Giganotosaurus5
Member
Today I have a review on Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. It's the zoo I have been to most often and I know it like the back of my hand. However, this is my first review, so please help me if I do something wrong, which I most likely will. 
Entrance
The entrance is fairly standard for a small zoo: bold silvery letter saying "Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium." Two admission lines exist: one for Members, the other for General Admission. There used to be a large wooden statue/carving of a mother polar bear and her cub, which was great, because it allowed kids something to do while their parents waited in line. Due to the way the back curved, kids could even slide down the mother bear's back. Unfortunately, though, I think the statue/carving was removed a year or two ago, as it has not been there my past few visits. Anyway, you head through to the two pairs of turnstiles, on one either side, separated by a pedestal-style structure with tropical plants. You then scan the card, and it allows you in. A warning, however: you must be hasty in stepping past the turnstile, or else it will smack you in the butt, as I have learned.
Kid's Zone
Kid's Zone actually has animals, and some of them are fairly interesting, it's just...you know, for kids. Everything is built around a must-touch, want-to-play, exercise mindset for children from 5 to maybe 8. or 9. I'll gloss over some of the kid's things and focus on the animals, shall I? Guests first come to a large area ringed by man-made termite mounds and native African desert plants. Going around the wall, they discover an outdoor exhibit for Meerkats (Suricata suricatta). It is a sandy, desert environment, with sun-baked logs, rocks, and some man-made termite mounds. It's roughly in the shape of an L, and actually connects to an indoor shelter. There is a little cove where kids can crawl into and get somewhat inside the exhibit. There are some pipes and such they can hide in as well. The indoor Meerkat exhibit is fairly similar. There is a rock portion at floor level inside the exhibit, which allows kids to easily get up-close with them. Some plants, which don't match the scenery a whole lot, are scattered here and there, as are white pipes. There are some holes in the walls which they can also hide in, as well as some hollow logs. The floor is a sort of mulch substrate. Overall, perhaps not the most realistic environment, but still a fairly good-sized one for the number of meerkats on display. To enter the indoor meerkat area, you have to go through some hanging plastic curtains into a dark cave area. In this same cave area are several terrariums along the wall, which house a variety of species, though they are fairly sedentary and don't change very much. In a large glass box closest to the Meerkat exhibit is a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus). It is fairly simple, a mulch substrate, a little dish of water, some bush-like plants extending into the top of the container to make up for the lack of variety up there, etc. It holds only one Corn Snake, but unfortunately the exhibit has more height than it does surface area, which is fairly disappointing, and makes the area kind of cramped for the snake. Next are typically Amazon Milk Frogs (Trachycephalus resinifictrix). They have a fairly standard rainforest exhibit, plentiful vegetation, some bromeliad-type flowers to hide inside, artificial lighting, and some sticks and twigs for them to sit on. It's a nice-sized habitat for the number of frogs, but like most habitats in Kid's Zone, isn't too special. Next up is typically an Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata). It has a dirt substrate, a dish of water, and lots of shrubbery and vegetation above the ground, and also possesses artificial lighting. People unfamiliar with this species may waste their time looking up on the branches, but I find that it is usually semi-buried in the dirt. I believe there is also a terrarium here for White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), but its habitat is similar to the Amazon Milk Frogs'. The second-to-last terrarium in this area belongs normally to the Western Bell's Hinge-Back Tortoise (Kinixys belliana nogeuyi). It has a fairly plain, rather small habitat. It consists of a two-story desert environment: a relatively small lower area with a tiny cave, and a path to the upper area, closer to the artificial light. They have a smattering of small desert plants and rocks, but in all, this enclosure could be done much better. The last belongs to the Pancake Tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) and is nearly identical to the Hinge-Back Tortoise habitat, so is pointless going into. Exiting the area, guests must go to northeast from where they are standing to get to the next habitats. However, don't look over the habitat just outside the wall of the cave and to the left. It appears to be a series of rooms, connected by tunnels. Little glass panels open up into different "rooms" of the tunnels, and are spaced randomly apart. This habitat is for the rarely exhibited Damaraland Mole-Rat (Fukomys damarensis). This is an interesting exhibit not only because of how it is done (instead of clear tubes or something similar, it's fairly natural-looking) but also for two other reasons: one it gives the animals a great amount of privacy, as not all the rooms are glass-fronted, and two, allows guest to see the various functions of different rooms: for instance, one is a food room, the other is a bathroom, and others are where the animals sleep. It's pretty fascinating, and though the animals are often asleep, I would recommend checking it out. Also, there is a small cave which adults have to stoop down to enter, which usually holds Emperor Scorpions. However, this was under renovation last time I went, and it really is not worth it to go in there anyways, unless you are a huge fan of small animals, I guess. The first is a considerably large tank, with a gravel bottom and large boulders, for African Cichlids (I don't know their exact species: maybe someone who's been before can tell me?). It's a nice habitat, and has good size for the amount of fish in it, but I can't help but feel the fish have extremely stressful lives, what with kids rushing up and tapping on the glass. Indeed, whenever someone quickly approaches their tank, nearly all dart back behind the rocks.
Anyway, continuing, there is usually a large terrarium full to the brim with Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa). I really don't know why they just move some cockroaches into a behind-the-scenes area or just give them to another zoo, because the entire terrarium is covered with them and they have to crawl over each other to get anywhere. From what can be seen under the cockroaches, it is fairly bare, mostly consisting of a few logs. However, I really don't know what's under the mass of cockroaches, so... Moving on, there is typically a habitat for the minuscule, but cute Hourglass Tree Frogs (Dendropsophus ebraccatus). It is similar to the Amazon Milk Frog habitat: lots of vegetation, artificial lighting, and several bromeliads in which the frogs love to hide: it can be a challenge looking for them, as they are so small, but looking in the bromeliads generally proves successful. Next is a habitat for the Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus canines). It has lots of lush vegetation, and is fairly equal in its measurements. It does have some large branches which span the entire small terrarium, on which the snakes can usually be found: just look for their scales being lit up by the artificial lighting. Right next door is a habitat for the very-similar but geographically separated Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis). The habitat is so similar to that of the Emerald Tree Boa I simply won't go into it. The next habitat belongs to several species, which, as far as I can tell, normally share the environment, unless the exhibits are superbly separated. It holds Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta), Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata), but apparently also Black Lemurs (Eulemur macaco). I have seen the Ring-Tailed and Ruffed Lemurs dozens of times, but I have only seen the Black Lemurs once or twice. Does anyone know why this is? Maybe they rotate? Anyway, they have a densely forested habitat, with ropes and hammocks they can climb and rest in, and they also have a grassy area right in the front of the enclosure which sunlight often streams through. The lemurs love to bask in the sunlight and can usually be found here, just outside of a stone cave-like structure. After leaving this area, guests come to another area, which has a huge variety of structures for kids to play in and on. But we're here for the animals. The first animals are on guests' immediate left after entering the area, on a wall with a kiddy mural. Various terrariums are set into the walls. The first is a large aquarium, which in the past did hold Ocellate River Stingrays, which I saw once, but now holds Red-Bellied Piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri). It is a simple tank, with a replica ceiba tree root, some boulders, and a gravel bottom. It's a fairly good size exhibit, but not the best piranha exhibit out there. Next is often the Prehensile-Tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata), though, like I said, it changes around frequently. It is a pretty standard exhibit, with a dry moss bottom, a dish of water, and some good climbing structures, and plentiful vegetation, with artificial lighting. Typically next is an exhibit for a species I have actually not seen anywhere else (though it is true I have not gone to many zoos): the Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium californicum). It resides in a fairly small, mostly vertical glass-walled enclosure, with a dish of water and mulch substrate on the bottom, and mock evergreen branches at the top, which is where the bird usually perches. This is pitifully small for the bird, even if it is wing-clipped, and such an interesting species deserves a better enclosure. There are also exhibits for Antilles Pink-Toed Tarantulas (Caribena versicolor), and there are often a variety of poison-dart frogs on display: Blue (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus), Green-and-Black (Dendrobates auratus), and Yellow-Banded (Dendrobates leucomelas) are usually on display, in a small rainforest habitat. There is also a medium-sized, but very bare enclosure for Parma Wallabies (Macropus parma), which is good in size but is just flavorless: sandy, with a few orangish rocks, and nothing else. The only other species in the area is a large covered area called Contact Junction, which smells horrendous and only exhibits Nigerian Dwarf Goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). You can pet them and feed them, but there is really no other point in going here. They have sandy exhibits with some nice climbing structures.
All in all, I give Kid's Zone a 5 out of 10. It does have some interesting species, and some of the exhibits are fairly nice, but they could definitely be better and everything has a kiddy feel (as it should, but nonetheless). Just a little TOO kiddy.
Red Wolf Woods
Exiting Kid's Zone, if guests continue to the left side of the zoo (if viewed from a map), then they will eventually run into Red Wolf Woods (it's for Red Wolves (Canis rufus), if you didn't get the hint). The first sign you are approaching are usually some idiots fake-howling to try to get the wolves to respond. The wolves don't respond, so just stop. Anyway, continuing, you run into some definitely North American trees: some little conifers, and various American bushes and other plants. There are also large signs sticking out of the ground every few feet at eye-level, which tell the amazing but sad story of the Red Wolf. Eventually guests come to a viewing area, with one viewing spot nearly directly opposite the other. The first faces near the corner of the wolf exhibit, and has a fake rock for kids to be able to climb and get a better look at the wolves. The other has a glass barrier at about chest-level, allowing great, unobstructed views of the wolves. They have a hilly habitat, with grass being plentiful. Trees and bushes ring the sides of the enclosure and can be found near the middle as well. There is a rocky path leading down to an area with a little sheltered area with hay in it (but I have never seen the wolves use this) and also a stream, which gushes down a rocky path and empties out into a large pool. Sometimes during the fall or spring, an absolutely disgusting and completely aesthetically unappealing bright green slime forms on the pond, which really subtracts from the beauty of the exhibit. In the winter, usually the pond and river are drained, but in the summer, they look fine. There is also a covered area, which overlooks the forest section of the enclosure, which is located on a gentle slope, with an open forest on top and grassy areas down below. This is where the keepers generally feed the wolves from, and they also do the talks here. This is a great place to view them on a rainy day. Another viewing area is found in a replica barn, which has large glass panels looking up from the base of a hill onto the exhibit. Black bird stickers are on the glass to prevent the wolves from accidentally hitting the glass. Signs and information boards are all around the barn, and tell facts and information about these rare canids. This is a good exhibit, but I feel like it needs to be larger. Other than that, it is great.
In all, I give Red Wolf Woods a 7 out of 10. It is a remarkable exhibit and I applaud Point Defiance for keeping such an endangered animal and breeding them, but I feel like they might have even more breeding success if the area was just a bit larger, and maybe with some more cover. Other than these few issues, I feel like Red Wolf Woods is perhaps the second or maybe third best exhibit in Point Defiance.
Arctic Tundra
Arctic Tundra can be visited by simply continuing on past Red Wolf Woods. Guests are surrounded by tall grasses, and some small evergreen trees to reinforce the northern climate feeling. Wire barriers keep guests from climbing up the hills (It's shocking how some people will do something as stupid as that. What's the point?!). Anyway, if they continue long enough, they will reach the Animal Presentation area, which sometimes holds small shows featuring various reptiles and other animals which can be touched. Guests will then notice a smaller paddock, with ugly wire fencing, and some bushes ringing the edge of the enclosure. It is fairly small, but is for the adorable baby Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) Hudson. He came from the Large Animal Research Station, at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He's getting quite big and will probably be moved to the bigger Muskox exhibit soon. Continuing on past Hudson, guests come to a covered area, with a wooden boardwalk. This exhibit overlooks a hilly, grassy area with a large, rocky ledge. This is home to more wooly, adult Muskox, or, as the zoo calls them, "Oomingmak." This is a fairly plain exhibit, but this species is fairly rarely exhibited, and I am always happy to see a rarely-kept species. After leaving the Muskox, guests come to a viewing area interspersed with large boulders. A metal railing is the barrier for this viewing area. The habitat is similar to the Muskox, but often with a large plastic tub of water in front, where the ground is rocky. This is for Reindeer, or Caribou, depending on where you are (Rangifer tarandus). It's a fairly average Reindeer exhibit, better than some, but certainly paling in comparison to exhibits like Woodland Park Zoo's Elk exhibit. Coming around a wide turn, guests find themselves at the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) exhibit. This exhibit's viewing area is enclosed on the left and right by large rocks, and a metal railing is the barrier of choice. There is a large moat surrounding almost the entire exhibit, which is often filled with lily pads, some rather aesthetically pleasing duckweed, and tons, tons of frogs. The enclosure itself is grassy, with several large logs the foxes like to hide behind. There is a large water dish in the corner, and at the back, a hole which I assume leads to a den which they can hide in. This exhibit is alright, but not the best. Guests finally come to the last exhibit in Arctic Tundra, but they have to enter a concrete structure (through plastic hanging curtains, as always!) to do so. Entering the structure, and turning right, they see the enclosure itself. The enclosure is half-water, half-land. The land area has a pebble substrate, with two or three large, kopje-like structures sticking out, on which the residents, a pair of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), often like to rest. A large shade structure (you know, the ones supported by three poles with a canvas in between) has recently been set up, which is always present in the summer. The underwater section is fairly normal: spacious, true, but average, with a rock bottom and some large stones. There is no vegetation in the exhibit, though, and I feel like the bears need plenty more space. I am not one of the people who think that polar bears, great apes, and/or cetaceans should not be kept in captivity, but I do think zoos who intend to exhibit these species need to have the necessary requirements met to keep them, and on space, I am not sure Point Defiance completely came through. Also, what with the lack of actual tundra plants, Polar Bears just seem to kind of stick out. I think they belong in Rocky Shores more than Arctic Tundra.
All in all, I'm giving Arctic Tundra a 6 out of 10. It has some good exhibits, true, but many are too small and most are in bad need of a renovation.
Rocky Shores
If one simply continues on the path after exiting Arctic Tundra, they will eventually come to Rocky Shores, which recently underwent a large renovation. The new Rocky Shores is different in several ways, and is quite nice. The path splits early on into two separate areas: a path that leads to above water viewing, which is fairly short, and a path that leads to underwater viewing, which, though it is the same length, seems longer because there are more viewing windows.
The above-water path will be tackled first. It is fairly simple: a short walk leads guests to a raised seating area that slopes down, very similar to a stadium, except on a much smaller scale, obviously. Out front is a sign with more information on the new show seating areas. Once guests go around the sign, they can either sit down on the benches for the show, or continue on the path to view the animals when they are not performing. The habitat itself is fairly large, roughly circular, with rocky areas the pinnipeds can pull out on and rest, and large open areas for the pinnipeds to just cruise along. The exhibit is fairly bare, but it's supposed to be: rocky shores generally aren't the most eye-catching habitats in the world. Point Defiance is known for their rotating mechanisms in the Asian Forest Sanctuary, but this specific enclosure is no different: two species of pinnipeds have the enclosure on different days. One day, a guest might see Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina), which enjoy swimming upside-down, and have been here fairly long, or the newcomers, California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus), which only arrived recently and are very playful. If you make a turn, you can find yourself at the Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) exhibit. It has not changed much from the renovation, but has gotten a little larger. The above-water view consists of stone beaches on either side, with several rock outcrops jutting out from under the water. Otherwise, it is all water. There is no vegetation in this exhibit, but that is fine, as Walruses do not need them and vegetation does not really fit with the habitat. That is all for the above-water trail.
The underwater trail is a whole lot more interesting. Guests first enter through a rocky cave, and then find themselves at the Sea Otter (Enhydra lutis) enclosure. The exhibit is fairly small, and I feel like it should be larger, but it is good nonetheless. It provides a large amount of water, and, most importantly, plenty of water to dive to the bottom (Sea Otters love diving, as they do it in the wild to catch food), and has various enrichment items, like balls and plastic kid toys. However, it also has ample land space, consisting of slippery rock. This is something often overlooked by zoos: just because they spend most of their time out at sea does not mean you shouldn't have land available to them. This is the above-water viewing for the otters. Guests then go through some wooden doors, which enters into a netted area for a variety of seabirds. The seabirds are located to the right, and can be viewed from a rock barrier with a wooden top. Rocks and boulders abound, and one thing I am always very happy to see is the natural vegetation high up above. The zoo did not choose to make it all rocky, but instead left some vegetation at the top of the exhibit. In a way, they partly built the exhibit around the land, which I always like. It makes it more realistic. Anyway, there is plentiful grass and a couple bushes up there, and the keen eye will note that it seems to be a favorite spot among the Common Murres (Uria aalge), one of three species of seabirds in the exhibit. They like to hang out in the top of the exhibit, and look down at guests and their neighbors. However, at the bottom of the exhibit, there is plenty of activity. The rocky shores and deep water provide ample space for two other species of diving birds: Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata), which are easy to spot thanks to their large orange bills, and, occasionally, crazy hairdos, and, so I believe, Horned Puffins (Fratercula corniculata). All are active, playful birds, and this exhibit is certainly worth checking out. The Tufted Puffins and Murres are easy to spot, but the Horned Puffins are a little more difficult. It has been on my last couple trips that I have managed to distinguish them from the Tufted Puffins. Anyone who has seen both might say that they look totally different, but outside of breeding plumage, they look nearly identical, making it difficult to determine who's who. Anyway, guests then go down some stairs to the underwater viewing area. The underwater viewing for the birds is spectacular: it allows the puffins to dive and swim to their hearts' content (Not sure if that was correct grammar). The Sea Otter underwater viewing is nice too, though I do wish their exhibit was a bit bigger and deeper. Walruses have great underwater viewing and sometimes accidentally collide with the glass, always hilarious. The seals/sea lions similarly possess great underwater viewing. The walruses love going through a little tunnel in one of the rock outcroppings underwater. Nice for all!
I give Rocky Shores an 8 out of 10. There's really not a lot they can improve on, though of course, no zoo is without its faults. For Rocky Shores, I think they may need to make the bird and otter pools a little deeper, and make the habitats bigger, but other than that, I really don't have much to say about it.
Magellanic Penguin Exhibit
I am going to quickly go over this exhibit, because I absolutely HATE it. Probably the worst exhibit in the zoo, unfortunately. Many penguin exhibits I have seen are next to or are top notch: Woodland Park Zoo's Magellanic exhibit, Henry Doorly's King/Gentoo exhibit...But Point Defiance, I am sorry, but this is atrocious. The Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) are all in excellent condition, in tip-top shape: it's just their habitat is awful. It consists of a rocky shore (okay, no worries so far) but then you get to the water. The water is probably about 2 feet deep, and I am not kidding you, the penguins can only float on it and not even dive. If there is one exhibit Point Defiance needs to renovate now, it's this one. Recently, I had gone after heavy rainfall, and the penguins were rejoicing in their slightly deeper pool. It was amazing to see them move like little torpedoes through the water, and I wish I could see them do that all the time. But Point Defiance doesn't seem like it will be changing the exhibit anytime soon, which saddens me.
All in all, I give the Magellanic Penguin Exhibit a 3 out of 10. It still has a chance for redemption, and it isn't completely horrendous, but if it doesn't change soon, I'll have to move its score even lower.
Dromedary Camel Exhibit
Like the penguin exhibit, I would really like to go quickly with this one. This exhibit holds two, maybe three Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius), but that is two or three too many. No vegetation. No change of scenery. Little shade. No enrichment as far as I can tell. Just a sandy expanse of bare nothingness, with no relief for the eyes. The camels desperately try to remain in the cool shade, but slowly trundle back to the loading area like they are humans heading towards the gallows or a guillotine. They wait, while kids and adults alike with no realization of how the poor animals must be feeling hop on a makeshift saddle on their back. The camel makes a slow, painful circle around the track, stops, and tries to retreat back to the shade, but, no, it's too late, some people are already getting on again. See what these camels have to go through? All this suffering for a 30-second voyage around an expanse barely bigger than a living room.
In total, I give the Dromedary Camel exhibit a 0 out of 10. These camels are extraordinarily rare in the wild, and they deserve far better treatment than this. The exhibit needs to be destroyed immediately, the Camel Rides need to be scrapped, and a huge exhibit needs to be constructed instead. Okay, yeah, maybe that was a little dramatic, the whole thing actually, but still, these camels need help.
Aquariums: North & South Pacific
Normally, I would do the aquariums. However, ongoing construction on the new aquarium means that doing the aquariums right now would be essentially pointless. The plan is for all the old species in the North and South Pacific aquariums to be moved into the new aquarium, which will open some time in 2018. Anyway, new species and tanks will be added as well, and I will probably post a review specifically on the new aquarium when it opens.
Obviously, I cannot rate the aquariums, as I am waiting for the new one to be finished.
Asian Forest Sanctuary
Saving the best for last, we come to the Asian Forest Sanctuary. Wow. This exhibit is spectacular, and rivals some of the exhibits I have seen even at zoos like Henry Doorly and Woodland Park, just because of its fascinating rotational enrichment system. Guests first enter a bamboo-lined path, and are welcomed to the fictional Asian Forest Sanctuary. Throughout the path, there are informational boards telling about the ecology of the Asian rainforest, the threats it faces, and how we can help. Native Asian tropical plants are planted on both sides, and what with the occasional Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) calling in the distance or strutting along a path, you really feel immersed in this world. The first exhibit guests come across is unfortunately probably the worst in the Asian Forest Sanctuary: the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) habitat. Now, by no means is this horrendous: in fact, compared to some zoos, this exhibit is pretty good: but it needs work. It mostly consists of a large outdoor sandy paddock, with some rock walls, and some ugly red poles sticking up here and there. There is a large pool near the front, and a shade structure supported by some other red poles, but it's not very naturalistic. The elephants need way more space, for one, and it just does not feel right. Still, it is not a lost cause: the elephants can simply be moved into another larger habitat. However, I have heard recently that the elephants will be phasing out within the next couple years: that's good news. Perhaps they may renovate the habitat before the new animals move in. I heard from one source that they were some kind of rhino? I don't really know: if anyone has more information on the subject, I would be glad to hear it. There is also the Elephant Barn, which is where the elephants go during colder climates. It too is too small, not atrocious but uncomfortable. Metal poles make up the fences, and although this is fairly standard, it just doesn't look nice. After seeing the huge indoor elephant area at a certain zoo (I can't remember too well, but I believe it was Henry Doorly), this barn just seems tiny. Hopefully whatever species is phased in next is better suited to the habitat space. Continuing on, guests round a bend and find themselves at the wonderful Cats of the Canopy exhibit. This exhibit focuses on the vulnerable, highly elusive felid, the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). The exhibit is separated into three parts: a climbing cage, a beautiful glass-walled jungle habitat, and the cub den. Let's start with the worst: the climbing cage. It is exactly what its name implies: an ugly, metal cage attached to the side of the building, with logs and branches here and there to add climbing and jumping opportunities. I have only ever seen this cage once, as it is normally hidden from view by bamboo gates. Make of that what you will. However, I believe that this cage is only used for the young leopards, and I believe it is only used to get the cubs ready before shows and the like, so thankfully the cubs do not spend long periods of time in this (I think: I really don't know). Next is the beautiful jungle environment. It has a wide surface area, but is tremendously tall, a fantastic exhibit for this species. Bamboo groves abound, a small creek gurgles through a stone riverbed, bushes cover the ground, and branches crisscross the air, making perfect climbing or sleeping areas. The leopards have plenty of room to hide, sleep, run, and climb, and even though this is the only Clouded Leopard exhibit I have seen, from looking at photos of others, I believe this is definitely in the top 5 in the US. By walking onward, guests discover a variety of different enclosures. Here are a couple: one is a medium-sized grassy environment, with a flowing waterfall, as well as ropes and hammocks. Another is a small cove, in which there is a pool of water and dirt substrate (probably the worst out of all of them). Another is completely indoor and dreadfully small, with a rubbery floor, climbing structures, and hammocks, but it is really not very good. Another consists of a large grassy knoll, with a sloping hill in front, and climbing structures. The last is a beautiful large environment, located on a gentle slope. Coniferous trees are scattered on the top of the hill, while tropical plants can be found near the bottom. Grass and bushes coat the ground, and a waterfall pours down into a crystal-clear pool. Two large rock outcroppings look over the water towards the viewing area. The other viewing areas all have either glass panels or are viewed from behind netting, behind a wooden railing. These habitats are home to a variety of animals: the only habitat that never changes is the huge one with the waterfall: that is always home to Sumatran Tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). The rest of the habitats, though, employ a wonderful, surprisingly rarely used rotating mechanism, that not only allows for a change of scenery for the animals, but also enrichment for them, as they get to smell what animal was here before they were. It also is great to guests because they never know what they might see on a given day. The animals rotating around are: Asian Small Clawed Otters (Amblonyx cinerea), which are super playful and always a treat to watch; Indian Crested Porcupines (Hystrix indica), slow-moving, but nonetheless are charming in their own way; Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), large, beefy animals usually seen lying around (their horns are tipped with rubber guards); Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus), which are likewise usually seen lying around, though they are quite prodigious swimmers (They seem to be quite the anomaly with most people unfamiliar with their species: I actually heard a conversation once go like this: "Is that a panda?" "Is that an elephant?" "Is that a Snuffaluffagus?" I found this hilarious and couldn't help laughing: a panda? An elephant? A Sesame Street character? It was too good!); Siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus), instantly recognizable by their loud, whooping calls and gray faces and gular sacs; and lastly, White-Cheeked Gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys), with the males being all black with white cheeks, and the females being creamy-tannish overall. It is always a great surprise seeing what species are located where, and hopefully in the future Asian Forest Sanctuary will develop an even larger set of animals, provided, of course, the zoo makes space for them!
All in all, I give Asian Forest Sanctuary a 9 out of 10. It is widely regarded as the best exhibit in the zoo, and I certainly agree! Its theming is spot on, the animals look very well-cared for, and most of the exhibits are nearly flawless! It just goes to show that a zoo doesn't have to be big to have a great immersion exhibit! Nonetheless, like every exhibit, there are things it could improve upon: the small exhibit with the pond should be either destroyed or made larger and renovated: the indoor area needs to have something similar done to it: the cage outside for the leopards also needs to be redone. The elephant area either needs to become much larger and have a serious renovation, or have a smaller species be put in there and the exhibit changed. Really, though, besides the elephant habitat, most of these are fairly small changes. If these changes were met, Asian Forest Sanctuary could become even better!
Budgie Exhibit and That Weird Cave Thing
Oh yes. This. I forgot. *CoughPleasedon'tmakemedothiscoughcough*. Alright. Budgie Buddies. It's a sort of overused feed the budgies station that seems to be popping up everywhere. Fairly standard, but this one is better than many due to the fact that its outside, which means it is way cooler, even in the summer. It has some tropical vegetation, branches, and even an indoor place where the budgies can retreat to when they're full, which I like. But that's pretty much the only thing I like about it. It has some notes on how to attract birds to gardens and stuff as well. Pretty standard, only exhibiting, as its name suggests, Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). And then there's that weird cave thing, I forgot what it's even called. You enter this sort of bamboo cave thing, and you go through looking at about 3 species. Last time I was there, there was a Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), an Argentine Red Tegu (Tupinambis rufescens), a Barn Owl (Tyto alba), though at one time they exhibited a Gyrfalcon, and...that's it. It used to have a nice exhibit for Blind Cave Tetras as well, and PDZA was the first time I saw the species, but that tank has since unfortunately been removed. Just don't go. It doesn't hold any real value unless any of those species are on your bucket list, and seeing as how they are all fairly common, unless you are very new, like I am, you probably have seen them before. Even I have seen those species elsewhere, and I joined fairly recently. The habitats for all of them are quite roomy though, and the Tegu and Iguana have a mixed-species habitat, which is nice to see.
I give the two combined exhibits a 6 out of 10. It would have been higher if more species were in the cave, or even if Blind Cave Tetras were still there. Still, points for indoor Budgie shelter and Barn Owls. I like owls.
So that's my review of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the zoo I visit more often than any other! I hope you guys like! Please let me know if I forgot anything, or things I could improve upon.
P.S.: I didn't do shows or anything because I like to do the exhibits, not the shows. I have seen them before, but I just decided to do the permanent exhibits, because those can be experienced by anyone anytime.
Entrance
The entrance is fairly standard for a small zoo: bold silvery letter saying "Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium." Two admission lines exist: one for Members, the other for General Admission. There used to be a large wooden statue/carving of a mother polar bear and her cub, which was great, because it allowed kids something to do while their parents waited in line. Due to the way the back curved, kids could even slide down the mother bear's back. Unfortunately, though, I think the statue/carving was removed a year or two ago, as it has not been there my past few visits. Anyway, you head through to the two pairs of turnstiles, on one either side, separated by a pedestal-style structure with tropical plants. You then scan the card, and it allows you in. A warning, however: you must be hasty in stepping past the turnstile, or else it will smack you in the butt, as I have learned.
Kid's Zone
Kid's Zone actually has animals, and some of them are fairly interesting, it's just...you know, for kids. Everything is built around a must-touch, want-to-play, exercise mindset for children from 5 to maybe 8. or 9. I'll gloss over some of the kid's things and focus on the animals, shall I? Guests first come to a large area ringed by man-made termite mounds and native African desert plants. Going around the wall, they discover an outdoor exhibit for Meerkats (Suricata suricatta). It is a sandy, desert environment, with sun-baked logs, rocks, and some man-made termite mounds. It's roughly in the shape of an L, and actually connects to an indoor shelter. There is a little cove where kids can crawl into and get somewhat inside the exhibit. There are some pipes and such they can hide in as well. The indoor Meerkat exhibit is fairly similar. There is a rock portion at floor level inside the exhibit, which allows kids to easily get up-close with them. Some plants, which don't match the scenery a whole lot, are scattered here and there, as are white pipes. There are some holes in the walls which they can also hide in, as well as some hollow logs. The floor is a sort of mulch substrate. Overall, perhaps not the most realistic environment, but still a fairly good-sized one for the number of meerkats on display. To enter the indoor meerkat area, you have to go through some hanging plastic curtains into a dark cave area. In this same cave area are several terrariums along the wall, which house a variety of species, though they are fairly sedentary and don't change very much. In a large glass box closest to the Meerkat exhibit is a Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus). It is fairly simple, a mulch substrate, a little dish of water, some bush-like plants extending into the top of the container to make up for the lack of variety up there, etc. It holds only one Corn Snake, but unfortunately the exhibit has more height than it does surface area, which is fairly disappointing, and makes the area kind of cramped for the snake. Next are typically Amazon Milk Frogs (Trachycephalus resinifictrix). They have a fairly standard rainforest exhibit, plentiful vegetation, some bromeliad-type flowers to hide inside, artificial lighting, and some sticks and twigs for them to sit on. It's a nice-sized habitat for the number of frogs, but like most habitats in Kid's Zone, isn't too special. Next up is typically an Argentine Horned Frog (Ceratophrys ornata). It has a dirt substrate, a dish of water, and lots of shrubbery and vegetation above the ground, and also possesses artificial lighting. People unfamiliar with this species may waste their time looking up on the branches, but I find that it is usually semi-buried in the dirt. I believe there is also a terrarium here for White's Tree Frog (Litoria caerulea), but its habitat is similar to the Amazon Milk Frogs'. The second-to-last terrarium in this area belongs normally to the Western Bell's Hinge-Back Tortoise (Kinixys belliana nogeuyi). It has a fairly plain, rather small habitat. It consists of a two-story desert environment: a relatively small lower area with a tiny cave, and a path to the upper area, closer to the artificial light. They have a smattering of small desert plants and rocks, but in all, this enclosure could be done much better. The last belongs to the Pancake Tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) and is nearly identical to the Hinge-Back Tortoise habitat, so is pointless going into. Exiting the area, guests must go to northeast from where they are standing to get to the next habitats. However, don't look over the habitat just outside the wall of the cave and to the left. It appears to be a series of rooms, connected by tunnels. Little glass panels open up into different "rooms" of the tunnels, and are spaced randomly apart. This habitat is for the rarely exhibited Damaraland Mole-Rat (Fukomys damarensis). This is an interesting exhibit not only because of how it is done (instead of clear tubes or something similar, it's fairly natural-looking) but also for two other reasons: one it gives the animals a great amount of privacy, as not all the rooms are glass-fronted, and two, allows guest to see the various functions of different rooms: for instance, one is a food room, the other is a bathroom, and others are where the animals sleep. It's pretty fascinating, and though the animals are often asleep, I would recommend checking it out. Also, there is a small cave which adults have to stoop down to enter, which usually holds Emperor Scorpions. However, this was under renovation last time I went, and it really is not worth it to go in there anyways, unless you are a huge fan of small animals, I guess. The first is a considerably large tank, with a gravel bottom and large boulders, for African Cichlids (I don't know their exact species: maybe someone who's been before can tell me?). It's a nice habitat, and has good size for the amount of fish in it, but I can't help but feel the fish have extremely stressful lives, what with kids rushing up and tapping on the glass. Indeed, whenever someone quickly approaches their tank, nearly all dart back behind the rocks.
Anyway, continuing, there is usually a large terrarium full to the brim with Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches (Gromphadorhina portentosa). I really don't know why they just move some cockroaches into a behind-the-scenes area or just give them to another zoo, because the entire terrarium is covered with them and they have to crawl over each other to get anywhere. From what can be seen under the cockroaches, it is fairly bare, mostly consisting of a few logs. However, I really don't know what's under the mass of cockroaches, so... Moving on, there is typically a habitat for the minuscule, but cute Hourglass Tree Frogs (Dendropsophus ebraccatus). It is similar to the Amazon Milk Frog habitat: lots of vegetation, artificial lighting, and several bromeliads in which the frogs love to hide: it can be a challenge looking for them, as they are so small, but looking in the bromeliads generally proves successful. Next is a habitat for the Emerald Tree Boa (Corallus canines). It has lots of lush vegetation, and is fairly equal in its measurements. It does have some large branches which span the entire small terrarium, on which the snakes can usually be found: just look for their scales being lit up by the artificial lighting. Right next door is a habitat for the very-similar but geographically separated Green Tree Python (Morelia viridis). The habitat is so similar to that of the Emerald Tree Boa I simply won't go into it. The next habitat belongs to several species, which, as far as I can tell, normally share the environment, unless the exhibits are superbly separated. It holds Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta), Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata), but apparently also Black Lemurs (Eulemur macaco). I have seen the Ring-Tailed and Ruffed Lemurs dozens of times, but I have only seen the Black Lemurs once or twice. Does anyone know why this is? Maybe they rotate? Anyway, they have a densely forested habitat, with ropes and hammocks they can climb and rest in, and they also have a grassy area right in the front of the enclosure which sunlight often streams through. The lemurs love to bask in the sunlight and can usually be found here, just outside of a stone cave-like structure. After leaving this area, guests come to another area, which has a huge variety of structures for kids to play in and on. But we're here for the animals. The first animals are on guests' immediate left after entering the area, on a wall with a kiddy mural. Various terrariums are set into the walls. The first is a large aquarium, which in the past did hold Ocellate River Stingrays, which I saw once, but now holds Red-Bellied Piranhas (Pygocentrus nattereri). It is a simple tank, with a replica ceiba tree root, some boulders, and a gravel bottom. It's a fairly good size exhibit, but not the best piranha exhibit out there. Next is often the Prehensile-Tailed Skink (Corucia zebrata), though, like I said, it changes around frequently. It is a pretty standard exhibit, with a dry moss bottom, a dish of water, and some good climbing structures, and plentiful vegetation, with artificial lighting. Typically next is an exhibit for a species I have actually not seen anywhere else (though it is true I have not gone to many zoos): the Northern Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium californicum). It resides in a fairly small, mostly vertical glass-walled enclosure, with a dish of water and mulch substrate on the bottom, and mock evergreen branches at the top, which is where the bird usually perches. This is pitifully small for the bird, even if it is wing-clipped, and such an interesting species deserves a better enclosure. There are also exhibits for Antilles Pink-Toed Tarantulas (Caribena versicolor), and there are often a variety of poison-dart frogs on display: Blue (Dendrobates tinctorius azureus), Green-and-Black (Dendrobates auratus), and Yellow-Banded (Dendrobates leucomelas) are usually on display, in a small rainforest habitat. There is also a medium-sized, but very bare enclosure for Parma Wallabies (Macropus parma), which is good in size but is just flavorless: sandy, with a few orangish rocks, and nothing else. The only other species in the area is a large covered area called Contact Junction, which smells horrendous and only exhibits Nigerian Dwarf Goats (Capra aegagrus hircus). You can pet them and feed them, but there is really no other point in going here. They have sandy exhibits with some nice climbing structures. All in all, I give Kid's Zone a 5 out of 10. It does have some interesting species, and some of the exhibits are fairly nice, but they could definitely be better and everything has a kiddy feel (as it should, but nonetheless). Just a little TOO kiddy.
Red Wolf Woods
Exiting Kid's Zone, if guests continue to the left side of the zoo (if viewed from a map), then they will eventually run into Red Wolf Woods (it's for Red Wolves (Canis rufus), if you didn't get the hint). The first sign you are approaching are usually some idiots fake-howling to try to get the wolves to respond. The wolves don't respond, so just stop. Anyway, continuing, you run into some definitely North American trees: some little conifers, and various American bushes and other plants. There are also large signs sticking out of the ground every few feet at eye-level, which tell the amazing but sad story of the Red Wolf. Eventually guests come to a viewing area, with one viewing spot nearly directly opposite the other. The first faces near the corner of the wolf exhibit, and has a fake rock for kids to be able to climb and get a better look at the wolves. The other has a glass barrier at about chest-level, allowing great, unobstructed views of the wolves. They have a hilly habitat, with grass being plentiful. Trees and bushes ring the sides of the enclosure and can be found near the middle as well. There is a rocky path leading down to an area with a little sheltered area with hay in it (but I have never seen the wolves use this) and also a stream, which gushes down a rocky path and empties out into a large pool. Sometimes during the fall or spring, an absolutely disgusting and completely aesthetically unappealing bright green slime forms on the pond, which really subtracts from the beauty of the exhibit. In the winter, usually the pond and river are drained, but in the summer, they look fine. There is also a covered area, which overlooks the forest section of the enclosure, which is located on a gentle slope, with an open forest on top and grassy areas down below. This is where the keepers generally feed the wolves from, and they also do the talks here. This is a great place to view them on a rainy day. Another viewing area is found in a replica barn, which has large glass panels looking up from the base of a hill onto the exhibit. Black bird stickers are on the glass to prevent the wolves from accidentally hitting the glass. Signs and information boards are all around the barn, and tell facts and information about these rare canids. This is a good exhibit, but I feel like it needs to be larger. Other than that, it is great.
In all, I give Red Wolf Woods a 7 out of 10. It is a remarkable exhibit and I applaud Point Defiance for keeping such an endangered animal and breeding them, but I feel like they might have even more breeding success if the area was just a bit larger, and maybe with some more cover. Other than these few issues, I feel like Red Wolf Woods is perhaps the second or maybe third best exhibit in Point Defiance.
Arctic Tundra
Arctic Tundra can be visited by simply continuing on past Red Wolf Woods. Guests are surrounded by tall grasses, and some small evergreen trees to reinforce the northern climate feeling. Wire barriers keep guests from climbing up the hills (It's shocking how some people will do something as stupid as that. What's the point?!). Anyway, if they continue long enough, they will reach the Animal Presentation area, which sometimes holds small shows featuring various reptiles and other animals which can be touched. Guests will then notice a smaller paddock, with ugly wire fencing, and some bushes ringing the edge of the enclosure. It is fairly small, but is for the adorable baby Muskox (Ovibos moschatus) Hudson. He came from the Large Animal Research Station, at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He's getting quite big and will probably be moved to the bigger Muskox exhibit soon. Continuing on past Hudson, guests come to a covered area, with a wooden boardwalk. This exhibit overlooks a hilly, grassy area with a large, rocky ledge. This is home to more wooly, adult Muskox, or, as the zoo calls them, "Oomingmak." This is a fairly plain exhibit, but this species is fairly rarely exhibited, and I am always happy to see a rarely-kept species. After leaving the Muskox, guests come to a viewing area interspersed with large boulders. A metal railing is the barrier for this viewing area. The habitat is similar to the Muskox, but often with a large plastic tub of water in front, where the ground is rocky. This is for Reindeer, or Caribou, depending on where you are (Rangifer tarandus). It's a fairly average Reindeer exhibit, better than some, but certainly paling in comparison to exhibits like Woodland Park Zoo's Elk exhibit. Coming around a wide turn, guests find themselves at the Arctic Fox (Vulpes lagopus) exhibit. This exhibit's viewing area is enclosed on the left and right by large rocks, and a metal railing is the barrier of choice. There is a large moat surrounding almost the entire exhibit, which is often filled with lily pads, some rather aesthetically pleasing duckweed, and tons, tons of frogs. The enclosure itself is grassy, with several large logs the foxes like to hide behind. There is a large water dish in the corner, and at the back, a hole which I assume leads to a den which they can hide in. This exhibit is alright, but not the best. Guests finally come to the last exhibit in Arctic Tundra, but they have to enter a concrete structure (through plastic hanging curtains, as always!) to do so. Entering the structure, and turning right, they see the enclosure itself. The enclosure is half-water, half-land. The land area has a pebble substrate, with two or three large, kopje-like structures sticking out, on which the residents, a pair of Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus), often like to rest. A large shade structure (you know, the ones supported by three poles with a canvas in between) has recently been set up, which is always present in the summer. The underwater section is fairly normal: spacious, true, but average, with a rock bottom and some large stones. There is no vegetation in the exhibit, though, and I feel like the bears need plenty more space. I am not one of the people who think that polar bears, great apes, and/or cetaceans should not be kept in captivity, but I do think zoos who intend to exhibit these species need to have the necessary requirements met to keep them, and on space, I am not sure Point Defiance completely came through. Also, what with the lack of actual tundra plants, Polar Bears just seem to kind of stick out. I think they belong in Rocky Shores more than Arctic Tundra.
All in all, I'm giving Arctic Tundra a 6 out of 10. It has some good exhibits, true, but many are too small and most are in bad need of a renovation.
Rocky Shores
If one simply continues on the path after exiting Arctic Tundra, they will eventually come to Rocky Shores, which recently underwent a large renovation. The new Rocky Shores is different in several ways, and is quite nice. The path splits early on into two separate areas: a path that leads to above water viewing, which is fairly short, and a path that leads to underwater viewing, which, though it is the same length, seems longer because there are more viewing windows.
The above-water path will be tackled first. It is fairly simple: a short walk leads guests to a raised seating area that slopes down, very similar to a stadium, except on a much smaller scale, obviously. Out front is a sign with more information on the new show seating areas. Once guests go around the sign, they can either sit down on the benches for the show, or continue on the path to view the animals when they are not performing. The habitat itself is fairly large, roughly circular, with rocky areas the pinnipeds can pull out on and rest, and large open areas for the pinnipeds to just cruise along. The exhibit is fairly bare, but it's supposed to be: rocky shores generally aren't the most eye-catching habitats in the world. Point Defiance is known for their rotating mechanisms in the Asian Forest Sanctuary, but this specific enclosure is no different: two species of pinnipeds have the enclosure on different days. One day, a guest might see Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina), which enjoy swimming upside-down, and have been here fairly long, or the newcomers, California Sea Lions (Zalophus californianus), which only arrived recently and are very playful. If you make a turn, you can find yourself at the Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) exhibit. It has not changed much from the renovation, but has gotten a little larger. The above-water view consists of stone beaches on either side, with several rock outcrops jutting out from under the water. Otherwise, it is all water. There is no vegetation in this exhibit, but that is fine, as Walruses do not need them and vegetation does not really fit with the habitat. That is all for the above-water trail.
The underwater trail is a whole lot more interesting. Guests first enter through a rocky cave, and then find themselves at the Sea Otter (Enhydra lutis) enclosure. The exhibit is fairly small, and I feel like it should be larger, but it is good nonetheless. It provides a large amount of water, and, most importantly, plenty of water to dive to the bottom (Sea Otters love diving, as they do it in the wild to catch food), and has various enrichment items, like balls and plastic kid toys. However, it also has ample land space, consisting of slippery rock. This is something often overlooked by zoos: just because they spend most of their time out at sea does not mean you shouldn't have land available to them. This is the above-water viewing for the otters. Guests then go through some wooden doors, which enters into a netted area for a variety of seabirds. The seabirds are located to the right, and can be viewed from a rock barrier with a wooden top. Rocks and boulders abound, and one thing I am always very happy to see is the natural vegetation high up above. The zoo did not choose to make it all rocky, but instead left some vegetation at the top of the exhibit. In a way, they partly built the exhibit around the land, which I always like. It makes it more realistic. Anyway, there is plentiful grass and a couple bushes up there, and the keen eye will note that it seems to be a favorite spot among the Common Murres (Uria aalge), one of three species of seabirds in the exhibit. They like to hang out in the top of the exhibit, and look down at guests and their neighbors. However, at the bottom of the exhibit, there is plenty of activity. The rocky shores and deep water provide ample space for two other species of diving birds: Tufted Puffins (Fratercula cirrhata), which are easy to spot thanks to their large orange bills, and, occasionally, crazy hairdos, and, so I believe, Horned Puffins (Fratercula corniculata). All are active, playful birds, and this exhibit is certainly worth checking out. The Tufted Puffins and Murres are easy to spot, but the Horned Puffins are a little more difficult. It has been on my last couple trips that I have managed to distinguish them from the Tufted Puffins. Anyone who has seen both might say that they look totally different, but outside of breeding plumage, they look nearly identical, making it difficult to determine who's who. Anyway, guests then go down some stairs to the underwater viewing area. The underwater viewing for the birds is spectacular: it allows the puffins to dive and swim to their hearts' content (Not sure if that was correct grammar). The Sea Otter underwater viewing is nice too, though I do wish their exhibit was a bit bigger and deeper. Walruses have great underwater viewing and sometimes accidentally collide with the glass, always hilarious. The seals/sea lions similarly possess great underwater viewing. The walruses love going through a little tunnel in one of the rock outcroppings underwater. Nice for all!
I give Rocky Shores an 8 out of 10. There's really not a lot they can improve on, though of course, no zoo is without its faults. For Rocky Shores, I think they may need to make the bird and otter pools a little deeper, and make the habitats bigger, but other than that, I really don't have much to say about it.
Magellanic Penguin Exhibit
I am going to quickly go over this exhibit, because I absolutely HATE it. Probably the worst exhibit in the zoo, unfortunately. Many penguin exhibits I have seen are next to or are top notch: Woodland Park Zoo's Magellanic exhibit, Henry Doorly's King/Gentoo exhibit...But Point Defiance, I am sorry, but this is atrocious. The Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) are all in excellent condition, in tip-top shape: it's just their habitat is awful. It consists of a rocky shore (okay, no worries so far) but then you get to the water. The water is probably about 2 feet deep, and I am not kidding you, the penguins can only float on it and not even dive. If there is one exhibit Point Defiance needs to renovate now, it's this one. Recently, I had gone after heavy rainfall, and the penguins were rejoicing in their slightly deeper pool. It was amazing to see them move like little torpedoes through the water, and I wish I could see them do that all the time. But Point Defiance doesn't seem like it will be changing the exhibit anytime soon, which saddens me.
All in all, I give the Magellanic Penguin Exhibit a 3 out of 10. It still has a chance for redemption, and it isn't completely horrendous, but if it doesn't change soon, I'll have to move its score even lower.
Dromedary Camel Exhibit
Like the penguin exhibit, I would really like to go quickly with this one. This exhibit holds two, maybe three Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius), but that is two or three too many. No vegetation. No change of scenery. Little shade. No enrichment as far as I can tell. Just a sandy expanse of bare nothingness, with no relief for the eyes. The camels desperately try to remain in the cool shade, but slowly trundle back to the loading area like they are humans heading towards the gallows or a guillotine. They wait, while kids and adults alike with no realization of how the poor animals must be feeling hop on a makeshift saddle on their back. The camel makes a slow, painful circle around the track, stops, and tries to retreat back to the shade, but, no, it's too late, some people are already getting on again. See what these camels have to go through? All this suffering for a 30-second voyage around an expanse barely bigger than a living room.
In total, I give the Dromedary Camel exhibit a 0 out of 10. These camels are extraordinarily rare in the wild, and they deserve far better treatment than this. The exhibit needs to be destroyed immediately, the Camel Rides need to be scrapped, and a huge exhibit needs to be constructed instead. Okay, yeah, maybe that was a little dramatic, the whole thing actually, but still, these camels need help.
Aquariums: North & South Pacific
Normally, I would do the aquariums. However, ongoing construction on the new aquarium means that doing the aquariums right now would be essentially pointless. The plan is for all the old species in the North and South Pacific aquariums to be moved into the new aquarium, which will open some time in 2018. Anyway, new species and tanks will be added as well, and I will probably post a review specifically on the new aquarium when it opens.
Obviously, I cannot rate the aquariums, as I am waiting for the new one to be finished.
Asian Forest Sanctuary
Saving the best for last, we come to the Asian Forest Sanctuary. Wow. This exhibit is spectacular, and rivals some of the exhibits I have seen even at zoos like Henry Doorly and Woodland Park, just because of its fascinating rotational enrichment system. Guests first enter a bamboo-lined path, and are welcomed to the fictional Asian Forest Sanctuary. Throughout the path, there are informational boards telling about the ecology of the Asian rainforest, the threats it faces, and how we can help. Native Asian tropical plants are planted on both sides, and what with the occasional Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus) calling in the distance or strutting along a path, you really feel immersed in this world. The first exhibit guests come across is unfortunately probably the worst in the Asian Forest Sanctuary: the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) habitat. Now, by no means is this horrendous: in fact, compared to some zoos, this exhibit is pretty good: but it needs work. It mostly consists of a large outdoor sandy paddock, with some rock walls, and some ugly red poles sticking up here and there. There is a large pool near the front, and a shade structure supported by some other red poles, but it's not very naturalistic. The elephants need way more space, for one, and it just does not feel right. Still, it is not a lost cause: the elephants can simply be moved into another larger habitat. However, I have heard recently that the elephants will be phasing out within the next couple years: that's good news. Perhaps they may renovate the habitat before the new animals move in. I heard from one source that they were some kind of rhino? I don't really know: if anyone has more information on the subject, I would be glad to hear it. There is also the Elephant Barn, which is where the elephants go during colder climates. It too is too small, not atrocious but uncomfortable. Metal poles make up the fences, and although this is fairly standard, it just doesn't look nice. After seeing the huge indoor elephant area at a certain zoo (I can't remember too well, but I believe it was Henry Doorly), this barn just seems tiny. Hopefully whatever species is phased in next is better suited to the habitat space. Continuing on, guests round a bend and find themselves at the wonderful Cats of the Canopy exhibit. This exhibit focuses on the vulnerable, highly elusive felid, the Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa). The exhibit is separated into three parts: a climbing cage, a beautiful glass-walled jungle habitat, and the cub den. Let's start with the worst: the climbing cage. It is exactly what its name implies: an ugly, metal cage attached to the side of the building, with logs and branches here and there to add climbing and jumping opportunities. I have only ever seen this cage once, as it is normally hidden from view by bamboo gates. Make of that what you will. However, I believe that this cage is only used for the young leopards, and I believe it is only used to get the cubs ready before shows and the like, so thankfully the cubs do not spend long periods of time in this (I think: I really don't know). Next is the beautiful jungle environment. It has a wide surface area, but is tremendously tall, a fantastic exhibit for this species. Bamboo groves abound, a small creek gurgles through a stone riverbed, bushes cover the ground, and branches crisscross the air, making perfect climbing or sleeping areas. The leopards have plenty of room to hide, sleep, run, and climb, and even though this is the only Clouded Leopard exhibit I have seen, from looking at photos of others, I believe this is definitely in the top 5 in the US. By walking onward, guests discover a variety of different enclosures. Here are a couple: one is a medium-sized grassy environment, with a flowing waterfall, as well as ropes and hammocks. Another is a small cove, in which there is a pool of water and dirt substrate (probably the worst out of all of them). Another is completely indoor and dreadfully small, with a rubbery floor, climbing structures, and hammocks, but it is really not very good. Another consists of a large grassy knoll, with a sloping hill in front, and climbing structures. The last is a beautiful large environment, located on a gentle slope. Coniferous trees are scattered on the top of the hill, while tropical plants can be found near the bottom. Grass and bushes coat the ground, and a waterfall pours down into a crystal-clear pool. Two large rock outcroppings look over the water towards the viewing area. The other viewing areas all have either glass panels or are viewed from behind netting, behind a wooden railing. These habitats are home to a variety of animals: the only habitat that never changes is the huge one with the waterfall: that is always home to Sumatran Tigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). The rest of the habitats, though, employ a wonderful, surprisingly rarely used rotating mechanism, that not only allows for a change of scenery for the animals, but also enrichment for them, as they get to smell what animal was here before they were. It also is great to guests because they never know what they might see on a given day. The animals rotating around are: Asian Small Clawed Otters (Amblonyx cinerea), which are super playful and always a treat to watch; Indian Crested Porcupines (Hystrix indica), slow-moving, but nonetheless are charming in their own way; Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis), large, beefy animals usually seen lying around (their horns are tipped with rubber guards); Malayan Tapir (Tapirus indicus), which are likewise usually seen lying around, though they are quite prodigious swimmers (They seem to be quite the anomaly with most people unfamiliar with their species: I actually heard a conversation once go like this: "Is that a panda?" "Is that an elephant?" "Is that a Snuffaluffagus?" I found this hilarious and couldn't help laughing: a panda? An elephant? A Sesame Street character? It was too good!); Siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus), instantly recognizable by their loud, whooping calls and gray faces and gular sacs; and lastly, White-Cheeked Gibbons (Nomascus leucogenys), with the males being all black with white cheeks, and the females being creamy-tannish overall. It is always a great surprise seeing what species are located where, and hopefully in the future Asian Forest Sanctuary will develop an even larger set of animals, provided, of course, the zoo makes space for them!
All in all, I give Asian Forest Sanctuary a 9 out of 10. It is widely regarded as the best exhibit in the zoo, and I certainly agree! Its theming is spot on, the animals look very well-cared for, and most of the exhibits are nearly flawless! It just goes to show that a zoo doesn't have to be big to have a great immersion exhibit! Nonetheless, like every exhibit, there are things it could improve upon: the small exhibit with the pond should be either destroyed or made larger and renovated: the indoor area needs to have something similar done to it: the cage outside for the leopards also needs to be redone. The elephant area either needs to become much larger and have a serious renovation, or have a smaller species be put in there and the exhibit changed. Really, though, besides the elephant habitat, most of these are fairly small changes. If these changes were met, Asian Forest Sanctuary could become even better!
Budgie Exhibit and That Weird Cave Thing
Oh yes. This. I forgot. *CoughPleasedon'tmakemedothiscoughcough*. Alright. Budgie Buddies. It's a sort of overused feed the budgies station that seems to be popping up everywhere. Fairly standard, but this one is better than many due to the fact that its outside, which means it is way cooler, even in the summer. It has some tropical vegetation, branches, and even an indoor place where the budgies can retreat to when they're full, which I like. But that's pretty much the only thing I like about it. It has some notes on how to attract birds to gardens and stuff as well. Pretty standard, only exhibiting, as its name suggests, Budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus). And then there's that weird cave thing, I forgot what it's even called. You enter this sort of bamboo cave thing, and you go through looking at about 3 species. Last time I was there, there was a Green Iguana (Iguana iguana), an Argentine Red Tegu (Tupinambis rufescens), a Barn Owl (Tyto alba), though at one time they exhibited a Gyrfalcon, and...that's it. It used to have a nice exhibit for Blind Cave Tetras as well, and PDZA was the first time I saw the species, but that tank has since unfortunately been removed. Just don't go. It doesn't hold any real value unless any of those species are on your bucket list, and seeing as how they are all fairly common, unless you are very new, like I am, you probably have seen them before. Even I have seen those species elsewhere, and I joined fairly recently. The habitats for all of them are quite roomy though, and the Tegu and Iguana have a mixed-species habitat, which is nice to see.
I give the two combined exhibits a 6 out of 10. It would have been higher if more species were in the cave, or even if Blind Cave Tetras were still there. Still, points for indoor Budgie shelter and Barn Owls. I like owls.
So that's my review of Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, the zoo I visit more often than any other! I hope you guys like! Please let me know if I forgot anything, or things I could improve upon.
P.S.: I didn't do shows or anything because I like to do the exhibits, not the shows. I have seen them before, but I just decided to do the permanent exhibits, because those can be experienced by anyone anytime.
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