My (semi-realistic) zoo bucket list:
Already Scheduled Trip:
- Ripley's Aquarium of Canada
- Toronto Zoo
- Detroit Zoo
- Toledo Zoo
Possibilities For Short Trips:
- Seneca Park Zoo
- Safari Niagara
- African Lion Safari
- Erie Zoo
- Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium
- Squam Lakes Natural Science Center (haven't visited since before I started my life list)
- Maine Wildlife Park (haven't visited since before I started my life list)
- Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo (pretty much the only major New England Zoo I've never visited)
- Blue Hills Trailside Museum (I've driven past it multiple times, but never been able to stop. I've also done a bit of hiking in the Blue Hills including the entire Skyline Trail- but never a stop at the museum)
Zoos I'd Love to Visit but Require Overnight Trips, some of these are more realistic than others:
- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (visited pre-lifelist, would like to see bonobos again)
- The Wilds (I've heard awesome things about The Wilds, would love to see the large takin herd and the rhinos)
- Brookfield Zoo (The primate nerd and zoo history nerd in me would both be in heaven to see Tropic World, also pangolins, visited as a child but barely remember it)
- Lincoln Park Zoo (A lot of the primates are a top priority here, and the Macaque Forest seems awesome, visited as a child but barely remember it)
- Shedd Aquarium (As a big fan of freshwater exhibits, I'd be very interested in seeing Shedd's Amazon Rising exhibit, visited as a child but barely remember it)
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (the hippo and giraffe areas both seem awesome, and this is another zoo I've heard great things about)
- Denver Zoo (I want to see the Elephant Passage)
- Omaha's Henry-Doorly Zoo (one of the greatest zoos in the US, I'd especially like to see the Desert Dome)
- Kansas City Zoo (the chimpanzee exhibit seems incredible, and I'd love to see that in person)
- Smithsonian's National Zoo (visited pre-lifelist, want to see the "new" Bird House)
- National Aquarium in Baltimore (another pre-lifelist visit, would like to re-experience the Australia section)
- Maryland Zoo (did not have the chance to visit last time I was in Baltimore, so if I have the chance to return to NAIB I'd love to build in a visit to the zoo)
- Greensboro Science Center (this facility has fascinated me since I first learned about it, due to how unique it is, Javan gibbons are also a priority)
- North Carolina Zoo (this zoo has been moving up my radar lately, and the number of massive, expansive exhibits here seems really cool)
- Memphis Zoo (the hippo area and overall theming seems great, I'd also love to experience the nocturnal house and see slender lorises)
- Nashville Zoo (the number of exhibits here that are amongst the best of their kind in the country is incredible, would love the opportunity to take it all in)
- Tennessee Aquarium (for the large freshwater collection)
- Louisville Zoo (three AZA exhibit award-winning complexes is an incredible feat, so I'd love the chance to see those three exhibits)
- Indianapolis Zoo (Orangutan Center has fascinated me since it opened, would really like the chance to see it in person- also crab-eating macaques)
- Woodland Park Zoo (The historic ape exhibits would be great, although I wouldn't want to visit before the tree kangaroo exhibit opens as that's one of my favorite animals and one WPZ is known for)
- Oklahoma City Zoo (Sanctuary Asia and Oklahoma Trails both seem great, also racoon dogs are a priority)
- Dallas Zoo (Elephants in a mixed-species exhibit is a really neat concept and I'd love to see it in person)
- Dallas World Aquarium (The amount of neotropical species, especially birds, kept here is incredible)
- Houston Zoo (Galapagos, Pantanal, and Elephant complexes are all amongst the best-of-their-kind, and the first two are extremely unique in their own right)
- Saint Louis Zoo (visited pre-lifelist, would like to see the Primate Canopy Trails and also visit Kayin, who I frequently saw at Buffalo Zoo before his move to STL)
- Zoo Atlanta (I'd really like to hit all the zoos with a long history with gorillas, and this is one of those really iconic gorilla zoos that I'd really like to visit)
Non-realistically, I'd also love the opportunity to hit some of the great zoos of Europe, Singapore, and the Western US, but all of us are limited by geography, finances, and time, so for now this is my list.
).
