Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

Sea turtles are very common aquarium animals and of the 66 facilities where I've seen these reptiles, almost all have been standard aquariums or at least aquariums within zoos. Watching a Green Sea Turtle at Point Defiance Zoo this past weekend, I have to admit that I enjoy turtles as they have a remarkable appearance, but they truly could never be classified as exciting animals to see in a tank. Often, they swim slowly back and forth at the surface, perhaps waiting for food or suffering from boredom, or they are lying on the bottom of an exhibit and resting. It's a joy when a sea turtle is active in an exhibit, because then they can awe a crowd of onlookers.

Green Sea Turtles have been by far the most common species I've seen at 44 zoos, but Loggerhead Sea Turtles at 25 zoos surprised me with their numbers and many U.S. aquariums up and down the East Coast have Loggerheads.

I should mention that in most cases the sea turtles I've seen have been in big tanks and impressive tunnels that are major exhibits within an aquarium, but on some occasions, I've seen juvenile sea turtles in rehabilitation tanks or quite small enclosures. The one species I've never seen is the Leatherback Sea Turtle.

66 zoos and 6 species

Green Sea Turtle = 44 zoos
Loggerhead Sea Turtle = 25 zoos
Hawksbill Sea Turtle = 10 zoos
Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle = 10 zoos
Olive Ridley Sea Turtle = 3 zoos
Flatback Sea Turtle = 1 zoo

6 zoos in bold = 3 or 4 sea turtle species at one time, with Moody Gardens (4 species) and Texas State Aquarium (4 species) leading the way.

1- West Edmonton Mall’s Sea Life Caverns (Canada) – Green Sea Turtle – 1984
2- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – Green Sea Turtle – 1985
3- Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2006
4- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2006
5- Sydney Aquarium (Australia) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2007
6- Melbourne Aquarium (Australia) – Flatback Sea Turtle, Green Sea Turtle – 2007
7- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2008
8- Shedd Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2008
9- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2008
10- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Hawksbill Sea Turtle – 2008
11- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2008
12- Georgia Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2008
13- National Aquarium in Baltimore (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2010
14- Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2010
15- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2010
16- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2010
17- ABQ BioPark Aquarium (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2010
18- Aquarium of the Pacific (USA) – Olive Ridley Sea Turtle – 2011
19- Sea Life Arizona (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2011
20- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
21- New England Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle – 2012
22- Mystic Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2012
23- Maritime Aquarium (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
24- New York Aquarium (USA) – Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
25- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle, Olive Ridley Sea Turtle – 2012
26- Jenkinson’s Aquarium (USA) – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2012
27- Adventure Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
28- Virginia Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
29- North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2012
30- North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
31- North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
32- Ripley’s Aquarium at Myrtle Beach (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2012
33- South Carolina Aquarium (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
34- The Florida Aquarium (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2012
35- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2012
36- Denver Downtown Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2012
37- Sea Life at Mall of America - Minnesota (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2014
38- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2014
39- Sea Life Grapevine (USA) – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2015
40- Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park (USA) – Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2015
41- Moody Gardens (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2015
42- Downtown Aquarium Houston (USA) – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2015
43- Houston Zoo (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2015
44- Texas State Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle, Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2015
45- Shark Reef Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2015
46- Living Coast Discovery Center (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2017
47- Sea Life Michigan (USA) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2018
48- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2018
49- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Green Sea Turtle – 2018
50- Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands) – Green Sea Turtle – 2019
51- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Green Sea Turtle, Hawksbill Sea Turtle – 2019
52- Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) – Green Sea Turtle – 2019
53- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2019
54- Sea Life Konigswinter (Germany) – Green Sea Turtle – 2019
55- Sea Life Oberhausen (Germany) - Green Sea Turtle – 2019
56- Sea Life Hannover (Germany) - Green Sea Turtle – 2019
57- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Green Sea Turtle – 2019
58 - Den Bla Planet Aquarium/The Blue Planet Aquarium (Denmark) – Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2022
59- OdySea Aquarium (USA) – Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle – 2022
60- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle – 2023
61- Sea Life Bangkok (Thailand) - Green Sea Turtle – 2024
62- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) - Green Sea Turtle – 2024
63- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) – Green Sea Turtle – 2024
64- BXSea Aquarium (Indonesia) – Hawksbill Sea Turtle – 2024
65- Jakarta AQuarium Safari (Indonesia) - Hawksbill Sea Turtle – 2024
66- Sea World Ancol (Indonesia) – Green Sea Turtle – 2024

When SeaWorld San Diego (USA) opened Turtle Reef, the tank had more than 60 sea turtles! It was quite a sight when I saw it in 2011 and significantly larger than what this photo shows.

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@geomorph

Loggerhead Sea Turtle at SeaWorld San Diego:

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@BlobfishBoy

The Shark Reef Tunnel at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) has a spectacular tunnel with sharks and sea turtles swimming overhead.

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@Moebelle

Here's a clear image of a Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle at Gladys Porter Zoo (USA):

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@Ituri

And this is an Olive Ridley Sea Turtle at Aquarium of the Pacific (USA), a species I've only ever seen on 3 occasions.

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North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) has Green Sea Turtles in their 300,000-gallon Living Shipwreck tank, complete with a replica of a U-352 German submarine that was sunk by the North Carolina coast guard during World War II.

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The Great Ocean Tank (almost 400,000 gallons) at South Carolina Aquarium contains sea turtles.

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@geomorph

The 300-foot long Open Ocean Tunnel Tank at Sea Life Minnesota (USA) had sea turtles when I was there in 2014 and in fact this aquarium had 3 species back then.

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Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) had both Green and Loggerhead Sea Turtles during my visit and seeing a turtle swimming overhead in a tunnel tank is always spectacular.

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@geomorph

A solitary Hawksbill Sea Turtle at Children's Aquarium at Fair Park (USA) in Dallas. Is it true that this species is more difficult to maintain in mixed species exhibits?

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@geomorph

Moody Gardens (USA) had FOUR sea turtle species on display when I was there in 2015, with at least one species in the big Caribbean tank.

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@geomorph

Texas State Aquarium (USA) also had FOUR sea turtle species on exhibit in 2015, but this time in outdoor pools. I imagine that some of those animals were released back into the wild.

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Turtle Lagoon, at Living Coast Discovery Center (USA) is the first exhibit that visitors see when they arrive at the facility. This place is a 25-minute drive from San Diego Zoo and yet many zoo nerds haven't ever visited. I saw an ultra-rare bird species (Light-footed Ridgway's Rail) when I toured this establishment in 2017.

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There's a typical sea tunnel tank at Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) that contains at least one Green Sea Turtle. The Sea Life aquariums will often have sea turtles in their tunnel tanks.

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@Mr Gharial

Here's a cool photo of a Loggerhead Sea Turtle and a Tawny Nurse Shark hanging out together at Pairi Daiza (Belgium):

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@KevinB

Animazia, a rather silly made-up name for an aquatic area at Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands), has a large tank with Green Sea Turtles.

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@Mr Gharial

Den Bla Planet (Denmark) (aka the Blue Planet Aquarium) is one of TWO world-class aquariums in Denmark, with the other being the Nordsoen Oceanarium. The large Ocean tank at 'Den Bla' contains at least one Loggerhead Sea Turtle.

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I'll end today's post with a look at an extraordinary, freshwater, outdoors, open-air tank with Green Sea Turtles at Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia). The zoo actually has TWO of these Green Sea Turtle exhibits and it was a shock to see them!

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It's time to take a lengthy look at...CROCODILIANS! I'm partial to a good Reptile House with a solid crocodilian exhibit, or it's even better to come across an outdoor pool that usually best showcases these reptilian giants. They are sedentary creatures, but fantastic to see up close and occasionally in large numbers.

Of all the crocodilian species I've come across at hundreds of zoos, the most common by far is the American Alligator. I've seen this species at 145 zoos and literally more than triple the next species on my list.

2008 = 16 zoos
2010 = 24 zoos
2012 = 28 zoos
2014 = 18 zoos
2015 = 22 zoos

In visits to 20 Australian zoos, I only recall seeing the species twice. In visits to 60 Asian zoos, I only ever saw the species once. In visits to 120 European zoos, I only saw the species 7 times. American Alligators are incredibly common, and occasionally in vast numbers, in the USA, but elsewhere I imagine zoo nerds regard them as a bit of a rarity. If one goes to Florida, there are whole parks with hundreds upon hundreds of gators.

1. Taronga Zoo (Australia) – American Alligator – 2007
2. Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – American Alligator – 2007
4. Brookfield Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
4. Toronto Zoo (Canada) – American Alligator – 2008
5. Bronx Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
6. Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
7. National Aquarium in Washington, D.C. (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
8. Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
9. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
10. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
11. Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
12. Memphis Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
13. Georgia Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
14. Zoo Atlanta (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
15. Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
16. Phoenix Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
17. Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
18. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – American Alligator – 2008
19. Wildlife Safari (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
20. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
21. Tulsa Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
22. Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
23. Louisville Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
24. Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
25. Buffalo Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
26. Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
27. North Carolina Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
28. Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
29. Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
30. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
31. Birmingham Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
32. Montgomery Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
33. Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
34. Audubon Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
35. Houston Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
36. Caldwell Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
37. Dallas Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
38. Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
39. San Antonio Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
40. Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
41. El Paso Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
42. ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2010
43. Oregon Coast Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2011
44. California Academy of Sciences (USA) – American Alligator – 2011
45. Oakland Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2011
46. Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2011
47. Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2011
48. Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – American Alligator - 2011
49. Great Plains Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
50. Newport Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
51. Potawatomi Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
52. John Ball Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
53. Greater Cleveland Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
54. Erie Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
55. Maritime Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
56. Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
57. Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
58. North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
59. North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
60. North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
61. South Carolina Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
62. St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
63. Brevard Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
64. Busch Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
65. Palm Beach Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
66. Naples Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
67. ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
68. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
69. The Florida Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
70. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
71. Hattiesburg Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
72. Jackson Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
73. Little Rock Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
74. Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
75. Topeka Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
76. Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2012
77. The Reptile Zoo & Living Museum (USA) – American Alligator – 2013
78. Reptile Gardens (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
79. Bramble Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
80. Dakota Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
81. RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
82. Lake Superior Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
83. Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
84. DeYoung Family Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
85. Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
86. Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
87. Alligator Alley (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
88. Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
89. Phillips Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
90. National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
91. Scovill Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
92. World Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
93. Lincoln Children’s Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
94. Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
95. Great Bend Brit Spaugh Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2014
96. Tiger Safari (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
97. G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
98. Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
99. Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
100. Northwest Arkansas Reptile Museum (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
101. National Park Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
102. Alexandria Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
103. Natchitoches Alligator Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
104. Gators & Friends: Alligator Park & Exotic Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
105. East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
106. Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
107. Gator Country (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
108. Downtown Aquarium Houston (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
109. Texas State Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
110. The Texas Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
111. Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
112. SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
113. Austin Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
114. Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
115. Abilene Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
116. Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
117. Alameda Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2015
118. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – American Alligator – 2017
119. Monterey Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2017
120. Reptile Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2017
121. Wildlife Learning Center (USA) – American Alligator – 2017
122. Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary (USA) – American Alligator – 207
123. America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – American Alligator – 2017
124. Border City Petting Zoo (Canada) – American Alligator – 2018
125. GarLyn Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
126. Saginaw Children’s Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
127. Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
128. Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
129. Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
130. Washington Park Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
131. Summerfield Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
132. Doc’s Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
133. Special Memories Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2018
134. Reptielen Zoo Iguana (Netherlands) – American Alligator – 2019
135. Drachenwelt (Dragon World) Reptile Zoo (Germany) – American Alligator – 2019
136. TerraZoo (Germany) – American Alligator – 2019
137. Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Netherlands) – American Alligator – 2019
138. Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – American Alligator – 2019
139. Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – American Alligator – 2020
140. Randers Regnskov/Randers Tropical Zoo (Denmark) – American Alligator – 2022
141. Kolmarden Tropicarium (Sweden) – American Alligator – 2022
142. OdySea Aquarium (USA) – American Alligator – 2023
143. Sacramento Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2024
144. Taman Rama-rama (Melaka Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary) (Malaysia) – American Alligator – 2024
145. Queens Zoo (USA) – American Alligator – 2025

What are the most memorable American Alligator exhibits I've seen? At Pittsburgh Zoo (USA) in 2008, I snapped this photo, and it was almost like a European zoo enclosure as visitors could get quite close to the animals.

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Kingdoms of the Night at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) is one of my all-time favourite exhibits and in the blackness of the Nocturnal House the American Alligators stand out (especially the white ones) and it's almost eerie to hear the splashing in the dark from gators or beavers in another pool. Here's a section of the swamp with the lights on:

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@MGolka

What do people think of this American Alligator exhibit (in 2014) at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA)? Murals of cities, a swimming pool design, all indoors, gators hanging out with a random Florida vibe...

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North Carolina Zoo (USA) has had American Alligators in the Cypress Swamp exhibit for many years, and the zoo actually enlarged the space since I took this photo in 2010.

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One of America's top 5 aquariums, Tennessee Aquarium (USA), has a superb American Alligator exhibit in the Mississippi Delta section.

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@geomorph

Another fabulous institution, in the shape of Nashville Zoo (USA), also has a top-notch American Alligator exhibit.

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When you walk inside the Reptile House at Dallas Zoo (USA), one is greeted on the right-hand side by an American Alligator exhibit that is vaguely themed as a junkyard. It's certainly memorable!

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A single leucistic American Alligator resides in The Swamp at California Academy of Sciences (USA). This aquarium used to have far more of the gators in the same exhibit.

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Oakland Zoo (USA) has a very nice American Alligator exhibit in its Children's Zoo.

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Of course, the USA is full of garbage American Alligator exhibits as well. There are loads of hellhole zoos that wouldn't see the light of day in Western Europe, but they are prolific across good ole 'Merica. Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) in 2014:

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The entire exhibit at Reptile Gardens (USA) for an American Alligator. Fake turf and a puny pool. Good grief!

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A False Water Cobra on top and an American Alligator (you can see its tail) on the bottom. Dreadful accommodation at The Reptile Zoo (USA) in the state of Washington.

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Border City Petting Zoo (Canada), now thankfully shut down, had an American Alligator in a pitiful indoor exhibit in 2018. Small, nasty, really stinky...

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This being America, full of amazing sights as well as scandalous sights, there are gators everywhere and even in Michigan there's a place called Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) that had 45 American Alligators all together when I toured the facility in 2018.

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It's unbelievable to imagine that the terrific Crocodile House at Berlin Tierpark (Germany) is no longer in use and in fact might even be demolished by now. I saw American Alligators there in 2019.

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The Kolmarden Tropicarium (Sweden) is directly outside Kolmarden Zoo, but it's a completely separate attraction with different owners. I loved seeing the American Alligators there in 2022, as their exhibit is set inside a fantastic cave setting with all sorts of nooks and crannies everywhere.

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Melaka Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary (Malaysia) was the only zoo where I saw American Alligators when I visited almost 60 zoos in Southeast Asia in the summer of 2024.

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Next: What crocodilian will be the second most common I've seen?
 
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Maybe it's time to rename this thread "Snowleopard's vertebrates"!

I have seen American alligators and Komodo dragons just once, both at the Lisbon zoo in 2018. None are present in Brazil at the moment, despite past efforts made by the São Paulo aquarium to import a few of those large lizards.

Alligators were present in the country back in the 1990s, when Beto Carrero (a Brazilian version of Walt Disney) imported a few from the US to be used at his circus.

As for the sea turtles, I might have seen three species (green, hawksbill and loggerhead), but I only count Chelonia mydas because the other ones were seen before 2021 and I am not sure which one I saw (one of each species was present in a tank at my local zoo in the 2000s/early 2010s).

I am lucky enough, however, to say I have seen green sea turtles both in captivity and in the wild!

Everytime I'm in downtown Rio de Janeiro and I have enough time, I go to Pier Mauá to see the turtles feeding on the nearby rocks. They go there on a daily basis and seeing them near Museu do Amanhã is very surprising!

I have seen captive green sea turtles at only two aquaria: the São Paulo aquarium (São Paulo) and at Acqua Mundo (Guarujá).
 
Thankfully that alligator exhibit at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is no more. They have moved outside to a more naturalistic exhibit in the Australian Walkabout area (odd spot but better than inside the reptile house!) and is the exhibit below from my visit in 2022.
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That old alligator exhibit is now home to a Burmese Python and has been updated quite a bit, but still has human features as a "back patio" feel to it. Mainly due to the nature of the notorious Scutes Family Gallery.
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snowleopard said:
In visits to 20 Australian zoos, I only recall seeing the species once. In visits to 60 Asian zoos, I only ever saw the species once. In visits to 120 European zoos, I only saw the species 7 times. American Alligators are incredibly common, and occasionally in vast numbers, in the USA, but elsewhere I imagine zoo nerds regard them as a bit of a rarity. If one goes to Florida, there are whole parks with hundreds upon hundreds of gators.
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American Alligators are actually relatively common among privately operated zoos in Australia. With 24 holders, they are by far the most common exotic crocodilian, and therefore the third most common crocodilian in Australian zoos after the two natives. Some holders, such as Australia Zoo and the Australian Reptile Park, have large numbers of alligators housed in large lakes. Australia Zoo in particular has over 100 of them. In New Zealand, however, they are far less common, with only 3 holders and maybe only 7 or 8 individual alligators.

As a side note, Taronga should have still had alligators when you visited in 2007.
 
I have only seen American alligator in Mexico at Leon zoo. Morletti are by far the most common crocodiles in Mexican zoos. Various zoos have American crocodiles. Nile crocodiles are present at Africam Safari Puebla and Guadalajara zoos. Chapultepec zoo now has Dwarf caimán.
Green sea turtles are held at various aquariums. Hawksbill sea turtles are in only a few aquariums. Only Xcaret park has 3 species, green, loggerhead and hawksbill turtles.
 
It's amazing @Enzo that at approximately 120 zoos in Brazil there are ZERO American Alligators or Komodo Dragons. Wow! But you do have loads of sakis, uakaris and titis and a long list of fabulous primates. :)

It's nice @MGolka that Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has a more naturalistic gator exhibit these days and your photo makes it seem very nice indeed.

Thanks @Osedax for the mention of Taronga Zoo and I did see American Alligators there and they are even on the 2007 zoo map I own and have uploaded to this site.

It's interesting @carlos55 that Morelet's Crocodiles are so common in Mexican zoos, which is great as they've been rare for me to see.

On a side note, it's been fascinating for me to spend countless hours going through my old zoo reviews and thousands of photos to compile my lists of crocodilians. One thing I realized is that it's unheard of for me to NOT see a crocodilian species at a particular zoo that I visited in the past. If a zoo had a croc or gator species many years ago and I toured that facility, then I most definitely saw at least one of the animals. I suppose that it's very difficult to miss a big crocodilian inside a Reptile House, as the exhibits are never that large to begin with. Some of the southern zoos in the USA have big outdoor swamps, but again it's very easy to at least see a couple of crocodilians as there are zoos with 50+ individuals in a big pool and there's always a few at the surface or resting on land. Crocodilians are super easy to locate in a zoo enclosure, but they certainly don't move around much!
 
After seeing an astonishing number of American Alligators, sometimes dozens at a single facility, the next crocodilian species is far behind in terms of the volume of specimens.

My second most common species is the Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, at exactly 50 zoos and with this type of crocodilian I have found it to be spread across my zoo trips in a rather even amount. AZA zoos, non-AZA zoos, European collections, Asia, etc. These guys are everywhere.

1- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2005
2- Shedd Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2008
3- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2008
4- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
5- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
6- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
7- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
8- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
9- Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
10- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
11- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2010
12- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2011
13- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
14- John Ball Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
15- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
16- Adventure Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
17- Ripley’s Aquarium at Myrtle Beach (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
18- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
19- Topeka Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
20- Sunset Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2012
21- RAD (Reptile & Amphibian Discovery) Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2014
22- Alligator Alley (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2014
23- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2014
24- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2014
25- Aquarium of Boise (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2014
26- Sea Life Grapevine (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2015
27- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2015
28- Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2015
29- Abilene Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2015
30- Reptile Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2017
31- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2017
32- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2018
33- Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2018
34- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
35- Berkenhof’s Tropical Zoo (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
36- Reptielen Zoo Iguana (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
37- Serpentarium Blankenberge (Belgium) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
38- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
39- Reptile House de Aarde (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
40- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2019
41- Den Lille Dyrehage/The Small Zoo (Norway) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2022
42- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2023
43- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2023
44- OdySea Aquarium (USA) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2023
45- Peuan Deratchan Zoo (Thailand) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024
46- Monsters Aquarium (Thailand) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024
47- River Wonders (Singapore) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024
48- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024
49- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024
50- Faunaland Ancol (Indonesia) – Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman – 2024

Amazon Rising at Shedd Aquarium (USA) is a world-class gallery that focuses on South American creatures and when I first went to Shedd in 2008 I saw Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman there. I would still make the case that Shedd is my favourite aquarium of the more than 120 different aquatic facilities I've visited.

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@geomorph

Amazonia: Forest of Riches at Mesker Park Zoo (USA) is arguably the best thing in this mid-sized zoo and it's near the entrance. You can see a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman in the center viewing window, and I recall this exhibit to be fantastic.

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Buffalo Zoo (USA) has a tropical house called Rainforest Falls and you can see the back half of a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (on the left) in my 2010 photo. Quite a few turtles also share this space.

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I think these days the Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman are found inside Philadelphia Zoo's (USA) Reptile House, but back when I toured the zoo in 2010, I saw the species in Carnivore Kingdom. Here is an image of the caiman and Fishing Cat exhibits, plus this area also had species such as Snow Leopard, Canada Lynx, Coati, Hyacinth Macaw and Brown Pelican. That's quite the mix!

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@Baldur

Riverbanks Zoo (USA) has a terrific Aquarium/Terrarium complex and here is my 2010 photo of the False Gharial exhibit (left) and Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman/Mata Mata exhibit (right).

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Unseen New World is the name of the Reptile House (and adjoining aviary) at Nashville Zoo (USA) and here is the Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman exhibit.

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@pachyderm pro

Here's a terrific close-up shot of a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman at Blank Park Zoo (USA):

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@Brayden Delashmutt

The Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman/Giant River Turtle/Yellow-spotted River Turtle exhibit at St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA).

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@Moebelle

The Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman exhibit at Sunset Zoo (USA) in 2012 certainly wasn't the best I've ever come across. Garish mock-rock as a backdrop, a very low water level and obvious fencing and keeper gates.

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Saint Louis Zoo (USA) has a stunning Herpetarium, opened in 1927 and amazing with its attention to detail. There are Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans in this gorgeous section, with its natural light and floor-to-ceiling windows.

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@pachyderm pro

This one's a stinker. Aquarium of Boise (USA) had a Caiman Lizard (lounging on a branch) and a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman together in an exhibit where it was conceivable that someone could reach in with their hands and pet one of the animals. I took this photo in 2014 and what is the point of the stools? Bizarre.

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A number of exhibits at Dallas World Aquarium (USA) are shockingly small, including their Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman enclosure in 2015.

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Even worse is this Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman tank at the Reptile Zoo (USA), a facility in southern California, and my photo shows 80% of the space. It's pretty bleak.

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Another very small exhibit for Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman, although definitely much better than the last two examples, is to be found at Berkenhof's Tropical Zoo (Netherlands). Notice the anatomically correct carving on the left.

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@vogelcommando

A very impressive Dutch exhibit for Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman is at Ouwehands Zoo (Netherlands), with a substantial pool for the species.

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@KevinB

A Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman hanging out with some turtle friends at Den Lille Dyrehage/The Small Zoo (Norway):

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San Diego Zoo (USA) included a Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman exhibit in its fairly recently built Cool Critters building.

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River Wonders (Singapore) has a stunning Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman exhibit that tends to get overlooked amongst all the zoological wonders in Singapore. It's like stumbling across a little pond in the jungle, with caiman and turtles and fish all coexisting in a lush paradise.

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A lot of detail has gone into sculpting a mock-rock riverbank for Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman at Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia).

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Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 50 zoos
 
After American Alligators (145 zoos) and Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman (50 zoos), the 3rd most common crocodilian for me has been the False Gharial at 38 zoos. Also sometimes listed as Tomistoma on zoo signs, this was historically a rare species for me, and I'd only come across it 13 times in captivity before my August 2024 trip to Southeast Asia. All 4 nations I visited (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) were filled with False Gharials everywhere.

2024 = 25 zoos

1- Bronx Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2008
2- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2010
3- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – False Gharial – 2010
4- Audubon Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2010
5- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2010
6- Newport Aquarium (USA) – False Gharial – 2012
7- Virginia Aquarium (USA) – False Gharial – 2012
8- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – False Gharial – 2012
9- Houston Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2015
10- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2017
11- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – False Gharial – 2019
12- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – False Gharial – 2019
13- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – False Gharial – 2023
14- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
15- Pattaya Crocodile Farm (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
16- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
17- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
18- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
19- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) – False Gharial – 2024
20- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) - False Gharial – 2024
21- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – False Gharial – 2024
22- Zoo Melaka (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
23- Taman Buaya Crocodile Park (Malaysia) – False Gharial – 2024
24- Taman Rama-rama (Melaka Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary) (Malaysia) – False Gharial – 2024
25- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – False Gharial – 2024
26- River Wonders (Singapore) – False Gharial – 2024
27- Bali Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
28- Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
29- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
30- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
31- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
32- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
33- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
34- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
35- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
36- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
37- Fauna Indonesia: Wildlife Breeding Centre (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024
38- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: Reptile Park (Indonesia) – False Gharial – 2024

False Gharial and Aldabra Tortoise exhibits at Saint Louis Zoo (USA) in 2010:

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The historic Reptile House at Audubon Zoo (USA) had an outdoor False Gharial exhibit when I was there in 2010. I'm not sure what this exhibit houses these days.

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A full body shot of a False Gharial at Los Angeles Zoo (USA):

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@Julio C Castro

Inside the hot and humid Reptile House at Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands), I saw two False Gharial exhibits with at least one female in the first and this enormous male in the second.

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Within the Kingdoms of Asia complex at Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA), a fairly new set of exhibits, there can be found a False Gharial pool with heavy temple theming all around.

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The best zoo in the nation, Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand), has this False Gharial exhibit.

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One of the weaker exhibits at an otherwise decent zoo, the False Gharial enclosure at Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) is more of a dirty pit in some ways.

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Down the road, the separate Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) has False Gharials that can be seen via moonlight and strategically placed floodlights.

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You can see a False Gharial on the far left at Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) in this very big exhibit.

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A gorgeous, stunning jungle environment for False Gharials at Taiping Zoo (Malaysia):

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Zoo Negara (Malaysia) has two False Gharial exhibits, including this one with a long row of viewing windows. A curator told me that if the enclosure is spruced up and the grass is mowed at the back, then the gharials do not breed and lay eggs. If things are left unkempt and cluttered, with thick undergrowth, then a nest is made, and eggs are laid.

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Just about the very first thing that visitors see, besides perhaps some gibbons in the treetops, is this huge False Gharial exhibit at Singapore Zoo (Singapore). There are several massive specimens in the pools by the entrance.

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River Wonders (Singapore) has a beautiful False Gharial exhibit with a towering wall as a backdrop.

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Bali Zoo (Indonesia) offers up a temple theme and underwater viewing at its False Gharial exhibit.

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At all three Taman Safari parks, they each have an open-topped Leopard exhibit and that's a remarkable fact right there! At Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia), it would appear that the Javan Leopards and False Gharials share the same space. The Leopards were off exhibit when @twilighter and I toured this zoo, otherwise we could verify that information.

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Many of the False Gharial pools in Indonesian zoos are quite stagnant, with murky water that might be dumped and drained in the old-fashioned style rather than being recycled with modern filtration systems. Here's an example at Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia):

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Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) has a cascading waterfall in its False Gharial pool that helps keep the water aerated.

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Underwater viewing of False Gharials can be had at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (Indonesia):

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Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 50 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
 
I've seen Saltwater Crocodiles at 35 zoos and most of those sightings were during my 3 weeks in Southeast Asia last year. Before that, the species was quite rare for me in captivity and that includes very few North American zoos and literally 0/120 in Europe. I'm a big fan of 'salties' as they are imposing creatures, especially the fearsome looking males, and quite literally the largest crocodilians on the planet. It goes without saying that they resemble lumbering modern-day dinosaurs and it's always a thrill to come across this species in a zoo or aquarium.

2024 = 22 zoos

1- Perth Zoo (Australia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 1987
2- Sydney Aquarium (Australia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2007
3- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2007
4- Kuranda’s RainForeStation (Australia) - Saltwater Crocodile – 2007
5- Crocodylus Park (Australia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2007
6- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2010
7- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2010
8- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2012
9- Reptile Gardens (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2014
10- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2015
11- Shark Reef Aquarium (USA) – ‘Golden Crocodile’ (Saltwater Crocodile x Siamese Crocodile) – 2015
12- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2018
13- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2023
14- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
15- Lopburi Zoo (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
16- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
17- Pattaya Crocodile Farm (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
18- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
19- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
20- Penang Bird Park (Thailand) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
21- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) - Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
22- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
23- Taman Buaya Crocodile Park (Malaysia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
24- Taman Rama-rama (Melaka Butterfly & Reptile Sanctuary) (Malaysia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
25- Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
26- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
27- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
28- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
29- Solo Safari (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
30- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
31- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
32- Lembang Park & Zoo (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
33- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
34- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024
35- Taman Mini Indonesia Indah: Reptile Park (Indonesia) – Saltwater Crocodile – 2024

Big 'salties' are relatively common in zoos Down Under, including Taronga Zoo (Australia) and this is what the exhibit looked like when I was there in 2007.

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@Baldur

I saw dozens of Saltwater Crocodiles at Crocodylus Park (Australia) and my photo shows only a fraction of the crocs at that zoo.

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My very first American zoo with Saltwater Crocodiles was Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) in 2010.

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ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA), which was known as the Rio Grande Zoo when I toured it in 2010, had a couple of indoor enclosures for two Saltwater Crocodiles open to the public in what appeared to be an off-show area that was temporarily put on display. This setup lasted for several years.

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Maximo is the name of a massive, 1,200-pound Saltwater Crocodile at the legendary St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA).

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@Moebelle

Apparently, the outdoor exhibit for Saltwater Crocodiles at Reptile Gardens (USA) isn't very large at all, which brings up some concerns in regard to husbandry as this indoor area is tight on space.

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You can see a large Saltwater Crocodile, a 15-footer, on the left in my image from Fort Worth Zoo (USA). MOLA, the Museum of Living Art, is sometimes hailed as the best Reptile House in the world as the quality and quantity on display is startling.

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Shark Reef Aquarium (USA) in Las Vegas used to heavily advertise its 'Golden Crocodile', which was really just a hybrid Saltwater v Siamese specimen. My photo is from 2015 and the animal here was certainly eye-catching in person.

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Here is the Saltwater Crocodile exhibit at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA), a facility with more than 430+ total exhibits, although quite a few are of poor quality.

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Of course, I saw heaps of 'salties' in Southeast Asian zoos. The Saltwater Crocodile exhibit at Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) has one small section where visitors walk over the crocs on a footbridge (right hand side).

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Pattaya Crocodile Farm (Thailand) has tons of Saltwater Crocodiles in large pools.

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There's a spacious, swampy lagoon for Saltwater Crocodiles at Safari World Bangkok (Thailand). I can only just imagine the number of wild birds that land here for a rest and quickly become dinner.

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Just like Thailand, Saltwater Crocodiles are common in Malaysian zoos. Here's a substantial exhibit for the species at Zoo Negara (Malaysia):

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Taman Buaya Crocodile Park (Malaysia) has several Saltwater Crocodile pools, and this exhibit was perhaps the best of them. The water clarity here is superb.

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Having a warm climate allows zoos such as Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) to house Saltwater Crocodiles outdoors in optimum conditions.

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Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) has 3 or 4 Saltwater Crocodile exhibits all in a row, with a visitor bridge going over one of the 'croc grottoes'. Don't drop your cellphone!

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Not to be outdone by the 'sequels' at Bali and Prigen, Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) has loads of Saltwater Crocodiles as well, again in spacious outdoor surroundings.

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Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia), the zoo with 18 Tiger exhibits, 14 Sun Bear exhibits and 9 Orangutan exhibits, of course has at least 3 or 4 huge Saltwater Crocodile enclosures as well.

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Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 50 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
 
From the largest crocodile species, those big 'salties', to the smallest crocodile species, I have seen Dwarf Crocodiles at 34 zoos. It's interesting to note that I've come across Dwarf Crocodiles, commonly labeled as African Dwarf Crocodiles, almost exclusively at AZA and EAZA accredited zoos. All those dozens of non-accredited places I've been to haven't had these guys (except for Reptile Gardens) and 10 of my sightings were in Europe on a single trip in 2019. Obviously, here is a species that is managed in large, well-known zoos.

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 1994
2- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2006
3- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2008
4- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2008
5- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2008
6- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2008
7- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2010
8- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2010
9- San Antonio Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2010
10- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2011
11- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2011
12- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2012
13- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2012
14- St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2012
15- Reptile Gardens (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2014
16- Lincoln Children’s Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2014
17- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2015
18- Aquarium Restaurant: Kemah (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2015
19- Dierentuin Animal Farm (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
20- Vlinders aan de Vliet (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
21- Reptielen Zoo Iguana (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
22- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
23- Aquazoo Lobbecke Museum (Germany) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
24- Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
25- Reptile House de Aarde (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
26- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
27- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
28- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2019
29- Malmo Reptile Center (Sweden) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2022
30- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2023
31- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2024
32- Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2024
33- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2024
34- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Dwarf Crocodile – 2025

I miss seeing Dwarf Crocodiles at Woodland Park Zoo (USA), ever since fire closed the old Day & Night building. This exhibit was old-fashioned but still adequate for the crocs.

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Calgary Zoo (Canada) has had Dwarf Crocodiles in its Destination Africa complex since it opened 22 years ago.

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Look at all those fish (Tilapia?) in the Dwarf Crocodile exhibit at Lincoln Park Zoo (USA). This pool has a crashing waterfall in it.

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@geomorph

Brookfield Zoo (USA) has had Dwarf Crocodiles for many years.

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@Pleistohorse

The RainForest building at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) has also contained Dwarf Crocodiles for a very long time. That structure is currently closed for an upcoming expansion.

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@Moebelle

San Antonio Zoo (USA) wasn't a zoo I was that keen on when I toured it in 2010, but I always remember the enormous size of the Dwarf Crocodile exhibit there.

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A slab of cement and a very tiny pool for a single Dwarf Crocodile can be found at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA). Yuck.

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Another borderline awful exhibit for a Dwarf Crocodile at Sacramento Zoo (USA). Way too small.

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And this might be the worst of the trio at Newport Aquarium (USA).

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@Moebelle

I saw a substantial Dwarf Crocodile exhibit at Lincoln's Children Zoo (USA), with a long sandy beach for the crocs and it was all outside. The crocs are brought in during the winter months.

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A thatched roof covers Dwarf Crocodiles at Vlinders aan de Vlieut (Netherlands).

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Here is a full body shot of a Dwarf Crocodile at Wuppertal Zoo (Germany):

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@twilighter

Dwarf Crocodiles shared space with Red-eared Sliders at Reptile House de Aarde (Netherlands) in 2019.

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@vogelcommando

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) has a large, ruined temple-themed Dwarf Crocodile exhibit in the Jungola section of the zoo.

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Thick vegetation hangs from the ceiling above the Dwarf Crocodile exhibit at Malmo Reptile Center (Sweden).

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A splendid outdoor habitat for Dwarf Crocodiles can be found at San Diego Zoo (USA), and it is a relatively new enclosure for the species and located in the Children's Zoo.

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Also at San Diego Zoo (USA) is a second Dwarf Crocodile exhibit on the other side of the park in Africa Rocks. San Diego hit home runs with both of their Dwarf Crocodile exhibits. Massive space for such tiny, 5-foot crocodilians.

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You can see the hindquarters of a Dwarf Crocodile in my photo taken at Bali Reptile Park (Indonesia). I saw the species at only 3 zoos out of 60 in Southeast Asia.

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Crocodilian List:

American Alligator = 145 zoos
Cuvier's Dwarf Caiman = 50 zoos
False Gharial = 38 zoos
Saltwater Crocodile = 35 zoos
Dwarf Crocodile = 34 zoos
 
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