The Top 10 Best Zoos in the World Debate

AmazonianHippo

AmazonianHippo

Well-Known Member
So, to practically copy and paste the title, what are the Top 10 Best Zoos in the world? I'm expecting to hear big names like San Diego, Mandai Wildlife Reserve, Leipzig and the Bronx, but what lesser known zoos would you put up there?
 
It’s a highly subjective affair that depends on what factors you as an individual value the most, but of the zoos I have visited myself, the one which I think cannot be overlooked for such a discussion is Prague. It manages to design its exhibits in a way that makes even smaller animals exciting to the average visitor without leaning too far towards tasteless theming that puts sightlines before animal welfare. With only a few exceptions, the exhibit quality is excellent, and with a rarity-packed collection of over 600 species there are few zoos in the world with better lineups - the only major fault is the small fish collection. The zoo also has a remarkable setting with a cliff face down the middle (inhabited by mountain goats, birds of prey and native reptiles), an extensive forest in the upper portion, and a myriad of canals filled with wild carps and frogs in the lower half. All the big mammals you would expect are here (rhinos are strange exception), and all barring the Polar Bears (which will be remedied soon) have adequate enclosures, with some truly excellent. With over 250 species of birds and countless rarities (arguably best of all being the Brazilian Mergansers, but the list is quite overwhelming with Shoebills, two species of birds-of-paradise, Kagus and Pel’s Fishing-owl only scratching the surface), it may be the best zoo in Europe for avian enthusiasts. And the zoo isn’t afraid to give smaller animals the spotlight and the result is brilliant - giant salamanders have a whole pavilion devoted solely to them, as opposed to being fit in to the corner of a reptile house. I personally regard it as the best zoo that I have visited, and if / when I visit more of the world’s great zoos, I would be stunned if it doesn’t remain in my top five.

There are several other great zoos that I have visited that could belong in a global top ten, but equally have issues which could eliminate them from consideration. Zürich arguably has the finest enclosures in the zoo world, but with ‘only’ 300 species it is a little lacking in bulk, and with the atrocity of an Ape House sadly still remaining, can it really claim to be the best there is for animal welfare? Burgers’ Zoo in Arnhem has very few exhibits, but what it does have is so evocative of a certain ecosystem and of such a high standard that, unless you prioritise expansive collections, it should really be considered anyways. Chester and Beauval, of the zoos that I have visited, also deserve a mention.
 
Some european zoos that also could potentially be in a top 10 list, depending on what you find important, are plzen (gigantic collection, largest collection in the world), Apenheul ( pioneer+ lots of rare monkey species), Alpenzoo Innsbruck ( best European fauna zoo), gaiazoo(excellent exhibit quality), Pairi daiza (extravagance) or both Berlins of course. If safari parks count, perhaps dvur kralove as well. And burgers zoo and prague are of such high quality that they almost must be in a top 10.
 
I'd rather do it as a tier list. That way, you know which ones are the elite among zoos but it doesn't pin the rest of them in a contest of who's the best as it can be kinda apples and oranges.

For example, the Bronx, San Diego (both), and Omaha are clearly what I'd call "S Tier" zoos but to say which is the best is mostly vibes.

If I had the motivation to, I could probably make a tier list of most major zoos in the U.S. and someone else can do it for other countries.
 
tigris115 said:
I'd rather do it as a tier list. That way, you know which ones are the elite among zoos but it doesn't pin the rest of them in a contest of who's the best as it can be kinda apples and oranges.

For example, the Bronx, San Diego (both), and Omaha are clearly what I'd call "S Tier" zoos but to say which is the best is mostly vibes.

If I had the motivation to, I could probably make a tier list of most major zoos in the U.S. and someone else can do it for other countries.
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I do agree that tier lists are easier and make more sense. Will point to an "underrated" zoo that has top 10 potential besides those 4, is the Saint Louis Zoo.
 
As for an “underrated” worldwide facility I’d like to add Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. It’s in the top 5 zoos in the US without a doubt and it’s a jaw dropping experience every time!
 
tigris115 said:
I can't rly say they're underrated as Columbus is pretty well known

A better example would be something like Sedgwick County
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Meaning not praised as a best in the world. To me, Columbus is just known to Americans and isn’t widely known.
 
tigris115 said:
What would you guys consider appropriate tiers for a zoo tier list?
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Since this is a discussion of the "best" I'd probably do the top three tiers like this:
S tier- A zoo that is a top 10 contender
A tier- A zoo that can be considered best in the nation
B tier-A zoo that can be considered the best in that region
 
tigris115 said:
What would you guys consider appropriate tiers for a zoo tier list?
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I would say the following ranking would be suitable imo;

S Tier - Arguably one of the best zoos worldwide
A Tier - A contender to be one of the best zoos
B Tier - Zoos that might be in discussion for the top 10, but not quite there yet

It's all really based on personal opinion though - it would be interesting to see your thoughts on this for American zoos.
 
I would personally pick option B, so let's get your guys' opinion on:

Zoo Miami, if you're not familiar with it, maybe go do some research.

I'm in between B and A, but i think i'll lean to A. It has some amazing exhibitry and theming, and a great animal collection. It has arguably the best South America exhibit on the planet with Amazon and Beyond, whose animals, decoration and realism ( in the sense that it feels real ) just blow me away. Also it's Mission Everglades, Australia Centre, African Trek and Asian Loop are just as good.
HIGHLIGHTS: Mission Everglades, Amazon and Beyond, The Southern bit of the Asia Loop and Africa Trek
 
@AmazonianHippo , I wholeheartedly agree with your statement regarding Zoo Miami and the execution of their exhibitry.

It truly is one of a kind when compared to other facilities in the United States, and it’s one of the reasons why I consider it as my favorite zoo, period.
 
As someone who grew up near it and went there countless times, I don't think it's a top 10 zoo. While the animal collection is really great, I found going around very rough, especially when it's hot and miserable. Amazon and Beyond and Wings Of Asia are obvious highlights, but the rest is really weird where the collections are good but the exhibits are kinda bland and there's nothing to break up the kinda monotony of it.
 
AnActualFan said:
As someone who grew up near it and went there countless times, I don't think it's a top 10 zoo. While the animal collection is really great, I found going around very rough, especially when it's hot and miserable. Amazon and Beyond and Wings Of Asia are obvious highlights, but the rest is really weird where the collections are good but the exhibits are kinda bland and there's nothing to break up the kinda monotony of it.
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So a B?
 
Maybe it's just me, but I feel like 10 zoos is too little of a number for the best zoos out there. Like, if you did a well based argument, five collections at Germany alone could enter in this list (Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin zoo and Tierpark, Leipzig). Then you have the great institutions at Singapore and the US also has a great selection of institutions (St. Louis, Omaha, SDZ and SDZSP, Bronx and Colombus). And then you have all the great institutions at Europe (Chester, Beauval, Plzen, Prague, Pairi Daza, Burgers, Antwerpen, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rotterdam, Burgers, Wroclaw). I'm no way trying to criticize this thread, but there's more than just 10 zoos that could easly be in a top of the world list. And then you also have to consider personal preferences, wich make this even higger. This topic alone is very divisive among teh zoochat community.
Do note that the zoos listed are just some examples, but that doesn't mean that other zoos aren'ts as good.
Have a good day :).
 
Panda_Fan said:
Maybe it's just me, but I feel like 10 zoos is too little of a number for the best zoos out there. Like, if you did a well based argument, five collections at Germany alone could enter in this list (Frankfurt, Cologne, Berlin zoo and Tierpark, Leipzig). Then you have the great institutions at Singapore and the US also has a great selection of institutions (St. Louis, Omaha, SDZ and SDZSP, Bronx and Colombus). And then you have all the great institutions at Europe (Chester, Beauval, Plzen, Prague, Pairi Daza, Burgers, Antwerpen, Vienna, Munich, Zurich, Rotterdam, Burgers, Wroclaw). I'm no way trying to criticize this thread, but there's more than just 10 zoos that could easly be in a top of the world list. And then you also have to consider personal preferences, wich make this even higger. This topic alone is very divisive among teh zoochat community.
Do note that the zoos listed are just some examples, but that doesn't mean that other zoos aren'ts as good.
Have a good day :).
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I'll correct myself. Munich is part of Germany, and I counted it as it was outside of Germany. Sorry for any confusions:oops:.
 
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