Wild Kingdom Train Zoo
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox zoo
|zoo_name=Wild Kingdom Train Zoo
|image=Camel at Lagoon.JPG
|date_opened=1967
|location=Farmington, Utah, United States
|area=
|date_closed=March 6, 2025|coordinates={{coord|40.9834|-111.8923|type:landmark_region:US-UT|display=inline,title}}
|num_species=15+
|num_animals=40+
}}Wild Kingdom Train Zoo was a small zoo located in Lagoon Amusement Park, Farmington, Utah. Visible when riding the Wild Kingdom Train, the zoo was located on the banks of a pond. In 1967, the Animaland Train opened, taking guests past the various animal exhibits.{{cite web|url=http://www.lagoonisfun.com/misc.php?page=wkt |title=Wild Kingdom Train |access-date=2014-02-16 |work=Lagoonisfun.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901120325/http://www.lagoonisfun.com/misc.php?page=wkt |archive-date=September 1, 2013 }} The name of the attraction was changed in 1975 to the Wild Kingdom Train.{{cite web |url=http://www.farmingtonstar.com/wildkingdomtrain.html|title=Wild Kingdom Train |access-date=2008-01-15 |work=Farmingtonstar.com }} The park has advertised the zoo as the second-largest zoo in Utah.{{cite web |url= http://www.wildlifepimps.com/Lagoon.htm|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20010429184010/http://www.wildlifepimps.com/Lagoon.htm|url-status= usurped|archive-date= April 29, 2001|title= Factsheets: Lagoon Corporation |access-date=2008-01-15 |work=www.wildlifepimps.com}}{{cite web |url=http://lagoonpark.com/show_ride.php?id=36 |title=Wild Kingdom Train |access-date=2008-01-15 |work=Lagoonpark.com }} On March 6, 2025, it was announced that the zoo would be closing and the animals rehomed.https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/lagoon-announces-zoo-closure-and-rehoming-of-animals/
Wild Kingdom Train
The {{RailGauge|2ft|lk=on}} narrow gauge[http://www.trainweb.org/crownmetalproducts/roster2.html Crown Metal Products Locomotive Roster] railway had two steam-powered engines named Houston and Merriweather. Both were built by Crown Metal Products (CMP).[http://www.steamlocomotive.com/lists/searchdb.php?country=USA&state=UT Surviving Steam Locomotives in Utah] The Merriweather locomotive had previously been named Old Ironsides when it ran on a now-defunct separate railway of the same gauge in the park named Pioneer Village Railroad. When that railroad closed, Old Ironsides was taken to the Wild Kingdom attraction and given its most recent name. Around the same time, one of the two other locomotives on the Wild Kingdom Train (also built by CMP) was taken out of service, put on static display, and re-themed to match the nearby Rattlesnake Rapids attraction complete with Rattlesnake Railroad decorum on the tender.[http://www.steamlocomotive.info/state.cfm?state=Utah Steamlocomotive.info - Utah]
Guests boarded the train at a train station located on the South Midway of Lagoon. The train traveled clockwise around a lagoon, through a tunnel, past the animal exhibits, and returned to the station.
Controversy
File:Lagoon Zoo protest (42077414020).jpg
In 2012, Lagoon became the focus of animal welfare groups' protests which called for a boycott of the park, citing USDA inspection reports that suggested poor care of animals in the Wild Kingdom Train Zoo.{{cite news |date=21 April 2012 |title=Animal Rights Advocates Protest Lagoon Amusement Park |url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53962176-78/lagoon-activists-animal-park.html.csp |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |agency=AP}} The Utah Animal Rights Coalition (UARC) and PETA pointed to a range of USDA citations over a 15-year span that included insufficient living space for and unexplained deaths of animals.{{citation |last=Hirschi |first=Julie |title=Animal Rights Groups Target Lagoon's Animal Exhibits |date=3 August 2012 |newspaper=The Globe |url=http://www.globeslcc.com/2012/08/03/animal-rights-groups-target-lagoons-animal-exhibits/ |place=Salt Lake County, Utah |publisher=Salt Lake Community College}}{{Cite news| last = Weist| first = Larry| publication-date = October 23, 2002| title =Lagoon gets plea to give wild animals more space| periodical = Deseret News| place = Salt Lake City }} While admitting to some problems, a Lagoon spokesman denied any abuse taking place and said veterinarians and staff regularly monitored the animals.{{citation |title=Animal Activists Protest Lagoon |date=20 April 2012 |url=http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Animal-activists-protest-Lagoon/hvgzfNMhPkGkr5p6CRAiuw.cspx |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120427123501/http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Animal-activists-protest-Lagoon/hvgzfNMhPkGkr5p6CRAiuw.cspx |archive-date=2012-04-27 |url-status=dead |publisher=ABC 4 Utah News (KTVX)}}.{{Cite news| last = Cheney| first = Jacqueline| publication-date = July 16, 2000| title =Group protests at Lagoon | periodical = Deseret News| place = Salt Lake City }}
In July 2016, two Utah teenagers started a petition in an effort to convince Lagoon to improve the living conditions of the animals.{{Cite news|url=http://www.ksl.com/?sid=40861354&nid=148|title=Utah teens upset by treatment of animals at Lagoon start petition}}
In March 2025, it was announced that the zoo would be closing and the animals rehomed. Several of the zoo's big cats had already been relocated in late 2024 to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado.https://www.abc4.com/news/wasatch-front/lagoon-announces-zoo-closure-and-rehoming-of-animals/https://www.instagram.com/p/DG3McQhPxU1/?img_index=1