Naked Mole Rat
Naked mole-rats appear to be bald, but they are not completely hairless. They have sensory whiskers on their face and tail, which allow them to move backward just as quickly as they can move forward.
About the Zoo
Bringing You Close Enough to Care
The mission of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is to conserve, exhibit and interpret a living animal collection in order to promote public recreation, understanding of the relationship between animals and people, and action to sustain the environment we share.
History of the Zoo
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park has had its own wild adventure of growth and improvements over the last century. Once just a small 4-acre facility, the Zoo is now home to nearly 1000 animals on 43 acres. Continuous improvements to the Zoo's infrastructure and animal exhibits ensure that the Rosamond Gifford Zoo will remain a treasured attraction in Central New York.
| 1914 | Zoo opens on a four-acre site in Burnet Park, managed by the City of Syracuse Parks & Recreation Department. |
| 1916 | Capital construction begins with the building of stone exhibits for bears and a waterfowl pond. |
| 1933 | Zoo is enlarged to eight acres and a main building is built at a cost of $50,000. |
| 1955 | Children's Zoo and Monkey Island are constructed. |
| 1960s - 1970s | Zoo falls into a state of disrepair due to shrinking city tax base and subsequent decrease in financial support. |
| 1970 | Friends of the Burnet Park Zoo is founded. |
| 1974 | A teen and a friend break into the Zoo, killing and injuring approximately 40 animals, fueling public debate over the future of the Zoo. |
| 1978 | City of Syracuse receives funding to complete a project to enlarge the Zoo to 18 acres and construct a new perimeter fence, a boardwalk, the western plains and other outdoor exhibits. |
| 1979 | Onondaga County Parks takes over the management of the Burnet Park Zoo; County Parks staff prepares a 40-page report on plans to renovate the Zoo. |
| 1981 | A master plan for Zoo renovation is sent to and approved by the Onondaga County legislature; included in the $10 million plan is approval for complete shut down of the "old" Burnet Park Zoo. |
| 1982 | The "old" Burnet Park Zoo shuts down in October. |
| 1983 | Capital project begins with a "building breaking" by then County Executive John Mulroy in December and the Zoo embarks on a $13.1 million project, $2.5 million of which is raised by the Friends of the Burnet Park Zoo. |
| 1986 | The "new" Burnet Park Zoo opens its doors to the public on August 2. |
| 1987 | The Burnet Park Zoo receives its initial accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). |
| 1993 |
Zoo's mission statement is revised; updated communication and collection plans begin. |
| 1997 | Burnet Park Zoo is re-accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA). |
| 1998 | Capital campaign is initiated to fund a new conservation/education center, tiger, penguin and rainforest exhibits. The U.S.S. Antiquities exhibit is opened, representing completion of the first phase of the capital campaign. |
| 1999 | Burnet Park Zoo receives $2 million endowment from the Rosamond Gifford Charitable Corporation and becomes the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. The new Amur tiger/Carrol's Tiger Trail opens. |
| 2000 | The Niagara Mohawk Rainforest Exhibit opens in the Social Animal Building. Groundbreaking takes place for the contruction of the Carrier Conservation Education Center. |
| 2001 | Three lion cubs from the Baton Rouge Zoo go on exhibit, marking the first time in more than 10 years the exhibit had housed lions that were not geriatric. The Zoo to You education outreach program is launched. |
| 2003 | Penguin project approved and construction contracts are drawn up. |
| 2004 | Construction begins on the Humboldt penguin exhibit. The Zoo celebrates its 90th anniversary. |
| 2005 | Zoo's Penguin Coast Exhibit opens to the public on June 29 with 18 Humboldt penguins. Zoo opens spectacled bears exhibit. |
| 2006 | The leadership role of the Zoo splits into two; Chuck Doyle is promoted to Zoo Director and Janet Agostini is hired as Executive Director of Friends of the Zoo. Four penguins hatch. |
| 2007 | Ocelot exhibit opens in June. Zoo celebrates Siri the elephant's 40th birthday. More than 9,000 people visit in 3 days to honor the matriarch of the Zoo's Asian elephant herd. Rosamond Gifford Zoo becomes one of 11 zoos in North America to house a fossa, an endangered carnivore from Madagascar. |
| 2008 | Rosamond Gifford Zoo celebrates "Year of the Frog" to increase awareness of frog/amphibian conservation. Sand cat exhibit opens in Zoo. Zoo celebrates birth of elephant, "Little Chuck," to Mali, one of the Zoo's elephants on loan to the African Lion Safari in Canada. Success of penguin exhibit continues with the hatching of three chicks. |
| 2009 | Zoo celebrates the hatching of Zephyr, a white-crested laughing thrush. The new chick is one of just three hatched in captivity worldwide over the past year. |
A Word from our Zoo Director
I hope that you fully enjoy your visit to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park. We are especially proud of our Zoo, from its focus on animal welfare, to its “green building” status, to its interactive capabilities.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo prides itself on being an Association of Zoos and Aquariums accredited zoo since 1987. We are among the top 10 percent of zoos in the country and we adhere to a high standard of animal care and conservation responsibility.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is also a breeding zoo, which works closely with other AZA institutions to help ensure the survival of threatened and endangered species around the world.
Take your time, look at the animals, look at the plants, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and help us make the world a better place for animals and people. Thank you for your support!
Biographical Information for Chuck Doyle
Charles "Chuck" Doyle began his career at the Burnet Park Zoo in Syracuse, New York in 1976. After serving as a keeper in several areas, he found his niche in the elephant department. He was the Collection Manager for Elephants at the Zoo for more than 10 years, served as Curator of Mammals until 1998 and then as the General Curator of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, supervising upwards of 30 animal staff and monitoring the animal welfare needs of the Zoo's animals. He was appointed as Zoo Director on March 15, 2006.
Chuck has distinguished himself in the field of elephant management. He is a member of the management group of the Species Survival Program for Asian Elephants. Chuck was awarded the President's Award in 1999 and the Founder's Award in 2004 by the Elephant Manager's Association (EMA). Mr. Doyle was also awarded the prestigious President's Award in 2003-2004 by the Associations of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). He is an instructor of Principles of Elephant Management in the AZA's annual Elephant Management School and is the co-founder and past executive director of the EMA. The EMA is an international nonprofit organization of professional elephant handlers, administrators, veterinarians, researchers and elephant enthusiasts dedicated to the welfare of the world's elephants through improved conservation, research, education and communication.
A Word from the Friends of the Zoo Executive Director
The Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo is a non-profit organization that provides special benefits, including free admission to our zoo and reciprocal zoos across the nation, to its members. A membership to the Zoo is one of the best entertainment values in Central New York and pays for itself in less than three visits.
Each year more than 300,000 visitors view our animals and take advantage of the many ways to learn about our amazing collection. There is Zoo Camp in the summer, Zoo to You and the EdZoocation programs bringing exciting educational programs directly to you, and on-site animal demonstrations. The knowledge of our dedicated professional staff will amaze and delight you.
The Friends organization exists to provide financial support to the Zoo through funds dedicated to the welfare of our animals, our educational programs and our family-friendly facilities. It is the generous support of our sponsors, donors, members and Zoo visitors, which enable us to meet this mission. You can be certain that your membership dollars are invested with care and in support of the Zoo. We extend our heartfelt appreciation for your support.
The Friends of the Zoo is honored to partner with Onondaga County in support of a community resource that contributes to the quality of life in the Central New York area. On behalf of my staff, I pledge our efforts to work tirelessly to help sustain the quality and diversity of the animal collection at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park.
For information about the many ways you can support the Zoo, please go to the “Support Our Zoo” section of our Web site.
See you at the Zoo!
Biographical Information for Janet Agostini
Janet, a longtime resident of Central New York, brings a wealth of experience to the Executive Director position. Prior to joining the Friends' staff, she served as Associate Vice President of Student Recruitment and Communications for six years at Onondaga Community College. During her time at the college, she was responsible for marketing, public relations, community relations, college ceremonies and events, and student recruitment. She served on the OCC President’s Cabinet and received the 2005 Trustees Recognition Award for exemplary service.
Janet has also served as the Director of Marketing for CXtec and the Loretto Geriatric Center. She currently serves on the board of Literacy Volunteers of Greater Syracuse and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse.
