90 years ago, a collection of 40 animals—ranging from exotic monkeys to not-so-exotic raccoons—were brought together to form the William Land Park Zoo. When it first opened in 1927, the zoo only occupied 4.2 acres. Early on, the zoo’s small size necessitated that most of the exhibited species were of a similarly small scale.
However, public demand for more impressive fare soon led to the procuring of two elephants, a grizzly bear, and orangutans, necessitating an expansion to its present size of 14.2 acres. This in turn led to new exhibits featuring even more large species.
But in recent years, the zoo’s staff, motivated by a change in perspective in the larger zoological community, has led a push towards larger number of exhibits for smaller species. This has meant that exhibited animals benefit from improved enclosures, and larger animals are no longer confined in enclosures that simply cannot meet their needs.
While the zoo is changing, the role it has played in our local community hasn’t. John Ingoglia’s father, Donald Ingoglia, fondly recalled how his childhood classrooms were interrupted by the roars of the zoo’s lions. And we want tomorrow’s children to have the opportunity to get the same enjoyment from Sacramento’s little zoo.
This is why we are proud to have assisted in the raising of more than $1 million for the Sacramento Zoo over the last 4 years, and look forward to finding other ways to support to help the zoo grow and improve as it nears its 100th birthday.
