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Wildlife Center and Children's Zoo A favorite with many visitors to the Wildlife Center is the sea lion pool in the center courtyard Although most New Yorkers still call it the Zoo, the Central Park Wildlife Center is eager to shed the old name. They believe "zoo" connotes small cages for animals and concrete floors for "habitat" with no commitment to the conservation of threatened and endangered species. Central Park's state-of-the-art Wildlife Center was built after the Wildlife Conservation Society took over the management in 1984. It showcases animals from tropical, temperate, and polar zones around the world. A favorite with many visitors is the sea lion pool in the center courtyard. Probably the most popular exhibit at the old Central Park Zoo, a new design features glass sides so visitors can see these sleek carnivorous mammals gliding and spiraling under water. During feeding time (11:30 a.m., 2:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m.) the quartet of seals perform simple tricks for their meal. Equally fine is the lush perennial garden surrounding the pool, with benches tucked into corners. Of course, the nearby backstroking polar bear is a perennial attraction, lolling center stage in his watery mini-wilderness. Visitors can see vestiges of the old zoo preserved in the new. Limestone reliefs by Frederick George Richard Roth of antelopes, birds, monkeys, lions, and wolves from the old animal houses have been incorporated into the new buildings. | |
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