Overlooked and Underrated: The Zoos of Wisconsin

birdsandbats said:
I’m not the biggest fan of the agouti exhibit (as I noted in the post above), while it looks kind of cool it’s really immersion breaking. I do like the tortoise house though. There’s even a spine on the ceiling inside!
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It definitely is an enclosure purchased by a commercial brand. I think commercially-made enclosures are fine for off-show areas, but they don't look the best as main zoo exhibits. They don't bother me when they're just outdoor exhibits for ambassador animals, like how Henry Vilas has one in front of their pavilion, but they really made a choice putting it as their main agouti exhibit.
 
International Crane Foundation

Location: Baraboo
Size: ~300 acres (~121 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 1 hour
Ownership: Non-profit organization
AZA-accredited

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 0 species
Birds: 15 species
Herps: 0 species
Fish: 0 species
Arthropods: 0 species
Total: 15 species

Notable rarities: Brolga, Eurasian Crane, Siberian Crane, Whooping Crane, Hooded Crane, Black-necked Crane

Best exhibits: The whole facility

Gallery: International Crane Foundation - ZooChat

International Crane Foundation is a superb specialist collection, and what all specialist collections should strive to be. ICF focuses on cranes (obviously), and is the only facility in the world to showcase all 15 species to the public. Formerly, this was done in simple grassy yards, but after a $10 Million renovation in 2019, the birds are now showcased in large marshy enclosures. There is one for each species, and each enclosure feels uniquely built for that species. Most have netted tops, a couple are even walk-ins, and several have large murals showcasing the species' native habitat and the local culture from the crane's habitat. It is truly some of the best exhibitry in any zoo, anywhere.

The birds, enclosures, and murals are not the extent of ICF's amazing presentation, either. The signage is among the best in all of zoos. It showcases everything you might want from zoo signage - the species name, natural history, range, habitat, diet, cultural significance, conservation status and efforts, it even showcases important flyway stops! There's a sign at each habitat for other endangered animals and plants positively impacted by protecting that species' habitat! As if all that wasn't enough, the Cranes and Culture Plaza showcases the importance of cranes in cultures around the world, with a particular emphasis on Buddhism. Here you can see crane sculptures from all over and even spin some prayer wheels. There's also lots of opportunities to view nature here as well - the whole facility is situated on a restored prairie/savanna environment, with lots of wild animals around. There's several miles of hiking trails, and you might even see some wild cranes - a wild pair of Whooping Cranes even bred here a few years ago!

ICF is even more important as a conservation organisation than it is a must-see on the Wisconsin zoo landscape. Not only does ICF manage all of the global breeding programs for all crane species, but they work directly with every species in-situ as well. ICF is the reason the Whooping Crane (and also Crested Ibis) even survives to this day. Just paying admission and contributing in a small way to help these majestic birds in the wild feels completely worth it by itself. Seeing one of the greatest specialist zoos in the world is just a bonus.

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Siberian Crane exhibit (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Wattled Crane exhibit (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Demoiselle Crane exhibit (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Black-necked Crane exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Crane Fountain at Cranes and Culture Plaza (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Whooping Crane exhibit (photo by @Milwaukee Man)

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Signage example (this isn't even all of it for that species) (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Whooping Crane (photo by @birdsandbats)
 
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One of the facilities from the start I knew was going to be on here. It's signage is one of the most modern-looking in the Midwest, It doesn't deserve to be left in the shadows!
 
Wildwood Zoo

Location: Marshfield
Size: ~67 acres (~27 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 1 hour
Ownership: Municipality
Non-AZA

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 15 species
Birds: 6 species
Herps: 5 species
Fish: 1 species
Arthropods: 1 species
Total: 28 species

Notable rarities: Kodiak Bear, Mountain Goat

Best exhibits: Carnivore habitats, Education Center, Zoo Drive

Species list: Wildwood Zoo Full Species List [Wildwood Zoo]
Gallery: Wildwood Zoo - ZooChat

Wisconsin is filled with tiny, municipally-owned zoos, it often seems that every other town has their little collection of exotic animals that they are proud to call their zoo. These collections usually take less than an hour to see and have no interesting qualities whatsoever. They're rarely bad, they're just not good. But one of these zoos stands as a rising star above the rest - Wildwood Park & Zoo in Marshfield.

Focusing exclusively on North American species, Wildwood Zoo is probably the most consistently high-quality zoo I have ever visited. Every single exhibit here is above-average in quality, and several are truly excellent. Easily the highlight is Wildwood Zoo's main attraction - the JP Adler Kodiak Bear exhibit. Built in 2015, this tiny, free zoo managed to spend $1.3 Million renovating their tiny bear grotto into one of the best Brown Bear exhibits in North America. The exhibit is made up of two halves - one side the renovated bear grotto, tripled in area and with a pool added, and the about an acre of forest fenced in, complete with an entire pond. The two sides are connected by an overhead "bear bridge". Combine this with the rare 100% pure Kodiak Bear (only one other US holder), and Wildwood Zoo is worth visiting just for this exhibit.

Of course, the rest of the zoo is great, zoo. The Bobcat/Canada Lynx rotational exhibit is fairly large. The large Cougar exhibit is new in 2020 and is much better than most exhibits for that species. The Education Center has a nice small collection of US native ecotherms and one of the better hands-on play areas for kids I've seen, even featuring a tank of Green Sunfish within it. The raptor aviaries (especially the one for Bald Eagle) are fairly large and more naturalistic than most.

The main zoo area (what has been covered so far) is quite small, the bulk of the zoo's acreage comes from the Zoo Drive, a drive-through section of the zoo that is easy to miss if you aren't looking for the entrance. Zoo Drive has several large, grassy ungulate paddocks that can be viewed from the road or from lookout tower. The species list is fairly standard for the most part but the yards are very large (the smallest is about an acre). The final and smallest yard in the Zoo Drive will be the one of interest to most ZooChatters as it contains a single Mountain Goat.

Wildwood Zoo is a wonderful little place to spend an hour or so. The Brown Bear exhibit is just as good as the often-mentioned best exhibits such as Minnesota, Saint Louis and Woodland Park, and its inhabitants make it even more interesting, I think. The rest of this wonderful little zoo is just as good, too! This is another zoo that is an equally good visit in the winter as in summer, but I personally recommend a visit in May when the spring ephemerals are in bloom. The trilliums and bellflowers make the zoo look very pretty.

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Kodiak Bear exhibit - renovated grotto half (photo by @snowleopard)

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Kodiak Bear exhibit - forested half (photo by @snowleopard)

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Bald Eagle aviary (photo by @snowleopard)

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Sandhill Crane exhibit (photo by @snowleopard)

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Gray/Arctic Fox exhibit (photo by @snowleopard)

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Bobcat/Canada Lynx rotated exhibit (photo by @snowleopard

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American Bison exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats

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Mountain Goat exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats)
 
Milwaukee County Zoo

Location: Milwaukee
Size: ~164 acres (~159 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 6-7 hours
Ownership: County
AZA-accredited

Collection (on-display)
Mammals: 50 species
Birds: 85 species
Herps: 36 species
Fish: ~60 species
Arthropods: 2 species
Total: ~232 species

Notable rarities: Bonobo, Whooping Crane, Spangled Cotinga, Egyptian Plover, Madagascar Teal, Greater Malayan Chevrotain, Pale-mandibled Aracari, Thompson's Gazelle, Senegal Bushbaby, Common Vampire Bat

Best exhibits: Mahler Family Aviary, Aquatic and Reptile Center, Africa/Asia/South America

Species list: Milwaukee County Zoo Full Species List June 2019 [Milwaukee County Zoo]
Gallery: Milwaukee County Zoo - ZooChat

Milwaukee is by far Wisconsin's largest zoo, and easily the most well-known zoo that will be covered on this thread. Milwaukee County Zoo is located in a beautiful forested island in an urban sea. As the zoo is fenced, there are no wild deer here, so the forest here is actually one of the highest quality examples of southern mesic forest left in the state. Listen for the songs of the State Threatened Acadian Flycatcher coming from the woods at various areas through the zoo.

Milwaukee is very different from other major American zoos in the fact that visiting Milwaukee feels in many ways like a trip backwards in time - most of the zoo's exhibits and infrastructure date back to when the zoo was built in 1961, giving Milwaukee an antique feel not found in other North American zoos.

The main section of the zoo is the old grottos in the center - Africa/Asia/South America and North America. These grottos are in the classic Hagenbeck style and have higher predator exhibits overlooking lower prey exhibits. Milwaukee was actually the first North American zoo to have exhibits in this style, although many zoos copied this style later. Many of these exhibits are on the small side or obviously too small for their inhabitants today, even if they were innovative at the time. The thankfully now empty exhibits for Polar Bear and Bush Elephants in particular were much too small. These grottos won't last too much longer however - this area is in the process of being made into the modern Adventure Africa complex. The already constructed Adventure Africa enclosures are quite bland however, so while they are clearly better for their inhabitants it is in many ways a shame the historical grottos are going.

The zoo's other relic of the past is the Small Mammal house. Split into a diurnal half and a nocturnal half, the exhibits here are clearly too small for every inhabitant. A few years ago the collection in this house was excellent, however the zoo has been (rightfully) phasing species out in recent years. While the loss of species in this building should really be celebrated, the species leaving vs staying really is disappointing. Animals like dourocouli, Potto, Tayra, and Common Dwarf Mongoose have been replaced with species like Prehensile-tailed Porcupine, Goeldi's Monkey, and Cotton-top Tamarin, the latter two of which are also found in the primate house.

The most modern sections of the zoo are the three buildings near the main entrance - Primates of the World, Mahler Family Aviary, and Aquatic and Reptile Center. Primates of the World is a heavily renovated old building that has very high highs and very low lows. The indoor exhibits for gorillas and Bonobos are pretty nice, if the outdoor exhibits leave much to be desired. The exhibits for Goeldi's Monkeys and a Wattled Curassow is one of the best in the entire zoo, being heavily planted and resembling a real rainforest. The orangutan exhibit is much too small. The other exhibits in Primates of the World are pretty average. The AARC has some very nice large fish tanks including one for Amazon species, one for Pacific kelp forest species, and one for native species. The aviary is the best part of the zoo, IMO. While the species list isn't particularly impressive, the aviaries are huge, naturalistic, and have tons of hiding spots. Trying to find all of the species in one visit is some of the most fun I've ever had at a zoo and really does feel like birding.

Milwaukee is a major mega-zoo with a unique historical feel and some great exhibits (but also some not-so-great exhibits). It truly is a very nice visit for all zoo fans, but especially bird fans and zoo historians. The zoo will likely go under pretty big changes in the coming years, and with the recent change in directors no one knows quite what those changes will look like. We can only hope they will Milwaukee better than it is now.

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South America paddock with Jaguar exhibit in back (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Free-flight Room in aviary (photo by @ZooNerd1234)

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Small Mammals building (photo by @MKE Zoo guy)

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Bonobo indoor exhibit (photo by @Moebelle)

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Harbor Seal and Polar Bear exhibits (the bear exhibit is now empty) (photo by @pachyderm pro)

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Amazon Flooded Forest tank (photo by @geomorph)

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Bush Elephant yard in Adventure Africa (photo by @ZooNerd1234)

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African Savanna paddock with Cheetah exhibit in background (photo by @snowleopard)
 
Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin

Location: Appleton
Size: ~4.2 acres (~1.7 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 0.5 hour
Ownership: Private
Non-AZA

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 0 species
Birds: 0 species
Herps: 1 species
Fish: 0 species
Arthropods: 13 species
Total: 14 species (based on August 2021 visit, species on-display constantly shifting)

Notable rarities: Several species of native lepidoptera and sometimes odonata, species on-display constantly shifting.

Best exhibits: Butterfly Dome

Species list: Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin Full Species List [Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin]
Gallery: Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin - ZooChat

The butterfly house is a very familiar and classic type of zoo exhibit, and occasionally these exhibits appear as a full zoo. They all feel exactly the same - a little indoor rainforest with the same 20 or so neotropical butterfly species. Such an exhibit is fun for families, but is quite bland for the seasoned zoo enthusiast and usually losses a lot of its educational value by exhibiting only adult butterflies and, if you're lucky, chrysalises.

Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin is a different approach on the butterfly house, however. Instead of being an indoor rainforest room, this seasonal zoo uses an outdoor netted dome. Rather than using exotic butterflies imported as chrysalises from Central America, BGOW exhibits native species that they breed themselves.

There are two sections to BGOW - the entrance room and the dome itself. In the entrance room, there are a number of terrariums containing pupas, chrysalises, and caterpillars of various lepidoptera species, as well a beehive and sometimes some herp exhibits (as noted above, the species on display in all parts of the facility are constantly shifting). There are even open air exhibits for a few caterpillar species.

In the dome itself, the adult insects are the main attractions, although you may find eggs, larvae, and pupae hidden among the foliage. Sometimes dragonflies are also kept in the dome, although they are not always present. The butterflies here are all extremely tame, even more so than in many other butterfly houses, and will tolerate being gently picked up. Butterflies will land on you whether you want them to or not. Additional terrariums for a variety of herps can sometimes also be found in the dome.

Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin is a unique take on a classic zoo type and a nice place to spend half an hour. They work to captive breed several declining native butterfly species as well as tagging and releasing Monarchs every fall. The constantly changing list of species on exhibit is annoying in some ways but it does make every visit unique.

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Butterfly Dome from outside (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Monarch caterpillar and chrysalis exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Cecropia Moth caterpillar (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Cabbage White (photo by @birdsandbats)
 
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Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

Location: Green Bay
Size: ~600 acres (~243 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 1-1.5 hour
Ownership: Municipality
Non-AZA

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 16 species
Birds: 56 species
Herps: 16 species
Fish: 0 species
Arthropods: 3 species
Total: 91 species

Notable rarities: White-tailed Kite, Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owl, Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long-eared Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, Merlin, Black Scoter, Bonaparte's Gull, Southern Flying Squirrel, North American Deer Mouse, several species of rarely-exhibited native passerines and other small birds

Best exhibits: Observation Building, Raptor Trail, Wildlife Habi-Trek

Species List: Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary species list [Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary]
Gallery: Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary - ZooChat

Green Bay's other zoological attraction, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary is overlooked as a zoo despite being extremely popular with families, thanks to its free admission and the fact that it's located across the street from the extremely popular Bay Beach Amusement Park. BBWS is located around a series of lagoons that connect to Lake Michigan, and most of the grounds are forested. Bay Beach's collection is almost entirely made up nonreleasable wild animals, and the few exotic species to be found here are mostly confiscated pets.

The most stand out part of the facility, in my opinion, is the bird collection. The highlight of the bird collection is the Raptor Trail. Although the aviaries are quite basic, this is made up for the fantastic collection, one of the largest on-display raptor collections in North America. Found here are such rarities as White-tailed Kite, Gyrfalcon, Short-eared Owl, and Northern Saw-whet Owl. Also on this trail is an outdoor free-flight aviary with several species of native waterfowl.

Adjacent to the Raptor Trail is the Observation Building. There are several exhibits in this building, the most impressive of which are three large aviaries containing a variety of native bird species - one for woodland species, one for prairie species, and one for wetland species. Many of these species are rarely exhibit in captivity. The wetland aviary is open-fronted, and few bird species can and do leave this aviary and wander the building - look for the Wood Ducks, Black-crowned Night-Heron, and Bonaparte's Gull perched in odd places around the building. Also to be found in this building are a large exhibit for a colony of Straw-colored Fruit Bats, a variety of different herp exhibits, and some far-too-small cages for some additional native bird species.

The Wildlife Habi-Trek is where Bay Beach's larger mammal species are found, and it utilizes the forest setting well with huge enclosures for Coyote, Gray Wolf and White-tailed Deer/Sandhill Crane. Some smaller exhibits here (but by no means bad) include aviaries for American Crow/North American Porcupine and Common Raven, as well as fairly average exhibits for Cougar, Bobcat, Red Fox, and North American River Otter.

Located on the Wildlife Habi-Trek, the Woodland Building is an excellent nocturnal house. The highlights are the extremely active Southern Flying Squirrels, which live in a large mixed exhibit with an Eastern Cottontail. Also nice are the usually active North American Deer Mice, as well as the large exhibit for a pair of Striped Skunks.

The final exhibit area is the Nature Center, which is more of a natural history museum/play area with a few animal exhibits. This building is mostly skippable, but there are a couple potentially interesting species in here including Salmon-crested Cockatoo and European Starling.

Bay Beach was founded in 1935 to protect the then-endangered Giant Canada Goose, and it's still a great site for birding. While this is a strength in my eyes, many may see it as a downside. Those geese are still there today, and they get extremely aggressive in spring. Basically the entire zoo area is covered in poop from the hundreds of Canada Geese, Mallards, Wild Turkeys, and American Black Ducks that make their home here year-round.

Bay Beach is a wonderful native species collection and somewhat of a hidden gem. It can easily be done in one day with NEW Zoo and I highly recommend doing that. A visit in fall can also be highly productive for birding (it can be in spring too if you're okay being attacked by geese).

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Bald Eagle exhibit (photo by @Milwaukee Man)

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Prairie Aviary in Observation Building (photo by @snowleopard)

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Coyote exhibit (photo by @snowleopard)

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Woodland Building interior - Eastern Screech-Owl exhibit on left, Southern Flying Squirrel/Eastern Cottontail exhibit on right (photo by @snowleopard)

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Nature Center main room (photo by @snowleopard)

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Resch Falls, between Observation Building and Nature Center (photo by @snowleopard)
 
Good stuff so far! You aren't getting nearly enough recognition for your hard work, probably because Wisconsin is hardly the first place in the world that comes to mind when a zoo nerd looks for their next travel destination. I've been to total of five including two covered so far, and I can imagine the other three will probably show up at some point. Among all of the roadside rubbish this state has to offer, there are some gems to be found, and my favorite is definitely the International Crane Foundation. I didn't plan on visiting until about an hour before I arrived there, and it really is a remarkable place isn't it. No zoo is perfect, but it's the closest thing to a flawless institution I have ever seen.

Wildwood and Bay Beach are ones I'd like to see eventually, and there are one or two other Wisconsin places I'd be interested in checking out if the opportunity arises. Hopefully they will be featured later on the list. :)
 
Jack R. Facente Serpentarium (MToxins Venom Lab)

Location: Oshkosh
Size: ~0.1 acre (~0.05 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 0.5-1 hour
Ownership: Private
Non-AZA

Collection (On-Display Only)
Mammals: 0 species
Birds: 2 species
Herps: 56 species
Arthropods: 0 species
Total: 58 species

Notable rarities: Many species of venomous snakes, including Rinkhals, Jameson's Mamba, Sakishima Habu, ect. Also a variety of venomous inverts including Deathstalker Scorpion and an undescribed centipede species.

Best exhibits: Really the whole facility

Species List: Jack Facente Serpentarium/MToxins Vemom Lab Review + Full Species List [Jack R. Facente Serpentarium]
Gallery: Jack R. Facente Serpentarium - ZooChat

Sitting inconspicuously on an old street corner in Oshkosh is a zoological facility that few know and none expect to find there. Despite the somewhat sketchy-looking exterior, Jack R. Facente Serpentarium (or MToxins Venom Lab, whichever you prefer) is excellent and you won't regret venturing inside.

This one-room zoo is in actuality primarily an operating venom lab, one of only nine in the world (and one of even fewer open to the public), The main room is filled with excellent bioactive terrariums holding a variety of reptiles (mostly venomous snakes) on two side, with a view into the venom lab on another wall. Each of these terrariums is excellent and clearly built with its inhabitant in mind. This really is some of the best reptile exhibitry I've seen, which is nice as reptiles often seem to exist primarily as filler in so many other zoos.

The facility's odd opening hours (only a few hours each day on weekends and Fridays only) are picked specifically for the maximum amount of action during any given visit. The lab will be in operation during these hours, and a variety of animal ambassadors will be out at all times. So yes, you'll get to see snake venom being harvested and get to interact with all sorts of animals (the ambassadors are not just limited to reptiles, there's also a few mammals, birds, and inverts that may come out as well). The owner will also be present during opening hours and it's always nice to chat with him.

Jack R. Facente Serpentarium may well be the most overlooked zoo in the US. One of the largest on-exhibit venomous snake collections in the world is here, and the opportunity to see the venom lab in action is just amazing. This is absolutely a must-see zoo for even those with only a passing interest in reptiles.

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Enclosure example (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Signage example (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Venom lab (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Venom extraction in-progress (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Monocled Cobra (photo by @birdsandbats)
 
Wildwood Wildlife Park

Location: Minocqua
Size: ~259 acres (~105 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 6-7 hours
Ownership: Private
Non-AZA (but is ZAA accredited)

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 68 species
Birds: 114 species
Herps: 29 species
Fish: 3 species
Arthropods: 6 species
Total: 221 species

Notable rarities: Too many to list

Best exhibits: The recent expansions such as the primate exhibits, the outdoor aviaries, and the safari

Species list: Wildwood Wildlife Park Full Species List [Wildwood Wildlife Park]
Gallery (does not accurately reflect the current state of the zoo): Wildwood Wildlife Park - ZooChat

Wildwood Wildlife Park (not to be confused with Wildwood Zoo) is America's biggest zoo in the middle of nowhere. Minocqua, the city Wildwood Wildlife Park is located in had a population of only 326 in the 2020 census, and that number is down from 2010! Minocqua is well over an hour's drive from any town of decent size, yet somehow Wildwood Wildlife Park has grown to become an all-day zoo and the second largest in Wisconsin. How it has managed that is beyond me.

Wildwood Wildlife Park is, at its core, a roadside zoo. But, it's an improving roadside zoo. Most of the photos in the gallery are from a visit in 2014. In these photos, you can see a variety of crappy exhibits, and yes, a lot of these are still there. But the zoo has really improved since then. It has also substantially increased in size, with the new enclosures added in those areas being much better. Nothing amazing, but average to above average in quality. Now that these expansions are done, the zoo continues to renovate and replace the old enclosures.

The zoo is clearly divided into 4 sections, plus the safari ride, making 5 distinct areas. There is no theme to any of these areas but each one has a completely different feel and absolutely feel like 5 different zoos.

Section One is by far the smallest, featuring only 4 enclosures. This area is actually between the entrance the parking lot and can be viewed without paying admission. The most interesting thing here is a waterfowl pond featuring 17 different species, teasing Wildwood WP's excellent bird (and especially waterfowl collections). The only other thing of note here is the fact that Muskellunge is the first species you see here, which may be the weirdest entrance animal ever.

Section Two is the first you see after paying admission and the most "roadside" feeling this facility gets. The enclosures here are all tiny and cramped and you can't help but feel bad for all of the animals that live here. Most of the animals here are ambassadors and many of them can be interacted with. This section is very small but also packed (in a bad way) with 29 separate enclosures here.

Section Three is the largest section and has the largest range is quality of all the different sections here. The massive changes in quality here are quite jarring as you go from a large rocky exhibit for Snow Leopard to a cramped tiny corncrib packed with five porcupines. There's more good than bad here but the section is large enough that there's still quite a few exhibits that will leave a bad taste in your mouth. The collection of Section Three is just as chaotic as the the exhibit quality and the nearly 100 enclosures here range from everything to spiders to kangaroos to Zebra Finches. This entire section is also a walk-through enclosure for White-tailed Deer. This section feels like a modern zoo that is a bit behind the times, and as the most of the renovations are concentrated in this section, in a few years most of the poor enclosures will likely be gone.

Section Four is the newest section where the zoo really shines. This section if focused mostly on birds, with a variety of species being showcased mainly in basic (but perfectly adequate) aviaries for a variety of species. Here can be found such rarities as Greater Prairie-Chicken, Black-throated Magpie-Jay, Keel-billed Toucan, Ruddy-headed Goose, and others. There's also a small but very pleasant primate complex using wooden climbing frames to create some functionally excellent (if not naturalistic) enclosures. Also here is what is probably one of the best Capybara exhibits in the world - just a natural swamp fenced in. The Safari Ride also leaves from here, and is a perfectly fine safari ride with large grassy pastures.

Overall, Wildwood Wildlife Park is really a hidden gem in the center of nowhere. There's not many excellent things here, but most of the zoo is fine exhibit wise and the things that aren't will likely not be there much longer. The list of rarities is truly remarkable and bird collection in particular is excellent. If Wildwood WP was closer to a major population center more people would be talking about it and it would likely be considered a fairly well-known major zoo, but its out of the way location is holding it back from more recognition. I do thoroughly recommend it.

As the galley doesn't really reflect the current state of the zoo, the options of photos I have to use in the gallery is fairly limited. Hopefully more ZooChatters will visit this zoo and fill out its gallery better.

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Capybara/Black Swan exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Oddly-shaped Western Rosella exhibit (photo by @birdsandbats)

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Primate and Reptile House interior (photo by @snowleopard)

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Emu/Dromedary/Llama exhibit (photo by @snowleopard)

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Bald Eagle aviary (photo by @snowleopard)
 
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Ochsner Park Zoo

Location: Baraboo
Size: ~3.5 acres (~1.38 hectares)
Approximate Visit Time: 0.5 hour
Ownership: Municipality
Non-AZA (but looking to be accredited soon)

Collection (on-display only)
Mammals: 14 species
Birds: 10 species
Herps: 1 species
Fish: 0 species
Arthropods: 0 species
Total: 24 species

Notable rarities: None. The rarest thing they have is Mexican Gray Wolves.

Best exhibits: The whole zoo is solid

Species list (a bit outdated now): Ochsner Park Zoo Species List [Ochsner Park Zoo]
Gallery: Ochsner Park Zoo - ZooChat

In a world where so many zoos struggle to utilize their space well and end up not being the zoo they could be, Ochsner Park Zoo is a beacon of hope in the darkness. Ochsner Park Zoo may be small, but it utilizes its limited space so effectively and efficiently that it truly is remarkable. Not a single inch of space feels wasted here, every single square foot of space is utilized as an exhibit, or a path, or a bathroom, or something. There's no wasted lawns here.

Exhibit and collection wise, this zoo is just fine. Nothing stands out at all. The zoo feels pleasant but not much much else. But that space utilization is so efficient that larger zoos could really learn from it and it just feels like it has to make this list.

The best exhibits are the handful of recent additions, which includes the river otter exhibit, the North American mixed species yard (White-tailed Deer, Bald Eagle, Canada Goose and Sandhill Crane) and the Emu yard. There's nothing bad here, although the bear and wolf exhibits are perhaps a bit on the small side. This zoo is currently going for AZA-accreditation and will likely continue to improve.

It's hard to really say much more. Just reading this I imagine it's hard to see what's special about Ochsner Park Zoo, but if you visited you would understand what I'm saying here - it has to be seen to be believed. Luckily, this zoo is right near ICF and easy to do in the same day. I promise it would be absolutely worth your time to do so.

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Mexican Wolf exhibit (photo by @Milwaukee Man)

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Tufted Capuchin exhibit (photo by @Milwaukee Man)

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North American mixed-species yard (photo by @Milwaukee Man)

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North American River Otter exhibit (photo by @Wild wolverine)
 
And that's all of the zoos I'm giving full profiles on the thread. Here's some honorable mentions with some quick mini-reviews:

Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison)
Henry Vilas Zoo is a fairly well-known AZA collection in Wisconsin's second largest city, so I figured it was a given and had to be featured on this thread. But, honestly? When I sat down to write the review, I realized I had little to say. The zoo is fine, there's nothing bad here. But not much stands out, either. Wisconsin Heritage is probably the world's best American Badger exhibit, but that's just about the only thing I could think of to talk in my review. Arctic Passage and the Tropical Aviary are pretty good, I guess? If you ever find yourself in Madison it's a good zoo to spend a couple hours, but unless you really like American Badgers there isn't much you should go out of your way to see here.

Racine Zoo (Racine)
Very similar situation to Henry Vilas here, although I knew from the start I wouldn't feature Racine Zoo in this thread. The huge netted aviary for Tufted Deer and Lesser Adjutant is an incredible exhibit, but this zoo really doesn't really have anything else going for it, other than an above-average Australian walkabout and the US's last West Caucasian Tur. Unlike Henry Vilas, some parts of this zoo are even actively bad, such as Raptor Roost, the penguin exhibit, and the worst orangutan exhibit I've ever seen. Again, if you find yourself in Racine it's a nice visit, but otherwise it's a below-average AZA zoo with just a couple of very nice rarities.

Timbavati Wildlife Park (Wisconsin Dells)
This zoo is somewhat infamous in certain corners of this site for being terrible. And, you know what, I'm not going to dispute that. This is a not very good zoo. However, its collection is very rarity-heavy and as such some may consider it worth visiting. I didn't think I would ever want to visit again after my first time, but they have an anoa now so I'm reconsidering. That basically sums up this place in one sentence.

With this thread now completed, I welcome any questions, queries, or requests about any zoos covered in this thread (or not covered in this thread) or about Wisconsin zoos in general.
 
birdsandbats said:
And that's all of the zoos I'm giving full profiles on the thread. Here's some honorable mentions with some quick mini-reviews:

Henry Vilas Zoo (Madison)
Henry Vilas Zoo is a fairly well-known AZA collection in Wisconsin's second largest city, so I figured it was a given and had to be featured on this thread. But, honestly? When I sat down to write the review, I realized I had little to say. The zoo is fine, there's nothing bad here. But not much stands out, either. Wisconsin Heritage is probably the world's best American Badger exhibit, but that's just about the only thing I could think of to talk in my review. Arctic Passage and the Tropical Aviary are pretty good, I guess? If you ever find yourself in Madison it's a good zoo to spend a couple hours, but unless you really like American Badgers there isn't much you should go out of your way to see here.

Racine Zoo (Racine)
Very similar situation to Henry Vilas here, although I knew from the start I wouldn't feature Racine Zoo in this thread. The huge netted aviary for Tufted Deer and Lesser Adjutant is an incredible exhibit, but this zoo really doesn't really have anything else going for it, other than an above-average Australian walkabout and the US's last West Caucasian Tur. Unlike Henry Vilas, some parts of this zoo are even actively bad, such as Raptor Roost, the penguin exhibit, and the worst orangutan exhibit I've ever seen. Again, if you find yourself in Racine it's a nice visit, but otherwise it's a below-average AZA zoo with just a couple of very nice rarities.

Timbavati Wildlife Park (Wisconsin Dells)
This zoo is somewhat infamous in certain corners of this site for being terrible. And, you know what, I'm not going to dispute that. This is a not very good zoo. However, its collection is very rarity-heavy and as such some may consider it worth visiting. I didn't think I would ever want to visit again after my first time, but they have an anoa now so I'm reconsidering. That basically sums up this place in one sentence.

With this thread now completed, I welcome any questions, queries, or requests about any zoos covered in this thread (or not covered in this thread) or about Wisconsin zoos in general.
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wait, that's it? I'm waiting all the time for the world renowed zoological attraction of Beaver Springs Park Aquarium and you don't even say anything?
My disappointment is immeasureable and my day is ruined.
 
Bengal Tiger said:
What are some of those rarities? I'm aware that they have anoas, but other than that I didn't see anything else.
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Tawny Eagle, Swainson's Toucan, Aardvark, Clouded Leopard, Black-tufted Marmoset, White-necked Raven, night monkey, to name a few. Their collection has changed a lot over the years though so I'm not sure how their collection looks now - just another reason for me to go again, I guess.
 
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