Riverside Discovery Center

Riverside Discovery Center
Location Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States
Coordinates 41°51′19″N 103°41′03″W / 41.8552°N 103.6841°W / 41.8552; -103.6841Coordinates: 41°51′19″N 103°41′03″W / 41.8552°N 103.6841°W / 41.8552; -103.6841
Land area 23 acres (9.3 ha)
No. of animals 200+
No. of species 73
Memberships AZA[1]
Website www.riversidediscoverycenter.org

The Riverside Discovery Center, formerly named the Riverside Park and Zoo, is a park and zoo complex along the North Platte River in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States.

Riverside Park is Scottsbluff's city park, and has the only zoo in western Nebraska. It includes three lakes with camping and recreation areas, and a riverside trail that runs along the banks of the North Platte River. There are also over 30 garden spots. December 16, 2017 two brother grizzly bears went on exhibit. In the spring of 2017 their mother was illegally killed in Wyoming. State and Federal wildlife officials hoped the two orphaned cubs would survive in the wild without their mother. After several months on their own in the wild, the two cubs became increasingly habituated to humans for food. State and Federal wildlife officials were concerned about public safety and the well-being of the grizzly cubs. When it was evident the cubs were not going to survive in the wild on their own, State and Federal wildlife officials made the decision to capture the two cubs and try to find them a home. Riverside Discovery Center offered to assist in the rescue of the two cubs and to provide a new home for these two grizzly bear cubs.

Riverside Discovery Center was directly in the path of the August 21, 2017 total eclipse.

Animals

The Riverside Discovery Center has a collection of over 200 animals representing 70+ different species, in various exhibits.

North American Grasslands

Contains animals once common in the grasslands of North America:

Garden Walk

Slither Inn

The reptile house that has various snakes, lizards, and amphibians from around the world

Raptor Row

Contains a collection of various raptors:

Rainforest Discovery Center

An area dedicated to some of the smaller animals of the rainforest

Chimpanzee Building

Home of the areas chimpanzee and other unique creatures:

Cat Complex

Home to various big cats:

Primate Building

Contains a small collection of primates:

Zebra Circle

Children's Zoo

Pond

Miscellaneous exhibits

There are other animals that are not included in any of the aforementioned exhibits:

Incidents


On December 29, 1994, a leopard attacked a 26-year-old female zookeeper and bit her on the neck. This is featured on Rescue 911.

Conservation

The Riverside Discovery Center is actively involved in the Survival Species Program for various species of imperiled wildlife on display.

The zoo and park is located a half mile west of Nebraska Highway 71.

References

  1. ↑ "Currently Accredited Zoos and Aquariums". aza.org. AZA. Retrieved 11 August 2011.
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