Gladys Porter Zoo is a zoological and botanical park located in Brownsville, Texas, United States. The zoo officially opened on September 3, 1971, and currently averages over 424,000 visitors annually. Situated on , the zoo houses about 400 animal species (including 47 endangered species) and over 250 tropical and neo-tropical species and subspecies. It is the first zoo to have successfully bred the endangered Jentink's duiker (although none are currently in captivity in the US). It is also the birthplace of Harambe, the gorilla.

The zoo is named after Gladys Porter, the daughter of Earl C. Sams, former president of J. C. Penney. Porter, a wildlife enthusiast, helped to plan and stock the zoo, which was entirely funded by the Earl C. Sams Foundation. After its opening, the zoo was given to the city of Brownsville.

History

The zoo was planned, built, stocked, and given by the Earl C. Sams Foundation to the City of Brownsville. It opened on 3 September 1971. The first addition to its exhibits was the Herpetarium, which opened in April 1973. The zoo has been the single largest recipient from the foundation funds established by Sams.

The zoo published the first issue of its Zoo News (its official newsletter and now a quarterly publication) in January 1972. The naturalistic exhibits at the zoo won the 1979 Texas Building Branch of Associated General Contractors Outstanding Construction Award.

In 1978, the zoo launched its summer study programs on a trial basis with classes for children in grades 1 through 12. Although only four classes were taught that summer, the program has expanded over the years and now includes classes in the spring and fall as well as summer. The zoo also received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) in 1978.

In subsequent years, Orangutan Island was enlarged, the Herpetarium was expanded with a new aquatic wing, and many other exhibits as well as facilities such as the gift shop, offices, and concession stands were remodeled or added. Most of these projects were made possible by the zoo's annual Zoofari fundraisers.

In 1986, the zoo created an endowment fund with the help of matching grants from the Earl C. Sams (dollar for dollar up to $2 million) and the Lightner Sams Foundation (dollar for dollar up to $1 million). Income from this permanent endowment now ensures that the zoo can maintain and improve itself.

The Australian exhibit opened in February 1988 — the largest addition to the zoo since its opening. The Education department was also expanded in 1989 and a walk-through aviary (Zack's Aerie, made possible by private donations) was also opened.

Africa

Addax African lion African wild dog Angolan black-and-white colobus Black-and-white ruffed lemur Blue crane Bongo Bontebok Bushbuck Chimpanzee Common warthog Dama gazelle Dromedary camel Grant’s zebra Gray-crowned crane Kori bustard Kudu Mandrill Pygmy hippo Radiated tortoise Red ruffed lemur Red-flanked duiker Reticulated giraffe Ring-tailed lemur Serval Southern ground-hornbill Southern white rhinoceros Western lowland gorilla Yellow-backed duiker

Asia-Australia

Arabian oryx Black swan Edward’s pheasant Gaur Komodo dragon Magpie goose Müller’s gibbon Nilgai Philippine crocodile Pileated gibbon Rhinoceros hornbill Saltwater crocodile Siamang Southern cassowary Sumatran orangutan Tawny frogmouth Tiger

Asia-Australia (Indoor Exhibits)

Carpet python Eastern blue-tongued skink Matschie’s tree kangaroo Northern greater galago (*) Northern treeshrew Seba’s short-tailed bat (**) Short-beaked echidna Sugar glider Virginia opossum (**) Western gray kangaroo Yellow monitor

(*)=actually an African species (**)=actually an American species

Herpetarium

Alligator snapping turtle American alligator Anegada rock iguana Arabian sand boa Asian giant toad Axolotl Black-spotted newt Blue-spotted tree monitor Brazilian salmon-pink bird-eating tarantula Broad-banded copperhead Brown recluse spider Brown widow Central American bushmaster Chiapan beaded lizard Common knob-tailed gecko Common leopard gecko Cuvier’s dwarf caiman Desert hairy scorpion Gaboon viper Giant African bullfrog Giant cave cockroach Giant plated lizard Giant vinegaroon Gray-banded kingsnake Gray’s monitor Green iguana Green tree python Green tree skink King cobra Madagascar hissing cockroach Malaysian blood python Mandarin ratsnake Mangshan pit viper Mexican hognose snake Mexican redknee tarantula Mottled rock rattlesnake Narrow-breasted snake-necked turtle Narrow-bridged musk turtle Neotropical ratsnake Northern caiman lizard Prehensile tailed skink Red-eyed crocodile skink Reticulated python Rhinoceros rat snake Ridge-tailed monitor Rio Fuerte beaded lizard Shingleback lizard Slender glass lizard Smoky jungle frog Southern black widow Southern house spider Southwestern speckled rattlesnake Sri Lankan pit viper Striped bark scorpion Tamaulipan milksnake Tamaulipan rock rattlesnake Taylor’s cantil Texas brown tarantula Texas coral snake Texas indigo snake Thai bamboo rat snake Tiger rattlesnake Trans-Pecos rat snake Western diamondback rattlesnake Western green mamba

Russell Aquatic Ecology Centre

Alligator gar Atlantic needlefish Atlantic sergeant major Atlantic spadefish Atlantic stingray Atlantic tripletail Axolotl Bighead searobin Black drum Caribbean ocean surgeonfish Common snook Cownose ray Diamondback terrapin Flag-fin mojarra Florida pompano Giant Atlantic murex Giant hermit crab Gulf killifish Gulf toadfish Hardhead catfish Island apple snail Koi Lined seahorse Lionfish Mangrove snapper Northern brown shrimp Northern white shrimp Nurse shark Peppermint shrimp Pinfish Red drum Red eared slider turtle Sheepshead Southern marginalis moon jellyfish Southern stingray Spanish hogfish Spotted gar Striped mullet Texas cichlid Thin-stripe hermit crab White mullet

Small World

Brazilian porcupine Cairo spiny mouse Cape porcupine Cotton-headed tamarin Eastern screech-owl Golden-handed tamarin Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth Mantled howler monkey Meerkat Mongolian gerbil Screaming hairy armadillo White-faced saki

Small World Petting Zoo

Domestic ferret Domestic goat Domestic pig Domestic rabbit

South Texas Butterfly Garden

Banded orange heliconian Eastern giant swallowtail Gulf fritillary Julia heliconian Monarch butterfly Painted lady Queen butterfly Zebra longwing

South Texas Discovery Centre

Bullsnake Cane toad Desert millipede Giant desert centipede Great Plains skink Gulf coast toad Striped bark scorpion Tiger salamander

Tropical America

Bald eagle Black spider monkey Blue-and-yellow macaw Capybara Caribbean flamingo Chilean flamingo Crested caracara Cuban crocodile Darwin Volcano giant tortoise Great curassow King vulture Mexican spider monkey Military macaw Orinoco crocodile Sandhill crane Tufted capuchin

Tropical Free Flight Aviary

Black-throated magpie-jay Blue-bellied roller Chiloe wigeon Golden pheasant Plain chachalaca Red-capped cardinal Ringed teal Roseate spoonbill Scarlet ibis Scarlet macaw Trumpeter hornbill Turquoise-browed motmot Violet turaco

Un-Themed General Zoo Area American Animals

American black bear Golden conure Grand Cayman blue iguana Great curassow North American river otter Peruvian thick-knee Red-and-green macaw Spectacled bear Yellow-headed parrot

References

External links

Handbook of Texas Online: Gladys Sams Porter Handbook of Texas Online: Gladys Porter Zoo