Micke Grove Zoo is a small 5acre zoo that opened in 1957 in Lodi, California. It is located within Micke Grove Regional Park, which includes a Japanese garden, the San Joaquin Historical Museum, an amusement park, and picnic shelters.HistoryIn 1938, the Micke family donated the 258acre oak tree park to the county of San Joaquin. The zoo opened in 1957 and Ronald Theodore Reuther was its first curator.Currently, it is home to native animals and exotic species, some of which are endangered, and was at one point the smallest zoo accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. However, the zoo lost its accreditation in April 2006 due to aging exhibits and cramped veterinarian space. While the veterinarian space has been expanded and the department supported by the University of California at Davis Veterinary Teaching Hospital, many exhibits are still in need of expansion.AnimalsIncluded in the current collection are a variety of non-releasable raptors, tortoises, and a variety of lemurs, and with an expansion currently underway snow leopards and Oriental small-clawed otters, originally planned to be added in 2010; however the economic crisis has halted the construction midway and it has been postponed. Many endangered primates and birds can also be found at the zoo, including parrots and tortoises from Madagascar. As of 2014, the snow leopards have been added. Additional construction is planned for the otters.
