Ochsner Park Zoo

About Ochsner Park Zoo

Ochsner Park Zoo is a municipal zoo at 903 Park Street in Baraboo, Wisconsin, at the corner of Park Street and Zoo Lane. It is operated by the City of Baraboo, and the city's zoo page lists the Parks and Recreation department as its contact. According to that page, admission is free and the zoo is open year-round. The city states that the zoo has about 40,000 visitors a year.

The zoo's page says it is USDA licensed and a member of Wisconsin Municipal Zoo Associates. It also says the zoo participates in Species Survival Plans, which it describes as breeding programs run by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The zoo itself is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

The city's page states that most of the zoo's animals are either rehabilitated wildlife that cannot be released or animals rescued from the exotic pet trade.

History

According to the city of Baraboo, the zoo first opened in 1926 with two bear cubs and two deer fawns, and now holds more than 30 animal species. The city also maintains a separate page for a centennial celebration of the zoo, linked from the zoo's main page.

The zoo is supported by a nonprofit, the Friends of the Baraboo Zoo, which organizes fundraising events. According to a June 2, 2024 WMTV report, the group's annual Zoo Crew vendor festival is the zoo's largest fundraiser and supports animal care, new exhibits, and enrichment items. The report said the event has been held for decades and that earlier fundraising helped the zoo acquire its otters and bears. Christy Badgero, the nonprofit's vice president, said in the report that budgets have been really tight and that the group has had to cut back. The city's page lists the 36th annual Zoo Crew event on the first Sunday in June.

Exhibits and habitats

The city's page lists these animals: Canada lynx, prairie dogs, wolves, emu, black bear, snowy owls, barred owls, great horned owls, goats, white-tailed deer, arctic fox, potbellied pigs, opossum, beaver, Canada geese, chickens, river otters, miniature donkey, trumpeter swan, sandhill cranes, skunk, and bald eagle. Other ambassador animals are listed as tortoises, guinea pigs, snakes, parrots, and parakeets. The birthday party description names the education animals as snakes, millipedes, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, and tortoises, and says party feed bags are for the goats, pigs, donkeys, and prairie dogs.

The zoo's rules, per the city page, prohibit feeding the animals other than from the provided grain dispensers.

Conservation and programs

The zoo offers several visitor programs, as listed by the city:

• Keeper chats, held daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day at noon, 2 p.m., and 4 p.m.
• Docent cart talks, which are volunteer-led presentations noted on the information kiosk.
• Behind-the-scenes tours, Monday through Friday at 1 p.m. or 2 p.m., for groups of three to six people, led by a zookeeper. Options are a bear and lynx tour of about 20 to 30 minutes that also visits the foxes, an otter and education animals tour of about 20 to 30 minutes, and a full tour of about 60 minutes. Residents and non-residents of the city pay different rates, listed on the city's booking pages.
• Birthday parties, held daily from 10 a.m. to noon in the Docent Room for up to 20 people, with two animal encounters included and optional add-ons.

The Friends of the Baraboo Zoo coordinate fundraising with the city's Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department, and the city's page accepts donations through PayPal and an Amazon wish list.

Planning your visit

As listed on the city's website, hours vary by season: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in summer, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in spring and fall, and 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. in winter. The city advises checking the zoo's Facebook page or calling 608-355-2760 for current hours. Behind-the-scenes tours and birthday parties are booked through the city's recreation registration pages.