M30t is a Canadian and I first heard the word "toque" a week ago from another Canadian, when I met up in Washington with @snowleopard . I asked what in the world that is? Apparently it is what they call a knit cap. Oh those crazy Canadians!
In Search of Warmth: A spring zoo road trip
- Thread starter m30t
- Start date
Well when you have winters like the ones us Canadians get, you need just about every kind of hat you can get (case in point, it's April and it snowed today)
. Also, I doubt there is much need for toques in Arizona!@snowleopard thanks for the feedback! I can't imagine visiting Birmingham prior to Trails of Africa, that must have been a depressing visit.
@Arizona Docent I was hoping someone would pick up on the toque! If I ever make it out to Arizona, I'll have to be sure to pack a nice Canadian toque for you!
@Arizona Docent I was hoping someone would pick up on the toque! If I ever make it out to Arizona, I'll have to be sure to pack a nice Canadian toque for you!
Day 8 – Zoo Atlanta
Prior to starting these trips, I do a fair bit of research for the itinerary, checking amongst other things whether there are any special events/hour changes on the day I plan to visit each zoo. The one thing I did not check is whether it is a school holiday, OR, spring break when I am in town. That kinda back fired today. Spring break is in full force here meaning that I got to enjoy the zoo with thousands of vacation children and their parents. Thankfully I had checked the zoo’s website earlier in the week and it warned of expected congestion and very limited parking. Heeding that advice, we had an early breakfast and arrived at the zoo by 8:55, a full 35 minutes before the gates opened. The parking lot was already a third full by this point; and after waiting in the car for a few minutes, we headed to the gates to find a line of at least 75 people waiting to purchase tickets and probably another 100 in a line with advance purchased tickets/membership. This crowd never dissipated, leaving the zoo early in the afternoon I saw that the line to purchase tickets winding all the way to the parking lot (I’d estimate several hundred people in line).
It’s easy to see why the zoo was so crowded. Zoo Atlanta offers several superb exhibits and a nice variety of rarely exhibited species. There are some short comings, though one of the major ones is being addressed by an expansion of the elephant exhibit set to open next year. Even without that expansion, Zoo Atlanta is a zoo that any enthusiast should visit, especially if they have an interest in apes.
Giant Pandas
This was my first stop upon entering the zoo. I decided to go here first as pandas tend to be most active in the morning and seeing as this exhibit is at the back of the zoo, it took me away from the crowds and gave me a few moments of calm. The four pandas have two moderately sized outdoor yards, and three day rooms. The outdoor yards were each occupied by one of the adults, while the twins were in the day room. I prefer these outdoor yards to the one at Memphis, as they are a little more spacious, with hilly terrain and natural substrate. The yards also offered many spots for the pandas to be where they could be seen above the glass, thus offering a better photo opportunity than in Memphis. Overall though these yards are a little too on the small side. The day rooms were all decently sized.
Asian Forest
Entering this section you first come to a carnivore section. First up a binturong has a spacious enclosure, and I was fortunate enough to actually see an active binturong! The clouded leopard enclosure was quite spacious, but was a little over reliant on mock rock. Finally, the tiger exhibit offered the big cat a fairly spacious yard that included a pool. This yard could be viewed from several vantage points, including at eye level and from above. None of these yards were exceptional, but all were decent. On a similar vein, a pair of sun bears have a moderately sized yard that could be seen from ground level and above. Another rarity displayed in this section are tanuki, or racoon dogs. A pair in habit a fairly modest enclosure that is not spectacular, but offers the treat of showcasing a very rare species. The komodo dragon habitat was pleasantly surprising in that both the indoor and outdoor yard were lush and decently sized. The red panda enclosure was decent but not spectacular, it is moderately sized and had a lot of climbing opportunities.
The stars of this section were the orangutans, who have two large yards. The second yard in particular was especially large. Neither exhibit would win points for naturalism as there were large wood posts, and ropes. However, the spacious and number of climbing opportunities afford the apes makes these habitats noteworthy. The large number of orangs on exhibit, including young apes in both habitats ensured that there was almost always activity to grab visitors attention.
Ford African Rain Forest
The most remarkable component of Zoo Atlanta is the large number of gorillas it is home to, and the notable space each troop is given. There is a total of FOUR, yes four gorilla habitats! The troops vary between the habitats including a large family troop in the one yard and a bachelor troop in another. Like the orangutan exhibit, the gorilla yards are not overly naturalistic with usage of mock rock, and some of the trees/plant areas are covered in hotwire. These gripes aside, the size of the yard, the number of vantage points and the number of gorillas makes this exhibit a must see. Zoo Atlanta also scores points for having signs at each yard (that I occasionally could get a glimpse of when the masses briefly parted) telling guests which gorillas are in the habitat. This enables visitors to know who they are seeing and observe differences between the family troops and the bachelors. The large family troop in habitat 3 for example was quite active. Guests were able to witness several youngsters; including a toddler who was being played with quite actively by an older sibling. Initially the older sibling tried picking the younger one up similar to how it’s mom does, but that quickly gave way to some very physical play.
Opposite of the gorilla yard are a series of monkey and lemur habitats. The Living House has a spacious lemur habitat for three lemur species. At the end of this house a series of glass windows look out onto a mixed yard for Drills and Wolf’s Guenon. This yard is particularly spacious, lush and has an ample array of climbing structures. A similar exhibit exists beside this yard for Schmidt’s Guenon and Angolan Colobus monkeys’.
Lion and Elephants
Most of the African savanna is currently off exhibit as an expanded elephant habitat is being constructed. A new exhibit is in need as the currently yard is notably small and dusty. The elephants do have access to enrichment items, however the current exhibit is rather underwhelming. These criticisms will hopefully be short lived as the new Savanna is scheduled to open next year. The only other animals on exhibit in this section are a trio of young male African lions. The lions have a moderately sized yard that can be viewed through a window at ground level or via moat. There is a small rock kopje; however, there is nothing particularly engaging about this exhibit.
Scaly, Slimy and Spectacular
Unfortunately, this was the only exhibit where the crowds did make it challenging to spend too much time in or really get a sense of it’s quality. This building was packed, and between some individuals constantly moving through, a series of children/parents and strollers randomly placed throughout the walkways, crowds in front of each exhibit, and some free roaming children, I at times felt like I did on the periphery of the mosh pit at a System of a Down concert many years ago. I was able to ascertain that there is a large variety of species held in this building, and from what I saw there are many decent enclosures in here.
Australian Exhibits in Children’s Zoo
This section was underwhelming, cassowary and kangaroos each have a small less than inspiring yard.
Overall Zoo Atlanta offers a nice mix of rare species and several exceptional ape habitats. There is more than enough to draw in any zoo enthusiast and this really is a must see zoo. I’m curious to see what the future will hold once the new savanna exhibit opens next year. If the zoo is able to offer an above average elephant yard than that could surely elevate the zoo towards the upper tier.
Tomorrow is a travel day as I head into Florida for the first time. On Sunday, the freshly rebranded Zoo Tampa will be up.
Prior to starting these trips, I do a fair bit of research for the itinerary, checking amongst other things whether there are any special events/hour changes on the day I plan to visit each zoo. The one thing I did not check is whether it is a school holiday, OR, spring break when I am in town. That kinda back fired today. Spring break is in full force here meaning that I got to enjoy the zoo with thousands of vacation children and their parents. Thankfully I had checked the zoo’s website earlier in the week and it warned of expected congestion and very limited parking. Heeding that advice, we had an early breakfast and arrived at the zoo by 8:55, a full 35 minutes before the gates opened. The parking lot was already a third full by this point; and after waiting in the car for a few minutes, we headed to the gates to find a line of at least 75 people waiting to purchase tickets and probably another 100 in a line with advance purchased tickets/membership. This crowd never dissipated, leaving the zoo early in the afternoon I saw that the line to purchase tickets winding all the way to the parking lot (I’d estimate several hundred people in line).
It’s easy to see why the zoo was so crowded. Zoo Atlanta offers several superb exhibits and a nice variety of rarely exhibited species. There are some short comings, though one of the major ones is being addressed by an expansion of the elephant exhibit set to open next year. Even without that expansion, Zoo Atlanta is a zoo that any enthusiast should visit, especially if they have an interest in apes.
Giant Pandas
This was my first stop upon entering the zoo. I decided to go here first as pandas tend to be most active in the morning and seeing as this exhibit is at the back of the zoo, it took me away from the crowds and gave me a few moments of calm. The four pandas have two moderately sized outdoor yards, and three day rooms. The outdoor yards were each occupied by one of the adults, while the twins were in the day room. I prefer these outdoor yards to the one at Memphis, as they are a little more spacious, with hilly terrain and natural substrate. The yards also offered many spots for the pandas to be where they could be seen above the glass, thus offering a better photo opportunity than in Memphis. Overall though these yards are a little too on the small side. The day rooms were all decently sized.
Asian Forest
Entering this section you first come to a carnivore section. First up a binturong has a spacious enclosure, and I was fortunate enough to actually see an active binturong! The clouded leopard enclosure was quite spacious, but was a little over reliant on mock rock. Finally, the tiger exhibit offered the big cat a fairly spacious yard that included a pool. This yard could be viewed from several vantage points, including at eye level and from above. None of these yards were exceptional, but all were decent. On a similar vein, a pair of sun bears have a moderately sized yard that could be seen from ground level and above. Another rarity displayed in this section are tanuki, or racoon dogs. A pair in habit a fairly modest enclosure that is not spectacular, but offers the treat of showcasing a very rare species. The komodo dragon habitat was pleasantly surprising in that both the indoor and outdoor yard were lush and decently sized. The red panda enclosure was decent but not spectacular, it is moderately sized and had a lot of climbing opportunities.
The stars of this section were the orangutans, who have two large yards. The second yard in particular was especially large. Neither exhibit would win points for naturalism as there were large wood posts, and ropes. However, the spacious and number of climbing opportunities afford the apes makes these habitats noteworthy. The large number of orangs on exhibit, including young apes in both habitats ensured that there was almost always activity to grab visitors attention.
Ford African Rain Forest
The most remarkable component of Zoo Atlanta is the large number of gorillas it is home to, and the notable space each troop is given. There is a total of FOUR, yes four gorilla habitats! The troops vary between the habitats including a large family troop in the one yard and a bachelor troop in another. Like the orangutan exhibit, the gorilla yards are not overly naturalistic with usage of mock rock, and some of the trees/plant areas are covered in hotwire. These gripes aside, the size of the yard, the number of vantage points and the number of gorillas makes this exhibit a must see. Zoo Atlanta also scores points for having signs at each yard (that I occasionally could get a glimpse of when the masses briefly parted) telling guests which gorillas are in the habitat. This enables visitors to know who they are seeing and observe differences between the family troops and the bachelors. The large family troop in habitat 3 for example was quite active. Guests were able to witness several youngsters; including a toddler who was being played with quite actively by an older sibling. Initially the older sibling tried picking the younger one up similar to how it’s mom does, but that quickly gave way to some very physical play.
Opposite of the gorilla yard are a series of monkey and lemur habitats. The Living House has a spacious lemur habitat for three lemur species. At the end of this house a series of glass windows look out onto a mixed yard for Drills and Wolf’s Guenon. This yard is particularly spacious, lush and has an ample array of climbing structures. A similar exhibit exists beside this yard for Schmidt’s Guenon and Angolan Colobus monkeys’.
Lion and Elephants
Most of the African savanna is currently off exhibit as an expanded elephant habitat is being constructed. A new exhibit is in need as the currently yard is notably small and dusty. The elephants do have access to enrichment items, however the current exhibit is rather underwhelming. These criticisms will hopefully be short lived as the new Savanna is scheduled to open next year. The only other animals on exhibit in this section are a trio of young male African lions. The lions have a moderately sized yard that can be viewed through a window at ground level or via moat. There is a small rock kopje; however, there is nothing particularly engaging about this exhibit.
Scaly, Slimy and Spectacular
Unfortunately, this was the only exhibit where the crowds did make it challenging to spend too much time in or really get a sense of it’s quality. This building was packed, and between some individuals constantly moving through, a series of children/parents and strollers randomly placed throughout the walkways, crowds in front of each exhibit, and some free roaming children, I at times felt like I did on the periphery of the mosh pit at a System of a Down concert many years ago. I was able to ascertain that there is a large variety of species held in this building, and from what I saw there are many decent enclosures in here.
Australian Exhibits in Children’s Zoo
This section was underwhelming, cassowary and kangaroos each have a small less than inspiring yard.
Overall Zoo Atlanta offers a nice mix of rare species and several exceptional ape habitats. There is more than enough to draw in any zoo enthusiast and this really is a must see zoo. I’m curious to see what the future will hold once the new savanna exhibit opens next year. If the zoo is able to offer an above average elephant yard than that could surely elevate the zoo towards the upper tier.
Tomorrow is a travel day as I head into Florida for the first time. On Sunday, the freshly rebranded Zoo Tampa will be up.
It's not called Lowry Park Zoo any more?
I believe they announced a couple weeks ago their new name, which I think in full is Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park.
Yikes! I really need to get a move on with my trip reports. I can't let you beat me to the review
.Day 10 – Zoo Tampa
After going through a substantial rainfall on Saturday on route to Tampa, and a few downpours Saturday night, the sun finally emerged about ½ hour before Zoo tamp opened on Sunday morning. I would have be quite content with the day remaining overcast, but the sunshine state had to live up to its name. Unfortunately, I left my first zoo visit in Florida feeling a little underwhelmed. It’s not that Zoo Tampa is a lower quality zoo. For starters though, when your admission is $35 (one of the higher amounts I have paid) I feel that sets the bar pretty high. Much of the zoo though is of a mid level statue, creating a real disconnect between what you pay and what you get. It’s not that I had a bad time, in reality I had an enjoyable visit. Most of that though is attributable to the high number of babies at the zoo (a 3 month old orangutan, a 4 month old pygmy hippo, several recently hatched storks, a hartmann’s mountain zebra foal, and a young Angolan colobus monkey). Many of the exhibits could be greatly strengthened via renovation.
Asia
I want to call this the shrine of mock rock. There is a lot of it here, far too much. The tiger and sloth bear exhibits are the worst examples of this. Both of these exhibits are adequately sized (although just barely so) and the tiger yard has a decent pool, which the tiger was using when I arrived in the morning, and the bear exhibit did have a bunch of enrichment items. Neither exhibit is anything close to spectacular though, and the excessive usage of mock rock contributes to that. A greater one horned rhino has a dusty exhibit that once again is adequately sized, but which additional space would notably enhance. The highlights of this section are the aviary, which had a nice variety of birds, the spacious exhibit for gharials and a clouded leopard exhibit that is decently sized and has a numerous climbing options. The latter exhibit though also lacks naturalism, and from a photography standpoint is frustrating as the harp wire is fronted by glass up to about eye level which makes photos more of a challenge.
Primates
The star attraction of this section is the orangutan habitat. Which is currently home to I believe 8 orangs. There is an adult male, three moms all with young (two toddlers and the infant mentioned above) and an additional young ape. The size of the exhibit is decent, and the artificial climbing structures are liveable (but far from great), yet what brings the quality down is the hard surface for the apes. The climbing structure and size don’t set it that drastically apart from the exhibits in Memphis and Atlanta, but those exhibits have grassy surfaces as opposed to the harder surface at Tampa. The rest of this section is not spectacular. Chimps do have a grassy substrate but the trio are confined on what is way too small of an exhibit. I think this space would be much better suited for a smaller primate. A pair of mandrills were in a decently sized habitat, again though with a hard surface and an exhibit that was not pleasant on the eyes. Lemurs had a decent looking habitat, while Angolan colobus monkeys had a fairly typical island exhibit with artificial climbing structures that again was highlighted by an infant.
Africa
This was by far the nicest section of the zoo. A number of African elephants live in a fairly spacious enclosure that even had some signs of grass growing in it. In the back of this section it looked like there was another separate yard for the bull. In a nice treat, there are two species of zebra exhibited. The first being hartmann’s mountain zebra who share their habitat with giraffe. This habitat is again decently sized with several viewing angles. The second zebra exhibit holds grevy zebras and white rhinos. This dusty yard felt a little crammed, though it did have I believe 5 rhinos in the exhibit. My biggest gripe here was the relatively poor viewing angles for this exhibit. It can be viewed from above but on a very limited angle and from ground level but through thick cabling. Continuing down the pathway an okapi lives in a fairly basic yard, beside which is a fairly decent and lush African Painted Dog exhibit. My favourite part of this section was an above average pygmy hippo exhibit were I was able to see and take (just a few) photos of the baby hippo out of water. The strength of the exhibit is that it has a lot of grazing space for the animal, and a decently sized pool.
Florida
This section is currently undergoing a substantial renovation. I’m not clear on how much of the existing habitats will be altered as a result of the renos, so I won’t say too much. As it currently stands, none of the exhibits are knock outs, but they do make an effort at conveying local wildlife and visitors relation to it. One of the stronger looking exhibits was out of commission as the manatees were off display due to work being doing on the support system for the tanks. It looked like that the manatees have a large tank that could be viewed from above water and underwater through windows.
I hope this doesn’t come as making it seem like Zoo Tampa is a bad facility, because it is most certainly not. It is a decent facility with many exhibits that would be classified as mid-range. The strength of the zoo is it’s breeding programs, and I’m not sure my comments would have avoided being overly negative if I didn’t spend so much time watching all of the youngsters. As it stands, I cannot classify this zoo as a must see. If you are in the area, and if you are willing to spend the money then go for it, there is a lot to see. But I don’t know that I would be making a return trip plan unless some updates were made.
After going through a substantial rainfall on Saturday on route to Tampa, and a few downpours Saturday night, the sun finally emerged about ½ hour before Zoo tamp opened on Sunday morning. I would have be quite content with the day remaining overcast, but the sunshine state had to live up to its name. Unfortunately, I left my first zoo visit in Florida feeling a little underwhelmed. It’s not that Zoo Tampa is a lower quality zoo. For starters though, when your admission is $35 (one of the higher amounts I have paid) I feel that sets the bar pretty high. Much of the zoo though is of a mid level statue, creating a real disconnect between what you pay and what you get. It’s not that I had a bad time, in reality I had an enjoyable visit. Most of that though is attributable to the high number of babies at the zoo (a 3 month old orangutan, a 4 month old pygmy hippo, several recently hatched storks, a hartmann’s mountain zebra foal, and a young Angolan colobus monkey). Many of the exhibits could be greatly strengthened via renovation.
Asia
I want to call this the shrine of mock rock. There is a lot of it here, far too much. The tiger and sloth bear exhibits are the worst examples of this. Both of these exhibits are adequately sized (although just barely so) and the tiger yard has a decent pool, which the tiger was using when I arrived in the morning, and the bear exhibit did have a bunch of enrichment items. Neither exhibit is anything close to spectacular though, and the excessive usage of mock rock contributes to that. A greater one horned rhino has a dusty exhibit that once again is adequately sized, but which additional space would notably enhance. The highlights of this section are the aviary, which had a nice variety of birds, the spacious exhibit for gharials and a clouded leopard exhibit that is decently sized and has a numerous climbing options. The latter exhibit though also lacks naturalism, and from a photography standpoint is frustrating as the harp wire is fronted by glass up to about eye level which makes photos more of a challenge.
Primates
The star attraction of this section is the orangutan habitat. Which is currently home to I believe 8 orangs. There is an adult male, three moms all with young (two toddlers and the infant mentioned above) and an additional young ape. The size of the exhibit is decent, and the artificial climbing structures are liveable (but far from great), yet what brings the quality down is the hard surface for the apes. The climbing structure and size don’t set it that drastically apart from the exhibits in Memphis and Atlanta, but those exhibits have grassy surfaces as opposed to the harder surface at Tampa. The rest of this section is not spectacular. Chimps do have a grassy substrate but the trio are confined on what is way too small of an exhibit. I think this space would be much better suited for a smaller primate. A pair of mandrills were in a decently sized habitat, again though with a hard surface and an exhibit that was not pleasant on the eyes. Lemurs had a decent looking habitat, while Angolan colobus monkeys had a fairly typical island exhibit with artificial climbing structures that again was highlighted by an infant.
Africa
This was by far the nicest section of the zoo. A number of African elephants live in a fairly spacious enclosure that even had some signs of grass growing in it. In the back of this section it looked like there was another separate yard for the bull. In a nice treat, there are two species of zebra exhibited. The first being hartmann’s mountain zebra who share their habitat with giraffe. This habitat is again decently sized with several viewing angles. The second zebra exhibit holds grevy zebras and white rhinos. This dusty yard felt a little crammed, though it did have I believe 5 rhinos in the exhibit. My biggest gripe here was the relatively poor viewing angles for this exhibit. It can be viewed from above but on a very limited angle and from ground level but through thick cabling. Continuing down the pathway an okapi lives in a fairly basic yard, beside which is a fairly decent and lush African Painted Dog exhibit. My favourite part of this section was an above average pygmy hippo exhibit were I was able to see and take (just a few) photos of the baby hippo out of water. The strength of the exhibit is that it has a lot of grazing space for the animal, and a decently sized pool.
Florida
This section is currently undergoing a substantial renovation. I’m not clear on how much of the existing habitats will be altered as a result of the renos, so I won’t say too much. As it currently stands, none of the exhibits are knock outs, but they do make an effort at conveying local wildlife and visitors relation to it. One of the stronger looking exhibits was out of commission as the manatees were off display due to work being doing on the support system for the tanks. It looked like that the manatees have a large tank that could be viewed from above water and underwater through windows.
I hope this doesn’t come as making it seem like Zoo Tampa is a bad facility, because it is most certainly not. It is a decent facility with many exhibits that would be classified as mid-range. The strength of the zoo is it’s breeding programs, and I’m not sure my comments would have avoided being overly negative if I didn’t spend so much time watching all of the youngsters. As it stands, I cannot classify this zoo as a must see. If you are in the area, and if you are willing to spend the money then go for it, there is a lot to see. But I don’t know that I would be making a return trip plan unless some updates were made.
I completely echo your thoughts on Zoo Tampa. I may as well not even bother finishing my own trip report as you pretty agree with everything you said. It's a fine zoo and most exhibits are good, but not quite great or exceptional. I'll give Safari Africa the award for the zoos best exhibit complex at the zoo. What did you think of Wallaroo Station and the Main Aviary?
Hey Matt, I am enjoying this thread very much.
Since you are a member at Toronto Zoo, you could have had a 50% discount at Tampa. I checked your next three and they all will give you a 50% discount on admission. Did not check further but you can find the list here:
AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program
Since you are a member at Toronto Zoo, you could have had a 50% discount at Tampa. I checked your next three and they all will give you a 50% discount on admission. Did not check further but you can find the list here:
AZA Reciprocal Admissions Program
@pachyderm pro great minds! I'd still love to read the rest of your report when you get the chance to finish it. I never made it to Wallaroo station, I started in that direction but was scared away by a hoard of strollers and carnival like atmosphere. I enjoyed the main aviary.
Thank you so much @Mr Wrinkly! That is an excellent link!
Thank you so much @Mr Wrinkly! That is an excellent link!
Day 11 – Zoo Miami
Mission accomplished. That is regarding the title of this thread; warmth was definitely found in Miami today. Temperatures were 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) when the zoo opened at 10 and reached 34 degrees by early afternoon. I think I’d like to revise the title of this thread to “A search for moderate/comfortable heat.” The heat combined with the massive size of Zoo Miami gave me quite a work out today. While the heat did have a negative impact on the level of animal activity, Zoo Miami is a wonderful zoo that is a must see for even a casual zoo fan.
Zoo Miami offers an extensive number of habitats, most frequently providing the animals with a large grassy space viewable via moat. Photo opportunities abound as a result (I’d love to visit on a cooler day, in the 15 degree range to see the animals active). The only major knocks on the facility are that geographical integrity is sometimes sacrificed (ie, lions and painted dogs in the Asian section) and the habitats are sometimes not the most immersive/natural. However, these gripes do not hold much weight against the large diversity of species held, the large spaces offered the animals and the ability to photograph the animals barrier free.
Asia
One of the first exhibits you come to after entering the zoo is a large tiger yard. The backdrop/night house for the cats is a ruined temple theme. The strength of this yard is it’s massive size. This is followed up by a gibbon exhibit that makes masterful use of trees to give the apes climbing options, and a decently sized orangutan exhibit that has some modest climbing structures. The orangutan exhibit isn’t a standout, but it’s still above average based on it’s size and grassy surface. Highlights in this section include the Wings of Asia aviary which is a magnificent aviary, the Asian River Life exhibits, which includes an above average clouded leopard habitat. What stood out to me the most with the clouded leopard habitat was that it could be viewed from two levels. The cats have lots of vertical climbing space and can be viewed from the walkway and a pathway beneath which shows guests the lower portion of the exhibit. The leopard spent the whole day in it’s den, which could be seen through a window when you enter the exhibit and as a result I couldn’t get any photos. A pair of Asian elephants have a moderately sized yard. The male elephant and his magnificent tusks was quite a site to behold. Other exhibits include rarities such as Gaur, and a decently sized yard for Greater one horned rhinos where guests could pay a small fee to feed one of the rhinos
Africa
The Africa exhibits start in the Asia section on the opposite of the pathway. Once again, the animals enjoy spacious and grassy exhibits. The yards do a good job incorporating some of the surrounding naturalism, for example the hyena exhibit has a massive uprooted and fallen tree that afford the animals some hiding space and shade. Rarities are also exhibited here, including Sable Antelope. Comparable to the Asian section, the great ape exhibits are not the strongest here. Both chimps and gorillas have a massive yard with some artificial climbing structures. The yards are more than satisfactory for the animals, they just lack the naturalism that other exhibits offer. The African elephant yard offers a spacious terrain for a handful of older pachyderms. Giraffes have a very spacious and grassy yard, which also offers a feeding platform for guests. This exhibit was particularly enjoyable as a very young giraffe, just born a few weeks ago, was on exhibit today.
Amazon and Beyond
This section combines the Cloud Forest, Flooded Forest and Atlantic Forest, showcasing animals such as jaguars, giant otters, giant anteaters and various reptiles, fish and snakes. I wasn’t thrilled with the jaguar exhibits here. They had decently laid out enclosures with bodies of water and climbing structures, but I felt both of the exhibits were a little to small (the only time I’m saying that about this zoo). On the other hand, the Giant Otter exhibit is fantastic offering a large pool with land areas on both sides of a walkway, and which can also be viewed through a window. The educational component of this area is also quite strong, highlight the impact of human choices on wildlife and the environment.
Florida Mission Everglades
The newest section of the zoo does a fantastic job of showcasing local wildlife in spacious, naturalistic habitats and engaging visitors with the animals and educational information about their struggles. One of the most noteworthy parts included a crawl space and slide on tunnels through the otter exhibit. This area has a very modern feel to it and it a strong addition to the zoo. I also have to give this section bonus points for the lovely air conditioned café at it’s entrance. This café brought a nice place of refuge to rest, rehydrate and get out of the heat for a few moments.
Australia – Closed for renovations
While I look forward to each zoo I plan to visit, there was a real sense of anticipation about Zoo Miami. The night before, travel from the hotel to a restaurant for dinner brought me past the zoo entrance and I was already marvelling at how massive it looked. The anticipation continued building this morning as we turned off the road onto the massive Zoo boulevard that runs for almost a mile, lined with palm trees all the way up to the zoo’s entrance.
The anticipation did not lead to disappoint. Around every corner was another exhibit, and for almost every instance those exhibits were enjoyable. I can appreciate someone critiquing the zoo for it’s exhibits not always been the most naturalistic. At the same time, I feel the spacious enclosures, and the soft, often grassy substrate, really makes for a decent habitat for the animals. The exhibits are also designed so that it’s not simply one grassy field after another. Plantings, trees and fallen/uprooted trees are effectively integrated to provided noteworthy habitats throughout the facility.
One question I was left with, why does the zoo open at 10? I would think that a 9am opening would give a little more time for the animals in their exhibit before temperatures peaked for the day.
I don’t feel like I’ve done justice to how massive this zoo is or how impressed I was by it. This zoo is a must visit and one that I look forward to hopefully revisiting in the future, just maybe on a slightly cooler day.
Mission accomplished. That is regarding the title of this thread; warmth was definitely found in Miami today. Temperatures were 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) when the zoo opened at 10 and reached 34 degrees by early afternoon. I think I’d like to revise the title of this thread to “A search for moderate/comfortable heat.” The heat combined with the massive size of Zoo Miami gave me quite a work out today. While the heat did have a negative impact on the level of animal activity, Zoo Miami is a wonderful zoo that is a must see for even a casual zoo fan.
Zoo Miami offers an extensive number of habitats, most frequently providing the animals with a large grassy space viewable via moat. Photo opportunities abound as a result (I’d love to visit on a cooler day, in the 15 degree range to see the animals active). The only major knocks on the facility are that geographical integrity is sometimes sacrificed (ie, lions and painted dogs in the Asian section) and the habitats are sometimes not the most immersive/natural. However, these gripes do not hold much weight against the large diversity of species held, the large spaces offered the animals and the ability to photograph the animals barrier free.
Asia
One of the first exhibits you come to after entering the zoo is a large tiger yard. The backdrop/night house for the cats is a ruined temple theme. The strength of this yard is it’s massive size. This is followed up by a gibbon exhibit that makes masterful use of trees to give the apes climbing options, and a decently sized orangutan exhibit that has some modest climbing structures. The orangutan exhibit isn’t a standout, but it’s still above average based on it’s size and grassy surface. Highlights in this section include the Wings of Asia aviary which is a magnificent aviary, the Asian River Life exhibits, which includes an above average clouded leopard habitat. What stood out to me the most with the clouded leopard habitat was that it could be viewed from two levels. The cats have lots of vertical climbing space and can be viewed from the walkway and a pathway beneath which shows guests the lower portion of the exhibit. The leopard spent the whole day in it’s den, which could be seen through a window when you enter the exhibit and as a result I couldn’t get any photos. A pair of Asian elephants have a moderately sized yard. The male elephant and his magnificent tusks was quite a site to behold. Other exhibits include rarities such as Gaur, and a decently sized yard for Greater one horned rhinos where guests could pay a small fee to feed one of the rhinos
Africa
The Africa exhibits start in the Asia section on the opposite of the pathway. Once again, the animals enjoy spacious and grassy exhibits. The yards do a good job incorporating some of the surrounding naturalism, for example the hyena exhibit has a massive uprooted and fallen tree that afford the animals some hiding space and shade. Rarities are also exhibited here, including Sable Antelope. Comparable to the Asian section, the great ape exhibits are not the strongest here. Both chimps and gorillas have a massive yard with some artificial climbing structures. The yards are more than satisfactory for the animals, they just lack the naturalism that other exhibits offer. The African elephant yard offers a spacious terrain for a handful of older pachyderms. Giraffes have a very spacious and grassy yard, which also offers a feeding platform for guests. This exhibit was particularly enjoyable as a very young giraffe, just born a few weeks ago, was on exhibit today.
Amazon and Beyond
This section combines the Cloud Forest, Flooded Forest and Atlantic Forest, showcasing animals such as jaguars, giant otters, giant anteaters and various reptiles, fish and snakes. I wasn’t thrilled with the jaguar exhibits here. They had decently laid out enclosures with bodies of water and climbing structures, but I felt both of the exhibits were a little to small (the only time I’m saying that about this zoo). On the other hand, the Giant Otter exhibit is fantastic offering a large pool with land areas on both sides of a walkway, and which can also be viewed through a window. The educational component of this area is also quite strong, highlight the impact of human choices on wildlife and the environment.
Florida Mission Everglades
The newest section of the zoo does a fantastic job of showcasing local wildlife in spacious, naturalistic habitats and engaging visitors with the animals and educational information about their struggles. One of the most noteworthy parts included a crawl space and slide on tunnels through the otter exhibit. This area has a very modern feel to it and it a strong addition to the zoo. I also have to give this section bonus points for the lovely air conditioned café at it’s entrance. This café brought a nice place of refuge to rest, rehydrate and get out of the heat for a few moments.
Australia – Closed for renovations
While I look forward to each zoo I plan to visit, there was a real sense of anticipation about Zoo Miami. The night before, travel from the hotel to a restaurant for dinner brought me past the zoo entrance and I was already marvelling at how massive it looked. The anticipation continued building this morning as we turned off the road onto the massive Zoo boulevard that runs for almost a mile, lined with palm trees all the way up to the zoo’s entrance.
The anticipation did not lead to disappoint. Around every corner was another exhibit, and for almost every instance those exhibits were enjoyable. I can appreciate someone critiquing the zoo for it’s exhibits not always been the most naturalistic. At the same time, I feel the spacious enclosures, and the soft, often grassy substrate, really makes for a decent habitat for the animals. The exhibits are also designed so that it’s not simply one grassy field after another. Plantings, trees and fallen/uprooted trees are effectively integrated to provided noteworthy habitats throughout the facility.
One question I was left with, why does the zoo open at 10? I would think that a 9am opening would give a little more time for the animals in their exhibit before temperatures peaked for the day.
I don’t feel like I’ve done justice to how massive this zoo is or how impressed I was by it. This zoo is a must visit and one that I look forward to hopefully revisiting in the future, just maybe on a slightly cooler day.
This definitely appeals to me! Does this zoo still have sun bears? If so, what is their exhibit like?
Thank you for this!
@pachyderm pro are you sure the sun bears are still at the zoo? I didn't see any indication of them (it wouldn't be the first time I missed something), but I just rechecked the map and there is no mention of them on there.
Day 12 – Palm Beach Zoo
Palm Beach Zoo is a pleasant little zoo that provides an enjoyable, but quick visit. Located only a shot drive away from the much larger Zoo Miami, Palm Beach features very few marquee species. The biggest name draw species at the zoo are tigers, jaguars and black bears. Much of what the zoo does, it does well. There are some notable shortcomings within what the zoo has, and for a more complete zoo experience, visitors would be much better served heading south to Miami. With that said, it was an enjoyable morning spent here and I would recommend this facility to anyone in the area.
Florida Wetlands
The zoo is divided into four zones, the first highlights local and nearby wildlife. Guests first arrive upon a decently sized flamingo pond, before continuing on an walkway to several cages with birds of prey. The cages are not small per say, but I think more space would be ideal. Progressing along the wooden walkway leads to one of the main attractions, a decently sized bear exhibit. On my first pass through keepers were still setting the habitat up for the day and thus no bears. Thankfully on a second pass later a pair of bears were out enjoying the snacks that had been left for them to find. The exhibit has some vegetation, and its spacious for the bears. It is predominantly viewed through fencing either from the main pathway or alternatively it can be seen from the back while walking through the Tropics of Americas zone. A decently sized exhibit, with some trees was provided for a coati. I don’t recall seeing coati’s too frequently in zoos, and thus it’s enjoyable to see one out and active. Up next was my favourite exhibit in this section: two spacious and lush yards for Florida panthers. The exhibits have an old cabin that is decorated as such, and you can also view the panthers through a window in this exhibit. Another asset of this exhibit is that the two yards are connected by overhead walkway; as seen more often in recent tiger exhibits. Otters had one of the weakest exhibits in the entire zoo in this section. There was a small pool and an even smaller land area that was entirely mock rock. Thankfully there was no sign of an otter actually in that area, instead they were in a larger exhibit behind it. This exhibit however was still far from stellar.
Tropics of the Americas
This area starts off with a decent exhibit for Chilean flamingos. A pleasant surprise here was a very spacious and lush bush dog exhibit. I was never fortunate enough to see any bush dogs on exhibit, but it was quite an impressive habitat. Up next was a very spacious habitat for jaguars. The big cats have an exhibit that plays on the popular ruined temple theme, although the “ruins” are designed so that the cats have ledges that they can rest/sleep on. The exhibit also features a running creek, that gives the jags a decently sized pool at the edge of the exhibit that they can go into it. This is an impressive jaguar habitat. Opposite of the jaguars was a modestly sized spider monkey exhibit. The exhibit is adequate and has a fair amount of climbing structures but was nothing spectacular. A walkway leads guests over a small body of water with exhibits on both sides. On the one side is a large dusty yard for anteaters and Patagonian cavy while on the other side is a similar style of exhibit for tapirs. The yards are spacious enough, but otherwise unimpressive. The zoo’s best exhibit is up next, a pair of island habitats first for capuchin monkeys and second for spider monkeys. Each exhibit has massive trees and bushes, providing a huge amount of climbing opportunities for the animals in a very naturalistic setting. At times it can be difficult to spot the animals as they would disappear behind branches and leaves, but when they emerged it was a very enjoyable experience.
Asia
The main attraction here is a decently sized yard for tigers, referred to as tiger river. The yard is spacious, has enrichment opportunities, and is somewhat well planted. The “river” isn’t huge, but is spacious enough for the cat to fit in. The neighbouring exhibit is labelled on maps as “tiger falls” and looked to be an even bigger and more impressive yard for the big cats. While some signage indicated that it was used as such, it was also signed for, and inhabited by, cranes. As an admitted big cat fan, this was rather disappointing. It also seemed a little wasteful to have a large yard not being utilized by a the big cats. The rest of Asia is rather not descripted, howler monkeys have an exhibit that is functional and okay size wise but not particularly appealing to the eyes.
The Islands
A pair of koalas inhabit what looked like a fairly spacious enclosure (I don’t think I’ve ever seen a koala move more than a couple of inches, so it’s hard to judge how much space they need). The exhibit is decent enough, but it’s not particularly inspiring or motivational. To be fair though, I can’t think of any “great” koala exhibit that I’ve seen. Two small island habitats for lemurs are a little disappointing after seeing the exhibits for capuchin and spider monkeys. The lemur habitats have small huts on them that take away from the naturalistic element. Overall though, both exhibits are fine. A larger island space (with lots of artificial climbing structures and lots of rope) is currently empty, but will soon be home to siamangs (if I recall correctly). Another rarity was showcased here, singing dogs! The exhibit wasn’t spectacular and a little on the small side, but it was nice to see such a rarely seen (in North American zoos) animal. The rest of this area was on the disappointing side, a series of metal cages are home to smaller primates such as tamarins, sloths and macaws. The exhibits are all decently sized, and in some cases had trees and natural climbing structures in them. But in many cases in the climbing structures were artificial and in all cases, the viewing was less than ideal. It was great to see all of these animals outside when they are kept inside permanently at many other facilities, but the exhibits left something to be desired.
There is nothing at Palm Beach zoo to make it a must see facility. However, there is more than enough here to keep any zoo enthusiast entertained. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and would be more than happy to go back the next time I was in the area.
Palm Beach Zoo is a pleasant little zoo that provides an enjoyable, but quick visit. Located only a shot drive away from the much larger Zoo Miami, Palm Beach features very few marquee species. The biggest name draw species at the zoo are tigers, jaguars and black bears. Much of what the zoo does, it does well. There are some notable shortcomings within what the zoo has, and for a more complete zoo experience, visitors would be much better served heading south to Miami. With that said, it was an enjoyable morning spent here and I would recommend this facility to anyone in the area.
Florida Wetlands
The zoo is divided into four zones, the first highlights local and nearby wildlife. Guests first arrive upon a decently sized flamingo pond, before continuing on an walkway to several cages with birds of prey. The cages are not small per say, but I think more space would be ideal. Progressing along the wooden walkway leads to one of the main attractions, a decently sized bear exhibit. On my first pass through keepers were still setting the habitat up for the day and thus no bears. Thankfully on a second pass later a pair of bears were out enjoying the snacks that had been left for them to find. The exhibit has some vegetation, and its spacious for the bears. It is predominantly viewed through fencing either from the main pathway or alternatively it can be seen from the back while walking through the Tropics of Americas zone. A decently sized exhibit, with some trees was provided for a coati. I don’t recall seeing coati’s too frequently in zoos, and thus it’s enjoyable to see one out and active. Up next was my favourite exhibit in this section: two spacious and lush yards for Florida panthers. The exhibits have an old cabin that is decorated as such, and you can also view the panthers through a window in this exhibit. Another asset of this exhibit is that the two yards are connected by overhead walkway; as seen more often in recent tiger exhibits. Otters had one of the weakest exhibits in the entire zoo in this section. There was a small pool and an even smaller land area that was entirely mock rock. Thankfully there was no sign of an otter actually in that area, instead they were in a larger exhibit behind it. This exhibit however was still far from stellar.
Tropics of the Americas
This area starts off with a decent exhibit for Chilean flamingos. A pleasant surprise here was a very spacious and lush bush dog exhibit. I was never fortunate enough to see any bush dogs on exhibit, but it was quite an impressive habitat. Up next was a very spacious habitat for jaguars. The big cats have an exhibit that plays on the popular ruined temple theme, although the “ruins” are designed so that the cats have ledges that they can rest/sleep on. The exhibit also features a running creek, that gives the jags a decently sized pool at the edge of the exhibit that they can go into it. This is an impressive jaguar habitat. Opposite of the jaguars was a modestly sized spider monkey exhibit. The exhibit is adequate and has a fair amount of climbing structures but was nothing spectacular. A walkway leads guests over a small body of water with exhibits on both sides. On the one side is a large dusty yard for anteaters and Patagonian cavy while on the other side is a similar style of exhibit for tapirs. The yards are spacious enough, but otherwise unimpressive. The zoo’s best exhibit is up next, a pair of island habitats first for capuchin monkeys and second for spider monkeys. Each exhibit has massive trees and bushes, providing a huge amount of climbing opportunities for the animals in a very naturalistic setting. At times it can be difficult to spot the animals as they would disappear behind branches and leaves, but when they emerged it was a very enjoyable experience.
Asia
The main attraction here is a decently sized yard for tigers, referred to as tiger river. The yard is spacious, has enrichment opportunities, and is somewhat well planted. The “river” isn’t huge, but is spacious enough for the cat to fit in. The neighbouring exhibit is labelled on maps as “tiger falls” and looked to be an even bigger and more impressive yard for the big cats. While some signage indicated that it was used as such, it was also signed for, and inhabited by, cranes. As an admitted big cat fan, this was rather disappointing. It also seemed a little wasteful to have a large yard not being utilized by a the big cats. The rest of Asia is rather not descripted, howler monkeys have an exhibit that is functional and okay size wise but not particularly appealing to the eyes.
The Islands
A pair of koalas inhabit what looked like a fairly spacious enclosure (I don’t think I’ve ever seen a koala move more than a couple of inches, so it’s hard to judge how much space they need). The exhibit is decent enough, but it’s not particularly inspiring or motivational. To be fair though, I can’t think of any “great” koala exhibit that I’ve seen. Two small island habitats for lemurs are a little disappointing after seeing the exhibits for capuchin and spider monkeys. The lemur habitats have small huts on them that take away from the naturalistic element. Overall though, both exhibits are fine. A larger island space (with lots of artificial climbing structures and lots of rope) is currently empty, but will soon be home to siamangs (if I recall correctly). Another rarity was showcased here, singing dogs! The exhibit wasn’t spectacular and a little on the small side, but it was nice to see such a rarely seen (in North American zoos) animal. The rest of this area was on the disappointing side, a series of metal cages are home to smaller primates such as tamarins, sloths and macaws. The exhibits are all decently sized, and in some cases had trees and natural climbing structures in them. But in many cases in the climbing structures were artificial and in all cases, the viewing was less than ideal. It was great to see all of these animals outside when they are kept inside permanently at many other facilities, but the exhibits left something to be desired.
There is nothing at Palm Beach zoo to make it a must see facility. However, there is more than enough here to keep any zoo enthusiast entertained. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit and would be more than happy to go back the next time I was in the area.
Day 13 – Jacksonville Zoo
My final day in the sunshine state was noteworthy as it was the only day without rain! While I was fortunate to avoid any rain at the zoo, at least one point in each of the previous four days there had been a serious and in most cases prolonged storm. Jacksonville Zoo ensured that the Florida end of the trip ended on a high, as I was thoroughly impressed with what I saw here. There are a handful of truly exceptional habitats here and combined with many other strong enclosures, Jacksonville easily makes it on to any “must see” zoo list. As an added bonus, the zoo is incredibly well planted with a large variety of plants and majestic trees that make for an enjoyable stroll between exhibits.
Asia
Even though this section is the furthest away from the entrance I tried to get here as quickly as possible to get a glimpse of two Sumatran tiger cubs. I was initially unsuccessful as while the cubs were just about the right distance away from the fence for a perfect shot, they were blocked out of view by their mom. They remained that way for several hours until I was finally able to get some semi decent photos of them when they were active in a different part of the enclosure. Before reaching the tiger exhibit, the section starts out with an okay komodo dragon exhibit. The enclosure is themed on being on the island, and the exterior of the habitat make its look like you are looking through a hut at the animal. The enclosure itself though is uninspiring, it’s spacious, but otherwise basic. From there you come to a decently sized hornbill enclosure, and spacious habitats for Visayan warty pigs, and a shared exhibit for babirusa and Asian small clawed otters. What impressed me was that there were multiple viewing options to see the animals in what were above average enclosures. The stars here are the tigers, who have a series of very impressive habitats. The first thing you see is an overhead walkway, notably however, is that this doesn’t connect the two yards, but rather is a walkway for the tigers who aren’t on exhibit that day leading to their off exhibit holdings. The pathway is blocked in the middle thus allowing two additional tigers to be out and seen by guests. The two yards, one for Sumatran and one for Malayan tigers are magnificent. Both are spacious, very green, and make strong use of water and fall trees to benefit the cats. The Malayan exhibit has a deep pool that allows for underwater viewing of the cat from inside a viewing space. The Sumatran yard also can be seen through windows on the other side of this space. Outside both exhibits are viewed through fencing.
Range of the Jaguar
The South American section of this zoo was also strong. There are two jaguar exhibits, the first of which is notably large in size. The exhibits, viewable through fencing and a window for the first exhibit are densely planted, with a large number of climbing options for the jaguars. Each exhibit also makes good use of water. Another highlight of this section was an indoor building housing snakes, reptiles, and others that is themed as an abandoned mine shaft. The theming makes this section particularly exceptional.
Africa
The zoo’s African section is broken up into several parts. First up, giraffes are viewable via an elevated platform from which guests can also purchase food to feed the giraffes. The animals have an impressively sized grassy yard. From there is a decent if not exceptional lion habitat. Two young males were on exhibit today in what is a decently sized yard, that has a very small rock kopje. There are several viewing options for the cats, first from across a moat, then through several windows and finally from above on a walkway. Before reaching the walkway you come to what is a decent leopard (yes, amurs) enclosure. The exterior of the enclosure is uninspiring, with thick black metal caging, however the moderately sized interior has numerous trees, combined with a large artificial (but very realistic looking) tree to give cats lots of shade, and climbing and privacy options. Also on this pathway is a decently sized enclosure with lots of vertical space for a habitat shared between black and white ruffed lemurs and Angolan colobus monkeys. Following the pathway leads to a mid sized yard for elephants. The yard was inhabited by a single elephant on my visit and seemed to be decently sized but it could stand to be larger. This leads to the Plains of East Africa which include a good size and lush yard for okapi, a massive yard for bongos, and my personal favourite a huge yard with a mixed species exhibit of storks, crowned cranes, antelopes and white rhinos. This exhibit is viewable from an elevated boardwalk and it is absolutely stunning. I am not a skilled enough linguist to describe the beauty of this exhibit. There is a slight barrier at the edge of the exhibit, followed by a small body of water and then a pair of cheetahs have a massive yard. I wonder how many people wander by this exhibit and never realize the cheetahs are there. I nearly made that mistake. The yard is heavily shaded, and when the cats are not mobile they can be difficult to spot. It is a beautiful enclosure.
Rest of the Zoo
I didn’t spend enough time in Wild Florida to comment on it (I was distracted trying to time a return trip to the Asian section to see the tiger cubs active). The zoo’s Australian section was less than impressive. There was a cassowary exhibit, the always popular lorikeet aviary and a notable Save the Frogs section. However, the section doesn’t compare with the rest of the zoo. Finally the Great Apes section is temporarily closed while renovations continue.
I was thoroughly impressed with the Jacksonville zoo. The zoo feels very modern. It combines many exceptional habitats to make for a truly must see facility. I look forward to see the results of the great apes renovation, as if the new habitats are along the same lines as other parts of the zoo then Jacksonville will become even more of a prominent player in the zoo world.
My final day in the sunshine state was noteworthy as it was the only day without rain! While I was fortunate to avoid any rain at the zoo, at least one point in each of the previous four days there had been a serious and in most cases prolonged storm. Jacksonville Zoo ensured that the Florida end of the trip ended on a high, as I was thoroughly impressed with what I saw here. There are a handful of truly exceptional habitats here and combined with many other strong enclosures, Jacksonville easily makes it on to any “must see” zoo list. As an added bonus, the zoo is incredibly well planted with a large variety of plants and majestic trees that make for an enjoyable stroll between exhibits.
Asia
Even though this section is the furthest away from the entrance I tried to get here as quickly as possible to get a glimpse of two Sumatran tiger cubs. I was initially unsuccessful as while the cubs were just about the right distance away from the fence for a perfect shot, they were blocked out of view by their mom. They remained that way for several hours until I was finally able to get some semi decent photos of them when they were active in a different part of the enclosure. Before reaching the tiger exhibit, the section starts out with an okay komodo dragon exhibit. The enclosure is themed on being on the island, and the exterior of the habitat make its look like you are looking through a hut at the animal. The enclosure itself though is uninspiring, it’s spacious, but otherwise basic. From there you come to a decently sized hornbill enclosure, and spacious habitats for Visayan warty pigs, and a shared exhibit for babirusa and Asian small clawed otters. What impressed me was that there were multiple viewing options to see the animals in what were above average enclosures. The stars here are the tigers, who have a series of very impressive habitats. The first thing you see is an overhead walkway, notably however, is that this doesn’t connect the two yards, but rather is a walkway for the tigers who aren’t on exhibit that day leading to their off exhibit holdings. The pathway is blocked in the middle thus allowing two additional tigers to be out and seen by guests. The two yards, one for Sumatran and one for Malayan tigers are magnificent. Both are spacious, very green, and make strong use of water and fall trees to benefit the cats. The Malayan exhibit has a deep pool that allows for underwater viewing of the cat from inside a viewing space. The Sumatran yard also can be seen through windows on the other side of this space. Outside both exhibits are viewed through fencing.
Range of the Jaguar
The South American section of this zoo was also strong. There are two jaguar exhibits, the first of which is notably large in size. The exhibits, viewable through fencing and a window for the first exhibit are densely planted, with a large number of climbing options for the jaguars. Each exhibit also makes good use of water. Another highlight of this section was an indoor building housing snakes, reptiles, and others that is themed as an abandoned mine shaft. The theming makes this section particularly exceptional.
Africa
The zoo’s African section is broken up into several parts. First up, giraffes are viewable via an elevated platform from which guests can also purchase food to feed the giraffes. The animals have an impressively sized grassy yard. From there is a decent if not exceptional lion habitat. Two young males were on exhibit today in what is a decently sized yard, that has a very small rock kopje. There are several viewing options for the cats, first from across a moat, then through several windows and finally from above on a walkway. Before reaching the walkway you come to what is a decent leopard (yes, amurs) enclosure. The exterior of the enclosure is uninspiring, with thick black metal caging, however the moderately sized interior has numerous trees, combined with a large artificial (but very realistic looking) tree to give cats lots of shade, and climbing and privacy options. Also on this pathway is a decently sized enclosure with lots of vertical space for a habitat shared between black and white ruffed lemurs and Angolan colobus monkeys. Following the pathway leads to a mid sized yard for elephants. The yard was inhabited by a single elephant on my visit and seemed to be decently sized but it could stand to be larger. This leads to the Plains of East Africa which include a good size and lush yard for okapi, a massive yard for bongos, and my personal favourite a huge yard with a mixed species exhibit of storks, crowned cranes, antelopes and white rhinos. This exhibit is viewable from an elevated boardwalk and it is absolutely stunning. I am not a skilled enough linguist to describe the beauty of this exhibit. There is a slight barrier at the edge of the exhibit, followed by a small body of water and then a pair of cheetahs have a massive yard. I wonder how many people wander by this exhibit and never realize the cheetahs are there. I nearly made that mistake. The yard is heavily shaded, and when the cats are not mobile they can be difficult to spot. It is a beautiful enclosure.
Rest of the Zoo
I didn’t spend enough time in Wild Florida to comment on it (I was distracted trying to time a return trip to the Asian section to see the tiger cubs active). The zoo’s Australian section was less than impressive. There was a cassowary exhibit, the always popular lorikeet aviary and a notable Save the Frogs section. However, the section doesn’t compare with the rest of the zoo. Finally the Great Apes section is temporarily closed while renovations continue.
I was thoroughly impressed with the Jacksonville zoo. The zoo feels very modern. It combines many exceptional habitats to make for a truly must see facility. I look forward to see the results of the great apes renovation, as if the new habitats are along the same lines as other parts of the zoo then Jacksonville will become even more of a prominent player in the zoo world.