Founded in 1950, the 122 acre (49 hectare) Birmingham Zoo started with a small menagerie of exotic animals kept in a Southside firehouse. Today, it is home to approximately 750 animals of 250 species. It draws more than 450,000 visitors annually.
The zoo, once known as The Jimmy Morgan Zoo, opened its doors with Monkey Island as its first official exhibit on April 2, 1955.
