ZooChat Composite Top 25 Rankings?

mweb08 said:
Well they don't have to do it. ;) Or they can do some research.

It's also not the end of the world if someone creates a list without having been to each zoo or spending hours researching.
Click to expand...
Maybe there can be some preliminary objective (as possible) lists by the more experienced zoochatters to help the lesser experienced zochatters judge?
 
I’ve spent hours doing a statistical analysis...I’ll post my 25 plus 5 wild cards soon.

My next phase was to quantify collection data....but I’ll forgo that in the interest of getting the ball rolling.
 
My list of the “Top 25” Zoos in North America. All of them are in the United States. Toronto and Calgary came in at 43 and 48. Many other quality Zoos (several among my personal favorites) missed the cut.

I used several matrices including attendance, social media presence, Zoo organization membership and awards, my ranking of Zoos I’ve actually visited, popularity and representation in Zoo Chat’s photo gallery, and a scoring system devised from America’s Best Zoos.

Heritage and tradition therefore outweighed currentness and innovation.

Plans to score collection data, admission prices, amenities, and Zoo Chatters posted ratings were not implemented.

This is not a list of the best or my favorite, but here is my call for the 25 Top (or Greatest in the Alexandrian sense) Zoos:

1) Bronx Zoo*
2) San Diego Zoo
3) Cincinnati Zoo
4) Smithsonian Zoo*
5) St Louis Zoo
6) Woodland Park Zoo*
7) Oregon Zoo*
8) Brookfield Zoo
9) Henry Doorly Zoo*
10) Minnesota Zoo
11) Lincoln Park Zoo
12) San Diego Wild Animal Park
13) Columbus Zoo
14) Detroit Zoo
15) Disney’s Animal Kingdom
16) Los Angeles Zoo
17) Fort Worth Zoo*
18) Philadelphia Zoo
19) Sedgwick County Zoo
20) Dallas Zoo*
21) Houston Zoo
22) Milwaukee County Zoo
23) Audubon Zoo
24) Toledo Zoo
25) Cleveland Zoo

Wild Cards + sentimental favorite:

26) Memphis Zoo*
27) Riverbanks Zoo
28) Zoo Atlanta*
29) San Antonio Zoo*
30) Denver Zoo

50) Northwest Trek Wildlife Park*


* Zoos I’ve visited.
 
The_UltimateBea said:
Maybe there can be some preliminary objective (as possible) lists by the more experienced zoochatters to help the lesser experienced zochatters judge?
Click to expand...

Snowleopard has his rankings somewhere and he has reviews of pretty much all the zoos in his road trip threads. There's also the thread where people rank the favorite zoos they've visited.
 
Pleistohorse said:
My list of the “Top 25” Zoos in North America. All of them are in the United States. Toronto and Calgary came in at 43 and 48. Many other quality Zoos (several among my personal favorites) missed the cut.

I used several matrices including attendance, social media presence, Zoo organization membership and awards, my ranking of Zoos I’ve actually visited, popularity and representation in Zoo Chat’s photo gallery, and a scoring system devised from America’s Best Zoos.

Heritage and tradition therefore outweighed currentness and innovation.

Plans to score collection data, admission prices, amenities, and Zoo Chatters posted ratings were not implemented.

This is not a list of the best or my favorite, but here is my call for the 25 Top (or Greatest in the Alexandrian sense) Zoos:

1) Bronx Zoo*
2) San Diego Zoo
3) Cincinnati Zoo
4) Smithsonian Zoo*
5) St Louis Zoo
6) Woodland Park Zoo*
7) Oregon Zoo*
8) Brookfield Zoo
9) Henry Doorly Zoo*
10) Minnesota Zoo
11) Lincoln Park Zoo
12) San Diego Wild Animal Park
13) Columbus Zoo
14) Detroit Zoo
15) Disney’s Animal Kingdom
16) Los Angeles Zoo
17) Fort Worth Zoo*
18) Philadelphia Zoo
19) Sedgwick County Zoo
20) Dallas Zoo*
21) Houston Zoo
22) Milwaukee County Zoo
23) Audubon Zoo
24) Toledo Zoo
25) Cleveland Zoo

Wild Cards + sentimental favorite:

26) Memphis Zoo*
27) Riverbanks Zoo
28) Zoo Atlanta*
29) San Antonio Zoo*
30) Denver Zoo

50) Northwest Trek Wildlife Park*


* Zoos I’ve visited.
Click to expand...

Thanks for participating.

Interesting list... I'm not sure that I like heritage and tradition playing a big role, but to each their own.
 
mweb08 said:
Snowleopard has his rankings somewhere and he has reviews of pretty much all the zoos in his road trip threads. There's also the thread where people rank the favorite zoos they've visited.
Click to expand...

I'm not going to give a long response in terms of why I rank the Top 25 USA zoos as I do, but of course there are many factors. The size of the animal collection, the quality of the exhibits, the history of the establishment, the overall "feel" of a great zoo, etc, etc, etc. There are countless reasons why a zoo is placed above another in the mind of any enthusiast.

Zoo rankings are mainly subjective but here would be my tentative list:

1- San Diego Zoo (2017 x 2, 2011 x 2, 2008, 2006) = 6 visits
2- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (2012, 2008) = 2 visits
3- Saint Louis Zoo (2014, 2010) = 2 visits
4- Columbus Zoo (2008)
5- Bronx Zoo (2008)
6- Sedgwick County Zoo (2010)
7- North Carolina Zoo (2010)
8- Denver Zoo (2012, 2006) = 2 visits
9- Woodland Park Zoo (2017 - 1994) = multiple visits
10- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017, 2011, 2006) = 3 visits
11- Zoo Miami (2008)
12- Dallas Zoo (2015, 2010) = 2 visits
13- Houston Zoo (2015, 2010) = 2 visits
14- Minnesota Zoo (2014, 2008) = 2 visits
15- Oklahoma City Zoo (2008)
16- Detroit Zoo (2008)
17- Kansas City Zoo (2010)
18- Brookfield Zoo (2008)
19- National Zoo (2008)
20- Jacksonville Zoo (2008)
21- Oregon Zoo (2016, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005) = 6 visits
22- Phoenix Zoo (2011, 2008) = 2 visits
23- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (2011, 2008) = 2 visits
24- Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo (2012)
25- Fort Worth Zoo (2015, 2008) = 2 visits

* I've included the year(s) of my visits

My personal U.S.A. total: 325 zoos/aquariums (248 zoos and 77 aquariums)
All-time zoo total: 372 (worldwide)
 
My ranks of zoos that I have visited (years visited in brackets, Canadian zoos marked with asterisks):
  1. Bronx Zoo (2014).
  2. Lowry Park Zoo (2013 and 2015).
  3. *Toronto Zoo [might be biased; it's my home zoo] (2006 onward).
  4. Zoo Atlanta (2015).
  5. North Carolina Zoo (2015).
  6. Cincinnati Zoo (2009 and 2015).
  7. Cleveland Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  8. Detroit Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  9. Columbus Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  10. Brookfield Zoo (2011).
  11. Pittsburgh Zoo (2009 and 2015).
  12. *Assiniboine Park Zoo [Winnipeg] (2016).
  13. *Calgary Zoo (2016).
  14. Lincoln Park Zoo (2011).
  15. Binder Park Zoo (2011).
  16. Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (2011).
  17. National Zoo (2010).
  18. Philadelphia Zoo (2010).
  19. Central Park Zoo (2014).
  20. *Zoo de Granby (2016 and 2017).
  21. Maryland Zoo (2010).
  22. Toledo Zoo (2009).
  23. *Safari Niagara (2010 onward).
  24. Erie Zoo (2009 and possibly 2013).
  25. Rosamond Gifford Zoo (2008 and possibly 2013).
-:cool::cool:TheWalrus:cool::cool:
 
Thanks, Walrus. However, this thread is distinct from the other thread where people rank their top zoos as in this one, I want people, if they're willing, to create rankings including zoos they haven't visited.
 
mweb08 said:
Thanks, Walrus. However, this thread is distinct from the other thread where people rank their top zoos as in this one, I want people, if they're willing, to create rankings including zoos they haven't visited.
Click to expand...
Alright then, here is the new, edited, top 25 (as before, zoos I've visited will be listed with the years I have visited each zoo, while a plus sign in blue (+) indicates a zoo I wan to visit):
  1. San Diego Zoo (+).
  2. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (+).
  3. Bronx Zoo (2014).
  4. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (+).
  5. Lowry Park Zoo (2013 and 2015).
  6. *Toronto Zoo [might be biased; it's my home zoo] (2006 onward).
  7. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (+).
  8. St. Louis Zoo (+).
  9. Zoo Atlanta (2015).
  10. North Carolina Zoo (2015).
  11. Cincinnati Zoo (2009 and 2015).
  12. Cleveland Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  13. Denver Zoo (+).
  14. Detroit Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  15. Columbus Zoo (2009 and 2011).
  16. Disney's Animal Kingdom (2013).
  17. Brookfield Zoo (2011).
  18. Minnesota Zoo (+).
  19. Pittsburgh Zoo (2009 and 2015).
  20. *Assiniboine Park Zoo [Winnipeg] (2016).
  21. *Calgary Zoo (2016).
  22. Memphis Zoo (+).
  23. Lincoln Park Zoo (2011).
  24. Binder Park Zoo (2011).
  25. Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (2011).
Honourable mentions include:

26. *Zoo de Granby (2016 and 2017).
27. Philadelphia Zoo (2010).
28. Roger Williams Park Zoo (+).
29. Los Angeles Zoo (+).
30. National Zoo (2010).

If I can also chip in aquariums, I have a list of my personal top 5 aquariums I've visited (and 5 I want to visit):
  1. Georgia Aquarium (2015).
  2. Shedd Aquarium (2011).
  3. Monterey Bay Aquarium (+).
  4. National Aquarium in Baltimore (2010).
  5. Dallas World Aquarium (+).
  6. *Vancouver Aquarium (2016).
  7. Adventure Aquarium (+)
  8. New York Aquarium (+).
  9. Clearwater Marine Aquarium (2015).
  10. Aquarium of the Pacific (+)
-:cool::cool:TheWalrus:cool::cool:
 
My tentative list which likely will change some in the next few days (I ran out of time to give the bottom part adequate time):

1. San Diego (2017)
2. Henry Doorly (2009)
3. Saint Louis
4. Bronx (2017)
5. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017)
6. Columbus (2009)
7. North Carolina (2017)
8. Sedgwick County
9. Woodland Park (2017)
10. Dallas
11. National (2017)
12. Miami (2016)
13. Toronto (2017)
14. Oklahoma City
15. Houston
16. Minnesota
17. Disney's Animal Kingdom (2017)
18. Kansas City (2009)
19. LA (2017)
20. Detroit
21. Brookfield
22. Philadephia (2015)
23. Denver (2015)
24. The Living Desert (2015)
25. Arizona - Sonora Desert

I placed my date of last visit if applicable, but I did factor in any changes since I've attended.
 
snowleopard said:
I'm not going to give a long response in terms of why I rank the Top 25 USA zoos as I do, but of course there are many factors. The size of the animal collection, the quality of the exhibits, the history of the establishment, the overall "feel" of a great zoo, etc, etc, etc. There are countless reasons why a zoo is placed above another in the mind of any enthusiast.

Zoo rankings are mainly subjective but here would be my tentative list:

1- San Diego Zoo (2017 x 2, 2011 x 2, 2008, 2006) = 6 visits
2- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo (2012, 2008) = 2 visits
3- Saint Louis Zoo (2014, 2010) = 2 visits
4- Columbus Zoo (2008)
5- Bronx Zoo (2008)
6- Sedgwick County Zoo (2010)
7- North Carolina Zoo (2010)
8- Denver Zoo (2012, 2006) = 2 visits
9- Woodland Park Zoo (2017 - 1994) = multiple visits
10- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017, 2011, 2006) = 3 visits
11- Zoo Miami (2008)
12- Dallas Zoo (2015, 2010) = 2 visits
13- Houston Zoo (2015, 2010) = 2 visits
14- Minnesota Zoo (2014, 2008) = 2 visits
15- Oklahoma City Zoo (2008)
16- Detroit Zoo (2008)
17- Kansas City Zoo (2010)
18- Brookfield Zoo (2008)
19- National Zoo (2008)
20- Jacksonville Zoo (2008)
21- Oregon Zoo (2016, 2011, 2010, 2008, 2007, 2005) = 6 visits
22- Phoenix Zoo (2011, 2008) = 2 visits
23- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (2011, 2008) = 2 visits
24- Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo (2012)
25- Fort Worth Zoo (2015, 2008) = 2 visits

* I've included the year(s) of my visits

My personal U.S.A. total: 325 zoos/aquariums (248 zoos and 77 aquariums)
All-time zoo total: 372 (worldwide)
Click to expand...

Would Toronto or any other Canadian zoo crack this list?

I ask since those zoos are eligible for these rankings.
 
mweb08 said:
Would Toronto or any other Canadian zoo crack this list?

I ask since those zoos are eligible for these rankings.
Click to expand...

No chance. I spent 7 hours at Toronto Zoo in 2008 and for the most part I was disappointed. Calgary Zoo is one that I've visited on at least 8 occasions since 2012 (and I wrote a long review for Zoo Grapevine & International Zoo News magazine) and so I know Calgary very well...it still wouldn't crack the Top 25 in the USA.
 
Here is my list. I based this off animal collection and exhibit quality, which are obviously the most important bits of a zoo after all.

*Years of visit in brackets

1.) San Diego Zoo (2004, 2010, 2015, 2018)
2.) St. Louis Zoo
3.) Bronx Zoo
4.) Columbus Zoo
5.) San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2010, 2018)
6.) Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
7.) Dallas Zoo
8.) North Carolina Zoo
9.) Woodland Park Zoo
10.) Brookfield Zoo (Ever Since I Was a Young lad)
11.) Smithsonian's National Zoo
12.) Minnesota Zoo
13.) Detroit Zoo
14.) Houston Zoo
15.) Cincinnati Zoo
16.) Kansas City Zoo
17.) Denver Zoo
18.) Zoo Miami
19.) Tampa's Lowery Park Zoo (2014, 2015, 2017)
20.) Lincoln Park Zoo (Ever since I was a Young lad)
21.) Los Angles Zoo
22.) Oregon Zoo
23.) Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
24.) Oklahoma City Zoo
25.) Sedgwick County Zoo
 
snowleopard said:
No chance. I spent 7 hours at Toronto Zoo in 2008 and for the most part I was disappointed. Calgary Zoo is one that I've visited on at least 8 occasions since 2012 (and I wrote a long review for Zoo Grapevine & International Zoo News magazine) and so I know Calgary very well...it still wouldn't crack the Top 25 in the USA.
Click to expand...

I was pretty impressed with Toronto in my visit last Spring. I'm not sure on the timeline of exhibits, but perhaps it's much improved since your visit.
 
mweb08 said:
My tentative list which likely will change some in the next few days (I ran out of time to give the bottom part adequate time):

1. San Diego (2017)
2. Henry Doorly (2009)
3. Saint Louis
4. Bronx (2017)
5. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (2017)
6. Columbus (2009)
7. North Carolina (2017)
8. Sedgwick County
9. Woodland Park (2017)
10. Dallas
11. National (2017)
12. Miami (2016)
13. Toronto (2017)
14. Oklahoma City
15. Houston
16. Minnesota
17. Disney's Animal Kingdom (2017)
18. Kansas City (2009)
19. LA (2017)
20. Detroit
21. Brookfield
22. Philadephia (2015)
23. Denver (2015)
24. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park
25. Arizona - Sonora Desert

I placed my date of last visit if applicable, but I did factor in any changes since I've attended.
Click to expand...

Revised rankings.
 
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