Clowers' Zoo with IQ, Educated Animals (Gone)
Hot Springs, Arkansas
September 2006:Educated Animals is closed forever. Clowers' Zoo with IQ is temporarily closed but hopes to re-open in 2007. According to John Clowers, son of Jim Clowers, his father "had heart surgery and had to take a year off so we closed the doors for a bit. My father spent the better part of his life making the zoo a fun place to be at. Now it is time for me to take that responsibility and with NEW ideas I plan to bring the I.Q. Zoo to the 22nd century, combining the best of the old with New Exciting things."
June 2002: Now known as Clowers' Zoo with I.Q. has moved to downtown Hot Springs. Their brochure boasts "Ranked #1 by Roadside America as the Nation's Greatest Roadside Attraction." Show highlight is when ducks "escape" from a replica Titanic while Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" swells melodramatically in the background. They're trying to train a cat for a new part of the show.
1999: After the death of Mark Duncan in early 1999, the attraction was sold to trainer Jon Clowers. His uncle Jim opened the original competing IQ Zoo back in 1964. Educated Animals was renamed Animal Actors Zoo, with a new line up of shows -- some of the best of the old attractions -- IQ Zoo, Educated animals, Animal Wonderland, Animal Behavior. Features antics involving the Titanic (Leonardo Duck Caprio and Kate Wingslet), James Bond, Star Wars, Batman (Val Squealmer) and Grease (Hen w). Many of the older animals were retired to homes with families. It doesn't smell like a barnyard anymore.
