Owned and operated by the City of Edmonton, the Valley Zoo is currently home to over 300 animals and more than 100 species. The Valley Zoo has grown significantly since it opened in 1959 as The Storyland Valley Zoo in its current location in Laurier Park. Once a 5-acre petting zoo, the Valley Zoo is now an educational facility, which contributes to the conservation of global biodiversity through its participation in the Species Survival Program.