Located on the northeast end of the St. Louis Zoo is the Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel. The carousel represents a fun, yet informative take on the traditional merry-go-round, with all of the animals available for participants to ride being either endangered or protected species. There is a small fee to ride the carousel which highlights one of the most beloved elements of one of the most beloved zoos in the United States: though certain attractions and exhibits require a small fee, admission to the St. Louis Zoo is free. The conservation carousel is in the part of the zoo dubbed The Wild, and is home to an abundance of species in naturalized, cage-free environments. Some of the highlighted species in this area include a grizzly bear and sloth bear, as well as several chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans – and even a rare red panda. The other areas of the park cover a broad swath of ecological and biological diversity. The zoo's broad scope of coverage, free general admission, and dedication to humane treatment of its animals has consistently placed it as one of the highest ranked and most popular of North American zoos. Notably, the zoo itself has its roots in the 1904 World's Fair. One of the most popular exhibits during the fair was the 1904 World's Fair Flight Cage, a large cage built by the Smithsonian Institute as a walkthrough exhibit to view rare birds. Rather than dismantle the cage, the citizens of St. Louis raised $3500 for its purchase, and used it as the foundation for the beginning of the St. Louis Zoo. The cage itself is still functional today inside the zoo.
Photo “IMG_19335” by Rob Bulmahn is licensed under CC BY 2.0
