Hutchinson Zoo

The Hutchinson Zoo is a small 9acre zoo located in Hutchinson, Kansas, United States. The Hutchinson Zoo has been accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) since 1997.HistoryPlanning for the Hutchinson Zoo began in 1983,and the zoo was opened on May 23, 1986.In 2003, the zoo opened a visitor's center that is supposed to look like a log cabin.A flood in 2007 caused the zoo to close for four months.ExhibitsThe Hutchinson Zoo primarily focuses on animals native to Kansas and the United States, but has other exotic species as well.BisonThe Hutchinson Zoo began featuring bison in 2000; bison are a species indigenous to Kansas, but that are rarely found in the wild. The bison are not in an exhibit in the main part of the zoo, but across a pond where they can range and graze, and are only visible if one takes the zoo train. The zoo now has emphasized breeding pure bison as part of its mission.Black Footed FerretsIn 1998, the Hutchinson Zoo began displaying black footed ferrets. The black footed ferret is the most endangered species in North America, and the Hutchinson Zoo was the first zoo in Kansas to house them.Prairie DogsOne of the exhibits features prairie dogs. Along with the exhibit there is a special tunneling system meant for children to enter, that allows them to see into the prairie dog tunnels. Flooding in 2007 completely filled the viewing tunnel with water. In 2010, the Hutchinson Zoo housed around 175 prairie dogs for a short time, as their natural habitat was in the way of a construction project nearby.