Ralph Mitchell Zoo

About Ralph Mitchell Zoo

The Ralph Mitchell Zoo is a municipal zoo in Independence, Kansas, located inside Riverside Park at 400 Mickey Mantle Way. It is operated by the City of Independence, and the city's website states that zoo admission is free. The Independence Chamber of Commerce describes Riverside Park as a 124-acre recreational facility, and the zoo is one of several attractions within it.

The chamber describes the zoo as home to more than 80 animals. The zoo's stated mission is to provide educational, recreational and conservation experiences that connect guests to wildlife and nature. The zoo does not hold Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation.

Monkey Island, which opened in 1932, is described by the city as the birthplace of Miss Able. Miss Able, a rhesus monkey, was born at the zoo and later flew aboard a Jupiter rocket in 1959. According to Wikipedia's entry on Independence, she flew with Miss Baker, a squirrel monkey, and both returned alive on May 28, 1959. The zoo commemorates her with a sign.

History

According to the City of Independence, the zoo was added to Riverside Park in 1925. Early attractions included lions, tigers and bears. Monkey Island opened in 1932. Several of the park's Depression-era structures were built between 1930 and 1940, among them the island, the Swan Pool and stone steps in the zoo. The city's history of the park also lists a carousel added in 1950, a miniature train in 1953 and a steam locomotive, the AT&SF 1050, in 1955.

The nonprofit Friends of Riverside Park and Zoo, known as FORPAZ, was established in 1976. The organization funds improvements to the park and zoo that fall beyond the scope of the city budget, using memorial contributions, private donations and semi-annual fundraisers. According to the city's FORPAZ page, projects it has fully or partly funded include the bear and cougar exhibits, a sculpture garden, a playground renovation in 1982, new playground equipment in 2014, the miniature golf course in 1995, a Monkey Island renovation in 2016, renovation of the Logan Fountain in 2015 and 2016, a carousel enclosure, a new ticket booth, and renovations to the tortoise and donkey exhibit in 2019. Three Eagle Scout projects from 2016 are also listed. In 2022, FORPAZ began a fundraising campaign to restore the AT&SF 1050 locomotive.

The city states that a master plan was developed in 2022 outlining major upgrades to the zoo over the next 25 years. According to the city, planned upgrades include a new exotic species building, upgrades to Monkey Island and the Duck Pond exhibit, a new Education and Welcome Center, improved utilities, fencing and ADA sidewalks, and several new exhibits. Also in 2022, new ADA accessible sidewalks, an ADA bridge to the castle and a single-family restroom were built in Kiddy Land.

The park surrounding the zoo has its own history. Wikipedia notes that Riverside Park contains the Shulthis Stadium grandstand and Emmot Field, which it describes as the site of the first night baseball game and where Mickey Mantle began his professional baseball career.

Exhibits and habitats

The city's animals page lists species in three groups.

Mammals include alpacas, bison, chinchillas, white-faced capuchins, cougars, Sardinian donkeys, elk, llamas, Reeve's muntjac, pot-bellied pigs, raccoons, long-haired spider monkeys, brown-headed spider monkeys, sugar gliders, Syrian brown bears, wallabies, white-tailed deer and Linne's two-toed sloths.

Reptiles include western hognose snakes, ball pythons, green iguanas, African spurred tortoises, bearded dragons, red-eared sliders, Dumeril's boas and yellow-footed tortoises.

Birds include blue-and-gold macaws, scarlet macaws, emus, domestic ducks, domestic geese, mute swans, peacocks, red golden pheasants and turkey vultures.

Monkey Island has a fountain and signage referring to Miss Able. The Duck Pond includes a willow tree and a fountain. The city lists the park's fountains as operating from park opening through November 1.

Conservation and programs

The city states that the zoo offers educational programs, which are registered through the city's online recreation catalog, as well as volunteer opportunities and ways to donate. FORPAZ describes its mission as promoting the educational influence and recreational value of the park and zoo for children and families, including supporting educational programs from zoo staff.

Each April, on the second Saturday, FORPAZ hosts a Park Opening celebration. According to the organization, it offers free or low-cost activities such as face painting, train and carousel rides, a petting zoo, a craft fair and food vendors. The zoo also holds Zoolloween on the second Saturday of October, a date on which the regular zoo hours are listed as closed.

Planning your visit

The city lists the zoo's hours as follows, as listed on the zoo's website. From April 1 to September 30 the zoo is open 9:00 am to 7:00 pm, and from October 1 to March 31 it is open 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. The listed closures are New Year's Day, the second Saturday of October for Zoolloween, Thanksgiving Day, the second Friday of December, and December 24 and 25. The park itself is listed as open daily from 6:00 am to 11:59 pm.

Other attractions within Riverside Park include playgrounds, walking paths, a carousel, a miniature train, miniature golf, Kiddy Land, a historic steam locomotive, the Riverside Beach Family Aquatic Center, and Miss Able's Snack Shack, which operates seasonally from April to October. The Hille Band Shell hosts live music on Tuesday nights from Memorial Day through mid-August, according to the chamber. Ride fees are listed on the city's website.

Zoo policies listed by the city include the following. Pets are not permitted, though marked service animals are. Visitors may not feed the animals directly, though feeder machines are available. Strollers, wagons and wheelchairs are welcome, while bicycles, tricycles, skates and skateboards are not. Visitors are asked to stay on designated walkways and to stay out of fenced areas. Smoking is not permitted in zoo buildings. Misconduct can be reported to staff at 620-205-7702.

The zoo's main telephone number is 620-332-2512.