Located in Chesterfield County, Virginia, Metro Richmond Zoo situated on approximately 28 ha is a privately owned, for-profit zoo housing about 2,000 animals representing more than 180 species.

The zoo which houses several exhibits including, cheetah, Grant’s zebra, reticulated giraffe, white rhinoceros, snow leopard and features one of the largest primate collections in the United States is recognized by the Zoological Association of America.

Interesting Facts About Metro Rich Zoo

• Metro Rich Zoo was founded out of Jim Andelin’s pastime of collecting animals in 1980 later turned into a full-time profession in 1995 with the purchase of land used for the housing of 167 animals representing 15 species.

• Metro Richmond Zoo is renown for giraffe-feeding where visitors can purchase zoo treats for feeding the giraffes. The zoo features a herd of nine reticulated giraffe and a one Masai giraffe, housed in an area across their primary giraffe exhibit. Animals housed within the same area with the giraffes include black-necked swan, crowned crane, eastern bongo, klipspringer, and ostrich. Visitors can also purchase zoo treats for feeding young antelope, deer, donkeys, goats, and sheep housed in the children’s farm. Several of the larger animals such as American bison, Bactrian camels, dromedaries, elk and warthogs can also be fed with zoo treats by way of tubes which extend to their feeding troughs.

• Metro Rich Zoo has undoubtably one of the largest primate collection within the United States featuring more than 200 individuals representing 30 species, including black-and-white ruffed lemur, eastern black-and-white colobus, black-handed spider monkey, coppery monkey, Diana monkey, red ruffed lemur, orangutan, and Sulawesi macaque.

• In 2003 the zoo opened its fifteen-minute safari sky ride which provided visitors with a 360 panoramic view of the zoo. The zoo during that year also opened its North American exhibit which housed several species including American alligator, bighorn sheep, bison, elk,pronghorn, and white-tailed deer.

• In 2006 the zoo opened its Coconut Climb, Kiddie Rides and Jungle Carousel.

• In 2007 Metro Rich Zoo opened an aviary just a short distance to the zoo entrance. The exhibit which contained several species of waterfowl such as the yellow-billed duck, sacred ibis, red-crested pochard, shelduck and several other species also housed Lady Amherst’s pheasants, Golden pheasants, and Swinhoe’s pheasants. Neighboring the aviary is an exhibit housing a flock of Chilean flamingos.

• In 2008 the zoo introduced visitors to a two-car “train” safari ride as part of a $250,000 expansion plan which included species such as Baird’s tapir, greater kudu, eland, gemsbok ostrich, marabou stork, Rüppell’s griffon vulture, Stanley crane, Thompson’s gazelle, and yellow-backed duiker.

• Metro Richmond Zoo is one among a handful of zoos in the United States to feature a takin exhibit opened in 2003. Takin also called cattle chamois or gnu goat, is a goat-antelope found in the eastern Himalayas and China is recognized as a national treasure and receives the same protection as the giant panda.

• Metro Richmond Zoo’s African penguin exhibit located close to the zoo train boarding area and surrounded by enclosures housing African clawless otters, red river hog, camels and the nearby South American exhibit offers visitors an educational feeding program two times daily.

• The zoo’s bat house next to its king vulture enclosure, houses a number of species including prehensile-tailed porcupine, straw-colored fruit bat, Indian flying fox, and two-toed sloth. Adjacent the bat house is an aviary containing African grey parrot, red-crowned amazons, blue-and-yellow macaws, Reeve’s pheasants and salmon-crested cockatoos.

• In 2012, the zoo opened an enclosure housing two young orangutans named Farley and Zoe. The exhibit which allows visitors to come face-to-face with the juvenile orangutans through glass windows is located close to a pair of white handed gibbons.

• In 2013 the zoo opened its new meerkat exhibit close to the developing reptile and small mammal building as well as a new jungle gym play area for children next door the safari sky-ride

Metro Richmond Zoo Webcams

Cheetah Cam

In 2013, five cheetah cubs born to parents Lana and Kitu swiftly gained global attention. The cubs named after Virginia counties and cities are the third litter born in the United States. Currently housed at the zoo’s off-exhibit Cheetah Breeding Center online viewers can watch the cubs 24/7 by clicking the zoo’s webcam link below.

View Metro Richmond Zoo Cheetah Webcam.

 

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