This is my first species list posted to zoochat. I have included scientific names wherever the zoo provided them.
MAIN BUILDING
Medium-sized across from entrance door.
Argentine Black and White Tegu
Small tank near entrance.
Black-legged Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates bicolor) / Golden Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
There were two or three additional smaller tanks in an education room which I did not enter, they looked empty from where I stood.
Series of small tunnels built into wall, through which small tanks connected by tubes can be seen.
Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber)
Large floor-to-ceiling tank across from Admission Booth and Gift Shop
Two-Toed Sloth (Choleopus didactylus)
Southern Three-Banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus)
OUTDOORS
Central exhibit just outside the exit of Main Building with a small indoor holding area and much water.
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
First of two exhibits with glass viewing in front and middle, concrete steps, gravel, water to swim, along with some grass and logs.
North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
Second two exhibits with glass viewing in front and middle, concrete steps, gravel, water to swim, along with some grass and logs.
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Decent-sized grassy exhibit with mesh top in northwest corner of the zoo.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Decent-sized grassy exhibit.
Sandhill Crane [unsigned or missed sign]
Medium-sized exhibit with climbing structures.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
Larger exhibit with climbing structures that can be viewed from multiple angles.
Cougar (Puma concolor)
Large pond with a viewing deck, can be fed by visitors.
Koi [unsigned]
Large, grassy habitat with a visible burrow and some trees.
Red Wolf [scientific name not included in sign]
Medium-sized enclosure with a stream, waterfall, lots of rocks as well as grass and plants.
Eurasian Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
Row of five small aviaries, part of the same structure. Each bird has its own stall to itself, with perches and substrate.
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Crow [unsigned]
Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Short barn with large fenced area
Domestic Goat
Taller barn with medium-sized fenced area divided into two.
Domestic Donkey
Domestic Horse
Large yard with climbing structures and small pool, with viewing from path through fences or from above via deck.
American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Two small exhibits side-by-side
Channel-Billed Toucan [unsigned]
Prehesile-Tailed Porcupine (Coendou prehensilis)
Round building with two attached enclosed habitats and three viewing windows into three indoor exhibits, two of which are dayrooms for the outdoor residents, and third contains:
Madagascar Ground Boa [unsigned]
Attached outdoor habitat with branches, climbing structures and small ladder.
Red Ruffed Lemur (Varacia rubra)
Additional attached outdoor habitat with branches, climbing structures and small ladder.
Black Lemur (Eulemer macaco)
Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
Empty habitat near Lemur-Langur construction area; no signage.
Empty habitat near Lemur-Langur construction area.
Binturong (Arctictis binturong) [unseen but presence confirmed by employee]
Distant enclosed habitat with branches, several feet from the path and within the Lemur-Langur habitat construction zone.
Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey [identified as titi by employee]
Larger glass-fronted mesh exhibit with trees, branches and pillars.
Black-Headed Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps)
Longer chainlink fence habitat with some plants.
African Painted Dog (Lycaon pictus)
Small, short fenced yard.
Asian Brown Tortoise (Manouria emys)
AUSTRALIA
U-shaped exhibit with fencing and a water area surrounded by rocks.
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)
Magpie Goose [unsigned or missed sign]
Medium-sized aviary with wooden frame and branches.
Western Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctis superior)
OFF EXHIBIT
I saw every animal listed above physically except for binturong and prehensile-tailed porcupine. The binturong is off display as it has had babies, as confirmed by a zoo employee.
A different zoo employee informed me the Arctic Fox exhibit was damaged in a storm (in July) and they are not currently on exhibit.
The new lemur-langur building is under construction and so the langurs are not visible, and an employee confirmed they have not been visible since construction began.
COMPARING NOTES
By my count, the zoo's public collection is currently 21 mammals (out of at least 23 held) 12 birds, 3 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 1 fish.
The following animals mentioned on social media or on zoochat previously were not seen or signed that I saw: African Spurred Tortoise, Wallaroo, Virginia Opossum, African Crested Porcupine, Red-Billed Hornbill, Kookaburra, Cockatoo, Galapagos Tortoise, Reeves' Muntjac, Lar Gibbon, White-Nosed Coati, Eurasian Black Vulture, Crested Gecko, Ornate Box Turtle, Eastern Box Turtle, Asiatic Black Bear
Based on the zoochat gallery, the American black bear exhibit formerly held Asiatic black bear, the binturong exhibit formerly held coati, and the empty exhibit I saw near the bear habitat is likely the former gibbon exhibit. The wallaby are where wallaroo were once held. I am less certain but I think the harris hawk exhibit is the former opossum holding.
The kookaburra and cockatoo were promoted as part of an advertisement for a bird show held at the zoo on an amphitheater and are likely not part of regular display. I wonder if the hornbill is the same situation, as it was mentioned in a post about animal birthdays.
As an additional note, at the time previous zoochatters visited, Australia was a walkthrough exhibit - this no longer appears to be the case, as there is different fencing there now that keeps the wallabies in, and they seemed slightly fearful when I moved close to the fence.
This map is still largely accurate except the bottom right area, by the bears and by the spider monkeys, which is where there has been a lot of construction for the new lemur-langur building.
REVIEW
While Henson Robinson Zoo is not going to compete four your attention with Saint Louis Zoo forty minutes away, it was a surprisingly charming little facility for me. All of the animal seemed to have access to soft ground, substrate or grass, many had access to enrichment such as climbing structures, and while every exhibit could have been larger, the use of the space on the grounds seemed relatively effective. Though chain-link fencing may understandable annoy those of us who like to photograph, for a smaller zoo I find it much more understandable and forgivable. The zoo seemed clean and well-maintained overall.
The wolverine was the highlight of the collection, as it has always been -- she was a playful and active animal who seemed to enjoy looking at me and running around the enclosure to do so from different angles. If I were not in a rush I would have trekked back here and could have easily spent a while more. The red wolf exhibit was also fairly fun to watch with active wolves. I also enjoyed the novelty of a penguin habitat with grass - not natural to what we expect of the animals' habitat, but it made it feel different. It also gave me one of the best views of red ruffed lemurs I've ever had. The staff were friendly and helpful as well. I appreciated that they answered my questions! I liked the gift shop as well.
There is, of course, room for improvement, as at any zoo. Everything could probably use more space where possible. The North American bird aviaries, as well as the toucan/porcupine exhibits feel a little particularly cramped, and the primate exhibits could be more lush. I'm excited to see, someday, the langur-lemur structure and how it affects the facility overall. Glass viewing is always preferable to chainlink when possible. The Australian section feels a little unfinished somehow. It would be great to eliminate the concrete sections in the otter and porcupine exhibits. I think a hoofed animal and a crocodilian would make good additions to the collection. None of the exhibits are immersive or especially impressive, with the spider monkey, red wolf, wolverine and penguin exhibits probably among the facility's best.
I obviously can't recommend this as a destination zoo, but if you happen to be driving from Chicago to Saint Louis, or you just live nearby, I think it's worth stopping by for an hour, especially if wolverine is a species of interest.
Quick thanks to @CMP as I borrowed his format from his Miller Park list/review.
MAIN BUILDING
Medium-sized across from entrance door.
Argentine Black and White Tegu
Small tank near entrance.
Black-legged Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates bicolor) / Golden Poison Dart Frog (Phyllobates terribilis)
There were two or three additional smaller tanks in an education room which I did not enter, they looked empty from where I stood.
Series of small tunnels built into wall, through which small tanks connected by tubes can be seen.
Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber)
Large floor-to-ceiling tank across from Admission Booth and Gift Shop
Two-Toed Sloth (Choleopus didactylus)
Southern Three-Banded Armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus)
OUTDOORS
Central exhibit just outside the exit of Main Building with a small indoor holding area and much water.
African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
First of two exhibits with glass viewing in front and middle, concrete steps, gravel, water to swim, along with some grass and logs.
North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis)
Second two exhibits with glass viewing in front and middle, concrete steps, gravel, water to swim, along with some grass and logs.
North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)
Decent-sized grassy exhibit with mesh top in northwest corner of the zoo.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Decent-sized grassy exhibit.
Sandhill Crane [unsigned or missed sign]
Medium-sized exhibit with climbing structures.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
Larger exhibit with climbing structures that can be viewed from multiple angles.
Cougar (Puma concolor)
Large pond with a viewing deck, can be fed by visitors.
Koi [unsigned]
Large, grassy habitat with a visible burrow and some trees.
Red Wolf [scientific name not included in sign]
Medium-sized enclosure with a stream, waterfall, lots of rocks as well as grass and plants.
Eurasian Wolverine (Gulo gulo)
Row of five small aviaries, part of the same structure. Each bird has its own stall to itself, with perches and substrate.
Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Crow [unsigned]
Barred Owl (Strix varia)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Short barn with large fenced area
Domestic Goat
Taller barn with medium-sized fenced area divided into two.
Domestic Donkey
Domestic Horse
Large yard with climbing structures and small pool, with viewing from path through fences or from above via deck.
American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)
Two small exhibits side-by-side
Channel-Billed Toucan [unsigned]
Prehesile-Tailed Porcupine (Coendou prehensilis)
Round building with two attached enclosed habitats and three viewing windows into three indoor exhibits, two of which are dayrooms for the outdoor residents, and third contains:
Madagascar Ground Boa [unsigned]
Attached outdoor habitat with branches, climbing structures and small ladder.
Red Ruffed Lemur (Varacia rubra)
Additional attached outdoor habitat with branches, climbing structures and small ladder.
Black Lemur (Eulemer macaco)
Ring-Tailed Lemur (Lemur catta)
Empty habitat near Lemur-Langur construction area; no signage.
Empty habitat near Lemur-Langur construction area.
Binturong (Arctictis binturong) [unseen but presence confirmed by employee]
Distant enclosed habitat with branches, several feet from the path and within the Lemur-Langur habitat construction zone.
Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey [identified as titi by employee]
Larger glass-fronted mesh exhibit with trees, branches and pillars.
Black-Headed Spider Monkey (Ateles fusciceps)
Longer chainlink fence habitat with some plants.
African Painted Dog (Lycaon pictus)
Small, short fenced yard.
Asian Brown Tortoise (Manouria emys)
AUSTRALIA
U-shaped exhibit with fencing and a water area surrounded by rocks.
Black Swan (Cygnus atratus)
Bennett's Wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus)
Magpie Goose [unsigned or missed sign]
Medium-sized aviary with wooden frame and branches.
Western Harris's Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctis superior)
OFF EXHIBIT
I saw every animal listed above physically except for binturong and prehensile-tailed porcupine. The binturong is off display as it has had babies, as confirmed by a zoo employee.
A different zoo employee informed me the Arctic Fox exhibit was damaged in a storm (in July) and they are not currently on exhibit.
The new lemur-langur building is under construction and so the langurs are not visible, and an employee confirmed they have not been visible since construction began.
COMPARING NOTES
By my count, the zoo's public collection is currently 21 mammals (out of at least 23 held) 12 birds, 3 reptiles, 2 amphibians and 1 fish.
The following animals mentioned on social media or on zoochat previously were not seen or signed that I saw: African Spurred Tortoise, Wallaroo, Virginia Opossum, African Crested Porcupine, Red-Billed Hornbill, Kookaburra, Cockatoo, Galapagos Tortoise, Reeves' Muntjac, Lar Gibbon, White-Nosed Coati, Eurasian Black Vulture, Crested Gecko, Ornate Box Turtle, Eastern Box Turtle, Asiatic Black Bear
Based on the zoochat gallery, the American black bear exhibit formerly held Asiatic black bear, the binturong exhibit formerly held coati, and the empty exhibit I saw near the bear habitat is likely the former gibbon exhibit. The wallaby are where wallaroo were once held. I am less certain but I think the harris hawk exhibit is the former opossum holding.
The kookaburra and cockatoo were promoted as part of an advertisement for a bird show held at the zoo on an amphitheater and are likely not part of regular display. I wonder if the hornbill is the same situation, as it was mentioned in a post about animal birthdays.
As an additional note, at the time previous zoochatters visited, Australia was a walkthrough exhibit - this no longer appears to be the case, as there is different fencing there now that keeps the wallabies in, and they seemed slightly fearful when I moved close to the fence.
This map is still largely accurate except the bottom right area, by the bears and by the spider monkeys, which is where there has been a lot of construction for the new lemur-langur building.
REVIEW
While Henson Robinson Zoo is not going to compete four your attention with Saint Louis Zoo forty minutes away, it was a surprisingly charming little facility for me. All of the animal seemed to have access to soft ground, substrate or grass, many had access to enrichment such as climbing structures, and while every exhibit could have been larger, the use of the space on the grounds seemed relatively effective. Though chain-link fencing may understandable annoy those of us who like to photograph, for a smaller zoo I find it much more understandable and forgivable. The zoo seemed clean and well-maintained overall.
The wolverine was the highlight of the collection, as it has always been -- she was a playful and active animal who seemed to enjoy looking at me and running around the enclosure to do so from different angles. If I were not in a rush I would have trekked back here and could have easily spent a while more. The red wolf exhibit was also fairly fun to watch with active wolves. I also enjoyed the novelty of a penguin habitat with grass - not natural to what we expect of the animals' habitat, but it made it feel different. It also gave me one of the best views of red ruffed lemurs I've ever had. The staff were friendly and helpful as well. I appreciated that they answered my questions! I liked the gift shop as well.
There is, of course, room for improvement, as at any zoo. Everything could probably use more space where possible. The North American bird aviaries, as well as the toucan/porcupine exhibits feel a little particularly cramped, and the primate exhibits could be more lush. I'm excited to see, someday, the langur-lemur structure and how it affects the facility overall. Glass viewing is always preferable to chainlink when possible. The Australian section feels a little unfinished somehow. It would be great to eliminate the concrete sections in the otter and porcupine exhibits. I think a hoofed animal and a crocodilian would make good additions to the collection. None of the exhibits are immersive or especially impressive, with the spider monkey, red wolf, wolverine and penguin exhibits probably among the facility's best.
I obviously can't recommend this as a destination zoo, but if you happen to be driving from Chicago to Saint Louis, or you just live nearby, I think it's worth stopping by for an hour, especially if wolverine is a species of interest.
Quick thanks to @CMP as I borrowed his format from his Miller Park list/review.
