Review of the Ochsner Park Zoo
Ochsner Zoo - ALWAYS FREE ADMISSION!
Within the little town of Baraboo, WI, lies the little free-admission Ochsner Park Zoo. Originally opened in 1926, the Zoo’s first residents were a pair of bear cubs and two deer. It has seen expansions in the form of a stone building in 1957, which had the capability of housing various species of native wildlife, and the 1985 founding of “The Friends of the Baraboo Zoo, Inc.,” which contributed the funds needed for future growth and development. The Zoo presently holds a little over 20 species.
Probably the best word to describe this zoological establishment is “tiny.” This is especially noticeable in terms of size (only about a few acres I believe) and animal collection. It is certainly one of the smallest facilities I’ve visited alongside Menominee Park and Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden. However, what it may not have in size and variety, it makes up for it with a couple unique elements, from a few species I don’t see often, to some intriguing exhibit components that I haven’t seen elsewhere, making for an interesting 1-½ hour zoo visit.
Large Mammal Exhibits – The Zoo’s biggest residents have in my opinion the best that the facility has to offer in terms of exhibitry. Starting with the highlight of them all, there is an enormous mixed-species habitat that is seen from an overlook, and takes up almost the entire back half of the Zoo. The white-tailed deer, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, and even a bald eagle share a lush paddock that is sprinkled with trees of varying heights, a rocky pool, and other natural features. In a way, it almost reminded me of Bay Beach’s deer habitat, except without the natural woodland surrounding it. Next, there is another mixed-species exhibit, this time with a fascinating combination of American black bear (not seen – I was told she was very old and doesn’t come out often) and Arctic fox. Has this mix been done before? The habitat itself, while unfortunately only viewed through chain-link, is quite good, with a decent size, variation in terrain, lots of greenery, and a neat cave. Finally, there is a wolf enclosure (one gray, one Arctic/gray hybrid) that is about average in size and can seemingly be split into two. The smaller section has access to enclosed holding areas, but the larger area is a very nice hillside that is grassy, comes with a running rocky stream, and is well shaded. On an additional note, the wolves probably had the most extensive in terms of educational features here, including a list of body language behaviors.
Small Mammal Exhibits – One of the first exhibits that can be seen is the river otter habitat, which opened in 2018. Large viewing windows look into a spacious and grassy yard, which also offers two mid-sized pools for the aquatic mammals (not seen during my visit). It’s not the most natural-looking otter exhibit I’ve seen, but at least it gets the job done. Down the pathway, another recent development was completed late last year, and can be found in the form of the beaver exhibit. Like the otters, this area has a good amount of space for the large rodents, although not a lot in terms of naturalistic details. On the bright side, there is a nice-sized pool and a shoreline that has both rocky and grassy sections. Located before heading up a hill are two different cages. Both of these are also functional despite not having many natural elements. One is for a Canadian lynx (opened in 2012) that is half-concrete, and half-sandy substrate, with large glass windows and an artificial tree being the primary features. On a side note, the lynx was vocalizing on my second pass of this exhibit, which was neat to hear.
The other houses one of the only two non-North American creatures found at the Zoo; a pair of brown capuchins resides in a cage that is seen through metal fencing, and has some good height and climbing opportunities for the little monkeys. There is also a small indoor room that the primates can be seen in, which offers up-close viewing windows (with a fairly bad glare), a wood chip substrate, a hammock, and other enrichment items. Lastly, across from the snowy owls, is a mid-sized dirt pit for a colony of prairie dogs, including a tiny baby that was cute to see.
Bird Exhibits – With the exception of the birds coexisting with the deer, only three exhibits for birds are found in the Zoo. Upon entering one of the entrances, there is a pair of narrow owl aviaries (barred and great horned) that offer some branches and a mix of sand/grass substrate. Nearby, two snowy owls reside in an enclosed exhibit that seems to be on the small side, but comes with some natural features like branches and rocks, and is viewed through glass and mesh. I always enjoy seeing these almost mystical-like white birds!
Domestics – There are two different pens for domestic animals in different parts of the Zoo. The first is next to the owls, and has goats, ducks (didn’t see), and pot-bellied pigs – complete with an interesting historical-looking rock structure to clamber around on. Second, near the wolves, is a shady area for miniature donkey, llama, and chickens. Both of them offer the opportunity to give the critters feed, along with some up-close interactions for kids.
Next to the beavers, there is also a mid-sized open enclosure for an African spurred tortoise that I couldn’t really categorize anywhere in the review – especially since it’s the only reptile exhibit in the entire establishment!
It’s honestly hard to discuss much in the way of amenities at Ochsner Park, mainly because it is so small and does not have a lot in that regard, at least from what I could tell. Perhaps I just bypassed them, but the only guest amenities I noticed were two entrances (both simply chain-link gates with the Zoo’s sign and polices on them), and a set of bathrooms by the deer overlook. The layout of the facility surrounds a hill, with a brick building known as the “Intern House” standing proudly at the top, and the animal exhibits below make up the base and slopes of this hill, with some like the wolf and bear enclosures taking advantage of this pretty well. Additionally, there is a spacious open pasture just inside one of the entry gates, with the only sight to see being a cool-looking tiger statue before heading towards the main grounds. One more aspect I’d like to mention is that I did see some interesting-looking stone and rockwork either within exhibits (like the goats) or around the visitor grounds. Are these remnants of the historical sections of the Zoo? If so, it would be neat to preserve or incorporate in the future.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: I’ve only seen Arctic fox once before at North Carolina Zoo (despite having been to other zoos that display them, I haven’t had great luck with them). As a result, it was a delight to see one fairly active in the bear exhibit! The little canine spent its time resting amongst the vegetation at first, but then explored all around its turf for most of my visit afterwards. While it was a pity that I didn’t see the bear, the fox made up for it with its high energy and rare appearance.
Overall: Ochsner Park reminded me of a smaller version of Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc – both have similar animal collections, exhibitry, and experiences for visitors. However, this Baraboo attraction does stand on its own, thanks to some interesting bits and pieces throughout, and there are signs of development/expansion with the new beaver and otter exhibits. While I wouldn’t recommend going out of the way for it, I feel like it suits the small town of Baraboo well, and it makes for a nice quick outing for families. It is tiny, but it does have some nice charm to it.
According to the Zoo’s website, the year 2020 is supposed to see a new emu habitat, an expanded barnyard exhibit, the beaver exhibit, and a new entrance. With the exception of the beavers being completed (maybe additional modifications are coming?), I didn’t see any indication of construction yet or information on where these projects will go on the property. Beyond that, the Zoo plans on building an “Owl Education Center.”
Ochsner Zoo - ALWAYS FREE ADMISSION!
Within the little town of Baraboo, WI, lies the little free-admission Ochsner Park Zoo. Originally opened in 1926, the Zoo’s first residents were a pair of bear cubs and two deer. It has seen expansions in the form of a stone building in 1957, which had the capability of housing various species of native wildlife, and the 1985 founding of “The Friends of the Baraboo Zoo, Inc.,” which contributed the funds needed for future growth and development. The Zoo presently holds a little over 20 species.
Probably the best word to describe this zoological establishment is “tiny.” This is especially noticeable in terms of size (only about a few acres I believe) and animal collection. It is certainly one of the smallest facilities I’ve visited alongside Menominee Park and Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden. However, what it may not have in size and variety, it makes up for it with a couple unique elements, from a few species I don’t see often, to some intriguing exhibit components that I haven’t seen elsewhere, making for an interesting 1-½ hour zoo visit.
Animal Exhibit Complexes
Large Mammal Exhibits – The Zoo’s biggest residents have in my opinion the best that the facility has to offer in terms of exhibitry. Starting with the highlight of them all, there is an enormous mixed-species habitat that is seen from an overlook, and takes up almost the entire back half of the Zoo. The white-tailed deer, sandhill cranes, Canada geese, and even a bald eagle share a lush paddock that is sprinkled with trees of varying heights, a rocky pool, and other natural features. In a way, it almost reminded me of Bay Beach’s deer habitat, except without the natural woodland surrounding it. Next, there is another mixed-species exhibit, this time with a fascinating combination of American black bear (not seen – I was told she was very old and doesn’t come out often) and Arctic fox. Has this mix been done before? The habitat itself, while unfortunately only viewed through chain-link, is quite good, with a decent size, variation in terrain, lots of greenery, and a neat cave. Finally, there is a wolf enclosure (one gray, one Arctic/gray hybrid) that is about average in size and can seemingly be split into two. The smaller section has access to enclosed holding areas, but the larger area is a very nice hillside that is grassy, comes with a running rocky stream, and is well shaded. On an additional note, the wolves probably had the most extensive in terms of educational features here, including a list of body language behaviors.
Small Mammal Exhibits – One of the first exhibits that can be seen is the river otter habitat, which opened in 2018. Large viewing windows look into a spacious and grassy yard, which also offers two mid-sized pools for the aquatic mammals (not seen during my visit). It’s not the most natural-looking otter exhibit I’ve seen, but at least it gets the job done. Down the pathway, another recent development was completed late last year, and can be found in the form of the beaver exhibit. Like the otters, this area has a good amount of space for the large rodents, although not a lot in terms of naturalistic details. On the bright side, there is a nice-sized pool and a shoreline that has both rocky and grassy sections. Located before heading up a hill are two different cages. Both of these are also functional despite not having many natural elements. One is for a Canadian lynx (opened in 2012) that is half-concrete, and half-sandy substrate, with large glass windows and an artificial tree being the primary features. On a side note, the lynx was vocalizing on my second pass of this exhibit, which was neat to hear.
The other houses one of the only two non-North American creatures found at the Zoo; a pair of brown capuchins resides in a cage that is seen through metal fencing, and has some good height and climbing opportunities for the little monkeys. There is also a small indoor room that the primates can be seen in, which offers up-close viewing windows (with a fairly bad glare), a wood chip substrate, a hammock, and other enrichment items. Lastly, across from the snowy owls, is a mid-sized dirt pit for a colony of prairie dogs, including a tiny baby that was cute to see.Bird Exhibits – With the exception of the birds coexisting with the deer, only three exhibits for birds are found in the Zoo. Upon entering one of the entrances, there is a pair of narrow owl aviaries (barred and great horned) that offer some branches and a mix of sand/grass substrate. Nearby, two snowy owls reside in an enclosed exhibit that seems to be on the small side, but comes with some natural features like branches and rocks, and is viewed through glass and mesh. I always enjoy seeing these almost mystical-like white birds!
Domestics – There are two different pens for domestic animals in different parts of the Zoo. The first is next to the owls, and has goats, ducks (didn’t see), and pot-bellied pigs – complete with an interesting historical-looking rock structure to clamber around on. Second, near the wolves, is a shady area for miniature donkey, llama, and chickens. Both of them offer the opportunity to give the critters feed, along with some up-close interactions for kids.
Next to the beavers, there is also a mid-sized open enclosure for an African spurred tortoise that I couldn’t really categorize anywhere in the review – especially since it’s the only reptile exhibit in the entire establishment!
Visitor Experiences
It’s honestly hard to discuss much in the way of amenities at Ochsner Park, mainly because it is so small and does not have a lot in that regard, at least from what I could tell. Perhaps I just bypassed them, but the only guest amenities I noticed were two entrances (both simply chain-link gates with the Zoo’s sign and polices on them), and a set of bathrooms by the deer overlook. The layout of the facility surrounds a hill, with a brick building known as the “Intern House” standing proudly at the top, and the animal exhibits below make up the base and slopes of this hill, with some like the wolf and bear enclosures taking advantage of this pretty well. Additionally, there is a spacious open pasture just inside one of the entry gates, with the only sight to see being a cool-looking tiger statue before heading towards the main grounds. One more aspect I’d like to mention is that I did see some interesting-looking stone and rockwork either within exhibits (like the goats) or around the visitor grounds. Are these remnants of the historical sections of the Zoo? If so, it would be neat to preserve or incorporate in the future.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: I’ve only seen Arctic fox once before at North Carolina Zoo (despite having been to other zoos that display them, I haven’t had great luck with them). As a result, it was a delight to see one fairly active in the bear exhibit! The little canine spent its time resting amongst the vegetation at first, but then explored all around its turf for most of my visit afterwards. While it was a pity that I didn’t see the bear, the fox made up for it with its high energy and rare appearance.
Overall: Ochsner Park reminded me of a smaller version of Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc – both have similar animal collections, exhibitry, and experiences for visitors. However, this Baraboo attraction does stand on its own, thanks to some interesting bits and pieces throughout, and there are signs of development/expansion with the new beaver and otter exhibits. While I wouldn’t recommend going out of the way for it, I feel like it suits the small town of Baraboo well, and it makes for a nice quick outing for families. It is tiny, but it does have some nice charm to it.
According to the Zoo’s website, the year 2020 is supposed to see a new emu habitat, an expanded barnyard exhibit, the beaver exhibit, and a new entrance. With the exception of the beavers being completed (maybe additional modifications are coming?), I didn’t see any indication of construction yet or information on where these projects will go on the property. Beyond that, the Zoo plans on building an “Owl Education Center.”
