrations, the zoo also revealed the names of its baby leopard cubs: Mila and Gover. The naming contest helped raise over $1,000 the zoo can keep going for years to come. 

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