Como Park Zoo - St. Paul, Minnesota

COMO PARK ZOO - ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA

The Como Park Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory are located at 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul, Minnesota with 24 hour telephone information at 651-487-8200 and Customer Service at 651-487-8201.

The Zoo and Conservatory are open every day of the year. Winter hours – from October to March – are from 10 am to 4 pm. Summer hours – from April to September- are from 10 am to 6 pm. Admission and parking are always free. However, the facility requests a small voluntary donation of $2 per adult and $1 per child to help defray costs of caring for their animals and plants.

The Zoo requests that large groups call to make reservations so that arrangements can be made for them to schedule more volunteers and/or guides for that particular time. Strollers and wheelchairs are available for rental - $4 for single seat stroller and wheelchair and $6.50 for double seat stroller.

In 1897, three deer were donated to the city. The animals were kept in a pasture in Como Park and this constituted the beginning of the Como Zoo. Deer, elk, foxes and two Cebu cattle were added by 1900 and in 1915, two buffalo joined the animals in the zoo. In the 1930’s, the first major construction was done at the zoo through a Federally funded Works Progress Administration project which included the bear grotto, Monkey Island, barn and the Main Zoo building. In 1956, Archie Brand’s Seal Show was added to the zoo.

In 1957, John A. Fletcher arrived at the zoo in the capacity of Director to supervise the six existing employees and manage and expand the animal collection. Valuable and endangered species of animals were added which included gorillas, orangutans and Siberian tigers. In addition, Como was the first zoo in North America able to successfully raise Siberian tigers by hand. Further construction included adding a wolf woods, a Children’s Zoo and the completion of a primate house.

Some of the animals at the Como Zoo include

African Hoofed Stock:
Dromedary Camel, Grant’s Zebra, Kudu, Reindeer, Reticulated Giraffe, Sable, West African Crowned Crane.

Aquatic Animals:
Black Bullhead, Black Crappie, Black Footed Penguin, Brown Bullhead, California Sea Lion, Channel Catfish, Harbor Seal, Longnose Gar, Lunda Puffin, Mudpuppy, Northern Pike, Polar Bear, Pumpkinseed Fish, Trout, Tufted Puffin, Walleye.

Primate House
Blue eyed Black Lemur, Debrazza’s Monkey, Emperor Tamarin, Hoffmann’s Two Toed Sloth, Orangutan, Spider Monkey, Western Lowland Gorilla, White Faced Saki Monkey

Large Cats Building
Cougar, Lion, Siberian Tiger, Snow Leopard.

Old Hoofed Stock Barn
Bison, Dall Sheep, Demoiselle Crane, Mountain goat, Ostrich, Wallaby, Wattled Crane, Western Tufted Deer, Yellow Billed Stork.

In addition, there are animals from Wolf Woods, Seal Island, the Bird Yard and Tropical Encounters Exhibit

Birthday parties for children ages three and up may be held at the zoo. A Basic Party Package includes:
• A total of 1.5 hours in one of our birthday party classrooms in the Visitor Center
• Classroom time includes 45 minutes of an educational program and interactive activities along with animal/plant visitor(s) or a tour of an animal exhibit, depending on theme chosen
• Classroom time includes 45 minutes for your personal birthday party celebration
• Based on the theme chosen, the zoo will provide minimal party decorations
Cost for Basic Birthday Party Package is $150 for up to 15 guests – whether they are adults or children. Cost for any additional guest is $3 each with a maximum number of 40. In order to reserve a party date, a non-refundable $25 deposit is required.