<P> The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo was founded in 1882 . It is one of the most popular year - round attractions in Northeast Ohio; by attendance, the Cleveland Indians were the most popular attraction in Northeast Ohio in 2007 with a total attendance of over 2.2 million . The Zoo announced that more than 1.2 million people visited in 2007, marking a 2% rise in attendance from 2006 . </P> <P> The Zoo, originally named the Cleveland Zoological Park, first opened in 1882 at Wade Park where the Cleveland Museum of Art now stands . During its early years, the Zoo only held animals of local origin . In 1907, the city of Cleveland moved the Zoo to its current location in Old Brooklyn, and the Zoo acquired its first elephant . Beginning in 1910, the Zoo constructed Monkey Island, sea lion pools, and a moated bear exhibit . By 1940, the Zoo was home to three elephants and its first (permanent) elephant resident since 1924 . That same year, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History assumed control of the Zoo . </P> <P> Between 1955 and the transfer of management to the Cleveland Metroparks in 1975, the Zoo experienced rapid expansion despite setbacks due to flooding: the Zoo's reptile collection and several other buildings were lost when Big Creek overflowed in January 1959 . Although the Zoo had recovered by 1962, it would not have another permanent reptile collection until the opening of the RainForest thirty years later . Construction began on the Primate & Cat Building in 1975 (the Aquatics section would be added in 1985), later followed by the RainForest in 1992, Wolf Wilderness in 1997, Australian Adventure in 2000, and the Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine in 2004 . The Zoo's official website states that it currently has 3,000 animal residents representing more than 600 different species . </P> <P> The following is a timeline of when selected buildings and exhibits were created: </P>

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