The Magnetic Hill Zoo (french: le Zoo de Magnetic Hill, formerly the Magnetic Hill Game Farm) is a zoo located adjacent to Magnetic Hill and the Magic Mountain in the Magnetic Hill Area of Moncton,

New Brunswick New Brunswick (french: Nouveau-Brunswick, , locally ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. It is the only province with both English and ...

. The zoo has over 400 animals, making it the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada. In 2008, the zoo was rated fourth on a list of Canada's top ten zoos. The zoo has been accredited member of the

Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) (french: Aquariums et Zoos Accrédités du Canada (AZAC)) is an accreditation and advocacy organization representing zoos and aquariums within Canada. The organization states that its member zoos and a ...

(CAZA) since 1993.

History

The Magnetic Hill Zoo began as the Magnetic Hill Game Farm in 1953. Originally, the game farm was home to orphaned and injured indigenous species like owls, bears, and deer. The city of Moncton took over the park in 1979 and began acquiring more exotic species which served as a catalyst for the renaming the farm to Magnetic Hill Zoo. In 1995, the zoo began a expansion called the African Oasis. At the same time, the zoo also expanded by adding the Primate Conservation Centre, frog bog, the koi pond, bird garden, the Camel-Zebra exhibit, and a children's playground. In 1997–98, the Insectarium exhibit, a new entrance building, and new food facilities were built. The bears were moved to a new exhibit, which permitted them to live in a natural habitat for the first time. The zoo's education programs received an Achievement Award from the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums. A new reptile house exhibit, known as the Ecodome, was opened in 2003. The Ecodome was built on the site of the former bear "pit". The Ecodome was awarded the Environmental Enrichment Award by CAZA. Exhibits for the barbary sheep and bison were also completed. A new expanded Education Centre with three classrooms, washrooms, an office, kitchen, first aid room, and Discovery Centre were added in 2003. Between 2003 and 2004 exhibits were expanded or refurbished, including habitats for the otters, wolves, watusi, and eland. A deer contact area was constructed. In 2005, construction began on the Pridelands exhibit, a habitat for lions and ostrich. The exhibit's grand opening was held in July 2006 and won the

Environmental Enrichment Award for the exhibit. A new food concession stand was also renovated in 2005 and the zoo was awarded the New-Brunswick Top Attraction Status. In 2006, significant upgrades were made to the walking path system and signage in order to make the zoo more accessible to the public. In 2008, a new Cougar Country Exhibit was built which was awarded the zoos third CAZA Environmental Enrichment Award. In 2009, a new Jaguar Exhibit was built to resemble the Cougar Country Exhibit built the previous year. The zoo's animal collection was expanded to include mandrills, a colobus monkey, and two African lion cubs. Because of the continued successful breeding program of the zoo's black and white ruffed lemurs, the construction of a new enclosure for these monkeys was started. The former Insectarium exhibit was renovated and reopened as The Container.

Friends of the Zoo

The zoo is supported heavily by a fund-raising organization, Friends of the Zoo, which was founded in 1989 by Shirley Dingley, Deborah Fisher, Bruce Dougan, and Carolyn Dunlop. Friends of the Zoo focus primarily on raising funds to improve animal habitats at the zoo. In 2022, the park unveiled the "''wild lights''" attraction. The Magnetic Hill Zoo displays hundreds of thousands of holiday lights throughout its 40-acre park. The park chooses different species to highlight each year. The attraction is usually open during the holiday season and closed on December 24 and December 25. The "''Boo at the Zoo''" attraction is an event held mid-October leading to Halloween. The park hosts a family-friendly Halloween themed zoo experience featuring decorations and mild, moderate to scary Halloween venues. Children are encouraged to wear their Halloween costumes to venture around the Zoo.

Animals

Magnetic Hill Zoo has more than 400 animals, including over 100 indigenous and exotic species or birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and fish. Animals housed at the zoo include: * African lion (''

Panthera leo The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic; adult ...

'') * Ankole cattle ( Watusi) ('' Bos taurus'') *

Arctic wolf The Arctic wolf (''Canis lupus arctos''), also known as the white wolf or polar wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf native to the High Arctic tundra of Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands, from Melville Island to Ellesmere Island.https://ecoreg ...

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Canis lupus arctos The Arctic wolf (''Canis lupus arctos''), also known as the white wolf or polar wolf, is a subspecies of grey wolf native to the High Arctic tundra of Canada's Queen Elizabeth Islands, from Melville Island to Ellesmere Island.https://ecoreg ...

'') * Bald eagle *

Barbary sheep The Barbary sheep (''Ammotragus lervia''), also known as aoudad (pronounced �ɑʊdæd is a species of caprine native to rocky mountains in North Africa. While this is the only species in genus ''Ammotragus'', six subspecies have been descri ...

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Ammotragus lervia The Barbary sheep (''Ammotragus lervia''), also known as aoudad (pronounced �ɑʊdæd is a species of caprine native to rocky mountains in North Africa. While this is the only species in genus ''Ammotragus'', six subspecies have been describe ...

'') * Barn owl ('' Tyto alba'') *

Black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...

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Ursus americanus Ursus is Latin for bear. It may also refer to: Animals * ''Ursus'' (mammal), a genus of bears People * Ursus of Aosta, 6th-century evangelist * Ursus of Auxerre, 6th-century bishop * Ursus of Solothurn, 3rd-century martyr * Ursus (''praefectus ...

'') *

Black vulture The black vulture (''Coragyps atratus''), also known as the American black vulture, Mexican vulture, zopilote, urubu, or gallinazo, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the northeastern United States to Peru, Cen ...

('' Coragyps atratus'') * Black and white

ruffed lemur The ruffed lemurs of the genus ''Varecia'' are strepsirrhine primates and the largest extant lemurs within the family Lemuridae. Like all living lemurs, they are found only on the island of Madagascar. Formerly considered to be a monotypic genus, ...

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Varecia variegata The black-and-white ruffed lemur (''Varecia variegata'') is an endangered species of ruffed lemur, one of two which are endemic to the island of Madagascar. Despite having a larger range than the red ruffed lemur, it has a much smaller populati ...

'') * Blue and gold macaw ('' Ara ararauna'') * Burchelli's zebra ('' Equus burchelli'') *

Channel-billed toucan The channel-billed toucan (''Ramphastos vitellinus'') is a near-passerine bird in the family Ramphastidae found on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and in tropical South America as far south as southern Brazil and central Bolivia. Taxonomy an ...

('' Ramphastos vitellinus'') * Coatimundi ('' Nasua narica'') *

Crow A crow is a bird of the genus '' Corvus'', or more broadly a synonym for all of ''Corvus''. Crows are generally black in colour. The word "crow" is used as part of the common name of many species. The related term "raven" is not pinned scientifica ...

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Corvus brachyrhynchos The American crow (''Corvus brachyrhynchos'') is a large passerine bird species of the family Corvidae. It is a common bird found throughout much of North America. American crows are the New World counterpart to the carrion crow of Europe and th ...

'') * East African crowned crane ('' Balearica regulorum'') * Eland ('' Tragelaphus oryx'') *

European fallow deer The European fallow deer (''Dama dama''), also known as the common fallow deer or simply fallow deer, is a species of ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. It is historically native to Turkey and possibly the Italian Peninsula, Bal ...

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Dama dama The European fallow deer (''Dama dama''), also known as the common fallow deer or simply fallow deer, is a species of ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. It is historically native to Turkey and possibly the Italian Peninsula, Bal ...

'') * Fantail pigeon (''

Columba livia domestica The domestic pigeon (''Columba livia domestica'' or ''Columba livia'' ''forma'' ''domestica'') is a Columbidae, pigeon subspecies that was derived from the rock dove (also called the rock pigeon). The rock pigeon is the world's oldest domestica ...

'') *

Great horned owl The great horned owl (''Bubo virginianus''), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air"), or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extre ...

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Bubo virginianus The great horned owl (''Bubo virginianus''), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air"), or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extrem ...

'') *

Guinea pig The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the ...

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Cavia porcellus The guinea pig or domestic guinea pig (''Cavia porcellus''), also known as the cavy or domestic cavy (), is a species of rodent belonging to the genus '' Cavia'' in the family Caviidae. Breeders tend to use the word ''cavy'' to describe the a ...

'') * Indian blue peafowl ('' Pavo cristatus'') * Jaguar (''

Panthera onca The jaguar (''Panthera onca'') is a large cat species and the only living member of the genus '' Panthera'' native to the Americas. With a body length of up to and a weight of up to , it is the largest cat species in the Americas and the th ...

'') *

Kookaburra Kookaburras are terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus ''Dacelo'' native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between in length and weigh around . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri ''guuguubarra'', onomatopoeic of its call. The ...

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Dacelo novaeguineae The laughing kookaburra (''Dacelo novaeguineae'') is a bird in the kingfisher subfamily Halcyoninae. It is a large robust kingfisher with a whitish head and a brown eye-stripe. The upperparts are mostly dark brown but there is a mottled light ...

'') * Lesser sulphur-crested cockatoo ('' Cacatua sulphurea'') * Marabou stork (''

Leptoptilos crumenifer The marabou stork (''Leptoptilos crumenifer'') is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is someti ...

'') *

Przewalski's horse Przewalski's horse (, , (Пржевальский ), ) (''Equus ferus przewalskii'' or ''Equus przewalskii''), also called the takhi, Mongolian wild horse or Dzungarian horse, is a rare and endangered horse originally native to the steppes of ...

('' Equus ferus przewalskii'') *

Pygmy goat The American Pygmy is an American breed of achondroplastic goat. It is small, compact and stockily built. Like the Nigerian Dwarf, it derives from the West African Dwarf group of breeds of West Africa. Between 1930 and 1960, animals of this ty ...

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Capra hircus The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

'') *

Pony A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...

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Equus caballus The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

'') *

Raccoon The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

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Procyon lotor The raccoon ( or , ''Procyon lotor''), sometimes called the common raccoon to distinguish it from other species, is a mammal native to North America. It is the largest of the procyonid family, having a body length of , and a body weight of ...

'') *

Red-eared slider turtle The red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin (''Trachemys scripta elegans'') is a subspecies of the pond slider (''Trachemys scripta''), a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, ...

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Trachemys scripta elegans The red-eared slider or red-eared terrapin (''Trachemys scripta elegans'') is a subspecies of the pond slider (''Trachemys scripta''), a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States, ...

'') * Red-golden pheasant ('' Chrysolophus pictus'') * Reeves's muntjac ('' Muntiacus reevesi'') * Rhea (''

Rhea americana The greater rhea (''Rhea americana'') is a species of flightless bird native to eastern South America. Other names for the greater rhea include the grey, common, or American rhea; ema (Portuguese); or ñandú (Guaraní and Spanish). One of two sp ...

'') *

Ring tailed lemur The ring-tailed lemur (''Lemur catta'') is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families, and is the only member of the ''Lemur'' ge ...

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Lemur catta The ring-tailed lemur (''Lemur catta'') is a large strepsirrhine primate and the most recognized lemur due to its long, black and white ringed tail. It belongs to Lemuridae, one of five lemur families, and is the only member of the ''Lemur'' ge ...

'') * River otter ('' Lontra canadensis'') * Ringed neck dove ('' Streptopelia risoria'') *

Scarlet macaw The scarlet macaw (''Ara macao'') is a large red, yellow, and blue Central and South American parrot, a member of a large group of Neotropical parrots called macaws. It is native to humid evergreen forests of the Neotropics. Its range extends from ...

('' Ara macao'') *

Siberian tiger The Siberian tiger or Amur tiger is a population of the tiger subspecies '' Panthera tigris tigris'' native to the Russian Far East, Northeast China and possibly North Korea. It once ranged throughout the Korean Peninsula, but currently inh ...

* Sicilian donkey (''

Equus asinus The domestic donkey is a hoofed mammal in the family Equidae, the same family as the horse. It derives from the African wild ass, ''Equus africanus'', and may be classified either as a subspecies thereof, ''Equus africanus asinus'', or as a ...

'') *

Sika deer The sika deer (''Cervus nippon''), also known as the Northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to other parts of the world. Previously found from northern Vietnam in the south to ...

('' Cervus nippon'') * Silky chicken (''

Gallus domesticus The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated junglefowl species, with attributes of wild species such as the grey and the Ceylon junglefowl that are originally from Southeastern Asia. Rooster or cock is a term for an adult m ...

'') *

Sulphur-crested cockatoo The sulphur-crested cockatoo (''Cacatua galerita'') is a relatively large white cockatoo found in wooded habitats in Australia, New Guinea, and some of the islands of Indonesia. They can be locally very numerous, leading to them sometimes being ...

('' Cacatua sulphurea'') *

White-handed gibbon The lar gibbon (''Hylobates lar''), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is an endangered primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. It is one of the better-known gibbons and is often kept in captivity. Taxonomy There are five subspecies o ...

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Hylobates lar The lar gibbon (''Hylobates lar''), also known as the white-handed gibbon, is an endangered primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae. It is one of the better-known gibbons and is often kept in captivity. Taxonomy There are five subspecies of ...

'') *

White-tailed deer The white-tailed deer (''Odocoileus virginianus''), also known as the whitetail or Virginia deer, is a medium-sized deer native to North America, Central America, and South America as far south as Peru and Bolivia. It has also been introduced t ...

('' Odocoileus virginianus'') *

Wood bison The wood bison (''Bison bison athabascae'') or mountain bison (often called the wood buffalo or mountain buffalo), is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American bison. Its original range included much of the boreal forest regions ...

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Bison bison athabascae The wood bison (''Bison bison athabascae'') or mountain bison (often called the wood buffalo or mountain buffalo), is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American bison. Its original range included much of the boreal forest regions ...

'')

References

External links

* {{Authority control Tourist attractions in Moncton Zoos in New Brunswick Buildings and structures in Moncton 1953 establishments in New Brunswick Zoos established in 1953

History

Friends of the Zoo

Animals

See also

References

External links