America's 50 Must See Zoos
- Thread starter pachyderm pro
- Start date
Thanks for the kind words. The number of nine mammals comes from the most recent edition of the International Zoo Yearbook. The other six are presumably off-exhibit. I believe gray-headed flying fox is one them - formally part of the Australia area - and the others are probably program animals and the like.
The gray headed flying fox are no longer on exhibit and are no longer at the Aquarium. They were a semi problematic species when the exhibit opened in 2005 to begin with and the Aquarium listed them as a phase out species as recently as 2014. The last one passed away not long after.
I can't imagine what got them to 9 species, unless that data is as old as when they had harbor seals and the like. They currently have three mammals, none behind the scenes/ambassadors.
They have a big jellyfish collection, and have been one of the leaders in breeding them over the decades.
Australia has 10 or 11 different turtle species I think, along with the crocs, several snakes, and several lizards. The birds range from the common budgies and kookaburras to the rare mulga parrot (only kept at sylvan heights afaik) and fawn-breasted bowerbird. There's always a few employees/volunteers in there who love to talk about the animals.
The rain forest also has people who can help you find things, though that's a bit harder! The scarlet ibis are always the first thing you'll spot, but there's a lot of tanagers and a few other species to find. There's also some free-roaming smooth toads and PDFs, I've never seen a single one. After the rain forest there's a room with ~10 PDF species before you head down into the multi-story, wrap around Atlantic reef tank, which turns into the large shark tank on the bottom couple of floors. There's a total of 12 shark species in the aquarium, the gems being the blacknose shark and the tasselled wobbegong.
They have a big jellyfish collection, and have been one of the leaders in breeding them over the decades.
Australia has 10 or 11 different turtle species I think, along with the crocs, several snakes, and several lizards. The birds range from the common budgies and kookaburras to the rare mulga parrot (only kept at sylvan heights afaik) and fawn-breasted bowerbird. There's always a few employees/volunteers in there who love to talk about the animals.
The rain forest also has people who can help you find things, though that's a bit harder! The scarlet ibis are always the first thing you'll spot, but there's a lot of tanagers and a few other species to find. There's also some free-roaming smooth toads and PDFs, I've never seen a single one. After the rain forest there's a room with ~10 PDF species before you head down into the multi-story, wrap around Atlantic reef tank, which turns into the large shark tank on the bottom couple of floors. There's a total of 12 shark species in the aquarium, the gems being the blacknose shark and the tasselled wobbegong.
The data comes from 2019 so there must have been some sort of shakeup over the last two or three years. Regardless, the on-exhibit mammal count is three.
They definitely didn't have that many mammals a couple of years ago! No idea where that number is from.
In
International Zoo Yearbook figures can be way off it the institution does not bother updating them.
Michigan - Detroit Zoo
Founded: 1928
Size: 125 Acres (50 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 245
Mammals 48
Birds 53
Reptiles & Amphibians 136
Fish 6
Invertebrates 2
Despite consistent improvements over the last decade Detroit is still a blast from the past, but in a good way. It was one of the first American parks to fully embrace the Hagenbeck design ideology that's still present on the grounds, yet at the same time some buildings are so sleek and flashy that they easily contrast with what’s otherwise a very open site. While herp collections at most zoos are rather one-sided, the amount of reptiles and amphibians held at Detroit is almost equal and they each have their own dedicated houses. The National Amphibian Conservation Center stands out the most and displays well over 30 species with an open-topped Japanese giant salamander habitat being the biggest draw. There’s also nearly two-acre wetlands habitat that surrounds the building which provides refuge to wild specimens and overall the extensive focus on amphibians is wonderful. The Polk Penguin Conservation Center is the newest development that just reopened after two years of repairs. It looks almost futuristic and features king, southern rockhopper, gentoo, macaroni, and chinstrap penguins in a single excellent display. The outdoor paddocks all maintain a similar design: spacious fields with mock-rock outcroppings. It works great for larger ungulates, but arguably even better for the smaller species. The aardvark yard might be the best of its kind, the warthogs have an incredibly generous amount of room, and numerous other smaller mammals like red panda, wolverine and matschie’s tree kangaroo have huge spaces. Old carnivore grottos for lions, tigers and bears have all been heavily enhanced over the last decade, maintaining the ancient rockwork while providing significantly larger spaces. The most famous part of the zoo is undoubtedly the Arctic Ring of Life, one of the world's great polar bear complexes. Over 20 years since it’s opening it remains a spectacular set of exhibits and is one of the zoo's biggest crowning achievements.
Polar Bear Exhibit, @Moebelle
Polk Penguin Conservation Center, @Moebelle
Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, @snowleopard
Grizzly Bear Exhibit, @snowleopard
Amphibian Wetlands Exhibit, @snowleopard
Zoochat Gallery:
https://www.zoochat.com/community/media/categories/detroit-zoo.760/
Zoo Website:
Home - Detroit Zoo
Zoo Map:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/58/ba/4e/58ba4e635af0c130e35c594c7d8431ab.jpg
Founded: 1928
Size: 125 Acres (50 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 245
Mammals 48
Birds 53
Reptiles & Amphibians 136
Fish 6
Invertebrates 2
Despite consistent improvements over the last decade Detroit is still a blast from the past, but in a good way. It was one of the first American parks to fully embrace the Hagenbeck design ideology that's still present on the grounds, yet at the same time some buildings are so sleek and flashy that they easily contrast with what’s otherwise a very open site. While herp collections at most zoos are rather one-sided, the amount of reptiles and amphibians held at Detroit is almost equal and they each have their own dedicated houses. The National Amphibian Conservation Center stands out the most and displays well over 30 species with an open-topped Japanese giant salamander habitat being the biggest draw. There’s also nearly two-acre wetlands habitat that surrounds the building which provides refuge to wild specimens and overall the extensive focus on amphibians is wonderful. The Polk Penguin Conservation Center is the newest development that just reopened after two years of repairs. It looks almost futuristic and features king, southern rockhopper, gentoo, macaroni, and chinstrap penguins in a single excellent display. The outdoor paddocks all maintain a similar design: spacious fields with mock-rock outcroppings. It works great for larger ungulates, but arguably even better for the smaller species. The aardvark yard might be the best of its kind, the warthogs have an incredibly generous amount of room, and numerous other smaller mammals like red panda, wolverine and matschie’s tree kangaroo have huge spaces. Old carnivore grottos for lions, tigers and bears have all been heavily enhanced over the last decade, maintaining the ancient rockwork while providing significantly larger spaces. The most famous part of the zoo is undoubtedly the Arctic Ring of Life, one of the world's great polar bear complexes. Over 20 years since it’s opening it remains a spectacular set of exhibits and is one of the zoo's biggest crowning achievements.
Polar Bear Exhibit, @Moebelle
Polk Penguin Conservation Center, @Moebelle
Wildlife Interpretive Gallery, @snowleopard
Grizzly Bear Exhibit, @snowleopard
Amphibian Wetlands Exhibit, @snowleopard
Zoochat Gallery:
https://www.zoochat.com/community/media/categories/detroit-zoo.760/
Zoo Website:
Home - Detroit Zoo
Zoo Map:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/58/ba/4e/58ba4e635af0c130e35c594c7d8431ab.jpg
The wetland around the Amphibian Conservation Center is a reliable place to see the endangered Blanding's Turtle in the wild.
Also, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, despite just reopening, will likely close again soon for longer than it did last time (and last time was over 2 years).
Also, the Polk Penguin Conservation Center, despite just reopening, will likely close again soon for longer than it did last time (and last time was over 2 years).
Detroit is a zoo that I have a conflicting opinion about. The Polk Penguin Center and the NACC are both excellent, some of my favorite zoo exhibits I've ever seen. However, the rest of the zoo really falls short in my eyes. The enclosures are really almost too large, you feel like you're walking long distances to see only a few species, most of which aren't difficult to find at other zoos. And in many of those enclosures, you aren't even likely to see the animals. Good luck ever seeing those warthogs, Aardvarks, or Polar Bears, the odds aren't in your favor.
Arctic Ring of Life is probably the most overrated zoo exhibit ever. The bears aren't likely to show, so the whole thing seems like a gigantic waste of space, especially now that the foxes are gone. I haven't seen the Sea Otters since they came in, so I can't comment on how that exhibit is for them.
Combine that with the massive reduction of species at Detroit over the past few years and while Detroit is objectively a great zoo it just doesn't feel right to me.
Also, Binder Park Zoo is quite the snub!
Arctic Ring of Life is probably the most overrated zoo exhibit ever. The bears aren't likely to show, so the whole thing seems like a gigantic waste of space, especially now that the foxes are gone. I haven't seen the Sea Otters since they came in, so I can't comment on how that exhibit is for them.
Combine that with the massive reduction of species at Detroit over the past few years and while Detroit is objectively a great zoo it just doesn't feel right to me.
Also, Binder Park Zoo is quite the snub!
Detroit Zoo is a great choice and I'm a huge fan of the facility. I think that the Penguinarium and Amphibian House are both world-class, plus the Reptile House is excellent and there is scarcely a poor exhibit anywhere in the zoo's 125 acres. It's a big, popular (1.5 million annual visitors), terrific zoo with a mixture of historic and modern habitats.
The zoo does especially well with cold-blooded animals, with the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles (built in 1960) having 41 exhibits and every terrarium is of a decent size. The National Amphibian Conservation Center has 25 exhibits, plus there is the 2-acre wetlands with native wildlife between the two buildings. There are loads of spacious paddocks, with some huge exhibits for species such as chimpanzees, warthogs, wolves and a number of other mammals.
I think part of my love for the Detroit Zoo comes down to timing and luck. When I was there in 2008 I spent a long time observing polar bears and seals swimming above the underwater tunnel, plus a major highlight was seeing an active aardvark shuffling around its huge exhibit. On my return visit in 2018, I once again had some great experiences. Two aardvarks digging like crazy in their enormous sandbox, grizzly bears actively roaming their expanded 1928 grottoes, hardly any visitors in the amazing Penguinarium, and Matschie's tree kangaroos moving around high up in trees.
The zoo has come in for some valid criticism for the lack of new species added in the past couple of decades. Also, regular visitors have noted a gradual decrease in the number of animals on exhibit. However, Detroit Zoo has done an absolutely brilliant job of building better exhibits for existing species. Penguins, grizzly bears, giraffes (barn), lions, tigers, river otters, red pandas and Japanese salamanders have all received major upgrades in recent years. Improving a whole slew of existing enclosures, plus adding a $30 million Penguin House, means that Detroit Zoo will always rank high on my personal list.
The zoo does especially well with cold-blooded animals, with the Holden Museum of Living Reptiles (built in 1960) having 41 exhibits and every terrarium is of a decent size. The National Amphibian Conservation Center has 25 exhibits, plus there is the 2-acre wetlands with native wildlife between the two buildings. There are loads of spacious paddocks, with some huge exhibits for species such as chimpanzees, warthogs, wolves and a number of other mammals.
I think part of my love for the Detroit Zoo comes down to timing and luck. When I was there in 2008 I spent a long time observing polar bears and seals swimming above the underwater tunnel, plus a major highlight was seeing an active aardvark shuffling around its huge exhibit. On my return visit in 2018, I once again had some great experiences. Two aardvarks digging like crazy in their enormous sandbox, grizzly bears actively roaming their expanded 1928 grottoes, hardly any visitors in the amazing Penguinarium, and Matschie's tree kangaroos moving around high up in trees.
The zoo has come in for some valid criticism for the lack of new species added in the past couple of decades. Also, regular visitors have noted a gradual decrease in the number of animals on exhibit. However, Detroit Zoo has done an absolutely brilliant job of building better exhibits for existing species. Penguins, grizzly bears, giraffes (barn), lions, tigers, river otters, red pandas and Japanese salamanders have all received major upgrades in recent years. Improving a whole slew of existing enclosures, plus adding a $30 million Penguin House, means that Detroit Zoo will always rank high on my personal list.
tiger stingray
Member
I also had a great experience at the Detroit zoo. I was there last November and a polar bear cub was wrestling with a grizzly bear cub in the Arctic ring of life exhibit. I believe these encounters went viral so you can probably find video of them playing. Detroit zoo is outstanding.
otusasio451
Member
Wow, New England Aquarium got shafted! With that, practically all of New England is out of the running at this point, except maybe for the Roger Williams Zoo.
Last edited:
I am a New Englander, and I'm confident New England Aquarium does not belong on this list. I'd choose Mystic over New England Aquarium whenever given the choice, and while NEAQ is a solid Aquarium, it has nothing overly notable that warrants its inclusion. Roger Williams Park Zoo is also unlikely to make the list, it's a solid zoo- but nothing overly special that warrants it a must-see.
I think if Mystic didn't get in, there is no way in hell RWPZ would get in. This is coming from a Rhode Islander btw.
In my experience, aquariums in general have this issue. They have really standardized over the years. Even unique aquariums that focus on one type of theme have become more generic. The Florida Aquarium used to "tell the story of water in Florida from the spring to the open ocean", but now they have changed things and added non-Florida animals and fish to become more generic. The same can be said of Tennessee Aquarium. It is the rare aquarium these days that really shines and is unique.
This is coming from someone that really loves aquariums and has seen a fair amount the the USA.
otusasio451
Member
In truth, I'm still a relative novice in this community (with only 12 zoos and 6 aquariums under my belt), but I always considered Mystic and NEAQ to be pretty great aquariums. I agree, though, that Mystic is leagues better than NEAQ. Haven't been to RWPZ, so I'll take your word on that one. It does make sense to me that Franklin Park Zoo and Beardsley didn't make the list.
Last edited:
They are certainly both great Aquariums. However, there are more than 50 US Zoos and Aquariums that'd be considered "great". Hence, there are plenty of "great" zoos and Aquariums who will not be included in this thread, for better or for worse.
Minnesota - Minnesota Zoo
Founded: 1978
Size: 485 Acres (196 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 522
Mammals 63
Birds 112
Reptiles & Amphibians 41
Fish 240
Invertebrates 66
Being one of the northernmost major zoos in the country may limit collection diversity, but if done correctly can be extremely beneficial for exhibit design. With a large rainforest house as an exception, the zoo specializes in animals that can be outdoors year-round in a northern climate and lack many ABC species like elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions, hippos, and great apes as a result. The enormous entrance building connects all of the indoor attractions under one roof to prevent guests from having to traverse the outdoor loop during a frigid Minnesota winter. Discovery Bay is the zoo's aquarium that’s slightly underwhelming, although Hawaiian monk seals were a neat addition, but now the zoo is down to its last individual so the future of that habitat is up in the air. The outdoor trails are where the zoo truly reaches it's apex. Minnesota Trail has an excellent collection of North American wildlife. Wolverine and fisher are particularly neat highlights alongside an excellent black bear habitat. The main series of outdoor habitats are vast fields and rolling hillsides for ungulates, but no African savannah here. Instead, multi-acre paddocks for bison, moose, takin, caribou and other northern species. The pair of tiger exhibits are absolutely gigantic and can be argued to be the best of their kind on the continent, and nearby is a stunning forest habitat for dholes. An unshowy and easy to miss cabin for native mussel species is a real gem as well. The zoo's most impressive attraction however is Russia’s Grizzly Coast, a spectacular complex themed around the Kamchatka Peninsula with grizzly bears, amur leopards, sea otters and wild boar. It’s a brilliantly designed series of habitats with some fascinating species, incredible detail, and it shows just successful a zoo keeping only cold tolerant species can be.
Grizzly Bear Exhibit, @Ding Lingwei
Sichuan Takin Exhibit, @Milwaukee Man
Tropical Reef Tank, @snowleopard
American Black Bear Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
Smaller Amur Tiger Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
Zoochat Gallery:
Minnesota Zoo - ZooChat
Zoo Website:
Home - Minnesota Zoo
Zoo Map:
https://mnzoo.org/pdfs/MNZooMap2021.pdf
Founded: 1978
Size: 485 Acres (196 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 522
Mammals 63
Birds 112
Reptiles & Amphibians 41
Fish 240
Invertebrates 66
Being one of the northernmost major zoos in the country may limit collection diversity, but if done correctly can be extremely beneficial for exhibit design. With a large rainforest house as an exception, the zoo specializes in animals that can be outdoors year-round in a northern climate and lack many ABC species like elephants, giraffes, rhinos, lions, hippos, and great apes as a result. The enormous entrance building connects all of the indoor attractions under one roof to prevent guests from having to traverse the outdoor loop during a frigid Minnesota winter. Discovery Bay is the zoo's aquarium that’s slightly underwhelming, although Hawaiian monk seals were a neat addition, but now the zoo is down to its last individual so the future of that habitat is up in the air. The outdoor trails are where the zoo truly reaches it's apex. Minnesota Trail has an excellent collection of North American wildlife. Wolverine and fisher are particularly neat highlights alongside an excellent black bear habitat. The main series of outdoor habitats are vast fields and rolling hillsides for ungulates, but no African savannah here. Instead, multi-acre paddocks for bison, moose, takin, caribou and other northern species. The pair of tiger exhibits are absolutely gigantic and can be argued to be the best of their kind on the continent, and nearby is a stunning forest habitat for dholes. An unshowy and easy to miss cabin for native mussel species is a real gem as well. The zoo's most impressive attraction however is Russia’s Grizzly Coast, a spectacular complex themed around the Kamchatka Peninsula with grizzly bears, amur leopards, sea otters and wild boar. It’s a brilliantly designed series of habitats with some fascinating species, incredible detail, and it shows just successful a zoo keeping only cold tolerant species can be.
Grizzly Bear Exhibit, @Ding Lingwei
Sichuan Takin Exhibit, @Milwaukee Man
Tropical Reef Tank, @snowleopard
American Black Bear Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
Zoochat Gallery:
Minnesota Zoo - ZooChat
Zoo Website:
Home - Minnesota Zoo
Zoo Map:
https://mnzoo.org/pdfs/MNZooMap2021.pdf