Riverside Park and Zoo, Zoo and recreational complex in Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Riverside Park and Zoo is a zoo and recreation complex along the North Platte River spanning about 23 acres, with three lakes, camping areas, and more than 125 animals from about 50 species. The grounds also feature a splash pad, hiking trails, and a disc golf course for various activities.
The facility was established to provide refuge for animals facing difficult circumstances and give them a new home. A notable case involved two young grizzly bears that arrived after wildlife officials rescued them following their mother's death.
The zoo's exhibits are grouped by habitat and region, from North American Grasslands with its American bison to Raptor Row, where a bald eagle, turkey vulture and Swainson's hawk are kept. The Children's Zoo holds donkeys, pot-bellied pigs, Highland cattle and wild turkeys, and the Chimpanzee Building houses the area's chimpanzee. The zoo takes part in the Survival Species Program for imperiled species on display.
The complex lies half a mile west of Nebraska Highway 71, along the North Platte River. A riverside trail follows the riverbank, and three lakes have camping and recreation areas. Over 30 garden spots are scattered through the grounds, so plan time to walk between the zoo exhibits and the park areas.
The zoo lost its AZA accreditation in September 2023, a fact not advertised on site. It also lay directly in the path of the total solar eclipse of August 21, 2017. Its two brother grizzly bears arrived on exhibit on December 16, 2017, after their mother was illegally killed in Wyoming and the orphaned cubs became habituated to humans.
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