Editing Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (section)

==Notable animals==

=== Balto ===
{{Further|Balto}}
[[Balto]], an [[Alaskan husky]] and [[sled dog]] made famous for his role leading the last stage of the [[1925 serum run to Nome]], resided at the zoo from March 1927 until his death in March 1933.<ref name="PlainD19400310p56">{{Cite news |date=March 10, 1940 |title=At Natural History Museum: Balto, Savior of Nome, Makes New Bow |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-at-natural-history-muse/147481974/ |access-date=July 20, 2024 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |page=56 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Balto, along with six surviving teammates from the serum run, were purchased from a [[traveling circus]] owner in [[Los Angeles]] by the citizenry of Cleveland following a ten-day fundraising campaign.<ref name="PlainD20150118p31">{{Cite news |last=DeMarco |first=Laura |date=January 18, 2015 |title=How Cleveland saved a hero |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-how-cleveland-saved-a-h/150163038/ |access-date=July 20, 2024 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |pages=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-how-cleveland-saved-a-h/150163077/ C6] |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Following his death,<ref name="PlainD19330315p16">{{Cite news |date=March 15, 1933 |title=Career Ends. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-career-ends/147726268/ |access-date=July 25, 2024 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |page=16 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Balto's remains were mounted by the [[Cleveland Museum of Natural History]],<ref name="PlainD19330513p24">{{Cite news |date=May 13, 1933 |title=Balto Lives Again. |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-balto-lives-again/147481739/ |access-date=July 20, 2024 |newspaper=The Plain Dealer |location=Cleveland, Ohio |page=24 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> which continues to exhibit him to this day.<ref name="n8533">{{cite web |last=Sell |first=Jill |date=October 26, 2023 |title=Organic interests: A trip to the new Cleveland Museum of Natural History Visitor Hall |url=https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/features/CMNH_Visitors_Hall_102623.aspx |access-date=July 20, 2024 |website=FreshWater Media, LLC}}</ref> Statues of Balto and [[Togo (dog)|Togo]], another dog credited for heroic feats on the serum run, were unveiled at the zoo in 1997.<ref name="v458">{{cite web |last=Clifford |first=Stephanie |date=February 13, 2012 |title=Spirit of a Racer in a Siberian Husky's Blood |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/sports/spirit-of-a-racer-in-a-siberian-huskys-blood.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240617140522/https://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/13/sports/spirit-of-a-racer-in-a-siberian-huskys-blood.html |archive-date=June 17, 2024 |access-date=July 20, 2024 |website=The New York Times |page=1:D}}</ref>

===Timmy (Gorilla)===
Arguably the most famous animal resident in the Cleveland Metropark Zoo's history, [[Timmy (gorilla)|Timmy]] the [[Western lowland gorilla]] attained greater fame as a very prolific sire at the [[Bronx Zoo]]. Although he was known as the "dud stud" at the Cleveland zoo, he proved to be quite virile after he arrived at the Bronx Zoo on loan. Timmy was managed indoors in human care for 25 years before being sent on breeding loan to the Wildlife Conservation Society's main campus and headquarters at the Bronx Zoo. The move was highly controversial. The consideration of separating Timmy from his companion Kate, was met with much protest by animal rights activists and was the subject of a federal court case. CMZ Director Emeritus Steve H. Taylor cites the lawsuit surrounding the breeding loan as one of the most significant in the history of modern zoos.<ref name="issuu.com1"/>

Timmy went on to sire more than 13 offspring in New York, many of whom were conceived in the Bronx Zoo's state-of-the-art Congo Gorilla Forest exhibit, which opened after his arrival in New York City.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://resourcelibrary.clemetzoo.com/historicals/10 |title=1960 to 1969 - Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Resource Library |access-date=2017-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218145242/http://resourcelibrary.clemetzoo.com/historicals/10 |archive-date=2017-02-18 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/news/gorilla-mist-timmy-studly-simian-moves-ky-article-1.572015|title=A GORILLA WHO'LL BE MIST: Timmy the studly simian moves to Ky.|website=Nydailynews.com|access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref>

Timmy's offspring Okpara was born to [[Pattycake (gorilla)|Pattycake]] at the [[Bronx Zoo]]. Okpara returned to Cleveland before moving on to another facility.

===Blackie===
On January 13, 2014, the CMZ's [[Nile hippopotamus]] "Blackie", was euthanized at approximately 60 years of age.<ref name="cleveland.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2014/01/blackie_oldest_hippo_in_north.html|title=Blackie, oldest hippo in North America, dies at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo|website=Cleveland.com|date=14 January 2014 |access-date=5 August 2018}}</ref> He was born in the wild in 1953, then moved to Germany temporarily before moving to Cleveland where he lived at the zoo's Pachyderm Building from 1955 until 2008. For the remaining years of his life, he lived at the zoo's private Africa barn in a two-room enclosure. At the time of his death, Blackie was believed to have been the longest-lived male Nile hippopotamus ever recorded in human care in North America, though this age has since been surpassed by a hippo at the [[Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park]]. As far as hippos go, he had a gentle demeanor and weighed approximately 3700&nbsp;lbs.<ref name="cleveland.com"/>

===Aldabra Tortoises===
The Zoo cares for three tortoises, including a pair of animals both exceeding 100 years of age.<ref name="cleveland.com"/>