America's 100 Must See Exhibits
- Thread starter pachyderm pro
- Start date
This was for total overall mentions throughout the thread including similar exhibits and honorable mentions. For Indi that includes the two exhibits listed above as well as the Desert Dome which was mentioned as a similar exhibit to Omaha’s Desert Dome.
I'm fortunate to be able to say that I've personally seen 81 out of the 100 exhibits on this thread. Now that I'm back from my latest road trip, I was able to add on some of the California exhibits that had previously escaped my clutches. 
BenFoxster
Well-Known Member
Yes, myself being that Fresno Chaffee is one of the zoos closest to me, plus many of Fresno's residents were heart broken at the scrapping of the hippo, guenon, Nile croc, and spotted otter exhibits being scrapped. Hippos are a species people have been wanting here for years. And I doubt the scrapping has anything to do with budget or California's water shortages, as Fresno Chaffee will still be adding an aquarium and children's water play area. Even employees I've talked to have told me they'd have preferred the hippos.
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
Such a potty that it has lost so many iconic species over the years!One of my favorite areas to visit during each Safari Park visit! Being able to see the California Condors flying around while understanding their near extinction they almost underwent further solidified my love for California Condors. I often talked to docents or keepers at the Safari Park about the program, mentioning how them along with the LA Zoo, were amongst the first to start the captive breeding program for the species.
Seeing them soar the skies once again is truly a testament how important good zoological parks are these days more than ever before. As for the other species exhibited along this trail, the Burrowing Owl/Desert Tortoise exhibit always has a soft spot in my heart. I remember seeing a pair of owls coming out of their burrows, one eventually hoping on the back a tortoise for a brief momentAs a photographer, I appreciate the beautiful views of the Safari Park as well as the use of natural environments to enhance the exhibits.
I say this with full bias and appreciation for the Safari Park but this entry I wholly agree is a must see!
Edit: thank you once again for using my photos for your thread, I truly appreciate it!
As long as there's been a bump, I've now seen fifteen of the exhibits listed in this thread, and went over the St. Louis entries again having now visited the actual exhibits in person. They're all very well-described and I had this thread in mind specifically when visiting... although I misremembered that Sea Lion Sound had been on the list, which does not appear to be the case, although Galapagos Islands fills a very similar niche while being a larger complex.
I know I’m late on this, but congratulations on completing this thread @pachyderm pro. Was a great read, and seeing which ones made the cut, even any honorable mentions.
I’ve seen about 60 out of the 100 exhibit complexes featured. Hopefully that number will increase in either return visits or new places to check out!
I’ve seen about 60 out of the 100 exhibit complexes featured. Hopefully that number will increase in either return visits or new places to check out!
Could there be an index added to the start of the thread? It's difficult to sort through 84 pages.
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
What small carnivores were kept at the Bronx?Bonus Post #1. Remembering the Past: Former Exhibits that were 'must-see'
We've already arrived at the 1/5th point of this thread, so it's time for a brief intermission with the first in a series of bonus posts I will be doing periodically. I'd like to begin by covering a topic that was discussed on the Europe thread; must-see exhibits that are unfortunately no more. There aren't very many which is definitely a good thing, but a few standout exhibits have been relegated to history. Here are three that standout as notable losses and likely would have made this list if they were still around.
1. African Wetlands Aviary
Zoo Tampa, FL
Existed: 2009-2017
Size: 13,000 Square Feet (1,200 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: Shoebill Stork, Yellow–billed Stork, Greater Flamingo, Great White Pelican, White-breasted Cormorant, Ring-tailed Lemur
Tampa’s biggest claim to fame is being the first and only American collection to breed shoebill storks. That achievement is in big part thanks to this once stunning aviary, where the storks had a vast space to freely fly. Shoebills were obviously the stars of the show, but the groups of other large water birds were very impressive as well. Ring-tailed lemurs were also featured on a small island within the aviary, although they were long gone by the time of the exhibit's untimely demise. Many were surprised and saddened to find that the aviary was suddenly demolished at the end of 2017. Unfortunately, it was structurally unsound and with no available funds for repairs, the zoo’s hands were tied. Thankfully, a new shoebill enclosure was built across the path a few years after its closure, but it doesn’t hold a candle to this formerly brilliant display. The site where the aviary stood still sits empty and will be redeveloped as part of an extensive revamp to the zoo's African area, although that is in the very far off future.
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
2. World of Darkness
Bronx Zoo, NY
Existed: 1969-2009
Size: 8,700 Square Feet (800 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: A large variety of nocturnal species including bats, prosimians, small carnivores and herps.
This unusually shaped building was one of the first ever proper nocturnal houses and once held an incredible collection of odd small mammals and reptiles. Some exhibits were a touch small on space, but were well done overall and the diversity of the house was extraordinarily impressive. Budget cuts forced the zoo to close several exhibits and this building was one of the unfortunate casualties due to the high operating costs associated with nocturnal houses. Today the building still stands abandoned and void of animals, however there is still a glimmer of hope that one day this house can be reopened and brought back to its former glory. The zoo has expressed interest in doing so in the past, but only time will tell. Because this was a nocturnal exhibit that closed many years ago, there are very few photos of the exhibit online. If anyone has some they would be able to share, that would be highly appreciated.
@Newzooboy
3. Horn and Hoof Mesa
San Diego Zoo, CA
Existed: c.1960-2007
Size: 7 Acres (2.8 Hectares)
Inhabitants: A wide variety of hoofstock.
While there's no denying that the loss of this exhibit was saddening, it's a bit more understandable why this one is no longer around. The appeal of hoofstock to the general public is rather limited and many of these enclosures were visually quite dated. That doesn't make the loss of this area any less unfortunate for ungulate enthusiasts, as the collection here was truly unparalleled. This was essentially a long winding trail through 20+ hoofstock paddocks that contained a cornucopia of rare and unusual ungulates. It doesn't help that the exhibits replacement isn't regarded very well by zoo nerds, as has already been discussed earlier in this thread. However, unlike the others mentioned above, this exhibit is not wholly dead. Remnants of the mesa still exist through a half dozen hoofstock paddocks that were left over after most of the area was demolished, so you can still get a small sample of what this exhibit was like.
@Baldur
@Baldur
@Baldur
While those are some that would have been heavily considered for this list, there are other now-closed exhibits that come to mind: North Carolina Zoo's African Pavilion, Brookfield Zoo's Aardvark House, Houston Zoo's Bird Gardens, etc. While not proper exhibits per say, the monorail rides at San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Dallas Zoo are also looked back on fondly. With that said, I'd be highly interested in hearing of any other former exhibits that could have been considered must-see that I didn't mention here.
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
Love this choice!!22. South America’s Pantanal
Houston Zoo, TX
Opened: 2020
Size: 4 Acres (1.6 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Jaguar, Baird’s Tapir, Giant Anteater, Capybara, Giant River Otter, Black Howler Monkey, Greater Rhea, Blue-throated Macaw, Green Anaconda and more.
A few entries ago I mentioned Lee Ehmke and his passion for creating exhibits that focus on regions underrepresented in zoos. After he left Minnesota, he came to his current position at Houston and took his aptitude for exhibit design along with him. He has since pivoted Houston to create exhibits that focus on regions where the zoo does significant conservation work, and it just so happens the Pantanal is one of their largest conservation hubs. What resulted is one of the most highly detailed and carefully constructed exhibit complexes built in recent memory. The highlight is undoubtedly the spacious grasslands enclosure for various larger herbivores and birds which could have made this list on its own merit. The jaguar and giant otter exhibits are both some of the best on the continent for their respective species and the addition of various birds and ectotherms show that smaller things aren’t forgotten about either. Something that may bother zoological pedants is that a few species had to be substituted for similar, non-Pantanal native species: Baird’s tapir filling in for lowland tapir and blue-throated macaw for hyacinth macaw. Despite serious efforts they weren't able to acquire giant armadillo, but being a species the zoo works closely with in the wild, they as well as other species that aren’t displayed are represented through bronze sculptures dotted throughout the trail. Some fantastic landscaping and subtle thematics help this exhibit shine the spotlight on a unique part of the world in an extraordinarily well done way.
@Zooplantman
@Zooplantman
@geomorph
@Zooplantman
@Zooplantman
@geomorph
@Zooplantman
Similar Exhibits: None.
A request has been made.
If you're talking about World of Darkness, have a look at this thread: https://www.zoochat.com/community/threads/future-of-the-bronx-zoo.71997/page-10
Do you think one of the mods is going to give up their time to go through an 80+ page thread to make the index for you?
AnActualFan
Well-Known Member
Isn't there an index on Page 78?
I already made it and posted it here after the 100th exhibit. All I asked was for it to be reproduced at the start of the thread...
https://www.zoochat.com/community/threads/americas-100-must-see-exhibits.486228/page-78#post-1466076
No, your report in which you made your "request" quoted birdsandbats' post and you simply said "what he said".
If you wanted an existing index put at the start of the thread you should have asked for that and linked to it. We're not going to waste our time trying to figure out what you want.
Now that you have provided a link to it, I can add it into the start of the thread.
I was under the impression this was already known, as I first made the request back in May and was told by another moderator it would be done ASAP. Regardless, thank you for doing it now.
I think he did actually ask me via PM -i just never got around to it what with one thing and another.
Beat you to it just now
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
Bonus Post #2 - Just out of Reach: Must-see Exhibits in Canadian Zoos
This is America’s 100 must-see exhibits, not North America. While I considered doing a comprehensive tour of the continent as a whole, truthfully there isn't enough worth mentioning to justify including exhibits from Canada and Mexico in this thread. However, that's not to say there isn't anything notable and it wouldn't be right to ignore exhibits that would have made this list if they were located in the US. I know next to nothing about Mexican zoos, so I decided to stick to Canada in this post. If there are any members who are familiar with collections in Mexico and believe there are exhibits that are noteworthy, do mention them below as I'd personally be very curious to hear of any.
With that said, here are three Canadian zoo exhibits that would have made this list if they were located in the United States:
1. Journey to Churchill
Assiniboine Park Zoo, Manitoba
Opened: 2014
Size: 10 Acres (4 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Polar Bear, Musk Ox, Caribou, Arctic Fox, Harbor Seal, Snowy Owl
How this relatively obscure little zoo in the middle of Manitoba got their hands on $90 million I have no clue, but what I do know is that this is by far the greatest exhibit Canada has to offer. When looking at polar bear exhibits on both sides of the pond, they each have their general strengths and weaknesses, with US polar bear enclosures focusing on the visitor experience while Europe prioritizes space for the animals. Here is an exhibit that takes the best elements from both and there isn’t a single polar bear habitat anywhere else in the world that strikes such a perfect balance of exemplary animal welfare and an inspiring visitor experience. There are several open grassy fields filled with multiple bears living in groups, which is an unusual sight, as well as multiple underwater viewing windows and even a pair of underwater tunnels both for the bears and an adjacent seal exhibit. That's not the only highlight of this extensive complex: arctic foxes have a pleasant enclosure, musk ox and caribou are found in scenic grassy pastures, and snowy owls are treated to an incredibly spacious aviary. The theming and educational components are phenomenal with plenty of commentary on global warming, and the large restaurant with windows gazing out at one of the bear exhibits is the cherry on top. This exhibit is an easy shoe-in for any worldwide must-see list without a doubt.
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
2. Penguin Plunge
Calgary Zoo, Alberta
Opened: 2012
Size: 24,700 Square Feet (2,300 Square Meters)
Inhabitants: Humboldt Penguin, King Penguin, Southern Rockhopper Penguin, Gentoo Penguin
A few profiles ago I talked about Penguin and Puffin Coast at Saint Louis Zoo and teased that there would be another similar exhibit mentioned at a later time. This is that exhibit, as there are a ton of similarities between the two penguin houses and it's clear this one was heavily inspired by Saint Louis. It's another walkthrough penguin fridge with open-topped enclosures on both sides of the guest pathway, but these penguin exhibits are actually quite a bit larger and better detailed. The species list is also identical minus the lack of puffins, although there is one particularly notable feature that gives this exhibit an edge. Just like the Saint Louis exhibit, there is a large outdoor enclosure for Humboldt penguins adjacent to the building. However, this Humboldt penguin exhibit is both surprisingly large and surprisingly green. The coolest aspect of the complex is that during the winter months the Antarctic penguins are given access to this enclosure and seeing king, gentoo and rockhopper penguins in a spacious outdoor exhibit is quite impressive.
@snowleopard
@snowleopard
@Pleistohorse
3. Eastern Asia
Sauvage Zoo of St-Félicien, Quebec
Opened: c.1995
Size: Unknown
Inhabitants: Amur Tiger, Japanese Macaque, Red Panda, Red Crowned Crane
A debt of gratitude is owed to @TinoPup, who just recently uploaded an extensive photo showcase of this rather unknown collection. In essence, Sauvage is the North American equivalent of a Scandinavian zoo; a lopsided focus on mammals, interesting mixed-species environments, and absolutely gigantic enclosures in natural settings. There are several exhibits at this zoo that I considered for this spot, such as the polar bear/arctic fox complex and the large enclosure for a variety of small woodland mammals, but I decided to go with the Eastern Asia complex. Only a few species are featured, but they are all in absolutely enormous exhibits set in a gorgeous temperate forest. The whole area is traversed via an elevated walkway which provides some breathtaking views of both the animal enclosures and the surrounding forest. It can be challenge actually finding the inhabitants at times, but that's part of the experience of exhibits like these. It really is unfortunate exhibits like this are rather uncommon in the US
Gibbonsagainstgravity
Well-Known Member
I am honestly not such a big fan of it, largely because of the cramped cages in the front.