Where to see captive animals in the USA

SusScrofa said:
Yes. And I found that Arkansas in particular seems to be a very hard state to find anything on what's held, or even if the nature centers hold live animals. Usually many nature centers have a number of images online with captive animals, but with some in Arkansas its been lacking in that regard. That's all I'm saying, not implying a knowledgable member like @TinoPup is wrong or lying.
Click to expand...

Use the link in the Arkansas post.
 
TinoPup said:
The raptor center definitely counts! My biggest weakness is non-mammal facilities, of course.

I feel comfortable saying Wiregrass is closed. The only stuff I can find for it are articles about it opening and a few generic business listings, along with a petition wanting it closed. There's no recent photos anywhere, and the couple of photos I did find look like a traveling zoo at a fair (with a poor elephant). It's no uncommon for new places to open, then discover it's way more difficult than they thought (and expensive) to run a publicly open zoo and close within a few years. Especially with covid thrown into the mix.

As for "facilities that scarcely anyone has heard of"... that's the point ;)
Click to expand...
Louise Kreher Nature Center in Auburn. I think there's also a museum there on photo ark website.
 
CALIFORNIA

Zoos, Aquariums, Safaris, large Nature Centers, etc:
  • America’s Teaching Zoo, Moorpark – Zoo – Part of Moorpark College.
  • Animal Training & Research International, Moss Landing – Zoo – Tours - Animals trained for entertainment industry, research. Mostly sea lions. Have several public programs.
  • Applegate Park Zoo, Merced – Zoo – Small town zoo with mostly native rescues.
  • Aquarium of the Bay, San Francisco – Aquarium – AZA – Otters. A wild CA sea lion colony lives outside. Smithsonian Affiliate.
  • Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach – Aquarium – Multiple pinnipeds, sea otters. Boat cruises to see cetaceans, pinnipeds.
  • B. Bryan Preserve, Point Arena – Safari, Lodge – AZAc – Self-drive the safari or take one of several tours. Cottages.
  • Big Bear Alpine Zoo, Big Bear Lake – Zoo, Rescue – Rehab/sanctuary zoo with mostly native species.
  • Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla – Aquarium – AZA – Parc of UC San Diego. Blue Penguins. Museums For All.
  • Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, San Pedro – Aquarium – AZA – Small aquarium with native species. KultureCity.
  • California Academy of Sciences / Steinhart Aquarium, San Francisco – Aquarium, NH Museum – AZA, AAM – Aquarium has penguins, alligators. Rainforest. Museums For All.
  • California Living Museum (CALM), Bakersfield – Zoo – ZAA – Native species, including rarities.
  • California Raptor Center, Davis – Birds – Part of UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
  • Central Coast Aquarium, Avila Beach – Aquarium – Small aquarium. Museums For All.
  • Charles Paddock Zoo, Atascadero – Zoo – AZA.
  • Crab Cove Discovery Center, Alameda – NC – Aquarium. Crown Memorial State Beach.
  • CuriOdyssey, San Mateo – Zoo, Science Museum – AZA – Museums For All. Formerly Coyote Point Museum, San Mateo County Junior Museum.
  • Exotic Feline Breeding Compound's Feline Conservation Center, Rosamond – Carnivore – ZAA – Felids, many species.
  • Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, Folsom – Zoo – Native species.
  • Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Phelan – Carnivore – Mostly felids, bears. A few domestics, deer, etc.
  • Fresno Chaffee Zoo, Fresno – Zoo – AZA, WAZA.
  • Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, San Jose – Zoo – AZA.
  • Heal the Bay Aquarium, Santa Monica – Aquarium – Santa Monica pier. Native species.
  • Hesperia Zoo, Hesperia – Zoo – Tours.
  • Judith A Bassett Canid Education & Conservation Center, Santa Ysabel – Carnivore – Appointment – Do encounters, photo shoots, off-site programs. Russian foxes, singers, dingos, coyotes.
  • Lindsay Wildlife Experience, Walnut Creek – NC – Native species, domestics. Museums For All.
  • Lions Tigers & Bears, Alpine – Carnivore, Lodge – Tours – GFAS, ASA, BCSA – Rescue that focuses on large carnivores and domestics.
  • Living Coast Discovery Center, Chula Vista – NC, Aquarium – Aquarium including sharks, rays, octopus. BOP, parrots, shorebird aviary, herps.
  • Living Desert Zoo & Gardens, Palm Desert – Zoo – AZA, WAZA. Museums For All. KultureCity.
  • Los Angeles Zoo, Los Angeles – Zoo – AZA, WAZA, AAM – Shuttle. KultureCity.
  • Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito – Rescue – Rescue & rehab that allows visitors during regular hours. Currently closed for remodel. Museums For All.
  • Micke Grove Zoo, Lodi – Zoo – Small town zoo.
  • Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey – Aquarium – AZA, WAZA – Sea otters. Also have wild sea otters, pinnipeds outside.
  • Monterey Zoo, Salinas – Zoo – ZAA – Also have Vision Quest cabins.
  • Oakland Zoo, Oakland – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – MUST take gondola to get to half of the zoo. Also have skyfari, no stops. Train, must take to see Australia. Small area of rides for kids, including a roller coaster.
  • Ocean World, Crescent City – Aquarium – Tours – Regular hours but have to take tour. Multiple pinnipeds.
  • Orange County Zoo / OC Zoo, Orange – Zoo – ZAA – Native species and domestics.
  • Pacific Marine Mammal Center, Laguna Beach – Carnivore – Tours – Pinniped rescue.
  • Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo, Palo Alto – Zoo, Science Museum.
  • Project Survival Cat Haven, Dunlap – Carnivore – Tours – Regular public hours with tours required. Felids.
  • Reptile Zoo, Fountain Valley – Herps, Store – Add on experiences with any animal for social media pics, some are $1k+. Store is called Prehistoric Pets.
  • Roundhouse Aquarium, Manhattan Beach – Aquarium – 100+ species.
  • Sacramento Zoo, Sacramento – Zoo – AZA – Train is on wheels, goes up Big Cat Row. KultureCity.
  • Safari West, Santa Rosa – Safari, Lodge – AZAptm – Safari by open-air truck. Expensive. Camping/glamping.
  • San Diego Safari Park – Escondido – Safari, Zoo – AZA, WAZA, AAM – Tram. Safari by open air jeep, wagon, balloon. KultureCity.
  • San Diego Zoo, San Diego – Zoo – AZA, WAZA, AAM – Double decker bus, skyfari, tiny train to nowhere. KultureCity.
  • San Francisco Zoo, San Francisco – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Miniature steam train that was built around 1904. Previously known as Herbert Fleishhacker Zoo. Museums For All.
  • Santa Ana Zoo, Santa Ana – Zoo – AZAptm – 1/3 scale train that goes through farm, northern part of zoo. Ferris wheel.
  • Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Train goes around perimeter. Museums For All.
  • SEA LIFE Carlsbad, Carlsbad – Aquarium – AZA – Part of Legoland Resort.
  • SeaQuest Folsom, Folsom – Aquarium, Petting Zoo – Sloths, porcupine, otter, wallaby.
  • SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego – Aquarium, Theme Park – AZA, AMMPA, IMATA – Full size theme park. Many marine mammal species.
  • Sequoia Park Zoo, Eureka – Zoo – AZA – Have a 1/4 boardwalk 100ft up among the redwoods. Museums For All.
  • Seymour Marine Discovery Center, Santa Cruz – Aquarium – Lots of native species. Wild marine mammals outside. Full blue, gray whale skeletons.
  • Shambala Preserve, Acton – Carnivore – Tours – ASA – The Roar Foundation, Tippi Hendren. Rescued felids.
  • Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, Vallejo – Theme Park, Zoo, Aquarium – ZAA, AMMPA – Full size theme park and zoo. Animals are scattered throughout park. Dolphins, multiple pinnipeds, tigers, giraffes, etc.
  • Star Eco Station, Culver City – Rescue – Tours – Mostly herps, a few fish, birds, bobcat.
  • Sulphur Creek Nature Center, Hayward – NC – Rescue and rehab. Birds, herps, and mammals, including coyote, foxes.
  • Turtle Bay Exploration Park, Redding – Museum, Zoo, Aquarium – Mostly native species. NH and science museum, extensive play areas. Museums For All.
  • Vision Quest Ranch, Salinas – Lodge – Part of Monterey Zoo. Cabins around elephant yard.
  • Whittier Narrows Nature Center, South El Monte – NC – Raccoon, herps, BOP.
  • Wild Wonders, Bonsall – Zoo – Tours – ZAA – Education facility with 120+ animals, including cheetahs.
  • Wilderness Park Nature Center, Arcadia Wilderness Park, Arcadia – NC – Lots of animals, including deer, herps, fish. Currently closed due to mud slides.
  • Wildlife Learning Center, Sylmar – Zoo, Traveling – Traveling zoo with on-site tours, general admission. Bobcat, serval, several foxes, primates, etc.
  • Wildlife Waystation, Sylmar – CLOSED? – Owner died, not sure if it’s remaining open.
  • William S. Hart Museum, Newhall – Museum – Bison, a deer, domestics, dog cemetery.

Smaller Nature Centers and places with a limited amount of species:
  • Alum Rock Park Youth Science Institute, San Jose – NC – Herps. AKA Alum Rock Science & Nature Center.
  • American River Nature Center, Coloma – NC – Herps.
  • Animal Tracks, Agua Dulce – Rescue – Appointment – Mostly smaller exotics like kinkajou, mara, capuchin, etc.
  • Bahia Resort Hotel, San Diego – Lodge, Carnivore - Have two rescued harbor seals living in a pool on property. Not sure if you need to be staying there to see them.
  • Big Bear Discovery Center, Fawnskin – NC – Herps.
  • Bohart Museum of Entomology, Davis – NH Museum, Insects – Insects. Part of UC Davis.
  • Bolsa Chica Conservancy Interpretive Center, Huntington Beach – NC – Herps, fish.
  • California Science Center, Los Angeles – Science Museum, live animals – AZA, AAM – Herps, insects. Smithsonian Affiliate.
  • California Wolf Center, Julian – Carnivore – Tours – Visitor center and gift shop are in town, have regular hours. Facility requires tours.
  • Chico Creek Nature Center / Janeece Webb Living Animal Museum, Chico – NC – Live animals. Bidwell Park.
  • Coleman National Fish Hatchery, Anderson – Hatchery – USFWS – Chinook salmon, steelhead trout.
  • Dana Point Nature Interpretive Center, Dana Point – NC – Live animals?
  • Deane Dana Friendship Park & Nature Center, San Pedro – NC – Herps, an owl.
  • Desert Discovery Center, Barstow – NC – Herps. Second largest meteorite found in USA.
  • Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area & Nature Center, Pearblossom – NC – Birds, others? NC destroyed by fire in 2020, rebuilding.
  • Eaton Canyon Nature Center, Pasadena – NC – Herps.
  • EcoVivarium, Escondidio – Herps – AAM.
  • Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park, Tahoma – NC – Live animals?
  • Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Carmichael – NC – Birds, herps.
  • El Dorado Nature Center, Long Beach – NC – A few live animals.
  • Emerald Forest Bird Gardens, Fallbrook – Birds – Tours – Toucan breeder that gives tours.
  • Free Flight Exotic Bird Sanctuary, Del Mar – Birds – Appointment – Sanctuary. Some birds are adoptable.
  • George F. Canyon Nature Center, Rolling Hills Estates – NC – Live animals.
  • Gibbon Conservation Center, Santa Clarita – Primate – Tours – Have 5 species.
  • Hi-Desert Nature Museum, Yucca Valley – NH Museum, live animals – AAM – Mini zoo with lots of herps and insects.
  • Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley – Museum, live animals – Herps, domestic small mammals, insects. UC Berkeley. Museums For All.
  • Livingston Stone National Fish Hatchery, Shasta Lake – Hatchery – USFWS – Winter chinook salmon.
  • Madrona Marsh Preserve & Nature Center, Torrance – NC – Herps.
  • Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (NHM), Los Angeles – NH Museum, live animals – Large NH museum with live animals, temporary exhibits with other live species. Museums For All.
  • Oak Canyon Nature Center, John J. Collier Interpretive Center, Anaheim – NC – Live animals.
  • Ojai Raptor Center, Ojai – Birds – Tours – Rescue and rehab.
  • Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) / ARK 2000, San Andreas – Private – GFAS, BCSA – Limited number of open house events.
  • Petaluma Wildlife Museum, Petaluma – NH Museum – Tours – NH museum run by high schoolers, so closed in summer. Have live ambassadors.
  • Placerita Canyon Nature Center, Newhall – NC – Herps, birds.
  • Quail Run Ranch, Lake Hughes – Birds – Ostrich ranch.
  • Randall Museum, San Francisco – NH Museum, live animals – NH museum with a few live animals. Lots of classes.
  • Safari Encounters / Sonoma Sloth Encounter, Sonoma County – Petting Zoo, Traveling – Sloth, kangaroo, capybara, herps, etc. Expensive.
  • San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego – NH Museum, live animals – AAM – 20 or so herps and insects. Museums For All.
  • San Dimas Canyon Nature Center, San Dimas – NC – Herps, others?
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara – NH Museum, live animals – AAM – Herps, insects, BOP. Museums For All.
  • Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center, Santa Barbara – Aquarium – AAM – Native species. Stearns Wharf, separate location from main museum.
  • Saving Wildlife International, Malibu – Traveling – Variety of species including ocelot. Owned by Reptile Zoo?
  • Shadowland Foundation, Lake Hughes – Carnivore – Tours – Looks like they’re all wolf hybrids.
  • Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, Silverado – NC – Mostly birds? Opening again late 2022.
  • Turtle Conservancy, Ojai – Herps – Tours? – AZAc – 32 species. Not sure if they currently allow tours.
  • Vasquez Rocks Natural Area & Nature Center, Santa Clarita – NC – Live animals.

Better places to see domestics:
  • Gentle Barn, Santa Clarita – Petting Zoo – Domestics. Rescue.
  • Zoomars at River Street Ranch, San Juan Capistrano – Farm Park – Petting zoo with a few rides.

Natural History Museums and other notable facilities without animals:
  • Andrew Molera State Park Discovery Center, Big Sur – NC – No live animals, a lot of info about California Condors. AKA Big Sur Discovery Center, Ventana Wildlife Society Discovery Center.
  • Buena Vista Museum of Natural History & Science, Bakersfield – NH Museum – No live animals? Museums For All.
  • Fossil Discovery Center of Madera County, Chowchilla – NH Museum – Main focus is mammoths.
  • Friends of the Elephant Seal, San Simeon – Carnivore – Visitor center and gift shop near 20,000+ elephant seal colony.
  • Gateway Science Museum, Chico – NH Museum – California State University.
  • Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, Pacific Grove – NH Museum – Monarch butterflies.
  • Point Vicente Interpretive Nature Center, South Bay – NC – No live animals. Emphasis on Pacific grey whale. Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
  • San Diego Museum of Man, San Diego – Museum – No live animals? Exhibit on living with animals.
  • Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History, Santa Cruz – NH Museum.
  • Sea Lion Center, San Francisco – Aquarium – Interpretive center next to sea lion colony on Pier 39. No live captive animals. Run by Aquarium of the Bay.
  • Sierra College Natural History Museum, Rocklin – NH Museum.
  • Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, Camarillo – NH Museum – Tours – More than 1,000,000 specimens. Focused on birds. Currently only doing tours.
 
Awesome list for California @TinoPup! This is really useful. I can add one clarification for you:

TinoPup said:
Wildlife Waystation, Sylmar – CLOSED? – Owner died, not sure if it’s remaining open.
Click to expand...

It is permanently closed, but also was not open to the general public before that anyway. It also closed well before the death of the former owner.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Awesome list for California @TinoPup! This is really useful. I can add one clarification for you:

It is permanently closed, but also was not open to the general public before that anyway. It also closed well before the death of the former owner.
Click to expand...

Thanks :) Their social media has made it seem like they closed because of the death, and that it might continue.
 
An impressive list! A few other facilities that might count for your list:

Avian Behavior International (Escondido) - offer semi-regular tours and bird training.

Children’s Nature Retreat (Alpine) - Has common exotics like zebra and ostrich.

Coachella Valley Wild Bird Center (Indio) - Have non-releasable birds that are exhibited.

Fellow Earthlings Wildlife Center (Morongo Valley) - Only has Meerkats and is private-tour.

Marine Mammal Care Center (San Pedro) - Private-tour and has pinnipeds.

Ocean Institute (Dana Point) - Has shark touch tank and possibly other fish as well.

Sugarplum Zoo (Temecula) - Has zebras and different exotic birds.

Wildhaven Ranch (Cedar Glen) - Private-tour sanctuary.

Windswept Ranch (Rosamond) - Keeps zebras, deer, emu and other common farm exotics

Lazy Arrow Adventures (Santa Margarita) - Lodge with exotic animals like aoudad and bison

Zoo To You (Paso Robles) - Has private animal encounters that I think take place at their facility.

Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary (Oroville) - Sanctuary

Northcoast Marine Mammal Center (Crescent City) - Gift shop that also has rehabbing pinnipeds.

Sonoma County Wildlife Rescue (Petaluma) - Has private-tours only on Saturdays.
 
Thanks for the big list of California zoos @TinoPup, as well as the additions via @SusScrofa. I've visited 61 of the establishments and California is a fantastic state for zoos and aquariums. There are probably a dozen duds, but overall the quality of zoos in the state is quite high.
 
COLORADO

Zoos, Aquariums, Safaris, large Nature Centers, etc:
  • Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Skyfari (playground at other end, no zoo access, must ride both ways).
  • Colorado Gators Reptile Park, Mosca – Herps – Hundreds of herps. Buy a bucket of gator chow for $2, learn to wrestle them.
  • Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center, Divide – Carnivore – Tours – AZAc – Wolves, foxes, coyotes, singers.
  • Denver Zoo, Denver – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Small train ride goes around carousel.
  • Downtown Aquarium / Landry’s Aquarium Denver, Denver – Aquarium, Restaurant – AZA, ZAA – Aquarium and restaurant. Tigers.
  • Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park, Pagosa Springs – Zoo – AKA Pagosa Wildlife Park. Mostly native species. Seasonal horseback tours.
  • SeaQuest Littleton, Littleton – Aquarium, Petting Zoo – Mall aquarium with herps, birds, wallabies, etc.
  • Wild Animal Refuge, Springfield – Carnivore – Tours – GFAS, ASA - Extension of Wild Animal Sanctuary. Tours on specific dates only.
  • Wild Animal Sanctuary, Keenesburg – Carnivore – GFAS, ASA - Major rescue sanctuary that specializes in carnivores, has a few horses and alpacas.
Smaller Nature Centers and places with a limited amount of species:
  • Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster – Insects – AZA – Butterflies, other insects, aquatic inverts.
  • Catamount Creek Ranch, Florissant – Carnivore – Private – Mountain lions.
  • Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins – NH Museum, live animals – NH & Science museum with black-footed ferrets, herps.
  • Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, Colorado Springs – NC – Museums For All.
  • Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery, Hotchkiss – Hatchery – USFWS – Rainbow trout.
  • Leadville National Fish Hatchery, Leadville – Hatchery – USFWS – Visitor center. Greenback cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, Wyoming toad.
  • Mission: Wolf, Westcliffe – Carnivore – Tours – Wolves. Visitors are considered “day volunteers”.
  • Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center, River Campus, Pueblo – Birds – Raptor Center.
  • Rocky Mountain Adventures Fort Collins Store, Fort Collins – Store, Birds - RMA uses pigeons to transport film and SD cards from people on adventures back to their store, where they get the photos ready by the time you're back. At the store, you can meet the pigeons and see the coop.
  • Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City – Carnivore - Have a few black-footed ferrets that are viewable. Home to National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center.
  • Standley Lake Regional Park Nature Center, Westminster – NC – Herps.
  • Wild Bear Nature Center, Nederland – NC – A few live animals. Working on building a new facility.
  • Wyman Living History Ranch & Museum, Craig – LH Museum – An elk, domestics.
  • Zoo Chateau, Golden – Lodge – Currently CLOSED while looking for a new location.
Better places to see domestics:
  • Farm at Lee Martinez Park, Fort Collins – Petting Zoo – Town park with petting zoo, domestics.
  • Laughing Valley Ranch, Santa’s Southern Reindeer Ranch, Idaho Springs – Petting Zoo – AKA Red Tail’s Old West Burro Farm & Petting Zoo. LH Museum? Domestics, reindeer.
  • North Pole Santa’s Workshop, Cascade – Theme Park – Seasonal – Reindeer.
  • Wishing Star Farm, Calhan – Farm Park – Petting zoo, small rides.
Natural History Museums and other notable facilities without animals:
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver – NH Museum – AAM – Dioramas. No live animals? Smithsonian Affiliate, Museums For All.
  • May Museum / May Natural History Museum / John May Museum Center, Colorado Springs – NH Museum – Insects.
  • Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder – NH Museum.
  • University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder – NH Museum – No live animals.
There's also 17 state fish hatcheries:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
 
TinoPup said:
COLORADO

Zoos, Aquariums, Safaris, large Nature Centers, etc:
  • Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Skyfari (playground at other end, no zoo access, must ride both ways).
  • Colorado Gators Reptile Park, Mosca – Herps – Hundreds of herps. Buy a bucket of gator chow for $2, learn to wrestle them.
  • Colorado Wolf & Wildlife Center, Divide – Carnivore – Tours – AZAc – Wolves, foxes, coyotes, singers.
  • Denver Zoo, Denver – Zoo – AZA, WAZA – Small train ride goes around carousel.
  • Downtown Aquarium / Landry’s Aquarium Denver, Denver – Aquarium, Restaurant – AZA, ZAA – Aquarium and restaurant. Tigers.
  • Rocky Mountain Wildlife Park, Pagosa Springs – Zoo – AKA Pagosa Wildlife Park. Mostly native species. Seasonal horseback tours.
  • SeaQuest Littleton, Littleton – Aquarium, Petting Zoo – Mall aquarium with herps, birds, wallabies, etc.
  • Wild Animal Refuge, Springfield – Carnivore – Tours – GFAS, ASA - Extension of Wild Animal Sanctuary. Tours on specific dates only.
  • Wild Animal Sanctuary, Keenesburg – Carnivore – GFAS, ASA - Major rescue sanctuary that specializes in carnivores, has a few horses and alpacas.
Smaller Nature Centers and places with a limited amount of species:
  • Butterfly Pavilion, Westminster – Insects – AZA – Butterflies, other insects, aquatic inverts.
  • Catamount Creek Ranch, Florissant – Carnivore – Private – Mountain lions.
  • Fort Collins Museum of Discovery, Fort Collins – NH Museum, live animals – NH & Science museum with black-footed ferrets, herps.
  • Garden of the Gods Visitor & Nature Center, Colorado Springs – NC – Museums For All.
  • Hotchkiss National Fish Hatchery, Hotchkiss – Hatchery – USFWS – Rainbow trout.
  • Leadville National Fish Hatchery, Leadville – Hatchery – USFWS – Visitor center. Greenback cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, Wyoming toad.
  • Mission: Wolf, Westcliffe – Carnivore – Tours – Wolves. Visitors are considered “day volunteers”.
  • Nature & Wildlife Discovery Center, River Campus, Pueblo – Birds – Raptor Center.
  • Rocky Mountain Adventures Fort Collins Store, Fort Collins – Store, Birds - RMA uses pigeons to transport film and SD cards from people on adventures back to their store, where they get the photos ready by the time you're back. At the store, you can meet the pigeons and see the coop.
  • Rocky Mountain Arsenal Wildlife Refuge, Commerce City – Carnivore - Have a few black-footed ferrets that are viewable. Home to National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center.
  • Standley Lake Regional Park Nature Center, Westminster – NC – Herps.
  • Wild Bear Nature Center, Nederland – NC – A few live animals. Working on building a new facility.
  • Wyman Living History Ranch & Museum, Craig – LH Museum – An elk, domestics.
  • Zoo Chateau, Golden – Lodge – Currently CLOSED while looking for a new location.
Better places to see domestics:
  • Farm at Lee Martinez Park, Fort Collins – Petting Zoo – Town park with petting zoo, domestics.
  • Laughing Valley Ranch, Santa’s Southern Reindeer Ranch, Idaho Springs – Petting Zoo – AKA Red Tail’s Old West Burro Farm & Petting Zoo. LH Museum? Domestics, reindeer.
  • North Pole Santa’s Workshop, Cascade – Theme Park – Seasonal – Reindeer.
  • Wishing Star Farm, Calhan – Farm Park – Petting zoo, small rides.
Natural History Museums and other notable facilities without animals:
  • Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Denver – NH Museum – AAM – Dioramas. No live animals? Smithsonian Affiliate, Museums For All.
  • May Museum / May Natural History Museum / John May Museum Center, Colorado Springs – NH Museum – Insects.
  • Museum of Natural History, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder – NH Museum.
  • University of Colorado Museum of Natural History, Boulder – NH Museum – No live animals.
There's also 17 state fish hatcheries:
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
Click to expand...

There is also the PSS Wildlife Foundation in Silt, CO. They are a rehabilitation center and have various animals like foxes, bobcats, BOP etc on display. Private tour only.
 
CONNECTICUT

Zoos, Aquariums, Safaris, large Nature Centers, etc:
  • Action Wildlife, Goshen – Zoo – Seasonal – Have a taxidermy museum. Drive around to exhibits.
  • Children’s Museum, West Hartford – Museum, live animals – Various animals including natives, domestics, rescues.
  • Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo, Bridgeport – Zoo – AZA – KultureCity.
  • Highwire Deer & Animal Farm, Woodbury – Zoo – Seasonal – Small zoo with zebra, coati, deer, domestics.
  • Lutz Children’s Museum, Manchester – Museum, live animals – Around 50 species, pets and native rescues.
  • Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Norwalk – Aquarium – AZA – Harbor seal, meerkat, several other land mammals. Boat cruises. Museums For All.
  • Mystic Aquarium, Mystic – Aquarium – AZA, AMMPA, IMATA – Belugas, several pinnipeds, including fur seals and Steller’s sea lions. KultureCity.
  • Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy, Litchfield – Birds – Major bird facility, specializing in waterfowl.
  • Riverside Reptile Education Center, Enfield – Herps – New herp zoo.
  • SeaQuest Trumbull/SeaQuest Connecticut, Trumbull – Aquarium, Petting Zoo – Otters, porcupines, etc.
Smaller Nature Centers and places with a limited amount of species:
  • Ansonia Nature & Recreation Center, Ansonia – NC – Native species.
  • Birdcraft Museum, Fairfield – NC – Bird sanctuary and museums with live animals, dioramas. Connecticut Audubon Society.
  • Burlington State Fish Hatchery, Burlington – Hatchery – Kokanee salmon, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout. Tours daily.
  • Commerford & Sons Traveling Zoo, Goshen – Traveling – Includes elephants. Occasionally set up at their home base.
  • Connecticut Audubon Society at Fairfield, Fairfield – NC – BOP and education animals. Store.
  • Connecticut Science Center, Hartford – Science Museum, live animals – Butterflies (extra fee), CT freshwater herps.
  • Darien Nature Center, Darien – NC – Small domestic mammals, native and common pet herps, birds.
  • Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic – NC – BOP.
  • Earthplace, Westport – NC – Sanctuary with natives, pet species. 50+ ambassadors.
  • Meigs Point Nature Center, Madison – NC – Herps, fish, a few birds. Hammonasset Beach State Park.
  • New Britain Yout Museum & Hungerford Nature Center, New Britain – NC – Herps, BOP, other birds, a few small mammals, domestics.
  • New Canaan Nature Center, New Canaan, NC – BOP, domestics.
  • Northwest Park, Windsor – NC – Native species, domestics.
  • Oak Grove Nature Center, Manchester – NC – Appointment – Operated by Lutz Children’s Museum. Only open for programs, which the public can book.
  • Peoples State Forest Nature Museum, Barkhamsted – NH Museum, live animals – Fish, butterflies. Native taxidermy.
  • Quinebaug Valley State Fish Hatchery, Plainfield – Hatchery – Website only says “trout”.
  • Roaring Brook Nature Center, Canton – NC – Part of The Children’s Museum. Mostly herps, BOP. KultureCity.
  • Sharon Audubon Center / Audubon Sharon, Sharon – NC – Birds, especially BOP.
  • Silverman’s Farm, Easton – Petting Zoo – Seasonal – Bison, deer, domestics.
  • Stamford Museum & Nature Center, Stamford – NC, Museum, Farm – Otters, domestics, small species, mansion, planetarium.
Better places to see domestics:
  • Brooksvale Park, Hamden – Petting Zoo – Domestics.
  • Flamig Farm, West Simsbury – Petting Zoo – Seasonal – Domestics.
  • Westmoor Park, West Hartford – Petting Zoo – Domestics. Discovery room has a few rescued herps, conure.
  • White Memorial Conservation Center, Litchfield – NH Museum, live animals – A few herps, bees. Dioramas.

Natural History Museums and other notable facilities without animals:
  • Joseph Steward Museum of Curiosities, Hartford – NH Museum – A recreation of Joseph Steward's "Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities" from circa 1800. Inside the Old State House.
  • Shade Swamp Nature Trail, Farmington – Park - The Blue Trail goes past some abandoned exhibits from the Shade Swamp Sanctuary / Farmington Zoo, which was open until the 1960s.
  • Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, New Haven – NH Museum – Closed until 2024 for major renovations.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top