America's 50 Must See Zoos

Having been to both Point Defiance and Woodland Park, I'm really not sure which one I'd say is better deserving of the slot. PD's aquariums, multi-rotational Asian exhibits, and their coastal complex certainly make them more unique. Versus Woodland Park who is better known for superb exhibit design and rightfully so; the zoo has however become rather stagnant in updating areas, shuttering the old night house after the fire instead of fixing it up for example. If I had to take a side though it would probably have to be Woodland Park, despite being older now many of the zoo's exhibits are still quite impressive.
 
Washington - Woodland Park Zoo

Founded: 1899
Size: 82 Acres (37 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 298
Mammals 68
Birds 121
Reptiles & Amphibians 64
Fish 1
Invertebrates 44

It's taken a while for some zoos to complete the transition from concrete menagerie to modern day institution, but that was not the case here. Woodland Park is widely considered a trailblazer for American zoos, being one of the first to fully embrace naturalistic exhibit design before it became the standard. It all started with the gorilla exhibit in the 70s which was the first attempt to emulate a natural environment for great apes. It was subsequently followed up by the African Savanna which was a revolutionary step forward for immersion habitats, with a central savanna surrounded by satellite habitats for lions, hippos and patas monkeys, all to create an illusion of a single large African landscape. A similar panorama is seen in the newly rebranded North American section, where hidden barriers make it appear as if exhibits for grizzly bears, rocky mountain goats and river otters are part of the wild. The zoo's furnishings are fantastic and every habitat is incredibly green, and the jaguar exhibit in particular excels in this regard. So many of the zoos exhibits are several decades old at this point, yet present themselves like they are still relatively recent and even go as far as to outshine newer developments that haven’t lived up to expectations, namely the slightly underwhelming Banyan Wilds development. The collection is very ABC focused, especially after a fire that led to the closure of the day and night building where most of the herps were held, but with talk of creating a New Guinea house in its place there is hope that won’t be the case for too much longer. The zoo has faced stagnation in recent years, but because of how ahead of its time it was, many enclosures are still considered some of the best of their kind in the country.

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Gorilla Exhibit, @snowleopard
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African Savanna, @snowleopard
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Humboldt Penguin Exhibit, @snowleopard
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Jaguar Exhibit, @snowleopard
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Rocky Mountain Goat Exhibit, @snowleopard

Zoochat Gallery:
Woodland Park Zoo - ZooChat

Zoo Website:
Woodland Park Zoo: All for Wildlife - Woodland Park Zoo Seattle WA

Zoo Map:
https://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=2707
 
Great job, strange that it is already almost finished, time flies when you are having fun ;)

pachyderm pro said:
It all started with the gorilla exhibit in the 70s which was the first attempt to emulate a natural environment for great apes.
Click to expand...

Maybe for the US, in Europe both Burgers' Zoo (chimpanzees in 1971) and Apenheul (Gorilla in 1976) had already created huge naturalistic great ape enclosures, that just like the Woodland Park gorilla exhibit are still in use, largely unchanged.
 
lintworm said:
Great job, strange that it is already almost finished, time flies when you are having fun ;)



Maybe for the US, in Europe both Burgers' Zoo (chimpanzees in 1971) and Apenheul (Gorilla in 1976) had already created huge naturalistic great ape enclosures, that just like the Woodland Park gorilla exhibit are still in use, largely unchanged.
Click to expand...
While the two Dutch examples certainly were (and are) great naturalistic environments for their inhabitants, the greatest innovation of Woodland Park was the idea of enveloping the visitors in “the same” recreated habitat the animals were living in, and to intentionally blur the boundaries and disguise most evidence of containment—i.e. “Landscape Immersion.” This methodology is usually conflated with “immersion,” with all the mock rock temples and faux thatch huts that term brings to mind. Perhaps a subtle distinction (and rarely pulled off effectively), but an important innovation. However, it is fair to point out that places like Basle and the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum were doing this sort of thing years before Seattle, and are in fact acknowledged as models by the team who coined the “LI” phrase.
 
Wisconsin - Beaver Springs Park Aquarium

Founded: 1997
Size: maybe like 1,000 gallons?
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): ???
Mammals 0
Birds 0
Reptiles & Amphibians 0
Fish at least 1
Invertebrates 0
Garbage: 100+

Beaver Springs Park Aquarium is truly unlike any other zoological facility anywhere in the world. We have covered a diverse collection of zoological institutions all over the country, but there was one thing they all had in common, animals. This place transcends the need for animals, instead taking a bold approach by exhibiting literal garbage in place of having actual animals on display. The trash enclosures are among the best of their kind anywhere in the world. Allegedly there are in fact fish on display, and considering the tanks aren't filtered, the murky water makes it an extra fun challenge to find them. There is even an up close trout catching experience for the modest cost of a few hundred dollars. It's the absolutely phenomenal experiences like this that make Shedd, Georgia and Monterey Bay look shabby by comparison. I just couldn't think of a better choice to end this list with than this truly incredible zoological experience that needs to be seen to be believed!

full

Common Water Jug Exhibit, @snowleopard
full

World-class Deck Overlooking, @snowleopard
full

Decaying Mannequin Immersion Habitat, @snowleopard
full

Abandoned Tank, @snowleopard
full

Award-winning Interpretative Display, @snowleopard

Zoochat Gallery:
Beaver Springs Park Aquarium - ZooChat

Zoo Websi- ok that's enough.

Sorry, couldn't help myself :p. Now onto the actual final zoo included on the list...
 
Wisconsin - International Crane Foundation

Founded: 1973
Size: 240 Acres (97 Hectares)
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): 15
Mammals 0
Birds 15
Reptiles & Amphibians 0
Fish 0
Invertebrates 0

There is a piece written by former Bronx Zoo director William G. Conway entitled, "How to Exhibit a Bullfrog," with the takeaway being that any animal, no matter how often overlooked, can be made interesting depending how they are displayed. There's arguably no better exemplar of this ideology than the International Crane Foundation, the only facility in the world that exhibits all 15 species of crane. In most major zoos, cranes are often displayed in mixed species exhibits with hoofstock to create a more diverse environment and as a result are a bit of an afterthought in the grand scheme of things. Here, cranes are front and center and the enclosure design is simple, but brilliant both functionally and aesthetically. Most of the exhibits are aviaries with small ponds and purposely unkempt vegetation to evoke a more natural appearance. Some of the highlights include massive pond habitats for Siberian and wattled cranes, a massive window in the welcome center peering out into the sandhill crane habitat, and North America's only brolgas. The true peak of the park's quality is the stunning whooping crane alcove, an absolutely superb pond habitat that blends seamlessly into the natural forest backdrop. That doesn't begin to describe all of the incredible conservation work the foundation has accomplished since its founding, with accomplishments including the first ever captive breeding of the Siberian crane and the release of over 300 whooping cranes. The latter was brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to the foundation's efforts and from certain areas you can catch a fleeting glimpse of the enormous off-show breeding compound in the distance.

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Sandhill Crane Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
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Red-crowned Crane Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
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Wattled Crane Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
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Grey-crowned Crane Exhibit, @pachyderm pro
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Whooping Crane Exhibit, @pachyderm pro

Zoochat Gallery:
International Crane Foundation - ZooChat

Zoo Website:
International Crane Foundation - International Crane Foundation

Zoo Map:
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PbbFEbJL_iA/maxresdefault.jpg
 
Summary

And that’s a wrap. 50 zoos across 22 states, and you can view the full list HERE. I tried my best to include a diverse lineup of traditional zoos, aquariums, specialist zoos and theme park/zoo hybrids across the country, although it is interesting that less than half of the states in America were represented. I realize that not everyone agrees with every zoo's inclusion. White Oak Conservation Center was the most controversial pick by a far, and Central Park also was a debatable inclusion in the eyes of some. For the sake of completion, it’s only fair that I go over the places that could have made the cut instead.

Parks with drive-through elements did make the list such as Northwest Trek and The Wilds, but there are a few others worth giving a mention to. Fossil Rim Wildlife Park, TX, and Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, TX are both excellent drive through facilities in Texas. Virginia Safari Park, VA, is also noteworthy for being the only US holder of king cheetah. In a country where roadside Safari Parks are customary, these places standout considerably.

America’s aquariums are generally a lot more grand flashy than those found in Europe, and while a good number did make the list there are some others that were considered. Aquarium of the Pacific, CA, Mystic Aquarium, CT, and Seattle Aquarium, WA. They all provide unique elements, but as aquariums have a tendency to look a lot more similar to each other than traditional zoos, I had to pick and choose which ones to feature.

A good number of specialist facilities did make the cut, but there were a few notable omissions. National Aviary, PA, and Tracy Aviary, UT, are two I imagine some were expecting. Impressive collections at both, but the standard of exhibitry is inconsistent and in some cases downright bad, particularly at the former. The Alaska SeaLife Center, AK, is also noteworthy for having several rare pinnipeds and a great seabird collection in a scenic location. There is no true Apenhaul equivalent in America, but the closest thing we have is Monkey Jungle, FL, which has habitats of both the outstanding and horrible variety which prevented it from being seriously considered. Queens Zoo, NY, focuses exclusively on North and South American wildlife and was heavily considered as well, and if it were slightly larger it may have made it.

Lastly, the traditional zoos. There were dozens of very good, major collections that missed the cut: Phoenix Zoo, AZ, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, CA, Oakland Zoo, CA, San Francisco Zoo, CA, Jacksonville Zoo, FL, Zoo Atlanta, GA, Indianapolis Zoo, IN, Louisville Zoo, KY, Audubon Zoo, LA, Maryland Zoo, MD, ABQ Biopark, NM, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, OH, Oregon Zoo, OR, Pittsburgh Zoo, PA, Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI, Zoo Knoxville, TN, Cameron Park Zoo, TX, Gladys Porter Zoo, TX, San Antonio Zoo, TX, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, UT, Point Defiance Zoo, WA, Milwaukee County Zoo, WI, Virginia Zoo, VA, and many others. All of these zoos have things going for them whether that be great exhibits, rarities, history, etc. Ultimately, either quality was too inconsistent or they just didn't have quite enough to nudge themselves onto this top 50.

So which ones came the closest? Atlanta, Fresno and Oregon were all on the list at one point, but were cut in the editing process mainly due simply being a bit generic. Atlanta has a great reptile house and giant pandas, Fresno has made huge strides over the last decade with many large scale projects, and Oregon has a long history with elephants and a unique location. Three very high quality institutions that just don’t have very much entirely unique about them. The Alaska Sealife Center was also heavily considered, but just doesn't have quite enough to see. Our New England based zoochatters will be heartbroken to hear that Mystic Aquarium was the last place to be cut from the final list. The impressive beluga habitat and various rare pinnipeds almost put them over the edge, but I ultimately settled on the Oregon Coast Aquarium instead simply due to it being a bit more distinct. I’d be curious to hear what other changes people would have made to the list, as besides White Oak there weren't any truly controversial inclusions, just a few controversial exclusions.

Thank you once again to everyone who followed along, participated in discussion and provided the photos and information needed to make this thread possible. I may have compiled everything into one place, but make no mistake, in many aspects this was a community effort. And of course one last thank you to the original inspiration for this project, @lintworm. He is currently tackling an even more ambitious project at the moment, which begs the question, will there be an ‘America’s 100 must see exhibits’? I’d love to do it, but this project was already time consuming enough, so I'll be taking an extended break before attempting to tackle a thread of that magnitude. However, I have made an early draft of my list, so stay tuned!
 
And another amazing thread comes to an end. It has been really interesting to learn about America's zoos as someone who doesn't venture to that part of the forum at all really. An American zoo road trip sounds like something I wouldn't mind doing some day.
 
pachyderm pro said:
Summary

And that’s a wrap. 50 zoos across 22 states, and you can view the full list HERE. I tried my best to include a diverse lineup of traditional zoos, aquariums, specialist zoos and theme park/zoo hybrids across the country, although it is interesting that less than half of the states in America were represented. I realize that not everyone agrees with every zoo's inclusion. White Oak Conservation Center was the most controversial pick by a far, and Central Park also was a debatable inclusion in the eyes of some. For the sake of completion, it’s only fair that I go over the places that could have made the cut instead.

Parks with drive-through elements did make the list such as Northwest Trek and The Wilds, but there are a few others worth giving a mention to. Fossil Rim Wildlife Park, TX, and Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, TX are both excellent drive through facilities in Texas. Virginia Safari Park, VA, is also noteworthy for being the only US holder of king cheetah. In a country where roadside Safari Parks are customary, these places standout considerably.

America’s aquariums are generally a lot more grand flashy than those found in Europe, and while a good number did make the list there are some others that were considered. Aquarium of the Pacific, CA, Mystic Aquarium, CT, and Seattle Aquarium, WA. They all provide unique elements, but as aquariums have a tendency to look a lot more similar to each other than traditional zoos, I had to pick and choose which ones to feature.

A good number of specialist facilities did make the cut, but there were a few notable omissions. National Aviary, PA, and Tracy Aviary, UT, are two I imagine some were expecting. Impressive collections at both, but the standard of exhibitry is inconsistent and in some cases downright bad, particularly at the former. The Alaska SeaLife Center, AK, is also noteworthy for having several rare pinnipeds and a great seabird collection in a scenic location. There is no true Apenhaul equivalent in America, but the closest thing we have is Monkey Jungle, FL, which has habitats of both the outstanding and horrible variety which prevented it from being seriously considered. Queens Zoo, NY, focuses exclusively on North and South American wildlife and was heavily considered as well, and if it were slightly larger it may have made it.

Lastly, the traditional zoos. There were dozens of very good, major collections that missed the cut: Phoenix Zoo, AZ, Fresno Chaffee Zoo, CA, Oakland Zoo, CA, San Francisco Zoo, CA, Jacksonville Zoo, FL, Zoo Atlanta, GA, Indianapolis Zoo, IN, Louisville Zoo, KY, Audubon Zoo, LA, Maryland Zoo, MD, ABQ Biopark, NM, Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, OH, Oregon Zoo, OR, Pittsburgh Zoo, PA, Roger Williams Park Zoo, RI, Zoo Knoxville, TN, Cameron Park Zoo, TX, Gladys Porter Zoo, TX, San Antonio Zoo, TX, Utah’s Hogle Zoo, UT, Point Defiance Zoo, WA, Milwaukee County Zoo, WI, Virginia Zoo, VA, and many others. All of these zoos have things going for them whether that be great exhibits, rarities, history, etc. Ultimately, either quality was too inconsistent or they just didn't have quite enough to nudge themselves onto this top 50.

So which ones came the closest? Atlanta, Fresno and Oregon were all on the list at one point, but were cut in the editing process mainly due simply being a bit generic. Atlanta has a great reptile house and giant pandas, Fresno has made huge strides over the last decade with many large scale projects, and Oregon has a long history with elephants and a unique location. Three very high quality institutions that just don’t have very much entirely unique about them. The Alaska Sealife Center was also heavily considered, but just doesn't have quite enough to see. Our New England based zoochatters will be heartbroken to hear that Mystic Aquarium was the last place to be cut from the final list. The impressive beluga habitat and various rare pinnipeds almost put them over the edge, but I ultimately settled on the Oregon Coast Aquarium instead simply due to it being a bit more distinct. I’d be curious to hear what other changes people would have made to the list, as besides White Oak there weren't any truly controversial inclusions, just a few controversial exclusions.

Thank you once again to everyone who followed along, participated in discussion and provided the photos and information needed to make this thread possible. I may have compiled everything into one place, but make no mistake, in many aspects this was a community effort. And of course one last thank you to the original inspiration for this project, @lintworm. He is currently tackling an even more ambitious project at the moment, which begs the question, will there be an ‘America’s 100 must see exhibits’? I’d love to do it, but this project was already time consuming enough, so I'll be taking an extended break before attempting to tackle a thread of that magnitude. However, I have made an early draft of my list, so stay tuned!
Click to expand...
Thank you for putting this thread together, it really was a lot of fun to read them all and to see the input from other members. I know these threads are a lot of work to do, so it is greatly appreciated.

*EDIT*
To me it was surprising that International Crane Foundation did not make the list, but I am not sure what I would have replaced for it!
 
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SwampDonkey said:
*EDIT*
To me it was surprising that International Crane Foundation did not make the list, but I am not sure what I would have replaced for it!
Click to expand...
It did. I figure that's a joke, but just in case it isn't:

America's 50 Must See Zoos

Great work @pachyderm pro, this is an excellent list you've made here. I almost entirely agree with this list - but I do think White Oak is a mistaken inclusion that does not deserve to make this list.

As for what I would replace it with, I think Wildlife World Zoo (AZ) would be an excellent choice. Roadside zoos are not currently represented on the list and Wildlife World is probably the best choice to represent them. Is it all great? Of course not, but it is one of the largest zoos in the country and there is plenty of great stuff to be found there, in both collection and exhibits. Alternatively, Wildwood Wildlife Park (WI) could also fill the roadside spot in its place.

Jack R. Facente Serpentarium (WI) is also deserving of the list. Not only is it an excellent specialist collection with one of the largest on-exhibit venomous snake collection in the world, but it is also an active venom lab. Seeing venom being harvested is an amazing experience that is more than enough to deserve it inclusion on this list. As for what facility I'd drop to add it, it was a hard decision, but I think I'll go with Central Park Zoo. Yes, Central Park's historic architecture is impressive, but other zoos on the list have that as well, such as Toledo and Saint Louis.

Overall though, a great list and wonderful thread that I had a lot of fun reading. A thread of the year nomination is in order for sure.
 
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Hey pachyderm pro, I just wanted to say how much I appreciate you making this thread for us, it has been a great pleasure seeing it unfold, and I am sad to see it go. Either way, this thread will definitely be a great resource for many folks here on the form (myself included), once again many thanks :)
 
pachyderm pro said:
Wisconsin - Beaver Springs Park Aquarium

Founded: 1997
Size: maybe like 1,000 gallons?
Species & Subspecies (On and Off Exhibit): ???
Mammals 0
Birds 0
Reptiles & Amphibians 0
Fish at least 1
Invertebrates 0
Garbage: 100+

Beaver Springs Park Aquarium is truly unlike any other zoological facility anywhere in the world. We have covered a diverse collection of zoological institutions all over the country, but there was one thing they all had in common, animals. This place transcends the need for animals, instead taking a bold approach by exhibiting literal garbage in place of having actual animals on display. The trash enclosures are among the best of their kind anywhere in the world. Allegedly there are in fact fish on display, and considering the tanks aren't filtered, the murky water makes it an extra fun challenge to find them. There is even an up close trout catching experience for the modest cost of a few hundred dollars. It's the absolutely phenomenal experiences like this that make Shedd, Georgia and Monterey Bay look shabby by comparison. I just couldn't think of a better choice to end this list with than this truly incredible zoological experience that needs to be seen to be believed!

full

Common Water Jug Exhibit, @snowleopard
full

World-class Deck Overlooking, @snowleopard
full

Decaying Mannequin Immersion Habitat, @snowleopard
full

Abandoned Tank, @snowleopard
full

Award-winning Interpretative Display, @snowleopard

Zoochat Gallery:
Beaver Springs Park Aquarium - ZooChat

Zoo Websi- ok that's enough.

Sorry, couldn't help myself :p. Now onto the actual final zoo included on the list...
Click to expand...
I kneel to this establishment
 
Thank you @pachyderm pro for a wonderful thread. It was a joy to read about the 50 amazing zoological establishments and I know it is a very time-consuming project to tackle a major ZooChat thread.

Including Beaver Springs Park Aquarium ;), I've visited 48 out of the 51 selected facilities. I've never been to Duke Lemur Center, Sylvan Heights Bird Park or The Wilds and all three of those are places that are a little more obscure and specific in what animals they have. Maybe one day I'll get to that trio!

I think that the list was a great one, with very few contentious choices. For sure, Central Park is tiny and not nearly a full day out in comparison to places such as Oregon or Phoenix, but it is still arguably America's "first" zoo (Philly fans might debate that point) and so including Central Park makes sense to me. I personally think that one could perhaps add Jacksonville, arguably the "best" of the big zoos to miss out on a spot. I would have swapped in Jacksonville for either Tampa or even White Oak.

It is interesting that there was no slot for a diverse reptile zoo of any kind, although some of the big zoos (Omaha, Dallas, Fort Worth, Saint Louis, San Diego, etc.) already have massive collections of cold-blooded critters. St. Augustine would obviously count, but it is very heavy on crocodilians. A little-known establishment that could have sneaked into the list would be Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, South Dakota. I made a detailed species list during my 2014 visit and ended up with around 130 on-show reptiles and amphibians, with a rumored 90+ more behind the scenes. Also, that zoo's 'Sky Dome' opened in 1965 and it is arguably the very first walk-through rainforest building in an American zoo.
 
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