Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
Moments in a longer story.
Selected milestones in the history of the Phoenix Zoo.
On this page
A zoo, a herd and a return to the wild
These dates describe the place you can learn about here. They are not a company timeline for Apollonaut.
-
21 November 1962
The Maytag Zoo opens
The zoo opens in Papago Park, founded by Robert Maytag.
-
1963
A new name and a new herd
The zoo becomes the Phoenix Zoo, and Arabian oryx arrive to begin the World Herd.
-
1964
The herd grows
Two more pairs of oryx arrive, and the herd reaches eleven animals.
-
1972
Lost in the wild
The Arabian oryx dies out in the wild.
-
1982
A return to Oman
Arabian oryx are reintroduced to the wild in Oman.
-
April 2025
Big Cats of Arizona
A new habitat for jaguars and mountain lions opens.
Follow the stories behind the dates
A timeline is a beginning. The longer history introduces the people and places; the sources below provide further context.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.