Maruyama Zoo

History of Maruyama Zoo In 1950 (Showa 25), when the devastation of the post-war period was still fresh in the minds of the citizens, Sapporo City invited a traveling zoo from Ueno Zoo (Tokyo). The venue, Maruyama Sakashita Ground, and the entire Maruyama Park area were bustling with unprecedented crowds, and people were fascinated by the animals. Following the great success of this traveling zoo, calls for a zoo in Sapporo rapidly grew, and on Children's Day in 1951 (Showa 26), the first zoo in Hokkaido was opened. At the time of its opening, it was positioned as a children's amusement park, and only had three species of animals: a pair of brown bears, a Hokkaido deer, and a Steller's sea eagle. After that, efforts were made to increase the number of animals and improve the facilities, and by 1974 (Showa 49), the zoo was attracting approximately 1.24 million visitors, equivalent to the total population of Sapporo at the time, and it established itself as a place of relaxation for the citizens of Sapporo. However, in recent years, zoos have been losing their charm due to various factors, such as the diversification of recreational activities, deterioration of facilities, and changes in people's views of animals. Now, Maruyama Zoo is working to restore itself as a Noah's Ark, beloved by the public and protecting rare species. At this time of great change, we would like to trace the history of the zoo. Maruyama Zoo opened in 1951 with the Steller's sea eagle. For 51 years, until his death in 2002 at an estimated age of 52, the eagle "Basan" continued to watch over the history of the zoo and its people, establishing the world's longest record for captivity. He still watches over us as a majestic stuffed specimen. In 1993, Maruyama Zoo was the first zoo in Japan to successfully breed Steller's sea eagles in captivity. Maruyama Zoo has taken the first step in the challenge of conserving and restoring the habitat of Steller's sea eagles, protecting and breeding endangered Steller's sea eagles, and returning them to the wild. Let's think about what we can do now to help bring back the majestic sight of these owls soaring through the sky. Maruyama Zoo holds a Night Zoo every year, extending its opening hours by four hours from the usual time of 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nocturnal animals that sleep lazily during the day become more energetic as darkness falls, and you can see them behaving in a different way than usual. Perhaps the owl is one of the most well-known nocturnal animals. In ancient Greece, it was a servant of Athena, the goddess of knowledge, and was known as the "sage of the forest," and is considered a symbol of wisdom. Maruyama Zoo has three types of owls, but the snowy owl is not nocturnal because it lives in an area with the midnight sun. Spend a summer night at the zoo and make some fun summer memories. Pirika, whose name means "beautiful" in Ainu, was born at Maruyama Zoo. Maruyama Zoo has successfully bred many wild animals, including Steller's sea eagles and polar bears, and has sent them out to zoos both in Japan and abroad. This is the first step towards conserving and restoring their habitats, protecting and breeding endangered animals, and releasing them back into the wild. Spend a winter in Sapporo, in the snow, and feel the beauty and cuteness of the animals of cold regions while thinking about them and our home, the Earth. At Maruyama Zoo, we offer "In-Zoo Classes" and "Out-of-Zoo Classes" where Maruyama Zoo guides visit you to give classes, as educational programs that allow you to learn about animals, environmental issues, and the importance of life while having fun. The "Helpful Materials" section contains worksheets and loanable materials that teachers can use when teaching students, as well as coloring books that families can use, so please use the ones that suit your learning goals. Since 2012, Maruyama Zoo has participated in the JST Science and Technology Communication Promotion Project "Promoting hands-on science education through collaboration between science museums and libraries - CISE (Community for Intermediation of Science Education) Network" and is working with environmental education facilities such as museums and libraries to get citizens interested in living things and the environment. #Hokkaido #Sapporo #Sapporo Tourism #Sapporo Trip #Zoo #Maruyama Zoo #Animals #Animal Interaction #Healing