COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- For the third time in its history, South Carolina's Riverbanks Zoo and Garden has reached a milestone.
Zoo spokesman Lindsey Burke said Thursday that more than 1 million people came to the site near Columbia to enjoy the extensive plant and animal collections in 2009.
There were more than a million people attending in 1990 and 2002. The zoo opened in 1974
The primary attractions during 2009 included the birth of two giraffe calves, the arrival of three new penguins and the groundbreaking of a new kangaroo exhibit set to open in late spring.
Zoo officials said they had budgeted for around 890,000 visitors, so attendance was about 13 percent above expectations despite the current tough economy.
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