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Franklin Park Zoo is a 72-acre wildlife habitat situated within Boston’s historic Franklin Park – Frederick Law Olmsted’s Emerald Necklace park system. Owned and operated by Zoo New England (which also manages Stone Zoo in Brookline), Franklin Park Zoo welcomes visitors year round free of charge; membership provides benefits like Early Member Mornings as well as free parking privileges.
Established in 1912, the Zoo boasts more than 1,000 animals representing 220 species. Renowned for its conservation work protecting endangered species and their habitats, the Zoo is also an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and adheres to best practices regarding animal care, welfare, conservation education and research.
The Zoo offers visitors various behind-the-scenes tours that allow them to interact more directly with its animals, such as giving elephants baths and feeding giraffes; visitors also learn more about cheetahs through these experiences. Furthermore, an annual light show featuring 55 large displays with hundreds of colored lanterns lights up the nighttime sky!
The San Diego Zoo boasts world-class facilities including the first chimpanzee-to-human communication lab and an innovative polar bear pool, both offering guests unique encounters with these incredible animals. Recently, however, the zoo made headlines for its decision to humanely euthanize Anala, a 17-year-old tiger experiencing kidney failure who had first been displayed at Tiger Tales since 2006. Anala and Luther (deceased 2019), two cubs confiscated as cubs from illegal owners illegally kept as pets in unsanitary conditions by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents when young cubs had been illegally kept as pets in unsanitary conditions by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents when young cubs had been confiscated as cubs from people illegally keeping them as pets in unsanitary conditions.
