Purposeful Play at Caldwell Zoo
A giraffe at Caldwell Zoo is read to chomp down on a leaf being fed to it at Caldwell Zoo in Tyler. The giraffes are one of the star attractions at the East Africa exhibit. Photo courtesy of JALLEN SULLIVAN.
By NATHAN WITT/Editor-in-Chief
“Look! There it is! Right there!” shouts 4-year-old Victor Jr. to his mom, Elanlla. His feet “thump-thump-thump” to the front of the glass. He reaches with the tip of his toes to get his face as close to the enclosure as possible.
“Mowm, wha kond of penwin is it?” he asks with his face against the glass.
“It’s called the African penguin. They’re endangered. Here, look at this one’s swimming!”
“Woooaahhh!”
Victor Jr. chases the penguin up and down the glass as it darts from one side to the other. The water casts a blue-green tint into the room, illuminating the visitors’ faces like a movie screen. Victor Sr. squats to one knee, even with the water’s edge, holding his youngest, Ana, in his arms. He bounces her softly with his leg as he and Victor Jr. watch the penguin fly past.
Victor Jr. chases swimming penguins back and forth in the penguin house at Caldwell Zoo as his father baby sister, Ana, look on. The zoo is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Tyler and features about 3,000 animals. Photo courtesy of NATHAN WITT
Learning Through Fun
The Caldwell Zoo was founded by DK and Lottie Caldwell in 1953 as a way to educate kids about nature in an entertaining way. The operation has grown from household animals like ducks and bunnies to over 3,000 creatures across more than 200 species. The park’s appearance has changed multiple times through the years, but the driving mission has not.
Sign points to rhino grazing. Photo courtesy of NATHAN WITT
“No YouTube video can give you this. I don’t care how good it is,” says Audrey, who homeschools her son Harrison. “We brought him to the zoo to learn about ecosystems. It really gives a lot of perspective to see the animals all walking around next to each other.”
The zoo offers several educational experiences, such as daily keeper talks and up-close animal encounters. However, the option for families to walk around and explore all on their own is also available. Each animal habitat includes a sign that informs visitors of the name of each animal species as well as a few interesting facts about it.
The zoo is divided by geographic region and species, featuring East Africa, North America, South America, and a Reptiles and Amphibians Complex. In each area, signs give more details about the geographic location and how the animals of that area interact in the wild.
A Helping Hand… Or Wing
The Caldwell Zoo’s East Africa habitat stretches in every direction. At the top of the hill, just across from the African Overlook, two grey-crowned cranes step out of the pool and stroll to a nearby log to dry in the sun. A shaky trumpet note can be heard from an elephant in the distance. The cranes look down across the African plains; one begins to open its arms so the sun can reach under its big feathers, only to reveal one-and-a-half wings.
An injured grey-crowned crane holds out its wings to sun dry. Photo courtesy of NATHAN WITT
“That crippled mutt is my favorite right there,” says Paul, a retired photographer, referring to the disabled bird.
Paul and his wife, Delilah, have been coming to the Caldwell Zoo since they moved to Tyler in 2015. Paul says he comes out regularly to document the unique wildlife.
“They’ve got all kinds of broken beasts here,” he says.
Delilah adds, “It’s kind of what they do. Have you seen the bald eagle yet?”
Indy the Bald Eagle is one of many rescue stories at the Caldwell Zoo. As a baby, Indy was found with a broken wing and adopted by the zoo for rehabilitation. The bald eagle most likely wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for the zoo staff.
Indy’s story is far from being the only one of its kind at the Caldwell Zoo: in fact, the zoo prioritizes assisting animals, whether it’s a native animal in need of rehabilitation or a foreign animal whose entire species is on the brink of extinction. The zoo is affiliated with the Species Survival Plan, Saving Animals From Extinction, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to help preserve and research endangered animals.
Come Say Hello
A black bear sits with its paw stuck in the fence behind it. Photo courtesy of NATHAN WITT
Most of the animals at the Caldwell Zoo have spent the majority, if not all, of their lives in zoos. They’re more than comfortable around visitors; some even seem to enjoy being around people. During normal operational seasons, Caldwell offers a petting zoo for visitors who want the closest encounters. Families can visit between 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. any day of the week. Tickets are $16.50 for adults and $12.50 for children over 3. The zoo is located at 2203 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Tyler.
“Look! He’s waving at me! He’s posing!” Paul shouts in excitement to Delilah. She smiles at him with amusement as he snaps picture after picture of the black bear in the back of the enclosure. Its left hand is raised as if waving hello.
In reality, the black bear’s claw was hooked in the chain-link fence behind him, but don’t tell Paul that. Take a trip and say hello to all the special animals at the Caldwell Zoo, and who knows: maybe, just maybe, some of them will wave back.
Love it!
Too cute, Nathan!