How many zoos/aquariums have you visited?

[ThylacineAlive]

Besides proboscis monkeys, what other rarities did you presumably see and no longer remember?

Pretty much everything the zoo kept in the early-2000s and then the species which left during the 2009 budget cuts are on the table. Pretty much the only species which is gone now that I remember seeing before 2011 are the Chinese Leopard Cats in World of Darkness. Of course, I've accidentally managed to see many of those rarities in my general travels since then. Sumatran Rhinoceros, Bay Duiker, and Saint Vincent Amazon pop into mind especially. Proboscis Monkey remains the largest loss for me, though I'm still on the hunt for Arabian Oryx, too!

~Thylo

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Not being able to drive yet I am limited by my family for the number of zoos/aquariums I can visit a year. I visited only 5 zoos (and no aquariums) last year, 2012. Those are, in order, Roger William's Park Zoo, ZooAmerica, Smithsonian National Zoological Park (did visit on two different days), Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, and Central Park Zoo. This year, 2013, I already have plans to visit Bronx, Prospect Park, Queens, New York Aquarium, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Newport Aquarium so that already beats my record for last year and I will probably make plans to revisit Beardsley, Mystic Aquarium, and Maritime Aquarium sometime during the year. In 2011, I only visited three facilities- Bronx, Mystic, and Maritime- but visited Bronx three times.

~Thylo

I was rereading this thread a bit and found my original post from January 2013 when my reputation on this forum was a little different

I think it's pretty crazy that, in only a little over four years, I went from only 11 collections to 61 with about half of those having been visited for the first time in 2016! Also funny how I never made it to Columbus and I didn't get to Queens for another three years.

I think somewhere else on this site I had a 2013 conversation with some others where it was predicted I might make it out of the country for the first time by 2018

~Thylo

 

[jayjds2]

71 from the USA only, but very little growth this year . I have a list if anybody wants it.

I've just done the same as @ThylacineAlive and gone back to my first post of this thread, which was just about a year ago. I certainly had a different reputation back then, hopefully that's changed a bit
My claim of "very little growth this year" turned out to be false, as I now have 26 more collections! If I've done the math correctly, I gained 17 collections last year, after posting that. I moved up one category and in 10 days will move up to the 100+ category.

Speaking of collection counts, I just had a moment of panic when I realized I'd left one off (which would throw off my planned #100). However, I decided to remove Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute due to them only being open two days a year and those two days are for a vender festival, in which only one species of animal can reliably be seen. I soon will post a full list, once I figure out what year I visited everything.

As for countries: I never made a prediction but I vaguely assumed it would be quite a while before I left the US. However, it'll happen next year! I won't be getting any zoos then, but I think the wildlife will be more than enough to satisfy me.

 

[Arizona Docent]

...I'm still on the hunt for Arabian Oryx, too!

~Thylo

Surprising to me, as they seem quite common here in the Southwest USA (I have seen them in Europe as well). Off the top of my head I have seen them at The Living Desert, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, Phoenix Zoo, Wildlife World Zoo, Gladys Porter Zoo, Fossil Rim and probably others.

 

[jayjds2]

Today I picked up three more:

94. Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo: a decent roadside zoo, and one I suspect to previously have been AZA because of some of its holdings: Amur leopard, sun bear (four individuals!), and others. What was truly notable was the troop of 23 grey-armed macaques (M. ochreata).

95. ZooAmerica- small zoo with a complete focus on American wildlife. I saw a few interesting species such as Gambel's quail and American marten (sadly sleeping).

96. Hershey Gardens- did not expect to find this third "zoo", but with a nice insect collection (situated in a butterfly atrium) I decided I could count it. The highlight was an orchid mantis.

The next time I update this thread I should have over 100, and move up to the last category. I hope to make the Bronx Zoo #100.

97. Elmwood Park Zoo
98. Oglebay's Good Zoo
99. Staten Island Zoo
100. Bronx Zoo
101. Central Park Zoo
102. Prospect Park Zoo
103. New York Aquarium

 

[MRJ]

Just noticed that following my trip to Texas where I visited 5 zoos and aquariums, my life list is now at 150. Of course many of these are very small Australian parks. Interestingly of the 150, 27 have since closed.

 

[Mehdi]

213 including zoos/aquariums, rescue centers and national parks (I'll see if I can count zoos only).

 

[migdog]

In the past two years, me and the wife have clocked up 62 different zoos/aquariums, if Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden in Las Vegas counts! We've got 4 more on the horizon too, 2 in Belgium and 2 in Valencia.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Here's a list of all the collections I've visited along with the years I visited and, for the US, the states:

United States
CT- Action Wildlife (2016)
NJ- Adventure Aquarium (2014)
NY- Bronx Zoo (Pre-2011, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
FL- Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens (2016)
NY- Central Park Zoo (2012, 2014, 2015)
OH- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (2013)
CT- Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo (Pre-2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)
FL- Disney's Animal Kingdom (Pre-2011)
FL- Gatorland (Pre-2011)
CA- Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens (2016)
CT- Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk (2011, 2014, 2016)
CT-Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration (2011, 2016)
NY- New York Aquarium (2013, 2016)
KY- Newport Aquarium (2013)
PA- Philadelphia Zoo (2014)
FL- Ponce Inlet Marine Science Center (2014)
NY- Prospect Park Zoo (2013, 2016)
NY- Queens Zoo (2016)
RI- Roger Williams Park Zoo (2012, 2015, 2016)
NY- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (2017)
FL- SeaWorld Discovery Cove (2013)
FL- SeaWorld Orlando (Pre-2011)
D.C.- Smithsonian National Zoological Park (Pre-2011, 2012)
FL- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (2014)
FL- Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo (2013)
NY- Trevor Zoo (2016)
NY- Utica Zoo (2017)
PA- ZooAmerica: North American Wildlife Park (2012)

United Kingdom
England- Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park (2016)
England- Bristol Zoo (2016)
England- Chester Zoo (2016)
England- Colchester Zoo (2016)
England- Cotswold Falconry Center (2016)
England- Cotswold Wildlife Park (2016)
England- Crocodiles of the World (2016)
Scotland- Edinburgh Zoo (2016)
England- Exmoor Zoological Park (2016)
England- Gentleshaw Wildlife Center (2016)
England- Hamerton Zoo (2016)
England- Hemsley Conservation Center (2016)
Scotland- Highland Wildlife Park (2016)
England- Howletts Wild Animal Park (2016)
England- Linton Zoo (2016)
England- Living Coasts (2016)
England- Newquay Blue Reef Aquarium (2016)
England- Newquay Zoo (2016)
England- Noah's Ark Zoo Farm (2016)
England- Paignton Zoo (2016)
England- Paradise Park (2016)
England- Port Lympne Wild Animal Park (2016)
England- Reaseheath College Zoo (2016)
England- Rodbaston Animal Zone (2016)
Scotland- Scottish Owl Center (2016)
England- Shaldon Wildlife Trust (2016)
England- Tropiquaria Zoo (2016)
England- Twycross Zoo (2016)
England- Wildwood Discovery Park (2016)
England- Wingham Wildlife Park (2016)
England- WWT Slimbridge Wetland Center (2016)
England- ZSL London Zoo (2016)
England- ZSL Whipsnade Zoo (2016)

*2011 was the year I started officially keeping track of the species I've seen and started visiting zoos more seriously. Before that my zoo visits were years apart and I don't remember much about the collections I've yet to visit since nor what I saw at them.

Number of Collections Visited in the US: 28
Number of Collections Visited in the UK: 33

The very first zoo I visited was the Smithsonian National Zoological Park when I was just a baby as we lived in a nearby D.C. neighborhood at the time.

~Thylo

I can now at two more from the Boston area: Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.

This brings my total up to 63 with 30 in the US and 33 in the UK.

~Thylo

 

[bongorob]

I recently visited 6 new collections Stockton butterfly house, Camperdown, highland wildlife Park, Kirkley Hall, Northumberland Zoo, Washington WWT.

I was very impressed by Kirkley Hall

 

[Kawekaweau]

-Zoos-
Auckland Zoo.
Orana Wildlife Park.
Wellington Zoo.
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.

-Aquaria-
Portobello Aquarium (closed).
Southern Encounters Aquarium (closed).
Kelly Tarlton's Underwater World.

-Museums and gardens with live animals-
Dunedin Botanical Gardens Aviaries.
Otago Museum Butterfly House.
Southland Museum Tuatararium.

-Farm parks-
A motel/farmstay in Cheviot with peafowl, goldfish, turkeys, farm animals and such.
Forestry Park (closed, had ostriches, emus, peacocks, guineafowl, pheasants, deer and farm animals).

I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting. Auckland Zoo was the best, though Wellington, the Tuatararium (I'm a reptile and living fossil geek) and the aquariums come close. The farm parks were the "worst", but I didn't not like them, they were very pleasant and nice to visit. I love all kinds of GOOD animal facilities really.

 

[Azamat Shackleford]

Only counting the places I've been to the past few years, I've been to some places when I was little that have some serious animal welfare issues (during my visit to Korea in 07 there were some questionable zoos, including Everland, this "children's zoo" with also questionable husbandry and some rather poorly run zoo that went by the rather cringy name of "ZooZoo" along with COEX Aquarium)

1. Detroit Zoo
2. Belle Isle Aquarium
3. Toledo Zoo
4. African Safari Wildlife Park
5. Sea Life Michigan
6. SeaWorld Orlando (Along with Aquatica)
7. Shedd Aquarium
8. Lincoln Park Zoo
9. The Organization for Bat Conservation
10. Atlantis Bahamas (though this was like early 2011)
11. Belle Isle Nature Zoo (more of a nature center)
12. The small zoo in Sandusky's Kalahari resort that had some questionable animal welfare concerns

That's it for now but I'm hoping to visit a lot more new places this summer especially if my summer trip to Florida works out.

 

[CGSwans]

100.

1. Melbourne Zoo
2. Healesville Sanctuary
3. Werribee Open Range Zoo
4. Ballarat Wildlife Park
5. Taronga Zoo
6. Canberra Reptile Zoo
7. National Zoo and Aquarium
8. Seaworld
9. Dreamworld
10. Adelaide Zoo
11. Sydney Aquarium
12. Canberra Walk-through Aviary
13. Blackbutt Reserve
14. Australian Reptile Park
15. Melbourne Aquarium
16. Australia Zoo
17. Wagga Botanical Gardens Zoo
18. Taronga Western Plains Zoo
19. Jirrahlinga Koala & Wildlife Park
20. Halls Gap Zoo
21. Mogo Zoo
22. Underwater World
23. Monarto Zoo
24. Gorge Wildlife Park
25. Cleland Wildlife Park
26. Sydney Wildlife World
27. Manly Oceanworld
28. Featherdale Wildlife Park
29. Ballarat Bird World
30. Bali Bird Park
31. Bali Zoo
32. Australian Shark and Ray Centre
33. Darling Downs Zoo
34. River Safari
35. Jurong Bird Park
36. SEA Aquarium
37. Singapore Zoo
38. Night Safari
39. Zoo Atlanta
40. Georgia Aquarium
41. Smithsonian National Zoo
42. Central Park Zoo
43. Bronx Zoo
44. Sea World San Diego
45. San Diego Zoo
46. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
47. Sunshine Aquarium
48. Ueno Zoo
49. Tokyo Sea Life Park
50. Tama Zoo Park
51. Zoorasia
52. Port of Nagoya Aquarium
53. Tennoji Zoo
54. Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
55. Kyoto City Zoo
56. Miyajima Public Aquarium
57. Shinagawa Aquarium
58. Sumida Aquarium
59. Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
60. Al-Ain Zoo
61. Vasco de Gama Aquarium
62. Lisbon Zoo
63. Lisbon Oceanarium
64. Madrid Zoo and Aquarium
65. L'Oceanografic
66. Bioparc Valencia
67. Zoo Barcelona
68. Menagerie du Jardin des Plantes
69. Paris Zoo
70. Beauval Zoo
71. Antwerp Zoo
72. Planckendael
73. Basel Zoo
74. Zoo Zurich
75. Genoa Aquarium
76. Haus des Meeres
77. Schonbrunn Zoo
78. Bratislava Zoo
79. Budapest Zoo
80. Bucharest Zoo
81. Sofia Zoo
82. Attica Zoo
83. Rome Bioparco
84. Dubrovnik Aquarium
85. Zagreb Zoo
86. Ljubljana Zoo
87. Prague Zoo
88. Plzen Zoo
89. Wroclaw Zoo
90. Kraków Zoo
91. Moscow Zoo
92. Moskvarium
93. Leningrad Zoo
94. Helsinki Zoo
95. The Blue Planet
96. Copenhagen Zoo
97. Hagenbeck Zoo
98. Hannover Zoo
99. Walsrode Vogelpark
100. Berlin Zoo

 

[jayjds2]

97. Elmwood Park Zoo
98. Oglebay's Good Zoo
99. Staten Island Zoo
100. Bronx Zoo
101. Central Park Zoo
102. Prospect Park Zoo
103. New York Aquarium

104. Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park
105. Busch Gardens Tampa
106. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
107. St. Augustine Aquarium
108. Lemur Conservation Foundation
109. Naples Zoo
110. Zoo Miami
111. Frost Museum of Science
112. Palm Beach Zoo
113. Lion Country Safari
114. Brevard Zoo
115. National Aviary
116. Pittsburgh Zoo
117. Queens Zoo

 

[Komodo99]

Off the top of my head I have visited the following
1.Chester
2.Blackpool
3.Knowsley Safari Park
4.Bowland Wild Boar Park
5.Lakeland Wildlife Oasis
6.Welsh Mountain Zoo
7.Blue Planet Aquarium
8.Sea Life Manchester
9.Sea Life Blackpool
10.Australian Reptile Park
11.Sydney Aquarium

I'm hoping to visit Crocodiles of the World and Chester again later in the year.In the future I am hoping to visit both ZSL London and Whipsnade,Colchester,Paignton,Copenhagen,Aalborg and Krokodile Zoo in Denmark.

 

[Chlidonias]

I just counted up my list and I'm on 116 zoological collections. I worked my way backwards and discovered that my number 100 was the Singapore River Safari.

 

[CleZooMan]

1. Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
2. Akron Zoo
3. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
4. Toledo Zoo
5. Cincinnati Zoo
6. The Wilds
7. Noah's Lost Ark Animal Sanctuary
8. Wagon Trails Animal Park
9. Living Treasures Animal Park
10. Pittsburgh Zoo
11. Akron Zoo
12. Clyde Peeling's Reptiland
13. Detroit Zoo
14. Brookfield Zoo
15. Lincoln Park Zoo
16. John G. Shedd Aquarium
17. Erie Zoo
18. National Zoo
19. National Aquarium DC
20. Maryland Zoo
21. American International Rattlesnake Museum
22. Santa Ana Zoo
23. Bronx Zoo
24. Orange County Zoo
25. San Diego Zoo
26. The Reptile Zoo/Prehistoric Pets (Fountain Valley, Calif.)
27. African Safari Wildlife Park
28. Lagoon Deer Park
29. SeaWorld San Diego
As well as various nature centers with live animals/petting zoos, etc.-
30. Rocky River Nature Center
31. Watershed Stewardship Center
32. Penitentiary Glen Nature Center
33. Lake Farmpark
34. Stearns Homestead
35. West Woods Nature Center
36. Gorman Nature Center
37. Ohio Bird Sanctuary
38. Perkins Wildlife Center @ the Cleveland (Ohio) Museum of Natural History
39. O. Orkin Insect Zoo (Washington DC)
40. North Chagrin Nature Center
41. Garfield Park Nature Center
42. CanalWay Center
43. Lake Erie Nature and Science Center

 

[lintworm]

Netherlands
1. Burgers Zoo (Arnhem)
2. Diergaarde Blijdorp (Rotterdam)
3. Artis (Amsterdam)
4. Dierenpark Emmen
5. Beekse Bergen (Hilvarenbeek)
6. Gaiazoo (Kerkrade)
7. Ouwehands dierenpark (Rhenen)
8. Dierenpark Amersfoort
9. Dierenpark de wissel (Epe) (closed)
10. Zooparc Overloon
11. Dierenrijk (Mierlo)
12. NOP (Veldhoven)
13. Best Zoo
14. Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Tilburg)
15. Ecomare (De Koog)
16. Aquazoo Friesland
17. Uilen- en dierenpark de Paay (Beesd)
18. Avifauna (Alphen a/d rijn)
19. Apenheul (Apeldoorn)
20. Dolfinarium (Harderwijk)
21. Ecodrome (Zwolle) (closed)
22. Taman Indonesia (Kallenkote)
23. Zie-Zoo (Volkel)
24. Fazanterie de Rooie hoeve (Heeswijk-Dinther)
25. Cactus en Reptielentuin (Reuver) (closed)
26. Reptilienzoo Iguana
27. van Blanckendaellpark (Tuitjehorn)
28. Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Anna Paulowna)
29. Artisklas (Haarlem)
30. Aquarium Ameland
31. Vogelpark Ruinen
32. Sea Life Schevingen
33. Papiliorama Havelte
34. Aquazoo Leerdam

Belgium
35. Zoo Antwerpen
36. Aquatopia (Antwerpen)
37. Pairi Daiza (Cambron-Casteau)
38. Dierenpark Planckendael (Mechelen)

Luxemburg
39. Vlindertuin (Grevenmacher)

Germany
40. Zoo Duisburg
41. Zoo Köln
42. Zoo Wuppertal
43. Zoo Frankfurt
44. Zoo Karlsruhe
45. Opel-Zoo Kronberg
46. Naturkundemuseum Karslruhe
47. Euregiozoo Aachen
48. Tierpark Hellabrun (München)
49. Zoopark Erfurt
50. Tierpark Gotha
51. Zoo Leipzig
52. Bergzoo Halle
53. Tiergarten Delitzsch
54. Zoo/Aquarium Berlin
55. Tierpark Berlin
56. Zoo Aschersleben
57. Wildpark Wernigerrode
58. Wildpark Willingen
59. Wildpark Hellental
60. Wildpark Daun
61. Aquarium Erfurt
62. Sea life/Aquadom Berlin
63. Tierfreigelaende II NP Bayerische Wald
64. Zoo Magdeburg
65. Zoo Dresden
66. Naturzoo Rheine
67. Zoo Osnabruck
68. Weltvogelpark Walsrode
69. Erlebniszoo Hannover
70. Zoo Dortmund
71. Zoo Krefeld
72. Aquazoo Düsseldorf
73. ZOOM Gelsenkirchen
74. Zoo Landau
75. Zoo Heidelberg
76. Wilhelma Stuttgart
77. Allwetterzoo Munster
78. Tiergarten Nurnberg
79. Zoo Augsburg
80. Vogelpark Olching

Austria
81. Tiergarten Schönnbrunn (Wien)
82. Haus des Meeres (Wien)
83. Schmetterlinggarten Wien
84. Naturhistorisches Museum Wien
85. Tiergarten Hellbrun (Salzburg)
86. Haus der Natur (Salzburg)
87. Alpenzoo Innsbruck

Slovakia
88. Zoo Bojnice
89. Zoo Bratislava

Switzerland
90. Zoo Basel
91. Tierpark Lange Erlen
92. Zoo Zürich
93. Wildnispark Langenberg
94. Voliere Mythenquai
95. Tierpark Goldau
96. Tierpark Dahlholzli Bern + Barenpark
97. Papiliorama Kerzers
98. Vivarium Lausanne
99. Servion Zoo + Tropiquarium
100. Kallnach John's kleine farm

France
101. Zoo Mulhouse
102. Paris Menagerie/Jardin des Plantes

Italy
103. Bioparco (Roma)

Romania
104. Delphinareum (Constanta)

Slovenia
105. Zoo Ljubljana

Poland
106. Zoo Krakow

Czechia
107. Zoo Praha
108. Zoo Plzen
109. Akvaterra Plzen

England
110. London Zoo
111. London Sea Life
112. WWT Londen
113. Battersea park children zoo
114. Brent Lodge park animal centre

South Africa
115. Two Oceans Aquarium

Namibia
116. Snake Park the Living Desert

Madagascar
117. Tzimbazaza Zoo Antananarivo
118. Parc Zoologique Ivoloina

 

[Komodo99]

I forgot a couple of collections
WWT Martin Mere(visit somewhat regularly)
National Marine Aquarium Plymouth

 

[aardvark250]

I am not a real zoo-nerd until 2016(when I join zoochat) so I didn't see much during my short visit to some of them.And I didn't remember much of them before 2015.

1. Ocean park,Hong Kong(many, the last being 2016)
2. HKZBG,Hong Kong(many, the last being 2017)
3. Wetland park ,Hong Kong(many,the last being 2016)
4. Shenzhen safari park,Shenzhen,China(many, the last being 2016)
5. Guangzhou Zoo,Guangzhou,China(2014)
6. Chimelong Safari Park,Guangzhou,China(many,the last being 2016)
7. Chimelong crocodile park(Now known as chimelong bird park, probably 2012)
8. Taipei Zoo,Taiwan(2010,2017)
9. Lefoo Zoo,Taiwan(2010)
10. Everland Zoo,South Korea(2015)
11. Singapore Zoo,Singapore(2013)
12. Night Safari,Singapore(2013)
13. River Safari,Singapore(2013)
14. SEA aquarium,Singapore(2013)
15. Jurong bird park(2013)
16. Chimelong Ocean World,ZhuHai,China(2016)
17. Kadoorie Farm,Hong Kong(rescue center,the last being 2016)
    
18. Edward Youde Aviary,Hong Kong(many, the last being 2017)
19. Kowloon Park,Hong Kong(many, the last being 2016)
20. Ueno zoo,Japan(2016)
21. Tama zoo,Japan(2016)
22. Yokohama sea paradise,Japan(2016)
23. Kamogawa sea world,Japan(2016)