The first position on the list of the oldest zoos in the United States is the Central Park Zoo. It is a component of an integrated system run by the Wildlife Conservation Society that includes four zoos and one aquarium (WCS). The WCS collaborates with the Central Park Zoo to run educational programs for kids, work to restore the populations of endangered species, and engage with the neighborhood through volunteer initiatives.

Its forerunner, a menagerie, was established in 1864 and became the first public zoo in New York to open. The current building was a part of a broader rejuvenation initiative of municipal parks, playgrounds, and zoos launched in 1934 by Robert Moses, commissioner of the New York Public Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks). The current building first opened as a city zoo on December 2, 1934. It was largely constructed with the help of WPA and Civil Works Administration (CWA) finance and manpower. In 1960, the Children's Zoo, which is located to the north of the main zoo, opened thanks to a gift from Senator Herbert Lehman and his wife Edith.

The Central Park Zoo closed in 1983 for rebuilding after 49 years of existence as a city zoo administered by NYC Parks. The zoo's cages were entirely replaced with naturalistic settings as part of a five-year, $35 million refurbishment project. On August 8, 1988, it was rededicated as a part of a system of five establishments run by the WCS and all of which have earned accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Year Opened: 1864
Location: Central Park, New York City, New York

The 14hectare Lincoln Park Zoo, often known as Lincoln Park Zoological Gardens, is located in Chicago, Illinois. The zoo, which was established in 1868, is the fourth-oldest in North America. It is also one of the few American zoos that offer free entrance. A certified member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the zoo (AZA).

Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo was established in 1868 as a result of a donation of two pairs of mute swans from New York's Central Park menagerie. The city made the decision to create an official animal collection when the swans were put in the South Pond in Lincoln Park. The Lincoln Park Zoo's first animal house was constructed in 1870, and over the years, it continued to grow.

Cyrus DeVry was appointed as the Lincoln Park Zoo's first-ever official director in 1888. DeVry spent more than 30 years working at the zoo. Although many early zoos used to buy their animals from circuses, the Lincoln Park Zoo was one of the first to decommercialize animal transfers. The Lincoln Park Zoo, currently ranked among the greatest zoos in the nation, turns 150 this year, in 2018. One of the few zoos in the US that offers free entry and depends on donations to operate is the Lincoln Park Zoo.

Year Opened: 1868
Location: Lincoln Park, Chicago, Illinois

More than 150 animals from all over the world are housed in natural habitats at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence, Rhode Island. It received accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 1986, making it the first zoo in New England to do so.

In its early years, the Roger Williams Park Zoo housed just a modest variety of creatures, such as raccoons, guinea pigs, mice, squirrels, rabbits, hawks, peacocks, and anteaters. The Menagerie, its first structure, was completed in 1890. The park's infrastructure, which featured a range of creatures including monkeys, hoofstock, bears, and large cats, started to expand in the 1900s. The Menagerie structure was transformed into a birdhouse in 1929, and an elephant barn opened its doors the following year in 1930. A new sea lion pool was built in the 1930s. In 1949, one of the zoo's most well-liked attractions, Bunny Village, opened.

For the following 20 years, a new master plan was announced in 2015. It involves developing a new rainforest structure that will be finished in 2018, as well as a shorebird aviary, a new exhibit for California sea lions and Humboldt penguins, and a new tiger habitat. Grizzly bears, moose, and bighorn sheep will all be included in a completely revised version of the North America display.

Year Opened: 1872
Location: Providence, Rhode Island

The Philadelphia Zoo was the country's first real zoo and is situated in Philadelphia's Centennial District on the west bank of the Schuylkill River. It is one of the oldest zoos in the United States

The Philadelphia Zoological Garden was the sole organization of its sort in the New World when its Victorian gates initially welcomed more than 3,000 guests on July 1, 1874. Beginning with 200 animals, including buffalo, deer, wolves, foxes, bears, and monkeys, along with 67 bird species and 15 reptiles, the zoo included a variety of exhibits. The Solitude, a residence erected by John Penn in 1785, served as a home for tiny mammals and reptiles. Horses used to carry guests to the zoo were housed in a carriage house at the entrance. The grounds of the current zoo still have a Victorian garden feel because of the planting and architecture.

The Civil War began in 1861, therefore despite the Philadelphia Zoological Society's best efforts, the Philadelphia Zoo did not open until 1874. Since then, the Philadelphia Zoo has gained popularity and is now regarded as one of the finest zoos in the world, leading the way in zoological innovation.

Year Opened: July 1, 1874
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden was founded in 1873 and opened its doors to the public in 1875. (1872). It is situated in Cincinnati, Ohio's Avondale area. It started off with 26.1 acres in the center of the city, but it has since grown to include nearby blocks and a number of reserves in Cincinnati's outlying suburbs. In 1987, it was designated as a National Historic Landmark.

Over 500 animal species and 3,000 plant types are kept in the zoo. The zoo has also run numerous breeding operations throughout its history and was the first to produce California sea lions successfully. To advance the zoo's conservation objectives, the Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) was founded in 1986. Martha, the only surviving passenger pigeon, and Incas, the final surviving Carolina parakeet, both reside at the zoo.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden recently announced a $150 million capital campaign to be completed by 2025 in order to upgrade and expand its elephant, rhino, and kangaroo cages. The zoo claimed that Harry and Linda Fath, who had previously donated to the zoo's indoor component of Gorilla World and the Africa habitat, generously donated $50 million to launch the campaign.

Year Opened: 1875
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio

The Buffalo Zoo is situated at 300 Parkside Ave in Buffalo, New York. It was first established in 1875. The Buffalo Zoo, which receives about 400,000 people annually, is Western New York's second-largest tourist destination, after only Niagara Falls. The zoo, which is housed on 9.5 acres of Buffalo's Delaware Park, features a varied variety of wild and exotic animals as well as more than 320 distinct plant species. The zoo is accessible all year long.

Due to a lack of resources, the zoo announced in August 2018 that it will be relocating its two Asian elephants, Jothi and Surapa, to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. Later that year, they arrived at the Audubon Zoo. A red-footed tortoise is said to have been taken from the Buffalo Zoo in early June of 2020. Despite a thorough police search, "Red" the tortoise was never located. The famous Reptile House has to be renovated, so the Buffalo Zoo is presently soliciting money for it.

Komodo dragons and dwarf crocodiles will be housed in the renovated Reptile House. Buffalo Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States

Year Opened: 1875
Location: Buffalo, New York

United States city of Binghamton is home to the Ross Park Zoo. Rich businessman Erastus Ross gave the 90 acres (36 ha) of land with the sole request that a park is created for the benefit of the entire town. Access to the park was made simple by the electric trams in the vicinity. The park also had swings, a carousel, a small train, and roller coasters. Summer events that were common were band concerts.

The park declined as a result of the Great Depression, the two World Wars, and the ease with which people could drive outside the city for amusement because of the rise in automobile use. The park eventually faced closure threats from the USDA due to exhibit quality issues.

Sadly, the Binghamton Zoo was not as well-liked as the other zoos on our list, and the zoo started to decline. However, the Southern Tier Zoological Society was established in 1966 by concerned locals. The Binghamton Zoo was handed over to the Zoological Society in 1977 when the City of Binghamton finally allocated funds for the zoo's upkeep a few years later.

Year Opened: 1875
Location: Binghamton, New York

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, opened in 1876, sixteen years after the historic Park itself was bought and made available to the general population of the city.

When the zoo encountered financial difficulties in 2004, it had to temporarily restrict the quantity of its collection by closing portions of the zoo. Due to its age and inability to accommodate animals safely with its earlier form of iron-barred cages and stone walls, the original Main Valley was closed. In addition, the Reptile House, which is situated some distance from the main zoo in an adjacent portion of the Park, was closed. The reptiles were sent to other zoos and aquariums together with gibbons, tigers, and snow leopards.

The zoo restored the original Main Valley to visitors on September 28, 2021, as a walking path that highlights the zoo's history and a number of important historical sites. "While there are still some bird species living in the Crane Barn, which has been updated over the years, there are no animals in the old exhibits and cages as they are hopelessly out of date and non-functional. Animals will not be returning to the out-of-date cages, but we have launched a planning process to consider ways to accommodate the return of animals to Main Valley at some point in the future", said Kirby Fowler, President, and CEO of the Maryland Zoo.

Year Opened: 1876
Location: Baltimore, Maryland

The 74 ha Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, also known as Cleveland Zoological Park, is a zoo. The Australian Adventure, African Savanna, Northern Wilderness Trek, Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building, Waterfowl Lake, The RainForest, and the recently added Asian Highlands are just a few of the sections that make up the Zoo. One of the greatest primate collections in North America is housed in the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, which is a part of the Cleveland Metroparks system.

After Jeptha H. Wade gave the City of Cleveland 73 acres of property and 14 American deer, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo opened its doors in 1882. In order to make room for the Cleveland Museum of Art, the zoo was relocated from its original location in Cleveland's University Circle, close to Wade Oval, to its current location in the early 1900s. Monkeys, sea lions, and its first Asian elephant were among the non-native species that the zoo introduced as it grew, beginning in 1940.

The Cleveland Zoological Society was founded in 1957 and assumed management of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. In 1968, the City of Cleveland gave the Cleveland Metropolitan Park District ownership of the Zoo, and in 1975, the Cleveland Zoological Society gave Cleveland Metroparks operation of the Zoo.

Year Opened: 1882
Location: Cleveland, Ohio

The next position on the list of the oldest zoos in the United States is the Oregon Zoo which is a zoo that was formerly known as the Portland Zoo and then as the Washington Park Zoo. It is situated in Washington Park, Portland, Oregon, about 3.2 kilometers southwest of the city center. It is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi River and was founded in 1888.

The Oregon Zoo is the oldest zoo west of the Mississippi in the United States. The zoo got its start in 1882 when English immigrant Richard Knight opened a storefront close to the Willamette River docks. For whatever reason, Knight took in the pets that sailors had picked up along the way, and before long the pharmacy was home to parakeets, monkeys, and other tiny animals.

With more than 1.6 million visitors in 2016, the Oregon Zoo is the state's largest paid attraction and conceivably its most well-liked tourist destination. Both the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognize the zoo as a member.

Year Opened: 1888
Location: Portland, Oregon