I'm not sure if there is an objective best zoo exhibit out there, but there are certainly plenty who come close. Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in upgrading the worlds zoos, but usually with varying results. For this thread, I want to see some discussion of the best zoo exhibit complexes of all time. Not single exhibits (pretty sure there is a thread for that already), rather the complex as a whole.
Of course its up to you to create the criteria that you will go by, but for myself it comes down to four primary factors.
1. The collection of animals present in the complex.
2. The quality of exhibits in the complex.
3. Guest amenities and experiances.
4. How innovative they are in comparison to others.
With that said, here is my candidate for exhibit complexes that could be considered as "the greatest of all time."
The Lost Forest - San Diego Zoo: This was to be expected. It could be debated if this one should count as it takes up nearly half of the zoo and has about a dozen sub areas that make up the complex as a whole. However, the zoo does define it as one large area, so it does meet the criteria of this thread. There isn't a whole lot I need to say that hasn't already been said. The three massive Scripps, Owens and Parker aviaries are some of the greatest of their kind in the world. Tigers, hippos (both common and pygmy), gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, okapi, fishing cats, tapirs, crocodiles, 20+ species of monkeys, wild pigs, about a half of dozen birds of prey, wading birds and more. What a collection! Every exhibit in this zone is also extremely well done and blends in with the lush foliage that is green 24/7. The beautiful foliage also helps guests feel like they are truly experiencing a rainforest. The Treetops Cafe offers a quick grab and go option for those who don't want to waste time eating and serves high quality food, while "Alberts" - named after a gorilla that once resided at the zoo - is a lovely sit down alternative again extremely good food. The eating areas themselves are also incredibly scenic. Even though animals from three different continents are displayed, the whole area is perfectly cohesive. General visitors will love the amount of abc species like tigers, gorillas and hippos and the beautiful foliage that fills the area. Zoo nerds will appreciate rare species like bonobos, fishing cats and capuchin birds. It biggest weakness would probably be the underwhelming Malayan tapir exhibit and getting around can be tiering .
You can certainly do more than one. Congo Gorilla Forest at Bronx and Masoala at Zurich are also ones I would have included if I had seen them.
Of course its up to you to create the criteria that you will go by, but for myself it comes down to four primary factors.
1. The collection of animals present in the complex.
2. The quality of exhibits in the complex.
3. Guest amenities and experiances.
4. How innovative they are in comparison to others.
With that said, here is my candidate for exhibit complexes that could be considered as "the greatest of all time."
The Lost Forest - San Diego Zoo: This was to be expected. It could be debated if this one should count as it takes up nearly half of the zoo and has about a dozen sub areas that make up the complex as a whole. However, the zoo does define it as one large area, so it does meet the criteria of this thread. There isn't a whole lot I need to say that hasn't already been said. The three massive Scripps, Owens and Parker aviaries are some of the greatest of their kind in the world. Tigers, hippos (both common and pygmy), gorillas, bonobos, orangutans, okapi, fishing cats, tapirs, crocodiles, 20+ species of monkeys, wild pigs, about a half of dozen birds of prey, wading birds and more. What a collection! Every exhibit in this zone is also extremely well done and blends in with the lush foliage that is green 24/7. The beautiful foliage also helps guests feel like they are truly experiencing a rainforest. The Treetops Cafe offers a quick grab and go option for those who don't want to waste time eating and serves high quality food, while "Alberts" - named after a gorilla that once resided at the zoo - is a lovely sit down alternative again extremely good food. The eating areas themselves are also incredibly scenic. Even though animals from three different continents are displayed, the whole area is perfectly cohesive. General visitors will love the amount of abc species like tigers, gorillas and hippos and the beautiful foliage that fills the area. Zoo nerds will appreciate rare species like bonobos, fishing cats and capuchin birds. It biggest weakness would probably be the underwhelming Malayan tapir exhibit and getting around can be tiering .
You can certainly do more than one. Congo Gorilla Forest at Bronx and Masoala at Zurich are also ones I would have included if I had seen them.
I'm stuck here looking at mangy animals stuck in tiny cages.
