NNM.
Well-Known Member
That’s more or less how I’d describe it. I was worried I came off as overly negative regarding it, but I do still love San Diego Zoo even if it’s not perfect.
Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian
- Thread starter snowleopard
- Start date
SDZ had that reputation long before it got giant pandas, in fact probably back in the 1950's. It built it through the adroit use of television in it's early days, and becoming the Hollywood zoo. It was helped by being in a benign climate when most major zoos were in climates with severe winters, which restricted how they could exhibit animals.
The question probably should be why was it not Los Angeles Zoo that achieved that status? The answer I think is that SDZ out-marketed and out-built it.
I've seen Asiatic Black Bears at only 15 zoos. At least two zoo nerds predicted that I'd have seen this species at more zoos than Sun and Sloth Bears, but Asiatic Black Bears have been very rare for me to come across in captivity. Much like Sun Bears, these guys are almost gone from AZA zoos and seem to be just about holding on in a handful of non-accredited establishments.
Perhaps only a third of these zoos even have the species these days:
1- Denver Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2006
2- Zoo Miami (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2008
3- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
4- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
5- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
6- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
7- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2012
8- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2012
9- Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) - Asiatic Black Bear – 2014
10- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2014
11- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2015
12- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
13- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
14- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – Asiatic Black Bear (with Corsac Fox) – 2019
15- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
The first time I saw Asiatic Black Bears was at Denver Zoo (USA) in 2006, in an old grotto within the historic Bear Mountain area. The enclosure had a waterfall and a pool, but was very small by today's standards.
Here's the elderly, 29 year-old Asiatic Black Bear that I saw at Zoo Miami (USA) in 2008:
I then saw 4 Asiatic Black Bear exhibits in a single month in 2010, beginning with an old grotto at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA):
Milwaukee County Zoo (USA):
@geomorph
Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) has a rocky Asiatic Black Bear exhibit in its Marco Polo complex:
A grassy yard in Bear Country at Philadelphia Zoo (USA) held an Asiatic Black Bear when I toured the zoo in 2010:
Trail of the Tiger, Virginia Zoo's (USA) Asian complex that opened in 2011, held Asiatic Black Bears when I was there in 2012.
@mweb08
Here's an absolutely horrendous old bear grotto at Little Rock Zoo (USA), with an Asiatic Black Bear squeezing into a tiny tub of water.
I then saw an Asiatic Black Bear at the totally obscure Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo (USA):
I saw an Asiatic Black Bear in another flat, boring enclosure at the Henson Robinson Zoo (USA):
The trend has been that most of the exhibits for Asiatic Black Bears have been on the poor side, best exemplified by this small cage at the Capital of Texas Zoo (USA). Since then, the owner has maintained the species and recently built a larger enclosure as of this year. But what I saw in 2015 was pretty grim:
I saw an Asiatic Black Bear at Pairi Daiza (Belgium) and my photo shows what is likely the largest exhibit I've ever seen for the species.
And of course there's some nice theming, which Pairi Daiza likes to do.
@KevinB
Another Belgian zoo, Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium), had 3 bear species in 2019, including Asiatic Black Bears. Like so many zoos, there's no longer that species there as this exhibit is now part of the Brown Bear expansion.
Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) had a mixed-species habitat of Asiatic Black Bears and Corsac Foxes in 2019.
And that leaves Berlin Zoo (Germany) as the 15th and final facility where I've seen Asiatic Black Bears. None of the Scandinavian zoos I visited had these bears.
@Therabu
Ursidae:
American Black Bears - 100 zoos
Brown Bears - 92 zoos
Polar Bears - 47 zoos
Andean Bears - 32 zoos
Sun Bears - 27 zoos
Sloth Bears - 22 zoos
Asiatic Black Bears - 15 zoos
Giant Pandas - ??
Perhaps only a third of these zoos even have the species these days:
1- Denver Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2006
2- Zoo Miami (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2008
3- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
4- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
5- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
6- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2010
7- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2012
8- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2012
9- Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) - Asiatic Black Bear – 2014
10- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2014
11- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2015
12- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
13- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
14- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – Asiatic Black Bear (with Corsac Fox) – 2019
15- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Asiatic Black Bear – 2019
The first time I saw Asiatic Black Bears was at Denver Zoo (USA) in 2006, in an old grotto within the historic Bear Mountain area. The enclosure had a waterfall and a pool, but was very small by today's standards.
Here's the elderly, 29 year-old Asiatic Black Bear that I saw at Zoo Miami (USA) in 2008:
I then saw 4 Asiatic Black Bear exhibits in a single month in 2010, beginning with an old grotto at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA):
Milwaukee County Zoo (USA):
@geomorph
Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) has a rocky Asiatic Black Bear exhibit in its Marco Polo complex:
A grassy yard in Bear Country at Philadelphia Zoo (USA) held an Asiatic Black Bear when I toured the zoo in 2010:
Trail of the Tiger, Virginia Zoo's (USA) Asian complex that opened in 2011, held Asiatic Black Bears when I was there in 2012.
@mweb08
Here's an absolutely horrendous old bear grotto at Little Rock Zoo (USA), with an Asiatic Black Bear squeezing into a tiny tub of water.
I then saw an Asiatic Black Bear at the totally obscure Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo (USA):
I saw an Asiatic Black Bear in another flat, boring enclosure at the Henson Robinson Zoo (USA):
The trend has been that most of the exhibits for Asiatic Black Bears have been on the poor side, best exemplified by this small cage at the Capital of Texas Zoo (USA). Since then, the owner has maintained the species and recently built a larger enclosure as of this year. But what I saw in 2015 was pretty grim:
I saw an Asiatic Black Bear at Pairi Daiza (Belgium) and my photo shows what is likely the largest exhibit I've ever seen for the species.
And of course there's some nice theming, which Pairi Daiza likes to do.
@KevinB
Another Belgian zoo, Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium), had 3 bear species in 2019, including Asiatic Black Bears. Like so many zoos, there's no longer that species there as this exhibit is now part of the Brown Bear expansion.
Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) had a mixed-species habitat of Asiatic Black Bears and Corsac Foxes in 2019.
And that leaves Berlin Zoo (Germany) as the 15th and final facility where I've seen Asiatic Black Bears. None of the Scandinavian zoos I visited had these bears.
@Therabu
Ursidae:
American Black Bears - 100 zoos
Brown Bears - 92 zoos
Polar Bears - 47 zoos
Andean Bears - 32 zoos
Sun Bears - 27 zoos
Sloth Bears - 22 zoos
Asiatic Black Bears - 15 zoos
Giant Pandas - ??
To finish off bears, I've seen Giant Pandas at 8 zoos. My first occasion was lining up forever to see the Giant Pandas at San Diego Zoo in 2006, but when I went back to San Diego in 2008 I actually saw all 4 American zoos that held pandas in that single summer. That was a huge, epic road trip that saw me cross-cross the nation. Back then, fuel was cheap, accommodation was even cheaper, and my wife and I didn't have our 4 kids yet. We got into a tiny car and drove all over Canada and the USA and that included all 4 zoos holding pandas.
Since then, no one other zoo in America has gained Giant Pandas and in fact there's been the departure of that iconic species from some of the facilities...only for them to regain pandas later this year!
My other 4 occasions of seeing Giant Pandas were all in Europe, on my two big zoo treks on that continent. I saw the species at 4 zoos in 4 different nations.
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2006
2- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
3- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
4- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
5- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Giant Panda – 2019
6- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Giant Panda – 2019
7- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giant Panda – 2019
8- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Giant Panda – 2022
My photo from 2008 shows one of the Giant Panda exhibits at San Diego Zoo (USA) and, looking back, it's not a very large enclosure whatsoever. Slightly sloping downwards, the exhibit is facing a public walkway that was jam-packed with visitors. The emphasis was on seeing the sedentary bears, as who wants an irate crowd that has been lining up for 45 minutes?
The small exhibits provided optimal viewing of Giant Pandas, plus San Diego Zoo has had several cubs born over the years. Just like with Sun Bears, the climate in San Diego has likely played its part in breeding rare bears. That's part of the theory, anyway!
@bubblywums
In 1972, President Richard Nixon had a big smile in his office as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) debuted a pair of Giant Pandas. When I visited the zoo in 2008 there was a total of 4 panda habitats, with a couple of them enormous compared to hundreds of bear grottoes around the world.
Throngs of visitors have been watching Giant Pandas at this zoo for half a century in what are the best Giant Panda exhibits I've ever seen.
@Moebelle
The heavily themed, Pairi Daiza-like CHINA complex at Memphis Zoo (USA) had Giant Pandas when I was there in that fateful summer of 2008.
@geomorph
Zoo Atlanta (USA) was the 4th American zoo with Giant Pandas, with another solid yet slightly uninspiring pair of outdoor exhibits and small indoor dayrooms.
@geomorph
After 11 long years, I finally saw Giant Pandas again at a 'new' zoo (as I'd revisited San Diego in the meantime) and of course Pairi Daiza (Belgium) had Giant Pandas in 2019. This now legendary Belgian zoo has several indoor and outdoor panda yards and loads of viewing opportunities for visitors.
@Tiger
@KevinB
There is even a stunning Giant Panda cave area:
@KevinB
I was really impressed with the Pandasia complex at Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands), with two big Giant Panda outdoor yards and also Red Pandas nearby. Of course, there's a gift shop and a restaurant to capitalize on the popularity of the iconic bears.
At all 4 American zoos, the Giant Panda indoor areas are puny dayrooms, but at Ouwehands there's two spacious, air-conditioned rooms with huge murals and a lot of elevated space for the black-and-white blobs.
Berlin Zoo (Germany) opened a new Giant Panda exhibit in the last 10 years and it replaced a series of deer yards. Which would the general public like to see more...pandas or obscure deer?
@MagpieGoose
@gulogulogulo
The 8th and final place where I saw Giant Pandas was at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) in 2022. I wasn't a huge fan of this zoo in general, as there are certain mammals that get a raw deal there (Chimpanzees, Polar Bears, Brown Bears, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, even the outdoor Asian Elephant yard, etc.) and the Giant Pandas are mainly looked down on via an overhead walkway.
Although I did get this photo after being allowed into the restaurant for two minutes.
Ursidae:
American Black Bears - 100 zoos
Brown Bears - 92 zoos
Polar Bears - 47 zoos
Andean Bears - 32 zoos
Sun Bears - 27 zoos
Sloth Bears - 22 zoos
Asiatic Black Bears - 15 zoos
Giant Pandas - 8 zoos
Since then, no one other zoo in America has gained Giant Pandas and in fact there's been the departure of that iconic species from some of the facilities...only for them to regain pandas later this year!
My other 4 occasions of seeing Giant Pandas were all in Europe, on my two big zoo treks on that continent. I saw the species at 4 zoos in 4 different nations.
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2006
2- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
3- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
4- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
5- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Giant Panda – 2019
6- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Giant Panda – 2019
7- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giant Panda – 2019
8- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Giant Panda – 2022
My photo from 2008 shows one of the Giant Panda exhibits at San Diego Zoo (USA) and, looking back, it's not a very large enclosure whatsoever. Slightly sloping downwards, the exhibit is facing a public walkway that was jam-packed with visitors. The emphasis was on seeing the sedentary bears, as who wants an irate crowd that has been lining up for 45 minutes?
The small exhibits provided optimal viewing of Giant Pandas, plus San Diego Zoo has had several cubs born over the years. Just like with Sun Bears, the climate in San Diego has likely played its part in breeding rare bears. That's part of the theory, anyway!
@bubblywums
In 1972, President Richard Nixon had a big smile in his office as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) debuted a pair of Giant Pandas. When I visited the zoo in 2008 there was a total of 4 panda habitats, with a couple of them enormous compared to hundreds of bear grottoes around the world.
Throngs of visitors have been watching Giant Pandas at this zoo for half a century in what are the best Giant Panda exhibits I've ever seen.
@Moebelle
The heavily themed, Pairi Daiza-like CHINA complex at Memphis Zoo (USA) had Giant Pandas when I was there in that fateful summer of 2008.
@geomorph
Zoo Atlanta (USA) was the 4th American zoo with Giant Pandas, with another solid yet slightly uninspiring pair of outdoor exhibits and small indoor dayrooms.
@geomorph
After 11 long years, I finally saw Giant Pandas again at a 'new' zoo (as I'd revisited San Diego in the meantime) and of course Pairi Daiza (Belgium) had Giant Pandas in 2019. This now legendary Belgian zoo has several indoor and outdoor panda yards and loads of viewing opportunities for visitors.
@Tiger
@KevinB
There is even a stunning Giant Panda cave area:
@KevinB
I was really impressed with the Pandasia complex at Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands), with two big Giant Panda outdoor yards and also Red Pandas nearby. Of course, there's a gift shop and a restaurant to capitalize on the popularity of the iconic bears.
At all 4 American zoos, the Giant Panda indoor areas are puny dayrooms, but at Ouwehands there's two spacious, air-conditioned rooms with huge murals and a lot of elevated space for the black-and-white blobs.
Berlin Zoo (Germany) opened a new Giant Panda exhibit in the last 10 years and it replaced a series of deer yards. Which would the general public like to see more...pandas or obscure deer?
@MagpieGoose
@gulogulogulo
The 8th and final place where I saw Giant Pandas was at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) in 2022. I wasn't a huge fan of this zoo in general, as there are certain mammals that get a raw deal there (Chimpanzees, Polar Bears, Brown Bears, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, even the outdoor Asian Elephant yard, etc.) and the Giant Pandas are mainly looked down on via an overhead walkway.
Although I did get this photo after being allowed into the restaurant for two minutes.
Ursidae:
American Black Bears - 100 zoos
Brown Bears - 92 zoos
Polar Bears - 47 zoos
Andean Bears - 32 zoos
Sun Bears - 27 zoos
Sloth Bears - 22 zoos
Asiatic Black Bears - 15 zoos
Giant Pandas - 8 zoos
One of the worst decisions the zoo made in the last decade or so
when you literally have only one structure surviving from the mid-19th century left relatively untouched by the devastation of WWII (the antelope house, pig house and other such structures having been extensively repaired, and a myriad of others utterly destroyed) and which is still fit for purpose, demolishing it for giant pandas is nigh-sacrilegious on historical grounds! Running through things in my head, I was somewhat surprised to realise that I've seen the species at a total of 7 collections - a lot closer to your total than I initially expected!
Panda_Fan
Well-Known Member
Really excited for the arrivals at the SD zoo and the National zoo!!!
It's seems like the start of a new panda era, and I got a feeling this one is gone be a good one.
Ironically I also had to que to see giant panda's when I was in Hong Kong Ocean Park in 2008. I had never seen the species before, so I considered it worth the wait. It wasn't, really, especially in hindsight since I've seen this species in 5 European zoos since (Ouwehands, Pairi Daiza, Berlin, Vienna and Madrid.)
When Pairi Daiza added panda's, there were huge crowds to see them as well. I was there with people who never saw a panda before, so again I joined a queue to see them. This time it was worth it even less so since the panda's were indoors and asleep.
Giant panda's. I like them but I will never join a queue to see one again.
When Pairi Daiza added panda's, there were huge crowds to see them as well. I was there with people who never saw a panda before, so again I joined a queue to see them. This time it was worth it even less so since the panda's were indoors and asleep.
Giant panda's. I like them but I will never join a queue to see one again.
Panda_Fan
Well-Known Member
I think that having to wait long queues to see giant pandas is the only negative thing I have against giant pandas. It's really frustrating to wait the long line to see the black and white bears.Ironically I also had to que to see giant panda's when I was in Hong Kong Ocean Park in 2008. I had never seen the species before, so I considered it worth the wait. It wasn't, really, especially in hindsight since I've seen this species in 5 European zoos since (Ouwehands, Pairi Daiza, Berlin, Vienna and Madrid.)
When Pairi Daiza added panda's, there were huge crowds to see them as well. I was there with people who never saw a panda before, so again I joined a queue to see them. This time it was worth it even less so since the panda's were indoors and asleep.
Giant panda's. I like them but I will never join a queue to see one again.
Yeah, i've seen so many giant pandas that i dont even bother queueing when i visited Ueno zoo i just dont bother seeing them anymoreIronically I also had to que to see giant panda's when I was in Hong Kong Ocean Park in 2008. I had never seen the species before, so I considered it worth the wait. It wasn't, really, especially in hindsight since I've seen this species in 5 European zoos since (Ouwehands, Pairi Daiza, Berlin, Vienna and Madrid.)
When Pairi Daiza added panda's, there were huge crowds to see them as well. I was there with people who never saw a panda before, so again I joined a queue to see them. This time it was worth it even less so since the panda's were indoors and asleep.
Giant panda's. I like them but I will never join a queue to see one again.
I don't think queues to see giant panda's are actually a thing anymore - their novelty wore off fast. At least here in Europe. By this time I think most people have seen a panda as they've been all over Europe - and I imagine most people were probably underwhelmed.
It's fascinating to look at some of the major U.S. zoos that have NOT had bears over the years. Looking at the book that I cowrote, titled America’s Top 100 Zoos & Aquariums, it contains reviews and photos of 80 zoos and 20 aquariums. There are 71 out of the 80 zoos that have displayed bears during the past decade.
Here are the NINE zoos that have not had any bears (in random order):
Disney's Animal Kingdom (USA) - This place opened in 1998 and is the most visited zoo in the world with something insane like 12 million annual visitors based on an average of the past few years. There's really not been a major new animal exhibit in a quarter century, so expecting the addition of bears will only lead to disappointment. Bring on the rollercoasters!
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) - Here's another half-zoo, half-theme park facility with no bears. A good 4 million or so venture through the gates each year and most of the park is filled with rides and African animals. The Asian themed Jungala was added in 2008 with Tigers and Orangutans, but no bears.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) - A big safari park type zoo that's never had bears as the focus has mainly been on African fauna.
Living Desert Zoo (USA) - There's North American, African and Australian sections, but no bears anywhere. I could imagine an American Black Bear exhibit one day, up near the Eagle Canyon zone.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) - This privately-owned, mid-sized zoo has never had any bears to my knowledge, but there's always been an impressive feline collection.
Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) - Another mid-sized zoo with no bears. This is a facility that hasn't made a lot of major changes in the last 15-20 years, other than replacing elephants with an Australian walk-through zone.
Sacramento Zoo (USA) - This zoo is closing down in a few years as a brand-new zoological establishment will open up in neighbouring Elk Grove in 2029.
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (USA) - Here's a zoo that receives 600,000 annual visitors and is only open 6 months of the year. No bears.
Dallas Zoo (USA) - There's 50% of the zoo that's focused on African wildlife, but the other half of the zoo could easily accommodate a bear exhibit. With a million visitors per year, this major American establishment lacks rhinos and bears, which just seems odd. There's been rumours of both for years, so eventually I expect the addition of those animals.
Updated Species Lists for CARNIVORA:
Canidae: 19 species (129 zoos with Grey Wolf, 75 Red Fox, 51 African Wild Dog, 49 Arctic Fox, 49 Coyote, 44 Fennec Fox, 38 Maned Wolf, 35 Northern Grey Fox, 25 Bat-eared Fox, 22 Red Wolf, 19 Swift Fox, 16 Bush Dog, 10 Dhole, 10 Raccoon Dog, 6 Corsac Fox, 6 Island Fox, 6 Kit Fox, 5 Black-backed Jackal, 2 Golden Jackal...AND bonus animals are 17 New Guinea Singing Dog, 5 Dingo)
Eupleridae: 3 species (25 zoos with Fossa, 3 Ring-tailed Vontsira, 1 Fanaloka)
Felidae: 28 species (195 zoos with Tiger, 179 Lion, 128 Bobcat, 118 Cougar, 98 Leopard, 76 Cheetah, 74 Snow Leopard, 73 Serval, 63 Jaguar, 50 Eurasian Lynx, 49 Ocelot, 45 Canada Lynx, 36 Clouded Leopard, 31 Caracal, 29 Pallas's Cat, 25 Fishing Cat, 16 Black-footed Cat, 15 Sand Cat, 15 'Wildcats' (2 species: African, European), 8 Geoffroy's Cat, 7 Margay, 5 Jaguarundi, 4 Asian Golden Cat, 3 Leopard Cat, 2 Jungle Cat, 2 Rusty-spotted Cat, 1 Southern Tigrina)
Herpestidae: 5 species (129 zoos with Meerkat, 29 Dwarf Mongoose, 22 Banded Mongoose, 9 Yellow Mongoose, 5 Common Kusimanse)
Hyaenidae: 3 species (44 zoos with Spotted Hyena, 14 Striped Hyena, 1 Southern Aardwolf)
Nandiniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with African Palm Civet)
Prionodontidae: 0 species
Ursidae: 8 species (100 zoos with American Black, 92 Brown, 47 Polar, 32 Andean, 27 Sun, 22 Sloth, 15 Asiatic Black, 8 Giant Panda)
Viverridae: 9 species (38 zoos with Binturong, 8 Cape Genet, 4 Common Genet, 4 Northern Palm Civet, 1 African Civet, 1 Banded Palm Civet, 1 Masked Palm Civet, 1 Philippine Palm Civet, 1 Rusty-spotted Genet)
* Also, on page 42 of this thread, there's an extensive list of all the Primates I've seen (141 species)
Here are the NINE zoos that have not had any bears (in random order):
Disney's Animal Kingdom (USA) - This place opened in 1998 and is the most visited zoo in the world with something insane like 12 million annual visitors based on an average of the past few years. There's really not been a major new animal exhibit in a quarter century, so expecting the addition of bears will only lead to disappointment. Bring on the rollercoasters!
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) - Here's another half-zoo, half-theme park facility with no bears. A good 4 million or so venture through the gates each year and most of the park is filled with rides and African animals. The Asian themed Jungala was added in 2008 with Tigers and Orangutans, but no bears.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) - A big safari park type zoo that's never had bears as the focus has mainly been on African fauna.
Living Desert Zoo (USA) - There's North American, African and Australian sections, but no bears anywhere. I could imagine an American Black Bear exhibit one day, up near the Eagle Canyon zone.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) - This privately-owned, mid-sized zoo has never had any bears to my knowledge, but there's always been an impressive feline collection.
Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) - Another mid-sized zoo with no bears. This is a facility that hasn't made a lot of major changes in the last 15-20 years, other than replacing elephants with an Australian walk-through zone.
Sacramento Zoo (USA) - This zoo is closing down in a few years as a brand-new zoological establishment will open up in neighbouring Elk Grove in 2029.
Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (USA) - Here's a zoo that receives 600,000 annual visitors and is only open 6 months of the year. No bears.
Dallas Zoo (USA) - There's 50% of the zoo that's focused on African wildlife, but the other half of the zoo could easily accommodate a bear exhibit. With a million visitors per year, this major American establishment lacks rhinos and bears, which just seems odd. There's been rumours of both for years, so eventually I expect the addition of those animals.
Updated Species Lists for CARNIVORA:
Canidae: 19 species (129 zoos with Grey Wolf, 75 Red Fox, 51 African Wild Dog, 49 Arctic Fox, 49 Coyote, 44 Fennec Fox, 38 Maned Wolf, 35 Northern Grey Fox, 25 Bat-eared Fox, 22 Red Wolf, 19 Swift Fox, 16 Bush Dog, 10 Dhole, 10 Raccoon Dog, 6 Corsac Fox, 6 Island Fox, 6 Kit Fox, 5 Black-backed Jackal, 2 Golden Jackal...AND bonus animals are 17 New Guinea Singing Dog, 5 Dingo)
Eupleridae: 3 species (25 zoos with Fossa, 3 Ring-tailed Vontsira, 1 Fanaloka)
Felidae: 28 species (195 zoos with Tiger, 179 Lion, 128 Bobcat, 118 Cougar, 98 Leopard, 76 Cheetah, 74 Snow Leopard, 73 Serval, 63 Jaguar, 50 Eurasian Lynx, 49 Ocelot, 45 Canada Lynx, 36 Clouded Leopard, 31 Caracal, 29 Pallas's Cat, 25 Fishing Cat, 16 Black-footed Cat, 15 Sand Cat, 15 'Wildcats' (2 species: African, European), 8 Geoffroy's Cat, 7 Margay, 5 Jaguarundi, 4 Asian Golden Cat, 3 Leopard Cat, 2 Jungle Cat, 2 Rusty-spotted Cat, 1 Southern Tigrina)
Herpestidae: 5 species (129 zoos with Meerkat, 29 Dwarf Mongoose, 22 Banded Mongoose, 9 Yellow Mongoose, 5 Common Kusimanse)
Hyaenidae: 3 species (44 zoos with Spotted Hyena, 14 Striped Hyena, 1 Southern Aardwolf)
Nandiniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with African Palm Civet)
Prionodontidae: 0 species
Ursidae: 8 species (100 zoos with American Black, 92 Brown, 47 Polar, 32 Andean, 27 Sun, 22 Sloth, 15 Asiatic Black, 8 Giant Panda)
Viverridae: 9 species (38 zoos with Binturong, 8 Cape Genet, 4 Common Genet, 4 Northern Palm Civet, 1 African Civet, 1 Banded Palm Civet, 1 Masked Palm Civet, 1 Philippine Palm Civet, 1 Rusty-spotted Genet)
* Also, on page 42 of this thread, there's an extensive list of all the Primates I've seen (141 species)
To finish off bears, I've seen Giant Pandas at 8 zoos. My first occasion was lining up forever to see the Giant Pandas at San Diego Zoo in 2006, but when I went back to San Diego in 2008 I actually saw all 4 American zoos that held pandas in that single summer. That was a huge, epic road trip that saw me cross-cross the nation. Back then, fuel was cheap, accommodation was even cheaper, and my wife and I didn't have our 4 kids yet. We got into a tiny car and drove all over Canada and the USA and that included all 4 zoos holding pandas.
Since then, no one other zoo in America has gained Giant Pandas and in fact there's been the departure of that iconic species from some of the facilities...only for them to regain pandas later this year!
My other 4 occasions of seeing Giant Pandas were all in Europe, on my two big zoo treks on that continent. I saw the species at 4 zoos in 4 different nations.
1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2006
2- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
3- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
4- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giant Panda – 2008
5- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Giant Panda – 2019
6- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Giant Panda – 2019
7- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giant Panda – 2019
8- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Giant Panda – 2022
My photo from 2008 shows one of the Giant Panda exhibits at San Diego Zoo (USA) and, looking back, it's not a very large enclosure whatsoever. Slightly sloping downwards, the exhibit is facing a public walkway that was jam-packed with visitors. The emphasis was on seeing the sedentary bears, as who wants an irate crowd that has been lining up for 45 minutes?
The small exhibits provided optimal viewing of Giant Pandas, plus San Diego Zoo has had several cubs born over the years. Just like with Sun Bears, the climate in San Diego has likely played its part in breeding rare bears. That's part of the theory, anyway!
@bubblywums
In 1972, President Richard Nixon had a big smile in his office as the Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) debuted a pair of Giant Pandas. When I visited the zoo in 2008 there was a total of 4 panda habitats, with a couple of them enormous compared to hundreds of bear grottoes around the world.
Throngs of visitors have been watching Giant Pandas at this zoo for half a century in what are the best Giant Panda exhibits I've ever seen.
@Moebelle
The heavily themed, Pairi Daiza-like CHINA complex at Memphis Zoo (USA) had Giant Pandas when I was there in that fateful summer of 2008.
@geomorph
Zoo Atlanta (USA) was the 4th American zoo with Giant Pandas, with another solid yet slightly uninspiring pair of outdoor exhibits and small indoor dayrooms.
@geomorph
After 11 long years, I finally saw Giant Pandas again at a 'new' zoo (as I'd revisited San Diego in the meantime) and of course Pairi Daiza (Belgium) had Giant Pandas in 2019. This now legendary Belgian zoo has several indoor and outdoor panda yards and loads of viewing opportunities for visitors.
@Tiger
@KevinB
There is even a stunning Giant Panda cave area:
@KevinB
I was really impressed with the Pandasia complex at Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands), with two big Giant Panda outdoor yards and also Red Pandas nearby. Of course, there's a gift shop and a restaurant to capitalize on the popularity of the iconic bears.
At all 4 American zoos, the Giant Panda indoor areas are puny dayrooms, but at Ouwehands there's two spacious, air-conditioned rooms with huge murals and a lot of elevated space for the black-and-white blobs.
Berlin Zoo (Germany) opened a new Giant Panda exhibit in the last 10 years and it replaced a series of deer yards. Which would the general public like to see more...pandas or obscure deer?
@MagpieGoose
@gulogulogulo
The 8th and final place where I saw Giant Pandas was at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) in 2022. I wasn't a huge fan of this zoo in general, as there are certain mammals that get a raw deal there (Chimpanzees, Polar Bears, Brown Bears, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, even the outdoor Asian Elephant yard, etc.) and the Giant Pandas are mainly looked down on via an overhead walkway.
Although I did get this photo after being allowed into the restaurant for two minutes.
Ursidae:
American Black Bears - 100 zoos
Brown Bears - 92 zoos
Polar Bears - 47 zoos
Andean Bears - 32 zoos
Sun Bears - 27 zoos
Sloth Bears - 22 zoos
Asiatic Black Bears - 15 zoos
Giant Pandas - 8 zoos
I was curious what my Giant Panda zoo total would be so here goes...
1. Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – Early 1990s
2. San Diego Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 1996
3. Memphis Zoo (USA) – Giant Panda – 2006
4. Madrid Zoo (Spain) – Giant Panda – 2009
5. Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Giant Panda – 2010
6. Chapultapec Zoo (Mexico) – Giant Panda – 2013
7. Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Giant Panda – 2013
8. Taman Safari Bogor (Indonesia) – Giant Panda – 2018
9. Taipei Zoo (Tawain) – Giant Panda – 2018
10. Ueno Zoo (Japan) – Giant Panda – 2018
11. Beijing Zoo (China) – Giant Panda – 2018
12. River Wonders (Singapore) – Giant Panda – 2023
13. Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Giant Panda – 2023
14. Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Giant Panda – 2023
11 different countries total, with USA being the only country where I've seen them in multiple zoos.
Interesting there's no bear in DAK, considering there's quite a few bears in the disney franchise.
DAK is currently planning to replace Dinoland USA with a South American complex in the next few years, and there is potential that could contain Spectacled Bears.
toastrgophr
Active Member
I didn't know that...
I know this is kind of controversial, but I really like Dinoland for its great theming. Recent Disney has been more miss than hit with new attractions, so I just REALLY hope they can get Joe Rohde out of retirement or something to help with this.
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Supposedly it's going to be Encanto and Indiana Jones themed, which is a little worrying but not enough for me to feel the project is doomed.
The unfortunate reality is that the last major project/new attraction in a Disney World park that wasn't IP-based was Expedition Everest in 2006. As such, I'd unfortunately expect any future additions to DAK to be based in one or more IPs. Now, I'm not completely opposed to having IPs in DAK when done right (e.g., the Wilderness Explorer's program is a solid inclusion based on Up, Festival of the Lion King is a really solid show), and there are existing IPs that I think would fit the park well, but it's important to realize that this is the way Disney Parks as a whole are moving. Hopefully they chose to tie in IPs appropriately, and not try to shoe-horn in a land which doesn't fit in at all with the overarching theme of the park (e.g., Avatar).
While Indiana Jones isn't a perfect fit for DAK, Indiana Jones Adventure at Disneyland is a popular attraction using the same ride system as Dinosaur, making it a fairly logical re-theme. Hopefully they can find a way to tie it in to the park's nature theming. Encanto is a really popular movie at the moment, so it's only a matter of time before it makes its way into one of the parks, and since animals form a major plot point in the movie, DAK does seem like a logical choice.
As of now, I'm cautiously optimistic about this new addition- and hopeful that they incorporate a number of live animals in addition to the IP-based attractions, but it's a good sign that imagineers visited multiple locations in the Neotropics when planning this expansion. Hopefully soon we'll see a more detailed plan for this area.
I've seen Coatis at 117 zoos, which makes them one of the most frequently spotted mammalian species in zoos worldwide and likely to make my top 10 all-time most common critters. I will list all the zoos as 'Coatis', even though I've seen two species: South American/Brown-nosed Coati and also White-nosed Coati. If I had a dollar for every time a roadside American zoo had a sign saying 'Mountain Coati' I'd have at least twenty bucks, but obviously I have likely never seen that species.
There were two summers in particular when I saw a LOT of zoos with Coatis. The first was my trek through the southern United States, with Coatis popping up in zoos in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc. in 2015. Then in 2019 I saw a heck of a lot of Coatis in European zoos. Zoos in Western Europe LOVE small, active mammals such as Coatis, Meerkats and all types of Mongooses.
2015 = 22 zoos
2019 = 31 zoos
1- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Coati – 2001
2- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Coati – 2003
3- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2006
4- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
5- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Coati – 2008
6- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
7- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
8- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – Coati – 2008
9- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
10- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – Coati – 2009
11- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Coati – 2010
12- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
13- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Coati – 2010
14- Akron Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
15- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
16- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
17- Chattanooga Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
18- Houston Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
19- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
20- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
21- Zoo Boise (USA) – Coati – 2010
22- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2011
23- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Coati – 2011
24- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Coati – 2011
25- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Coati – 2011
26- CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) – Coati – 2011
27- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2011
28- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
29- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Coati – 2012
30- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
31- Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure (USA) – Coati – 2012
32- Denver Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
33- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
34- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
35- Dakota Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
36- Hemker Park & Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
37- Irvine Park & Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
38- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2014
39- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2014
40- Racine Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
41- Scovill Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
42- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
43- Clay Center Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
44- Riverside Discovery Center (USA) – Coati – 2015
45- Tiger Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
46- G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
47- Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
48- Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – Coati – 2015
49- In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center (USA) – Coati – 2015
50- Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (USA) – Coati – 2015
51- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
52- Gone Wild Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
53- East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
54- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
55- The Texas Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
56- Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
57- Exotic Resort Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
58- Austin Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
59- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
60- Alameda Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
61- Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (USA) – Coati – 2015
62- Out of Africa (USA) – Coati – 2015
63- Grand Canyon Deer Farm (USA) – Coati – 2015
64- Keepers of the Wild Nature Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
65- West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
66- Orange County Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2017
67- Wilderness Walk Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
68- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
69- Roscommon Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
70- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
71- Indian Creek Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
72- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Coati – 2018
73- Summerfield Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
74- Animal Gardens Petting Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
75- Jo-Don Farms (USA) – Coati – 2018
76- Bear Den Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
77- Animal Haven Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
78- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
79- Dierentuin Animal Farm (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
80- Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
81- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
82- Familiepark Plaswijckpark (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
83- Lille Zoo (France) – Coati – 2019
84- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Coati – 2019
85- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
86- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
87- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
88- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
89- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
90- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
91- Affen + Vogelpark Eckenhagen (Monkey + Bird Park) (Germany) – Coati – 2019
92- Solinger Vogel-und Tierpark (Bird and Animal Park) (Germany) – Coati – 2019
93- Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Germany) – Coati – 2019
94- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
95- Tiergarten Monchengladbach (Germany) – Coati – 2019
96- BestZOO (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
97- Zoo Veldhoven (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
98- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
99- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
100- De Paay (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
101- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
102- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
103- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Coati – 2019
104- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
105- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
106- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Coati – 2019
107- Gronau Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
108- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Coati – 2019
109- Nordhorn Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
110- Skaerup Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
111- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
112- Munkholm Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
113- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
114- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
115- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2023
116- Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center (USA) – Coati – 2023
117- Monterey Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2023
I'll highlight 10 memorable Coati exhibits and 10 horrible ones.
Denver Zoo (USA) has a famous structure called Bear Mountain that opened in 1918. Originally it was home to various monkeys, then a retired circus Polar Bear named 'Velox', then California Sea Lions. The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 banned the bears and sea lions and eventually Coatis took up residence. Here's my photo from 2012:
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) has a fabulous Coati exhibit that uses a deep, hidden moat in the foreground and 'invisnet' in certain areas to contain the Coatis. It works remarkably well and makes it seem as if the animals could escape at any moment. Recently, this exhibit sat empty for at least two years and I'm not sure what the status of it is right now, but when I visited the zoo in 2008 and 2011 it was a genuine highlight.
A memorable exhibit, because I'm not sure that it's even occupied these days, is the 'Mountain Coatimundi' enclosure at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA). Here's my photo from 2017 and this exhibit was tucked away near the entrance to the zoo. Even San Diego wasn't afraid to post a Mountain Coati sign!
There's been a lot of really poor Coati exhibits in subpar accommodation in American zoos. Some of these cages are truly shocking. Hemker Park Zoo (USA) had a sleeping Coati in a log in this tiny cage in 2014. Really, really, depressing.
A 'Mountain Coatimundi' cage at Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) in 2014. There were two youngsters here, with another crappy enclosure elsewhere in the park for when they got older. And this was at a brand-new zoo!
Here's a Coati cage that is literally a slab of dirt at Tiger Safari (USA):
You can see a Coati perched on a branch in this 5-foot long raised box. Brutal. East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (USA). How would this even be allowed?
Coati exhibit at Roscommon Zoo (USA) in 2018:
Corn-crib cages are the bane of existence for American roadside menageries. Here's one at Indian Creek Zoo (USA), with the Coatis enjoying a cement floor, a few climbing props, and a small wooden box for shelter. When it rains, the roof creates a noise so loud that the animals most likely go deaf.
There's not even a metal roof at this Coati exhibit at Jo-Don Farms (USA):
A similarly inadequate Coati cage could be found at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) in 2018. Two Coatis laying on logs in a tiny home.
Perhaps the worst of the 10 awful ones I've highlighted was at Animal Haven Zoo (USA). Before it closed down, it was a real 'haven' to captive animals! You can see a hapless Coati peering out of its box and this cage has a wire floor and two branches and that's it. Insanity.
Or is this one worse? A Coati in a box within an indoor desert, with no outdoor access, at GarLyn Zoo (USA).
So, I've showed 3 memorable, decent Coati exhibits and 10 that verge on horrendous. Let's explore 7 more and stick to European zoos. Quality.
At Maubeuge Zoo (France), one that I recall well is an old bear grotto of a decent size, with Coatis and Raccoons together. The space available to the two species is much larger than what is shown in my 2019 photo.
A brilliant one at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) has Coatis in a spacious exhibit (on the left) and then they can leave that space via overhead walkways (think of the Ewok Village in Return of the Jedi) and go over the heads of visitors. There's at least 3 Coatis in my 2019 photo:
Here's another Coati/Racoon mixed-species exhibit that is once again an old bear grotto with more space than what is shown here. This is at Tiergarten Monchengladbach (Germany).
Look at this stunning exhibit. It has Coatis and Squirrel Monkeys together, with full access to mature trees. A pair of commonly seen mammals showcased with perfection by Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands).
This looks suspiciously like it could have also been an old bear exhibit. Now there are Coatis here at Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) in a spacious, excellent habitat.
@vogelcommando
Another Coati exhibit with towering trees. This one is at Berlin Zoo (Germany) and there's no roadside corn-crib crap at these European zoos.
@ZooTripper365
Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) has the same design approach as Planckendael, with a nice Coati exhibit on one side and then a series of overhead walkways for the animals that truly stretches the realm of their available space. I suppose the theory is that the height of the trail system is just high enough to stop a Coati from leaping to freedom and somehow not fleeing into the German wilderness. This exhibit at Osnabruck is really successful by incorporating a children's wooden playground in the distance, with kids being able to run beneath the Coatis and it becomes immersive for the kids.
There were two summers in particular when I saw a LOT of zoos with Coatis. The first was my trek through the southern United States, with Coatis popping up in zoos in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, etc. in 2015. Then in 2019 I saw a heck of a lot of Coatis in European zoos. Zoos in Western Europe LOVE small, active mammals such as Coatis, Meerkats and all types of Mongooses.
2015 = 22 zoos
2019 = 31 zoos
1- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Coati – 2001
2- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Coati – 2003
3- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2006
4- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
5- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Coati – 2008
6- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
7- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
8- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – Coati – 2008
9- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2008
10- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – Coati – 2009
11- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Coati – 2010
12- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
13- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Coati – 2010
14- Akron Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
15- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
16- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
17- Chattanooga Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
18- Houston Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
19- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
20- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2010
21- Zoo Boise (USA) – Coati – 2010
22- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2011
23- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Coati – 2011
24- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Coati – 2011
25- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Coati – 2011
26- CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) – Coati – 2011
27- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2011
28- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
29- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Coati – 2012
30- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
31- Rolling Hills Wildlife Adventure (USA) – Coati – 2012
32- Denver Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
33- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
34- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2012
35- Dakota Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
36- Hemker Park & Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
37- Irvine Park & Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
38- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2014
39- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2014
40- Racine Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
41- Scovill Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
42- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
43- Clay Center Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2014
44- Riverside Discovery Center (USA) – Coati – 2015
45- Tiger Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
46- G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
47- Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
48- Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – Coati – 2015
49- In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center (USA) – Coati – 2015
50- Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (USA) – Coati – 2015
51- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
52- Gone Wild Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
53- East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
54- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
55- The Texas Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
56- Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
57- Exotic Resort Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
58- Austin Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
59- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
60- Alameda Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2015
61- Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (USA) – Coati – 2015
62- Out of Africa (USA) – Coati – 2015
63- Grand Canyon Deer Farm (USA) – Coati – 2015
64- Keepers of the Wild Nature Park (USA) – Coati – 2015
65- West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) – Coati – 2015
66- Orange County Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2017
67- Wilderness Walk Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
68- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
69- Roscommon Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
70- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
71- Indian Creek Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
72- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Coati – 2018
73- Summerfield Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
74- Animal Gardens Petting Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
75- Jo-Don Farms (USA) – Coati – 2018
76- Bear Den Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
77- Animal Haven Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
78- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2018
79- Dierentuin Animal Farm (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
80- Landgoed Hoenderdaell (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
81- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
82- Familiepark Plaswijckpark (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
83- Lille Zoo (France) – Coati – 2019
84- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Coati – 2019
85- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
86- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
87- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
88- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Coati – 2019
89- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
90- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
91- Affen + Vogelpark Eckenhagen (Monkey + Bird Park) (Germany) – Coati – 2019
92- Solinger Vogel-und Tierpark (Bird and Animal Park) (Germany) – Coati – 2019
93- Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Germany) – Coati – 2019
94- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
95- Tiergarten Monchengladbach (Germany) – Coati – 2019
96- BestZOO (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
97- Zoo Veldhoven (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
98- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
99- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
100- De Paay (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
101- Apenheul Primate Park (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
102- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Coati – 2019
103- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Coati – 2019
104- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
105- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
106- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Coati – 2019
107- Gronau Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
108- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Coati – 2019
109- Nordhorn Zoo (Germany) – Coati – 2019
110- Skaerup Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
111- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
112- Munkholm Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
113- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
114- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Coati – 2022
115- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2023
116- Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center (USA) – Coati – 2023
117- Monterey Zoo (USA) – Coati – 2023
I'll highlight 10 memorable Coati exhibits and 10 horrible ones.
Denver Zoo (USA) has a famous structure called Bear Mountain that opened in 1918. Originally it was home to various monkeys, then a retired circus Polar Bear named 'Velox', then California Sea Lions. The federal Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 banned the bears and sea lions and eventually Coatis took up residence. Here's my photo from 2012:
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) has a fabulous Coati exhibit that uses a deep, hidden moat in the foreground and 'invisnet' in certain areas to contain the Coatis. It works remarkably well and makes it seem as if the animals could escape at any moment. Recently, this exhibit sat empty for at least two years and I'm not sure what the status of it is right now, but when I visited the zoo in 2008 and 2011 it was a genuine highlight.
A memorable exhibit, because I'm not sure that it's even occupied these days, is the 'Mountain Coatimundi' enclosure at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA). Here's my photo from 2017 and this exhibit was tucked away near the entrance to the zoo. Even San Diego wasn't afraid to post a Mountain Coati sign!
There's been a lot of really poor Coati exhibits in subpar accommodation in American zoos. Some of these cages are truly shocking. Hemker Park Zoo (USA) had a sleeping Coati in a log in this tiny cage in 2014. Really, really, depressing.
A 'Mountain Coatimundi' cage at Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) in 2014. There were two youngsters here, with another crappy enclosure elsewhere in the park for when they got older. And this was at a brand-new zoo!
Here's a Coati cage that is literally a slab of dirt at Tiger Safari (USA):
You can see a Coati perched on a branch in this 5-foot long raised box. Brutal. East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (USA). How would this even be allowed?
Coati exhibit at Roscommon Zoo (USA) in 2018:
Corn-crib cages are the bane of existence for American roadside menageries. Here's one at Indian Creek Zoo (USA), with the Coatis enjoying a cement floor, a few climbing props, and a small wooden box for shelter. When it rains, the roof creates a noise so loud that the animals most likely go deaf.
There's not even a metal roof at this Coati exhibit at Jo-Don Farms (USA):
A similarly inadequate Coati cage could be found at Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) in 2018. Two Coatis laying on logs in a tiny home.
Perhaps the worst of the 10 awful ones I've highlighted was at Animal Haven Zoo (USA). Before it closed down, it was a real 'haven' to captive animals! You can see a hapless Coati peering out of its box and this cage has a wire floor and two branches and that's it. Insanity.
Or is this one worse? A Coati in a box within an indoor desert, with no outdoor access, at GarLyn Zoo (USA).
So, I've showed 3 memorable, decent Coati exhibits and 10 that verge on horrendous. Let's explore 7 more and stick to European zoos. Quality.
At Maubeuge Zoo (France), one that I recall well is an old bear grotto of a decent size, with Coatis and Raccoons together. The space available to the two species is much larger than what is shown in my 2019 photo.
A brilliant one at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) has Coatis in a spacious exhibit (on the left) and then they can leave that space via overhead walkways (think of the Ewok Village in Return of the Jedi) and go over the heads of visitors. There's at least 3 Coatis in my 2019 photo:
Here's another Coati/Racoon mixed-species exhibit that is once again an old bear grotto with more space than what is shown here. This is at Tiergarten Monchengladbach (Germany).
Look at this stunning exhibit. It has Coatis and Squirrel Monkeys together, with full access to mature trees. A pair of commonly seen mammals showcased with perfection by Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands).
This looks suspiciously like it could have also been an old bear exhibit. Now there are Coatis here at Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) in a spacious, excellent habitat.
@vogelcommando
Another Coati exhibit with towering trees. This one is at Berlin Zoo (Germany) and there's no roadside corn-crib crap at these European zoos.
@ZooTripper365
Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) has the same design approach as Planckendael, with a nice Coati exhibit on one side and then a series of overhead walkways for the animals that truly stretches the realm of their available space. I suppose the theory is that the height of the trail system is just high enough to stop a Coati from leaping to freedom and somehow not fleeing into the German wilderness. This exhibit at Osnabruck is really successful by incorporating a children's wooden playground in the distance, with kids being able to run beneath the Coatis and it becomes immersive for the kids.
This exhibit holds a pair of female binturongs now that the coatis have moved down to the Zoo for their new exhibit in Wildlife Explorers Basecamp.A memorable exhibit, because I'm not sure that it's even occupied these days, is the 'Mountain Coatimundi' enclosure at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA). Here's my photo from 2017 and this exhibit was tucked away near the entrance to the zoo. Even San Diego wasn't afraid to post a Mountain Coati sign!