That doesn’t look like what I saw on my visit in 2022. The raccoons were also in another enclosure…Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) is yet another European zoo that combines Striped Skunks and Raccoons together. A beautiful exhibit!
They were all curled up and it looked like a cage of black-and-white tribbles, crammed together and everything.
I don't ever remember there being Spotted skunks in the Fisher/Marten enclosure? I know they used to be displayed in the nocturnal portion of the Minnesota Trail, but I was under the assumption they were phased out after that areas demolition in 2007. Perhaps I too have seen this species, although I'll leave it off of my lifelist since I cant remember actually seeing it.Woah! This looks to be a case where I've seen a species that snowleopard hasn't - on two occasions in fact - the Eastern Spotted Skunk! One of these exhibits was probably the only good skunk enclosure I've ever seen (and sadly I've seen a lot of skunk enclosures) and the other is in the running for the worst zoo enclosure I've ever seen.
The first one was at the Minnesota Zoo in 2013, in what is now the Fisher enclosure:
(photo by @pachyderm pro)
The other I don't have a photo of, but it was at Special Memories Zoo in the same year. It was tiny, smaller than the average desk, with a mesh floor, and the only furnishings were a food and water dish. The skunks barely had room to turn around and no less than four were crammed into the space.
I was surprised, when compiling all this data over several months in 2023, to find out that I've seen Ringtails at 21 zoos. It was more than I expected. I was even more shocked to realize that a Cacomistle is a completely different species, because at many of these zoos there's been a sign that references both a Ringtail and a Cacomistle and until last year I had no idea they weren't the same animal. It's always been an interchangeable name on American zoo signs.
It seems reasonable to assume that almost every animal I've seen on my list below was a Ringtail, but Zootierliste has Cacomistles at both Oregon Zoo (USA) and Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) (as former holdings) and I've been to those establishments on multiple occasions and so it's pretty safe to say I've seen at least one Cacomistle in my lifetime.
Geographically, Ringtails/Cacomistles have been seen by me mainly in two states. There's 7 zoos on the list that are located in California and 4 in Texas, with other zoos all mostly being found in warm weather states.
1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 1996
2- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2008
3- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2008
4- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Ringtail – 2010
5- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2010
6- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2010
7- CuriOdyssey (USA) – Ringtail – 2011
8- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Ringtail – 2011
9- CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) – Ringtail – 2011
10- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2014
11- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Ringtail – 2015
12- The Texas Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2015
13- Austin Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2015
14- Living Desert Zoo – New Mexico (USA) – Ringtail – 2015
15- Bearizona (USA) – Ringtail – 2015
16- Micke Grove Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2017
17- Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary (USA) – Ringtail – 2017
18- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2017
19- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Ringtail – 2019
20- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Ringtail – 2023
21- Big Bear Alpine Zoo (USA) – Ringtail – 2023
Even though it was completely boarded up on my last visit to this facility in 2023, for many years Oregon Zoo (USA) had a Ringtail/Cacomistle exhibit that was themed as the Cascade Mining Company. It was a very dark space, depending on whether the lights were off, and a rewarding one as on several visits I saw an animal moving around inside.
This very bright, mock-rock disaster was the Ringtail exhibit at Fort Worth Zoo (USA):
At the bizarrely named CuriOdyssey (USA), I saw a Ringtail in this exhibit that included a cereal box for enrichment!
The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) has had Ringtails for many years, as I saw one in 2011 and then again in 2023. There's a photo of mine in the gallery showing a sleeping Ringtail when I was there last year, and it shared its enclosure with a Three-banded Armadillo.
Ringtail exhibit at CALM (California Living Museum) (USA):
Here's a variation of a corn-crib cage at Pueblo Zoo (USA), with a Ringtail inside.
These 4 exhibits at Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) had the following species in 2015: Prevost's Squirrel, Common Marmoset, Ringtail and Common Kusimanse.
I can at least praise the impressive stonework surrounding this Ringtail exhibit at Austin Zoo (USA):
The Ringtail exhibit at Micke Grove Zoo (USA) is a decent size:
I saw a Ringtail with a Striped Skunk at Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary (USA). Notice the 'Miner's Shack' themed cabin viewing area:
Los Angeles Zoo (USA) has had Ringtails for years and here's a superb photo of one:
@Newzooboy
@Anteaterman
Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) is the ONLY zoo out of 120 that had Ringtails on my European adventures.
@Therabu
@Mr Gharial
My last sighting was at Big Bear Alpine Zoo (USA) last year, in a small nocturnal house.
I saw a solitary Ringtail at this zoo and there's only the two exhibits in the very tiny nocturnal house. It's the type of building that could likely only accommodate a handful of visitors at any one time.
Procyonidae: 7 species
Coatis - 117 zoos (2 species: South American & White-nosed)
Northern Raccoons - 94 zoos
Kinkajous - 28 zoos
Ringtails & Cacomistles - 21 zoos
Crab-eating Raccoons - 2 zoos
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
Procyonidae: 7 species (117 zoos with Coati (South American & White-nosed), 94 Northern Raccoon, 28 Kinkajou, 21 Ringtail & Cacomistle, 2 Crab-eating Raccoon)
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)
Cincinnati's current Bassariscus are definitely Ringtails. When might they have had Tropical Cacomistle?
Last month I saw a striped skunk in an indoor exhibit at Placerita Canyon Nature Center, which displays a small number of animals. The center is part of Placerita Canyon State Park in the greater Los Angeles area, which is in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and has some nice hiking trails.From Red Pandas to Skunks! I've seen at least one type of Skunk at 53 zoos. I've not included ambassador animals, which I've been consistent with on this thread, unless there is an actual exhibit that can be seen during any point of a zoo visit. Almost all of my sightings have been Striped Skunks.
There's no question that with certain species, the AZA zoos are on a whole other level when it comes to the quality of exhibits provided to their animals. Admittedly, even many AZA exhibits would not be allowed in Western Europe due to more stringent animal legislation and public demand for higher quality zoo habitats. But, as shown below with my photos of skunk exhibits, many of the non-AZA zoos have horrendous husbandry regulations. Skunks can be seen in tiny metal cages with little to no space to roam, or on cement and bricks without any thought of having natural substrate within an enclosure. So many zoos in the USA could arguably be compared to the worst zoos in Southeast Asia, which is a shame as America is a wealthy nation. You can probably keep a de-scented pet skunk in an old rusty hamster cage and it would be perfectly legal.
53 zoos and 54 skunk exhibits (51 Striped, 2 Western Spotted, 1 American Hog-nosed)
1- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2005
2- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2008
3- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2008
4- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2008
5- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – American Hog-nosed Skunk – 2008
6- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2010
7- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2010
8- Maryland Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2010
9- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2010
10- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2010
11- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Western Spotted Skunk, Striped Skunk – 2010 (2 species)
12- CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2011
13- Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2012
14- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2012
15- Bear Country U.S.A. (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2014
16- Lake Superior Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2014
17- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2014
18- DeYoung Family Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2014
19- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2014
20- G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2015
21- San Angelo Nature Center (USA) – Western Spotted Skunk – 2015
22- Austin Nature & Science Center (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2015
23- Turtle Bay Exploration Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2015
24- West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2015
25- Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2017
26- Wilderness Walk Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
27- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
28- Roscommon Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
29- Animal Gardens Petting Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
30- Jo-Don Farms (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
31- Bear Den Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
32- Shalom Wildlife Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
33- Menominee Park Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
34- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
35- Zollman Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2018
36- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
37- Faunapark Flakkee (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
38- Harry Malter Familiepark (Belgium) – Striped Skunk – 2019
39- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Striped Skunk – 2019
40- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Striped Skunk – 2019
41- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Striped Skunk – 2019
42- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
43- Solinger Vogel-und Tierpark (Bird and Animal Park) (Germany) – Striped Skunk – 2019
44- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Striped Skunk – 2019
45- BestZOO (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
46- Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
47- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Striped Skunk – 2019
48- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Striped Skunk – 2019
49- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Striped Skunk – 2022
50- Wildlife Images Rehabilitation and Education Center (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2023
51- Monterey Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2023
52- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2023
53- Big Bear Alpine Zoo (USA) – Striped Skunk – 2023
Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA) has kept Striped Skunks for decades, in a naturalistic exhibit that can be seen through thin wire and also via an overhead walkway.
A memorable Striped Skunk exhibit was at Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) in 2010, as the enclosure had a series of pop-up visitor viewing areas for kids.
Hogle Zoo is the only zoo I've ever been to that had TWO skunk exhibits at the same time. Here is the enclosure for a Western Spotted Skunk, complete with a gardening glove!
At CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) in 2011, there was a Striped Skunk and a Western Gray Squirrel together in a small cage.
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) eventually switched to Striped Skunks, but back in 2008 and 2011 the zoo had Harris's Antelope Squirrels and American Hog-nosed Skunks together in this exhibit.
Striped Skunks, Sandhill Cranes, Three-toed Box Turtles and Florida Box Turtles were all together in this mixed-species exhibit at ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) in 2012. Tampa went 'European-style' that year!
Check out this world-class exhibit at Special Memories Zoo (USA) just 6 years ago. In one corner we have the returning champion, a black-and-white Striped Skunk, while in the other corner is the challenger, a red bucket of water. The rest of this 'exhibit' is a barren wasteland of nothingness. Nasty. I have no idea what the 'No Clearance' sign means.
Here's two Striped Skunks, a single branch, and a pile of sand. It's Dune: Part Three at GarLyn Zoo (USA).
At least the sleeping box has flowers painted on it in this Striped Skunk cage at West Coast Game Park Safari (USA).
Here's a small home for a Western Spotted Skunk at San Angelo Nature Center (USA):
This two-foot wide Striped Skunk cage is an abomination. I saw it at Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) ten years ago.
Another abomination. The entire space for a Striped Skunk at Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA):
A single log in the middle of a metal cage is all that is given to a Striped Skunk at DeYoung Family Zoo (USA):
Here's a small, narrow cement block of a cage for a Striped Skunk at Bear Den Zoo (USA):
And here's apparently a 'North American Skunk' that is living on a pile of bricks at Roscommon Zoo (USA). The animal is almost certainly a white colour variant of a Striped Skunk.
In the 12 European zoos that had Striped Skunks, many combined them with other species and I've already highlighted some of those exhibits via other posts on this thread. I'll come up with some new photos here, but for sure none of those diabolical roadside skunk enclosures in American zoos are to be found in Western European nations. The standards are so much higher. Curiously, I saw zero skunks during my 2022 trip to Denmark, Sweden and Norway.
At Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands), there's a natural-looking exhibit for Striped Skunks and they are combined with Raccoons.
@AWP
Harry Malter Familiepark (Belgium) and Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) both have Striped Skunks with Raccoons in pleasant habitats.
Pairi Daiza (Belgium) is another Belgian zoo that has Striped Skunks with Raccoons:
@KevinB
Here's 5 Raccoons and a Striped Skunk at GaiaZOO (Netherlands):
@vogelcommando
Dierenrijk (Animal Kingdom) (Netherlands) is yet another European zoo that combines Striped Skunks and Raccoons together. A beautiful exhibit!
@KevinB
Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) has a neat little heated shelter area for its Striped Skunks. This themed area (Manitoba) has rustic farming elements incorporated into a few of the animal exhibits.
Updated Species Lists for CARNIVORA:
Ailuridae: 2 species (106 zoos with either Eastern Red Panda or Western Red Panda)
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)
Mephitidae: 3 species (51 zoos with Striped Skunks, 2 Western Spotted, 1 American Hog-nosed)
Nandiniidae: 1 species (1 zoo with African Palm Civet)
Prionodontidae: 0 species
Procyonidae: 7 species (117 zoos with Coati (South American & White-nosed), 94 Northern Raccoon, 28 Kinkajou, 21 Ringtail & Cacomistle, 2 Crab-eating Raccoon)
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)
What's left on my Carnivora Countdown? Pinnipeds and Mustelids!
The bear statue add up to the immersion.If one is willing to accept the dozens of all-indoor, mock-rock River Otter exhibits with spacious pools, then the species does okay in captivity and breeds regularly at many facilities. But there's occasionally a head-scratching exhibit such as this one at Bear Country U.S.A. You can see a River Otter on the grass and a tiny pool with a crashing waterfall at the back. It's a bit odd.
At least the worst otter exhibit you've seen had a pool. I can't say the same for the concrete abomination that was once at MacKenzie Center. The exhibit is still there but it's been empty for years.I've seen North American River Otters at 115 zoos. It's a staggeringly high total because I've only ever seen the species at ONE European zoo out of 120. That means River Otters are one of the most common species I've ever come across and almost every sighting has been in an American collection. For me, River Otters in American zoos have been more common than Meerkats, Coatis, Raccoons, Wolves and just about every single mammal species.
In fact, after Tigers, Lions, Ring-tailed Lemurs and Bobcats, I think that North American River Otters are #5 if I'm looking strictly at USA collections. They are absolutely everywhere in the USA and that includes 16 aquariums on my list.
2008 = 16 zoos
2010 = 20 zoos
2012 = 25 zoos
2014 = 18 zoos
1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – River Otter – 1975
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 1994
3- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2001
4- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA) – River Otter – 2005
5- Oregon Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2005
6- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
7- San Diego Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
8- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – River Otter – 2006
9- Denver Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
10- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2006
11- Seattle Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2006
12- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
13- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – River Otter – 2008
14- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
15- Detroit Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
16- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2008
17- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – River Otter – 2008
18- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
19- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
20- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
21- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – River Otter – 2008
22- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
23- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
24- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
25- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
26- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – River Otter – 2008
27- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – River Otter – 2008
28- Zoo Montana (USA) – River Otter – 2010
29- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
30- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
31- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
32- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
33- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – River Otter – 2010
34- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
35- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
36- Akron Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
37- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
38- Maryland Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
39- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
40- Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2010
41- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
42- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
43- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
44- Audubon Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
45- Houston Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
46- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
47- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
48- CuriOdyssey (USA) – River Otter – 2011
49- Oakland Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2011
50- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2011
51- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
52- Potawatomi Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
53- John Ball Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
54- Potter Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
55- Erie Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
56- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (USA) – River Otter – 2012
57- Maritime Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
58- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
59- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – River Otter – 2012
60- Virginia Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
61- North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island (USA) – River Otter – 2012
62- North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – River Otter – 2012
63- South Carolina Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
64- Brevard Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
65- Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – River Otter – 2012
66- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
67- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – River Otter – 2012
68- The Florida Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
69- Jackson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
70- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
71- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
72- Topeka Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
73- Denver Downtown Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
74- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
75- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
76- Bear Country U.S.A. (USA) – River Otter – 2014
77- Dakota Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
78- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
79- Red River Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
80- Chahinkapa Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
81- Great Lakes Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
82- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – River Otter – 2014
83- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
84- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
85- Phillips Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
86- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
87- Wildlife Prairie Park (USA) – River Otter – 2014
88- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
89- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
90- Lincoln Children’s Zoo - Nebraska (USA) – River Otter – 2014
91- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
92- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
93- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
94- Oklahoma Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2015
95- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
96- Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
97- Texas State Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2015
98- The Texas Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
99- Abilene Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
100- Alameda Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
101- Bearizona (USA) – River Otter – 2015
102- Sequoia Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
103- High Desert Museum (USA) – River Otter – 2015
104- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
105- Saginaw Children’s Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
106- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
107- Washington Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
108- Columbian Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
109- Summerfield Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
110- Menominee Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
111- Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – River Otter – 2018
112- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
113- Zollman Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
114- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – River Otter – 2019
115- Wildlife Images Rehab. and Education Center (USA) – River Otter – 2023
Woodland Park Zoo (USA) has two large viewing panels for its River Otter exhibit and there are many photos of the underwater viewing in the gallery. But I'd like to also highlight that there's a small hidden moat that separates the otter enclosure (foreground) from the Rocky Mountain Goat exhibit in the background. It's a very special backdrop.
Being able to see the ballet-like underwater acrobatics of River Otters is key to a visitor's appreciation of these inquisitive mammals. Oregon Zoo (USA) is one of many collections with expansive viewing windows.
It was recently renovated and modernized, but the same basic structure remains that has held River Otters for decades. Calgary Zoo (Canada) has a large cabin-like building with viewing windows into a River Otter habitat.
Does anyone remember the old River Otter exhibit at Jacksonville Zoo (USA)? This is what it looked like when I visited in 2008, but it was soon converted into a Magellanic Penguin exhibit.
Kansas City Zoo (USA) has a spacious, modern River Otter exhibit near the zoo's entrance:
Just like Jacksonville, Saint Louis Zoo (USA) has a River Otter exhibit that is no longer in use. I saw River Otters in the image pictured below (the Chain of Lakes waterfowl area) and in fact Saint Louis Zoo had TWO River Otter exhibits back in 2010 as there was a second one in the now closed down Children's Zoo. Now the zoo lacks River Otters. Are there otters included in the new plans for that 2.8-acre area that opens in 2026? I think the answer is yes!
What some American zoos have done in the past 15 years is to incorporate kiddie slides into their River Otter exhibits. Here's a splendid example at Akron Zoo (USA), where an otter can be seen swimming over the acrylic tunnel. As a father of 4 children, I think the idea of a slide is fantastic.
@Anmltrnr98
I really enjoyed seeing the River Otter exhibit at Buffalo Zoo (USA) in 2010, with its significant land area to go along with the pool. That stonework is also a treat.
Maryland Zoo (USA) has long been recognized as having one of the very best River Otter exhibits around. There's a spacious pool and land area, plus a visitor tunnel that one would normally see in a shark tank.
@Astrotom3000
A mini version of the Maryland exhibit is the River Otter enclosure at Saginaw Children's Zoo (USA). There's an underwater viewing area, but also a forested zone as well. Oakland Zoo (USA) is another establishment with a similar setup.
An indoor River Otter exhibit with a sunshade! The Appalachian Cove Forest complex at Tennessee Aquarium (USA) has a River Otter exhibit that is typical of many U.S. aquariums. There's mock-rock galore and crystal clear viewing windows, so obviously there's no outdoor access for the animals, but here's an example of one of the better all-indoor River Otter exhibits in the nation.
@Moebelle
Cameron Park Zoo (USA) had a kiddie slide and some white rocking chairs in front of their River Otter exhibit in 2010. Time to beat the Texas heat.
It's a bit shocking to go through hundreds of photos of River Otter exhibits and see how many of them lack natural substrate anywhere in the enclosures. There's a ton of otter exhibits, such as this one at Virginia Aquarium (USA), that have mock-rock mudbanks and no actual dirt or debris anywhere. Of course, by having fake landscapes it stops the clogging of water filtration systems.
Another example of an indoor River Otter exhibit that has a mock-rock, mudbank backdrop is at Florida Aquarium (USA). This whole thing used to be netted, but it was taken down and a kayak was added instead.
@SwampDonkey
If one is willing to accept the dozens of all-indoor, mock-rock River Otter exhibits with spacious pools, then the species does okay in captivity and breeds regularly at many facilities. But there's occasionally a head-scratching exhibit such as this one at Bear Country U.S.A. You can see a River Otter on the grass and a tiny pool with a crashing waterfall at the back. It's a bit odd.
The worst River Otter exhibit I've ever seen is probably the diabolical one at Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) in Texas. It was very tiny, with a puny, filthy pool at the front. This is an AZA-accredited zoo as well!
The other contender for 'worst' River Otter exhibit would be the one at the now closed Special Memories Zoo (USA) in Wisconsin. This was the entire space for the two otters and the brown water reeked.
Even though it has a spacious pool and underwater viewing windows, I appreciate the significant land area in the River Otter exhibit at High Desert Museum (USA). Since I took this photo in 2015, the facility has renovated the enclosure and replaced the solid wall with yet more windows. Look at that stunning forested backdrop!
One of the best River Otter exhibits I've ever seen is at Sequoia Park Zoo (USA), with its naturalistic appearance and rolling terrain.
One of my all-time favourite River Otter exhibits is found at Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA). It's arguably the largest one I've ever seen, has lots of grass and trees, and a series of ponds as if it's set inside a fancy botanical garden. Gorgeous.
)
This is the mammal species I've seen in the most zoos, at 15/39 facilities I've visited (more than double the times I've seen all other otter species combined!). I can understand why they are popular in zoos- as they are a native species with strong educational value, plus a perfect size for smaller zoos and popular with the general public. That said, it's a species I've gotten sick and tired of the number of times I've seen. I'll never get sick and tired of seeing the giant river otters at Roger Williams Park Zoo- as no matter how many times I visit they are always mesmerizing, but their smaller cousins are downright boring to me now, as they always seem to be sleeping away in a log somewhere, and it seems like every single zoo in the AZA exhibits this species nowadays, normally in very similar habitats.I've seen North American River Otters at 115 zoos. It's a staggeringly high total because I've only ever seen the species at ONE European zoo out of 120. That means River Otters are one of the most common species I've ever come across and almost every sighting has been in an American collection. For me, River Otters in American zoos have been more common than Meerkats, Coatis, Raccoons, Wolves and just about every single mammal species.
In fact, after Tigers, Lions, Ring-tailed Lemurs and Bobcats, I think that North American River Otters are #5 if I'm looking strictly at USA collections. They are absolutely everywhere in the USA and that includes 16 aquariums on my list.
2008 = 16 zoos
2010 = 20 zoos
2012 = 25 zoos
2014 = 18 zoos
1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – River Otter – 1975
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 1994
3- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2001
4- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA) – River Otter – 2005
5- Oregon Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2005
6- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
7- San Diego Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
8- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – River Otter – 2006
9- Denver Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2006
10- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2006
11- Seattle Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2006
12- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
13- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – River Otter – 2008
14- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
15- Detroit Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
16- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – River Otter – 2008
17- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – River Otter – 2008
18- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
19- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
20- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
21- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – River Otter – 2008
22- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2008
23- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
24- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
25- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2008
26- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – River Otter – 2008
27- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – River Otter – 2008
28- Zoo Montana (USA) – River Otter – 2010
29- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
30- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
31- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
32- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
33- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – River Otter – 2010
34- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
35- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
36- Akron Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
37- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
38- Maryland Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
39- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
40- Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2010
41- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
42- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
43- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
44- Audubon Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
45- Houston Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
46- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
47- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2010
48- CuriOdyssey (USA) – River Otter – 2011
49- Oakland Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2011
50- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2011
51- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
52- Potawatomi Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
53- John Ball Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
54- Potter Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
55- Erie Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
56- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (USA) – River Otter – 2012
57- Maritime Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
58- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
59- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – River Otter – 2012
60- Virginia Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
61- North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island (USA) – River Otter – 2012
62- North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – River Otter – 2012
63- South Carolina Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
64- Brevard Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
65- Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – River Otter – 2012
66- Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
67- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – River Otter – 2012
68- The Florida Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
69- Jackson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
70- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
71- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
72- Topeka Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
73- Denver Downtown Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2012
74- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
75- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2012
76- Bear Country U.S.A. (USA) – River Otter – 2014
77- Dakota Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
78- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
79- Red River Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
80- Chahinkapa Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
81- Great Lakes Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
82- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – River Otter – 2014
83- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
84- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
85- Phillips Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
86- National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
87- Wildlife Prairie Park (USA) – River Otter – 2014
88- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
89- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
90- Lincoln Children’s Zoo - Nebraska (USA) – River Otter – 2014
91- Lee Richardson Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
92- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2014
93- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2014
94- Oklahoma Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2015
95- Alexandria Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
96- Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
97- Texas State Aquarium (USA) – River Otter – 2015
98- The Texas Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
99- Abilene Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
100- Alameda Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
101- Bearizona (USA) – River Otter – 2015
102- Sequoia Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2015
103- High Desert Museum (USA) – River Otter – 2015
104- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
105- Saginaw Children’s Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
106- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
107- Washington Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
108- Columbian Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
109- Summerfield Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
110- Menominee Park Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
111- Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – River Otter – 2018
112- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
113- Zollman Zoo (USA) – River Otter – 2018
114- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – River Otter – 2019
115- Wildlife Images Rehab. and Education Center (USA) – River Otter – 2023
Woodland Park Zoo (USA) has two large viewing panels for its River Otter exhibit and there are many photos of the underwater viewing in the gallery. But I'd like to also highlight that there's a small hidden moat that separates the otter enclosure (foreground) from the Rocky Mountain Goat exhibit in the background. It's a very special backdrop.
Being able to see the ballet-like underwater acrobatics of River Otters is key to a visitor's appreciation of these inquisitive mammals. Oregon Zoo (USA) is one of many collections with expansive viewing windows.
It was recently renovated and modernized, but the same basic structure remains that has held River Otters for decades. Calgary Zoo (Canada) has a large cabin-like building with viewing windows into a River Otter habitat.
Does anyone remember the old River Otter exhibit at Jacksonville Zoo (USA)? This is what it looked like when I visited in 2008, but it was soon converted into a Magellanic Penguin exhibit.
Kansas City Zoo (USA) has a spacious, modern River Otter exhibit near the zoo's entrance:
Just like Jacksonville, Saint Louis Zoo (USA) has a River Otter exhibit that is no longer in use. I saw River Otters in the image pictured below (the Chain of Lakes waterfowl area) and in fact Saint Louis Zoo had TWO River Otter exhibits back in 2010 as there was a second one in the now closed down Children's Zoo. Now the zoo lacks River Otters. Are there otters included in the new plans for that 2.8-acre area that opens in 2026? I think the answer is yes!
What some American zoos have done in the past 15 years is to incorporate kiddie slides into their River Otter exhibits. Here's a splendid example at Akron Zoo (USA), where an otter can be seen swimming over the acrylic tunnel. As a father of 4 children, I think the idea of a slide is fantastic.
@Anmltrnr98
I really enjoyed seeing the River Otter exhibit at Buffalo Zoo (USA) in 2010, with its significant land area to go along with the pool. That stonework is also a treat.
Maryland Zoo (USA) has long been recognized as having one of the very best River Otter exhibits around. There's a spacious pool and land area, plus a visitor tunnel that one would normally see in a shark tank.
@Astrotom3000
A mini version of the Maryland exhibit is the River Otter enclosure at Saginaw Children's Zoo (USA). There's an underwater viewing area, but also a forested zone as well. Oakland Zoo (USA) is another establishment with a similar setup.
An indoor River Otter exhibit with a sunshade! The Appalachian Cove Forest complex at Tennessee Aquarium (USA) has a River Otter exhibit that is typical of many U.S. aquariums. There's mock-rock galore and crystal clear viewing windows, so obviously there's no outdoor access for the animals, but here's an example of one of the better all-indoor River Otter exhibits in the nation.
@Moebelle
Cameron Park Zoo (USA) had a kiddie slide and some white rocking chairs in front of their River Otter exhibit in 2010. Time to beat the Texas heat.
It's a bit shocking to go through hundreds of photos of River Otter exhibits and see how many of them lack natural substrate anywhere in the enclosures. There's a ton of otter exhibits, such as this one at Virginia Aquarium (USA), that have mock-rock mudbanks and no actual dirt or debris anywhere. Of course, by having fake landscapes it stops the clogging of water filtration systems.
Another example of an indoor River Otter exhibit that has a mock-rock, mudbank backdrop is at Florida Aquarium (USA). This whole thing used to be netted, but it was taken down and a kayak was added instead.
@SwampDonkey
If one is willing to accept the dozens of all-indoor, mock-rock River Otter exhibits with spacious pools, then the species does okay in captivity and breeds regularly at many facilities. But there's occasionally a head-scratching exhibit such as this one at Bear Country U.S.A. You can see a River Otter on the grass and a tiny pool with a crashing waterfall at the back. It's a bit odd.
The worst River Otter exhibit I've ever seen is probably the diabolical one at Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) in Texas. It was very tiny, with a puny, filthy pool at the front. This is an AZA-accredited zoo as well!
The other contender for 'worst' River Otter exhibit would be the one at the now closed Special Memories Zoo (USA) in Wisconsin. This was the entire space for the two otters and the brown water reeked.
Even though it has a spacious pool and underwater viewing windows, I appreciate the significant land area in the River Otter exhibit at High Desert Museum (USA). Since I took this photo in 2015, the facility has renovated the enclosure and replaced the solid wall with yet more windows. Look at that stunning forested backdrop!
One of the best River Otter exhibits I've ever seen is at Sequoia Park Zoo (USA), with its naturalistic appearance and rolling terrain.
One of my all-time favourite River Otter exhibits is found at Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA). It's arguably the largest one I've ever seen, has lots of grass and trees, and a series of ponds as if it's set inside a fancy botanical garden. Gorgeous.
The worst River Otter exhibit I've ever seen is probably the diabolical one at Ellen Trout Zoo (USA) in Texas. It was very tiny, with a puny, filthy pool at the front. This is an AZA-accredited zoo as well!
Speaking of Roger Williams’s otters, I’m actually curious what the consensus on their river otter exhibit is. I’ve seen people give different opinions on it.
