Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo

About Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo

Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo is a zoo at 1405 Bernstein Park Rd in Monroe, Louisiana. The zoo's website states that it is owned and operated by the City of Monroe, and it credits the Louisiana Purchase Zoological Society with raising funds for the zoo's upkeep and growth. The zoo describes itself as a full zoo with lions, tigers, and bears as well as zebra, bison, elk, baboons, gibbons, a large number of birds, and a reptile house.

The zoo's own figures are about 400 animals of about 200 species, along with 27 acres of landscaped grounds, including a walk-through greenhouse and a splash pad. Wikipedia gives a different description, an 80-acre zoological park with over 500 animals. The zoo's mission statement is to help people develop a sustainable relationship with nature, providing recreation and education for the people, conservation of wildlife, and the discovery of biological knowledge.

History

According to Wikipedia, the original name of the zoo was Bernstein Park Zoo, after Arnold Bernstein, who was mayor of Monroe from 1919 until his death in 1937. The zoo's address is still on Bernstein Park Road. Wikipedia credits much of the zoo's development to Mayor W. L. "Jack" Howard, who made the facility a centerpiece of his campaign for municipal improvements alongside projects such as a new city hall and civic center.

The zoo's attractions page says that Shirley the elephant Shirley was a resident for nearly 20 years before retiring to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she lived the rest of her life. Her keeper, Solomon James, accompanied her to the sanctuary. KNOE reported that Shirley died at the sanctuary on February 22, 2021, and that James died on March 9, 2022. On June 11, 2022, the zoo unveiled a tribute to both, and the zoo's website describes the life-sized elephant statue across from the boat loading area. The page calls James a beloved zookeeper and friend of the zoo.

Exhibits and habitats

The zoo's website lists animals from around the world and from Northeast Louisiana, and its animal directory names dozens of kinds. The directory includes African lions, tigers, American black bears, bobcats, cougars, coyotes, red foxes, Nile hippopotamuses, Cape buffalo, common zebras, addax, scimitar-horned oryx, red lechwe, nilgai, ostriches, emus, and Ankole-Watusi cattle. Primates listed include olive baboons, patas monkeys, black-handed spider monkeys, hoolock gibbons, and white-handed gibbons, and the directory also lists two-toed sloths. Reptiles include American alligators, including an albino alligator, alligator snapping turtles, green iguanas, Aldabra, radiated, and spurred tortoises, and reticulated and royal pythons.

Birds on the directory include bald eagles, barred owls, great horned owls, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks, black and turkey vultures, American white pelicans, flamingos, black swans, grey crowned cranes, several macaws, sun conures, silver pheasants, and wild turkeys. Also listed are American bison, elk, fallow deer, Pere David's deer, white-tailed deer, aoudad, African crested porcupines, prairie dogs, nine-banded armadillos, and miniature Mediterranean donkeys.

The zoo's about page states that the Reptiles and Louisiana Purchase areas are closed while progress is made on a new exhibit.

Conservation and programs

The zoo's attractions page lists several attractions, some with separate fees. The Zoo Oasis splash pad is open in the summer months. The Children's Zoo lets visitors pet and feed animals, the zoo lists the Children's Zoo, budgie exhibit, tortoise exhibit, and Duck Dock as the places where feeding is allowed, and a Safari Boat ride shows animals that can only be seen from the water. According to Wikipedia, the boat tour allows visitors to see hoofed animals, primates, and species native to the area that are not visible from foot paths.

The train leaves from the James Gang Depot and runs over almost one mile of track through open grassland and mature cypress trees, crossing the lagoon twice, in a ride of about 10 minutes, according to the zoo's train page. The page says most of the ride passes through areas where animals roam freely, often bringing close encounters with zebra, camel, ostrich, emu, and an African watusi, and that a new ADA-compliant, handicap-accessible train car is available.

For animal encounters, the zoo's sloth page describes a sloth encounter with a reservation paid at least 72 hours in advance, two time slots per day at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., and six people per slot. The tortoise page says tortoise feedings are offered seasonally and daily at 11, 1, and 3 from April to early October, and that encounter experiences with the tortoises have been offered since the summer of 2022.

The education page lists field trips for school and church groups, a summer zoo camp for ages 5 to 13 in June and July, birthday parties, and a Zoo to You outreach program that brings animals to events, churches, schools, and daycares. The zoo's events menu names Eggstravaganza, Red White and Blue, Boo at the Zoo, and Jungle Bells. Wikipedia lists the Easter Egg Extravaganza, Boo at the Zoo, and Splash into Summer as seasonal festivities.

Planning your visit

As listed on the zoo's website, the zoo is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m., and is closed on Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Thanksgiving Day. The On the Wild Side gift shop keeps seasonal hours: daily from April through October, and Friday through Sunday plus school holidays from November through March. Admission is listed by age group, with children 2 and under free. Current ticket prices, including group rates, are on the zoo's hours and pricing page.

The train runs daily year round, starting at 10:30 a.m. in summer and 11 a.m. in winter, and may run a reduced schedule in winter. The Safari Boat ride is listed as open year round, with a possible limited winter schedule, and the zoo suggests calling ahead. The zoo's about page says outside food and beverages, pets, balloons, straws, bicycles, radios, and skateboards are not allowed, and that smoking and alcohol are prohibited. Visitors are asked not to feed the animals except at the Children's Zoo, budgie exhibit, tortoise exhibit, and Duck Dock with food from the machines.

The zoo office's phone number is (318) 329-2400, and the gift shop, called On the Wild Side, is at (318) 329-2138.