At 24-years old, Sparkles was considered a geriatric horse. Staff have been closely monitoring Whiskers, the remaining 26-year-old Palomino, to ensure that she transitions to life without her companion.

*The Trexler Nature Preserve was established by General Harry C. Trexler in the early 1900s to save the American bison, elk and white tailed deer from extinction. In 1935, the preserve was donated to Lehigh County after General Trexler had passed away to continue his conservation effort. In the 1940s, a small zoo area was added to the preserve in the Central Range. In 1975, a much larger 29-acre “children’s zoo” was opened. In 2004, the Lehigh Valley Zoological Society assumed management of the zoo, as well as the daily management of the bison and elk herd and the palominos in the 1,100-acre Trexler Nature Preserve. The Palomino horse were subsequently moved onto the Zoo grounds in order to better facilitate their care.

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As a member-supported non-profit organization, Lehigh Valley Zoological Society was founded in 2004, but as a treasured community landmark, the Zoo’s history spans over a century. Founded in 1906 by General Harry C. Trexler, a local industrialist, the Lehigh Valley’s Trexler Game Preserve has educated and entertained more than five million people.

Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Lehigh Valley Zoo hosts year-round, family-friendly events and activities, educational programs, and camps. With a mission to create a safe, engaging and enlightening wildlife experience for guests of all ages, the Zoo demonstrates leadership in the cultural, scientific and conservation communities. To learn more about Lehigh Valley Zoo, we invite you to visit our website, www.lvzoo.org, or follow us on Facebook @LVZOO.