View source for Cape May County Park & Zoo

{{short description|Zoo in New Jersey, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox zoo
|zoo_name         = Cape May County Park & Zoo
|logo             = Cape May County Park & Zoo logo 300x169px (2011).jpg
|logo_caption     = 
|image            = Cape May County Park & Zoo sign.jpg
|image_caption    =
|location         = {{nowrap|[[Cape May Court House, New Jersey|Cape May Court House]], [[New Jersey]], [[United States|U.S.]]}}
|date_opened      = 1942 (park), 1978 (zoo)<ref name="history"/>
|date_closed      = 
|coordinates      = {{Coord|39.1025|-74.8154|type:landmark_region:US-NJ|display=inline,title}}
|area             = {{Convert|200|acre|ha}}<ref name="parks"/> (Park Central)
|num_species      = 250
|num_animals      = 550<ref>{{cite news |last1=Duhart |first1=Bill |title=This N.J. zoo ranked among the best in the nation. Officials are trying to keep it that way, despite big losses |url=https://www.nj.com/coronavirus/2021/01/this-nj-zoo-ranked-among-the-best-in-the-nation-officials-are-trying-to-keep-it-that-way-despite-big-losses.html |publisher=NJ.com}}</ref>
|largest_tank_vol = 
|total_tank_vol   = 
|annual_visitors  = 620,000<ref name="Sea">{{cite news |title=Cape May County Zoo Earns National Accreditation |url=https://seaislenews.com/cape-may-county-zoo-earns-national-accreditation/ |publisher=Sea Isle News}}</ref>
|members          = [[Association of Zoos and Aquariums]],<ref name="aza_list"/><ref name="Sea" /> [[Zoological Association of America]]<ref name="Sea" />
|exhibits         =
|website          = {{URL|http://www.cmczoo.com}}
}}

The '''Cape May County Park & Zoo''' in the [[Cape May Court House, New Jersey|Cape May Court House]] section of [[Middle Township, New Jersey]], provides free year-round admission to a collection of more than 550 animals representing 250 species in {{convert|85|acre|ha}} of exhibits. The [[zoo]] is located at 707 [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|U.S. Route 9]] North, in the center of Cape May County's Central Park. Together, the zoo and the park cover about {{convert|220|acre|ha}}. The zoo began operation in 1978. Its principal exhibit areas are a {{convert|57|acre|ha|adj=on}} ''African [[Savanna]]'', a free-flight aviary, and a reptile collection. In addition to the Zoo and Park Central, there is also Park East, Park North and Park South.<ref name="parks"/>

The zoo is open every day except for Christmas, weather permitting. The hours of operation are from 10:00 am until 3:30 pm in the winter<ref>{{cite news |title=Cape May County Zoo Welcomes New Zebra |url=https://ocnjdaily.com/cape-may-county-zoo-welcomes-new-zebra/ |publisher=OCNJ Daily}}</ref> and 10:00 am until 4:30 pm in the summer. Time changes occur with daylight saving time. The zoo also has a train ride and carousel. The train is trackless and can take visitors all around the zoo. The carousel has zoo animals for riding seats unlike the traditional horses on most carousels.

Cape May County Zoological Society/ZooFriends, a 501(c)3 non-profit NJ corporation, is the official Support Organization of the Cape May County Park & Zoo. Since 1986 the Society has continuously provided the private sector funding needed to develop new exhibits, improve facilities, purchase zoo equipment and make acquisitions for the animal collection. The Society makes significant contributions to conservation and endeavors to encourage the community's interest and enjoyment of the Zoo.

==History==
In 1942, a {{convert|40|acre|ha|abbr=on}} area of wooded land, formerly a plantation owned by the Matthews family, was donated to [[Cape May County, New Jersey|Cape May County]]. The area later housed the [[4-H]] fair. In 1967, the Cape May Park Commission was established to maintain the county's parks. The land originally donated in 1942 became Park Central, which increased in size eventually to {{convert|200|acre|ha|abbr=on}}. In 1978, the Cape May County Park & Zoo was created within Park Central.<ref>{{cite web|title=Cape May County Parks |accessdate=May 16, 2018|publisher=Government of Cape May County|url=https://capemaycountynj.gov/1021/Parks}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Cape May County Park & Zoo|title=History of the Cape May County Park|accessdate=May 16, 2018|url=https://www.cmczoo.com/history.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517152817/https://www.cmczoo.com/history.php|archive-date=2018-05-17|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In the [[February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard]], the enclosure of the bald eagle habitat was destroyed by the heavy snow fall. It has since been rebuilt.

The Walter Trettin Snow Leopard Habitat was completed in 2016. In 2024, frequent visitor Charles Muller bequeathed 1.4 million dollars to zoo- the largest single donation in the zoo's history.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Staff |first1=CBS News Philadelphia |last2=Wheeler |first2=Alan |last3=Hughes |first3=Ryan |title=New Jersey man donates $1.4 million estate to Cape May County Zoo - CBS Philadelphia |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/cape-may-county-zoo-new-jersey-man-donates-1-4-million-estate/ |access-date=30 July 2024 |work=www.cbsnews.com |date=11 July 2024}}</ref>

==Reputation==
The zoo was voted the 13th best zoo in the world and the 5th best zoo in the United States in [[TripAdvisor]]'s Traveler's Choice 2015.<ref name="tripadvisor2015"/> TripAdvisor also named the zoo the 3rd best in the nation in 2012.

==Conservation==
[[File:Kaba & Sabu1.JPG|thumb|Kaba and Sabu, first snow leopards born at the zoo.]]
The zoo is accredited by the [[Association of Zoos and Aquariums]] (AZA), and participates in a number of its species survival programs. In particular, a [[Mountain Bongo]] Antelope from the zoo's collection was sent to the [[Mount Kenya]] [[World Heritage Site]] in 2004 to join a captive breeding population intended to reestablish a wild population in future generations.

On May 10, 2010, the Cape May County Zoo welcomed two snow leopard cubs born to parents Himani and Vijay. They are the first snow leopard cubs born at the zoo and the first cubs for mother ‘Himani’. Only eleven snow leopards were born and survived last year in the United States. The two male cubs, Kaba and Sabu are part of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) Species Survival Plan (SSP) Program. The mission of an AZA SSP Program is to cooperatively manage specific, and typically threatened or endangered species populations within AZA-accredited Zoos and Aquariums. Kaba now resides at the [[Seneca Park Zoo]] in Rochester and Sabu is at the [[Brookfield Zoo]] in Chicago.

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed">
CMC Zoo entrance.jpg|Zoo entrance.
Giraffe (6019865144).jpg|Giraffe at a feeding station.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus -Cape May Zoo, New Jersey, USA-8a.jpg|[[Bald eagle]]s (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'').
Struthio camelus -Cape May Zoo, New Jersey, USA-8a.jpg|[[Ostrich]] at the zoo.
Lamprotornis superbus -Cape May Zoo, New Jersey, USA-8a.jpg|[[Superb starling]] (''Lamprotornis superbus'').
Anthropoides virgo -Cape May Zoo, New Jersey, USA -head-8a.jpg|[[Demoiselle crane]] (''Grus virgo'')
Cape May County Park & Zoo Ram ProMaster van A.jpg|Zoo transport vehicle.
Cape May County Zoo Gift shop.jpg|Zoo gift shop.
CMC Zoo pavilion.jpg|Pavilion in the park.
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist | refs=

<ref name="aza_list">
{{ZooOrg|aza|zoos|accessdate=2 June 2010}}
</ref>

<ref name="tripadvisor2015">{{cite web|title=Best Zoos - TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Awards|url=http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Attractions-cZoos-g1|publisher=TripAdvisor}}</ref>

<ref name="parks">{{cite web|title=Parks|url=http://www.cmczoo.com/parks.php|website=CMC Park & Zoo|access-date=September 8, 2015|archive-date=September 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150907111006/http://www.cmczoo.com/parks.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<ref name="history">{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.cmczoo.com/history.php|website=CMC Park & Zoo|access-date=September 8, 2015|archive-date=August 14, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814073753/http://www.cmczoo.com/history.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>
}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Cape May County Park & Zoo}}
*{{Official website|http://www.cmczoo.com}}
*[https://www.capemayzoosociety.org/ Zoological Society website]
{{Middle Township, New Jersey}}
{{Zoos of New Jersey}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cape May County Park and Zoo}}
[[Category:1978 establishments in New Jersey]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Cape May County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Middle Township, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Parks in Cape May County, New Jersey]]
[[Category:Zoos in New Jersey]]
[[Category:County parks in New Jersey]]