San Diego Zoo has proven to be a divisive zoological park on this forum, as there are constant debates over the merits of the self-proclaimed “world famous” establishment. There seems to be an established acceptance that the zoo is one of the very best not only in North America but worldwide, but on numerous threads there have been valid arguments put forth that the animal collection is not what it once was, the exhibits built in the past decade have been lacking in quality, and the zoo still has far too many small wire cages and outdated grottos to truly be #1.
However, as I mention in my extensive review below, the zoo is still a must-see for any serious zoo fan and the gorgeous southern California coastal climate plays a part in that success. When folks are freezing in Berlin in the middle of a bitter German winter, when others are profusely sweating in the humidity of Singapore, San Diego visitors will be enjoying hot summers, warm winters, an amazing species list of both flora and fauna, and the experience is fantastic. As a bonus the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is only half an hour away and together the two facilities have superb botanical gardens and over 8,000 animals in many world-class habitats. I wonder if the presence of two wonderful parks adds to the mystique and grandeur that is evident in San Diego. For those that have never visited I have already uploaded a comprehensive set of almost 450 photos of every major exhibit complex at the zoo.
So…is San Diego Zoo still a favorite of many on this forum? Is it preferable to the Bronx, Omaha, Columbus, etc, etc, etc?
MY REVIEW:
DAY 15: Tuesday, July 26th
AND
DAY 16: Wednesday, July 27th
Zoo/Aquarium Review # 14: San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo’s website:
San Diego Zoo
Zoo Map:
San Diego Zoo: Zoo Map
San Diego Zoo is still the best zoo in North America, although the gap is closer than it ever was before. Bronx Zoo and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo would be the next two choices on my list, although neither has the gorgeous climate of southern California and that definitely plays a factor in the zoo-going experience. It's true that comparing northern zoos to southern zoos is like comparing apples to oranges, but the case is valid in this situation. Visiting a northern zoo like the Bronx means that one has to rush to fit everything in within the 7 hour time limit, while at San Diego in summertime no one has to leave the grounds until 9 p.m. and the animals are always on-exhibit and visible year-round. Literally hundreds and hundreds of animals in northern zoos never once spend time outdoors, as there are 7-8 immense pavilions littering zoo grounds and huge sections of the zoo are completely shut down to the public in winter.
The Bronx Zoo closes its almost 40-acre Asian monorail section during poor weather and a species like the giraffe can spend weeks locked inside a tiny barn in the offseason. At San Diego giraffes are outside for hours longer every day, and barring a freak snowstorm have 365 days a year to enjoy the sunshine. Is San Diego aided considerably by the tropical weather? You bet, and that is a major reason why the zoo is so darn enjoyable. Everything is outdoors, there is natural substrate in almost 100% of the exhibits, and the animal collection of 4,500 is staggeringly awesome.
For my review I’ll refer to the new names that the zoo has designated to exhibit complexes, but many old signs are still in place around the park and so it will be important for me to be as detailed as possible in my lengthy review. The new map is terrific and makes the zoo much easier to navigate, although the Monkey Trails & Forest Tales area is still a mazelike, head-scratching set of raised pathways.
THE BEST:
Botanical Garden - The zoo is a lushly planted paradise, with massive palm trees around each and every corner. Some of the aviaries are so gorgeous that I almost didn't want to walk through them and spoil the Eden-like ambience that has been created. I forgot just how beautiful this zoo really is, and from the Skyfari ride it appears as if ants are milling around in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. San Diego is probably the best looking zoo in North America, and Fern Canyon Trail epitomizes just how impressive the botanical collection is.
Lost Forest: Monkey Trail (Monkey Trails and Forest Tales) – This is arguably the best zoo in North America for primates. Species in this area of the zoo include Eastern Angolan colobus monkey, Kikuyu colobus monkey, black mangabey, golden-bellied mangabey, mandrill, red-cheeked gibbon, lesser spot-nosed guenon and Wolf’s guenon. This multi-acre set of exhibits opened in 2005 and is one of the best parts of the zoo. I'd take the natural substrate, huge mesh exhibits and stunning boardwalks and myriad walkways over "JungleWorld" or "Tropic World" any day of the week. The pygmy hippo/Wolf's guenon enclosure is magnificent, and the adjoining slender-snouted crocodile pool is equally brilliant. Near the entrance is a large lagoon with plenty of Caribbean flamingos, and an entry pair of exhibits along Monkey Trail is for yellow-backed duikers.
Lost Forest: Hippo Trail (Ituri Forest) – This is yet another amazing set of mixed-species exhibits. Allen's swamp monkeys, Schmidt's spot-nosed guenons and spotted-neck otters share a pair of exhibits, while red river hogs and forest buffalo are in a background enclosure. The river hippo’s 150,000 gallon pool is always crystal-clear due to the tilapia feasting on hippo dung, the okapi/black duiker paddock is almost completely in shade from the massive surrounding trees, and if I complained about some of the sightlines I'd be nitpicking a fantastic, award-worthy, 4-acre set of exhibits. The infamous bars in the red river hog/forest buffalo exhibit have been removed, and the interaction amongst the monkeys and otters is as playful as ever.
Lost Forest: Monkey Trail (Gorilla Tropics) - The gorillas have a very scenic exhibit, with cascading waterfalls and pools of water around some of the edges. The bonobo habitat is just as good, with loads of different natural surfaces for the apes to clamber over. Angolan colobus monkeys, snakes and other animals dot the landscape around these ape enclosures, and everything is fantastic to see up close and personal. On both days the troop of gorillas actively used the large rocks in the center of their exhibit, and the viewing windows offer terrific sightlines into the spacious habitat.
Birds & Giant Aviaries – This is the best zoo in North America for birds. Scripps Aviary has over 130 birds and is a thick, dense, jungle-like aviary that has multiple boardwalks cruising through it. Owens Aviary (200 bird species) is just as overwhelming, Parker Aviary is smaller but worthwhile, and the 23 Australasian Aviaries are small, lushly planted, and showcase a diverse collection of birds that is unmatched anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. There is a small kiwi house, a set of hornbill aviaries (and apparently over 30 species of hornbills at the zoo), some of the largest bird of prey aviaries I’ve ever seen, a couple of flamingo pools with various other waterfowl, and then seemingly an aviary around every nook and cranny of the zoo. My wife and I aren't even huge bird fans, but the collection is vast and while some of the exhibits are basic metal boxes there are also many excellent aviaries. I believe that the Owens and Scripps aviaries are two of the largest walk-through aviaries in the world; the Hummingbird Aviary is tiny but extremely lush; and the Birds of Prey aviaries are outstanding and feature Steller’s sea eagles, Andean condors, harpy eagles and ornate-hawk eagles.
Asian Passage: Panda Canyon (Giant Panda Research Station) – There are 3 giant pandas, with 2 on view and the possibly pregnant mother in an unseen exhibit. It is hard to believe that the San Diego Zoo has had 5 baby pandas and that there might well be a 6th on the way! The National Zoo in Washington DC clearly has the best giant panda enclosures in North America, and San Diego, Atlanta and Memphis are far behind in terms of space and variability. However, kudos must go to San Diego for having attendants there to keep everyone quiet, and the crowd members who are noisy are immediately hushed. Panda Trek opens within the next few weeks, with red pandas, mountain vipers and Sichuan takins included in the area. Across the pathway from the giant pandas is a densely planted enclosure for western tufted deer, as well as a now empty cage that used to house red pandas.
Discovery Outpost: Reptiles & Amphibians – This is the best zoo in North America for reptiles and amphibians, and I’m not sure if any other zoo besides Fort Worth even comes remotely close. The Reptile House is the solitary animal building in the park, but it has wide open hallways so it is not really enclosed and contains a fantastic set of cold-blooded animals. I walked all around the rectangle-shaped structure and counted exactly 50 terrariums of varying sizes. The Reptile Mesa section near the Reptile House has a further 35 terrariums within a few small buildings, so that makes 85 terrariums that are for the most part of average quality. However, the outdoor enclosures are simply awesome, with a huge gharial pool that contains 6 species of turtles as well as the rare crocodilians, loads of iguanas and other lizards in massive habitats, and many enormous Galapagos tortoises in a few huge paddocks. With 85 terrariums, a large Komodo dragon outdoor exhibit, the gharial pool and tortoise enclosures, combined with maybe another 8-10 outdoor exhibits and once you add all of that up there is no other zoo in North America that can touch San Diego for reptiles and amphibians. Species list for the gharial pool: narrow-headed softshell turtle, Malaysian giant turtle, painted terrapin, river terrapin, fly river turtle and Chinese stripe-necked turtle.
Polar Rim: Polar Bear Plunge – This excellent area has a large polar bear exhibit with massive viewing windows both above and underwater. The 3 bears have a huge 130,000 gallon pool that slopes into a very deep section, a patch of grass, a digging box, and lots of logs and tree stumps to play around with. There isn't a ton of substrate in this exhibit, but it's still good enough to be one of the best of its kind in North America. There is an Arctic fox and a raccoon in two small wire cages, reindeer in a raised paddock, and diving arctic ducks and waterfowl in a pair of bird areas. Species list in the walk-through aviary: ruff, smew, bufflehead, long-tailed duck and harlequin duck. On my 2008 visit I saw a caracal and an Arabian wild cat (a revolving army of animals have been placed here) but the fox and raccoon fit better with the Polar Rim theme. Outside of this area is a long row of metal aviaries with many species of Australian/Asian birds, and they could almost be classified as off-exhibit as almost no one wanders down that pathway.
Lost Forest: Tiger Trail (Tiger River) - This set of enclosures is as terrific as the rest of Lost Forest, and the thick jungle foliage along the pathways creates a lush landscape. A Malayan tapir enclosure has high mudbanks and the fishing cat has a deep pool with fish in it. There is a beautiful, underrated Johnstone crocodile exhibit with several turtle species included, yet more aviaries, a huge Burmese python and a few assorted terrariums nearby.
Lost Forest: Orangutan Trail (Absolutely Apes) - The orangutans and siamangs interact well, but still spend too much time on the ground. This exhibit works because the multiple viewing windows are enormous, the apes appear to always be active and not interrupted by the humans staring at them, and the uniqueness of the enclosure is appealing now that it is looking lush in the middle of summer. The exhibit dips down a hill at the back to allow for quiet time for the apes, and there is loads of soft substrate spread around the front of the enclosure as well as a squishy floor for visitors. Nearby is a glass-enclosed exhibit for Eastern Angolan colobus monkeys and Wolf’s guenons.
Asian Passage: Sun Bear Trail - sun bears in a rocky, grotto-like exhibit, lion-tailed macaques in an outstanding habitat, tropical birds in an aviary (red-billed malkoha/chestnut-bellied hill-partridge/superb fruit dove) and silvered-leaf langurs in a pair of vertically enormous exhibits all set in a densely planted, nicely winding trail.
Skyfari Ride – This is a gondola-style ride that transports visitors from one end of the zoo to the other. It is a fascinating overview that provides a birds-eye view of many off-exhibit areas, and I was amused to see so many herds of hoofstock that are not on show as I have heard that San Diego has a large collection that can only be seen by employees. The paddocks that are behind the scenes are almost all larger than what the public see from the visitor pathways, and it was cool to travel over the enormous aviaries and gaze down on the gorillas in their rocky habitat.
THE AVERAGE:
Africa Rocks – There is a fantastic klipspringer/rock hyrax kopje that is a near perfect collection of rocks and boulders and a large, sand-filled meerkat exhibit at the end of Africa Rocks, but those are the two best exhibits in this outdated section of the zoo. There are 5 tiny wire cages that are the oldest in the entire zoo (more on those later) and then the species list is as follows: warthog, Chinese goral, yellow-footed rock wallaby, spotted hyena, striped hyena, New Guinea singing dog and Bateleur eagle. The eagle aviary is excellent and adjacent to the Kopje area, but the other enclosures are all subpar. A brand-new North Chinese leopard exhibit just opened a week or so ago and it provides excellent viewing of the leopard through a combination of glass and mesh. The enclosure itself is not as large as perhaps it should be, but there is a real tree already in place and the leopard has options for attaining height.
Elephant Odyssey – This large-scale, $40 million set of exhibits opened in 2009 and has been much maligned by many ZooChatters. In all honesty the average zoo visitor does not want to stroll past innumerable enclosures that all appear the same and all contain antelope, deer and pigs. I have fond memories of Horn & Hoof Mesa from my 2006 visit to the zoo and I personally loved the endless rows of hoofstock. However, I fully understand the reason for the zoo to dramatically overhaul the area as the current hoofstock paddocks don’t hold anyone’s attention but hardcore zoo fans. I spent two full days at the zoo and I noticed a stream of people only pausing long enough to take a quick glance at the hoofstock before lumbering along to see the mighty polar bears.
Elephant Odyssey has been discussed endlessly on ZooChat, but I’ll still give a summary here. In my two days at the zoo I went through this area a total of 3 times and so I feel well acquainted with it. What definitely works is the very nice California condor exhibit; the large rattlesnake exhibit with 3 species (southwestern speckled, southern pacific and red diamond); the terrific series of reptile and amphibian ponds along the path; the kid-friendly prehistoric creatures to touch, the mini-bulldozer for kids to clamber on, and the neat little messages about elephant conservation (via life-size collars) and the tar pits of the world; the jaguar habitat is much better than I thought it would be, although it is jarring to see the huge double-decker buses go by in the background; and finally the excellent graphics on all of the signs. The zoo chose a theme and stuck to it well, and I applaud the audacity to attempt something new and original.
What doesn’t work: the elephant exhibit doesn’t break any new ground and is basically a sandy dustbowl for aging female elephants that are past their reproductive age (there is also one bull); the elephant care center is a massive pile of ugly steel; some of the pathways are far too narrow for large groups of people, especially near the elephant care center where on both days I saw traffic jams; the lion exhibit is not nearly as impressive as what the jaguar has; the pronghorn/llama/camel enclosure is bleak and I only saw a single pronghorn on all 3 of my visits; the secretary bird enclosure leaves little protection for the bird; the guanaco/Baird’s tapir/capybara exhibit has some nice landscaping by the water but the holding building is an intense eyesore; and the horse/donkey yard is simply ridiculous.
Outback – Including indoor, glass-fronted exhibits there are approximately 8 enclosures featuring at least 12 koalas, some goodfellows tree kangaroos down the path, at least 6 or more parma wallabies (with a couple in with some koalas) and some southern hair-nosed wombats. Those Aussie critters combine to make this one of the top 5 zoos in North America for Australian creatures, and with all of those koalas there are more here than anywhere else outside of Australia. This being San Diego Zoo there are of course some odds n’ ends exhibits near the Outback section, and the species list includes: Bactrian camel, Cuvier’s gazelle, Visayan warty pig and a ring-tailed lemur/rock hyrax exhibit. There is still a large mesh exhibit that is on the zoo map, appears to have at one point held primates, and while I took a photo of it at the moment it is closed to visitors. Before reaching the Outback section of the zoo there are a series of small, outdated, black metal cages that seem to exist solely to give visitors something to gaze at on the way to the koalas. Species include: binturong (two cages), slow loris, blue-crowned lorikeet, double-eyed fig parrot, kookaburra, banded mongoose, southern white-faced owl and Vietnam giant flying squirrel.
Hoofstock Exhibits – There is a red river hog pair of enclosures directly next to Panda Trek, and the reminder of what was left over from the now decimated Horn & Hoof Mesa stretches from the top of Elephant Odyssey almost to the gigantic Bird of Prey aviaries. Species list: Sichuan takin, Cavendish’s dik-dik, southern steenbok, red-flanked duiker, Chacoan peccary, gerenuk, bontebok, addra gazelle, lesser kudu, Speke’s gazelle and Grevy’s zebra.
THE WORST:
Repeating Exhibits – There are at least 3 exhibits with red river hogs, 3 exhibits with otters (containing 3 different species), 3 exhibits of meerkats, 3 exhibits with fossas and 3 exhibits of colobus monkeys.
Asian Passage - The grottoes containing grizzly bears (rotating with a Manchurian brown bear), lions, spotted hyenas, spectacled bears and cape-clawless otters all need to be radically overhauled. Then there are 4 corn crib cages that are terrible, featuring DeBrazza guenons, red ruffed lemurs, Francois’ langurs and L’hoest’s guenons. Why does the zoo insist on maintaining these obviously outdated cages? I’d rather see yet another gift shop there as no one can be impressed by the terrible viewing opportunities in the metal boxes. Big Cat Trail contains old-fashioned but still adequate wire cages for these species: mountain lion (two exhibits although one was empty on my visit), jaguar, snow leopard and Siberian lynx. There is a southern ground hornbill enclosure bizarrely placed between the snow leopards and Siberian lynx.
Below the Big Cat Trail upper pathway is a lower level with the 5 oldest exhibits in the entire zoo. I know this because a tour bus went by and the guide pointed out how animals “used to be showcased”. Why the hell does the world-famous San Diego Zoo still have such tiny metal cages on its grounds? Instead of lavishing $40 million on Elephant Odyssey, wiping out an amazing hoofstock collection in the process, the zoo could have spent $1 million and bulldozed this crap. Species listing: kinkajou, bat-eared fox, coati and fossa (two exhibits). There is also an African wild dog exhibit by an escalator; an Indian crested porcupine enclosure; and 3 adjoining aviaries: Reeves’s pheasant/great hornbill, Siamese fireback/red-knobbed hornbill, and Java rhinoceros hornbill. A couple of other bird cages have grosbeak starlings, and a mixed-species aviary with these species: Himalayan monal/fairy bluebird, magpie robin, metallic starling, Bali mynah and fawn-breasted bowerbird.
Urban Jungle – This small section of the zoo used to be Elephant Mesa, and now it is even more of a mess. The elephants have been replaced by Indian rhinos in the large center exhibit, and there is another large enclosure that was empty on my visit but supposedly houses the ambassador animals that the zoo has. That includes Arctic wolves, golden retrievers, Anatolian shepherds and cheetahs, as there were plenty of signs with the names of each animal. Other exhibits in Urban Jungle: babirusa/lowland anoa, meerkat, red river hog, Caribbean flamingo, clouded leopard, serval, red kangaroo, Grant’s zebra/miniature Mediterranean donkey, and Masai giraffe/Soemmerring’s gazelle. None of the enclosures are very good, and the cats are in horrid little metal cages. The Kiwi Trail still juts off from Urban Jungle and is the same as ever, but this entire area is now a shambles both geographically, aesthetically and morally and some of the enclosures need to be destroyed.
Discovery Outpost: Children's Zoo – This is one of the weakest areas of the zoo for me, particularly after visiting some really cool, interactive kid zoos during the past few years. Here the cages for an ocelot (badly pacing), a fennec fox, red pandas, meerkats, Goeldi’s marmosets, pygmy marmosets, macaws, a fossa, mice, North American river otter/spot-necked otter, thick-billed parrot, collared loris, a kea, toe-toed sloth, Indian crested porcupines, naked mole rats and an echidna range from mediocre to borderline terrible, even though some of those animals are used in shows. This zone needs to be freshened up, but the small insect section (18 terrariums) is quite well done and the highlight of the area. There is a little theater there for daily shows (the new Camp-themed show is definitely weak as I watched some of it while I was in Reptile Mesa) but for a zoo of San Diego’s stature the children’s section is hugely disappointing.
Pathways – I think that San Diego features steeper walkways than even Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, and that establishment is built on a mountain! Walking alone on the first day I didn’t mind the foot-throbbing climbs up and down the canyon trails, but with a stroller and two kids in it (around 62 pounds) I received a work-out the following day. Also, many of the trails around the Lost Forest section are so winding and mazelike that it is quite easy to move from the Hippo Trail to the Monkey Trail to the Tiger Trail and miss exits to key exhibits.
OVERALL:
San Diego Zoo is my favorite zoo in North America and it is regarded as being one of the best zoos on the planet. The Bronx Zoo for me is a brilliant institution with fantastic exhibits that ultimately slots into second place in my personal rankings, and Omaha and Columbus have the money and history to have exciting futures. The lushly planted gardens, tropical weather and collection of animals at San Diego (that allows most of them a huge amount of unlimited time in their exhibits) all contributes to the overall visitor experience. Northern zoos simply cannot compare to San Diego, specifically when animals are locked in night quarters in the late afternoon or not even on view in the off season as is the case with many northern zoos that I have visited.
The zoo is the best in North America for birds, the best for its botanical collection, the best for reptiles, the best for its animal collection, the best for primates, and probably amongst the top categories for just about everything else possible. If you are a major zoo fan and have never visited then you are definitely missing out on one of the great zoological establishments of the world. Combined with the nearby Safari Park this 1-2 punch surely tops most other captive wildlife experiences in the world. There is a selection of exhibits in San Diego that deserve criticism, but in my humble opinion the vast majority of the enclosures are better than anything at almost any other North American zoo. Other than the children’s zoo practically every single exhibit complex on the left-hand side of the map is stellar and well worth visiting, while on the right-hand side of the map is where all of the grottoes and mediocre exhibits are located.
However, as I mention in my extensive review below, the zoo is still a must-see for any serious zoo fan and the gorgeous southern California coastal climate plays a part in that success. When folks are freezing in Berlin in the middle of a bitter German winter, when others are profusely sweating in the humidity of Singapore, San Diego visitors will be enjoying hot summers, warm winters, an amazing species list of both flora and fauna, and the experience is fantastic. As a bonus the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is only half an hour away and together the two facilities have superb botanical gardens and over 8,000 animals in many world-class habitats. I wonder if the presence of two wonderful parks adds to the mystique and grandeur that is evident in San Diego. For those that have never visited I have already uploaded a comprehensive set of almost 450 photos of every major exhibit complex at the zoo.
So…is San Diego Zoo still a favorite of many on this forum? Is it preferable to the Bronx, Omaha, Columbus, etc, etc, etc?
MY REVIEW:
DAY 15: Tuesday, July 26th
AND
DAY 16: Wednesday, July 27th
Zoo/Aquarium Review # 14: San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo’s website:
San Diego Zoo
Zoo Map:
San Diego Zoo: Zoo Map
San Diego Zoo is still the best zoo in North America, although the gap is closer than it ever was before. Bronx Zoo and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo would be the next two choices on my list, although neither has the gorgeous climate of southern California and that definitely plays a factor in the zoo-going experience. It's true that comparing northern zoos to southern zoos is like comparing apples to oranges, but the case is valid in this situation. Visiting a northern zoo like the Bronx means that one has to rush to fit everything in within the 7 hour time limit, while at San Diego in summertime no one has to leave the grounds until 9 p.m. and the animals are always on-exhibit and visible year-round. Literally hundreds and hundreds of animals in northern zoos never once spend time outdoors, as there are 7-8 immense pavilions littering zoo grounds and huge sections of the zoo are completely shut down to the public in winter.
The Bronx Zoo closes its almost 40-acre Asian monorail section during poor weather and a species like the giraffe can spend weeks locked inside a tiny barn in the offseason. At San Diego giraffes are outside for hours longer every day, and barring a freak snowstorm have 365 days a year to enjoy the sunshine. Is San Diego aided considerably by the tropical weather? You bet, and that is a major reason why the zoo is so darn enjoyable. Everything is outdoors, there is natural substrate in almost 100% of the exhibits, and the animal collection of 4,500 is staggeringly awesome.
For my review I’ll refer to the new names that the zoo has designated to exhibit complexes, but many old signs are still in place around the park and so it will be important for me to be as detailed as possible in my lengthy review. The new map is terrific and makes the zoo much easier to navigate, although the Monkey Trails & Forest Tales area is still a mazelike, head-scratching set of raised pathways.
THE BEST:
Botanical Garden - The zoo is a lushly planted paradise, with massive palm trees around each and every corner. Some of the aviaries are so gorgeous that I almost didn't want to walk through them and spoil the Eden-like ambience that has been created. I forgot just how beautiful this zoo really is, and from the Skyfari ride it appears as if ants are milling around in the middle of the Amazon rainforest. San Diego is probably the best looking zoo in North America, and Fern Canyon Trail epitomizes just how impressive the botanical collection is.
Lost Forest: Monkey Trail (Monkey Trails and Forest Tales) – This is arguably the best zoo in North America for primates. Species in this area of the zoo include Eastern Angolan colobus monkey, Kikuyu colobus monkey, black mangabey, golden-bellied mangabey, mandrill, red-cheeked gibbon, lesser spot-nosed guenon and Wolf’s guenon. This multi-acre set of exhibits opened in 2005 and is one of the best parts of the zoo. I'd take the natural substrate, huge mesh exhibits and stunning boardwalks and myriad walkways over "JungleWorld" or "Tropic World" any day of the week. The pygmy hippo/Wolf's guenon enclosure is magnificent, and the adjoining slender-snouted crocodile pool is equally brilliant. Near the entrance is a large lagoon with plenty of Caribbean flamingos, and an entry pair of exhibits along Monkey Trail is for yellow-backed duikers.
Lost Forest: Hippo Trail (Ituri Forest) – This is yet another amazing set of mixed-species exhibits. Allen's swamp monkeys, Schmidt's spot-nosed guenons and spotted-neck otters share a pair of exhibits, while red river hogs and forest buffalo are in a background enclosure. The river hippo’s 150,000 gallon pool is always crystal-clear due to the tilapia feasting on hippo dung, the okapi/black duiker paddock is almost completely in shade from the massive surrounding trees, and if I complained about some of the sightlines I'd be nitpicking a fantastic, award-worthy, 4-acre set of exhibits. The infamous bars in the red river hog/forest buffalo exhibit have been removed, and the interaction amongst the monkeys and otters is as playful as ever.
Lost Forest: Monkey Trail (Gorilla Tropics) - The gorillas have a very scenic exhibit, with cascading waterfalls and pools of water around some of the edges. The bonobo habitat is just as good, with loads of different natural surfaces for the apes to clamber over. Angolan colobus monkeys, snakes and other animals dot the landscape around these ape enclosures, and everything is fantastic to see up close and personal. On both days the troop of gorillas actively used the large rocks in the center of their exhibit, and the viewing windows offer terrific sightlines into the spacious habitat.
Birds & Giant Aviaries – This is the best zoo in North America for birds. Scripps Aviary has over 130 birds and is a thick, dense, jungle-like aviary that has multiple boardwalks cruising through it. Owens Aviary (200 bird species) is just as overwhelming, Parker Aviary is smaller but worthwhile, and the 23 Australasian Aviaries are small, lushly planted, and showcase a diverse collection of birds that is unmatched anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. There is a small kiwi house, a set of hornbill aviaries (and apparently over 30 species of hornbills at the zoo), some of the largest bird of prey aviaries I’ve ever seen, a couple of flamingo pools with various other waterfowl, and then seemingly an aviary around every nook and cranny of the zoo. My wife and I aren't even huge bird fans, but the collection is vast and while some of the exhibits are basic metal boxes there are also many excellent aviaries. I believe that the Owens and Scripps aviaries are two of the largest walk-through aviaries in the world; the Hummingbird Aviary is tiny but extremely lush; and the Birds of Prey aviaries are outstanding and feature Steller’s sea eagles, Andean condors, harpy eagles and ornate-hawk eagles.
Asian Passage: Panda Canyon (Giant Panda Research Station) – There are 3 giant pandas, with 2 on view and the possibly pregnant mother in an unseen exhibit. It is hard to believe that the San Diego Zoo has had 5 baby pandas and that there might well be a 6th on the way! The National Zoo in Washington DC clearly has the best giant panda enclosures in North America, and San Diego, Atlanta and Memphis are far behind in terms of space and variability. However, kudos must go to San Diego for having attendants there to keep everyone quiet, and the crowd members who are noisy are immediately hushed. Panda Trek opens within the next few weeks, with red pandas, mountain vipers and Sichuan takins included in the area. Across the pathway from the giant pandas is a densely planted enclosure for western tufted deer, as well as a now empty cage that used to house red pandas.
Discovery Outpost: Reptiles & Amphibians – This is the best zoo in North America for reptiles and amphibians, and I’m not sure if any other zoo besides Fort Worth even comes remotely close. The Reptile House is the solitary animal building in the park, but it has wide open hallways so it is not really enclosed and contains a fantastic set of cold-blooded animals. I walked all around the rectangle-shaped structure and counted exactly 50 terrariums of varying sizes. The Reptile Mesa section near the Reptile House has a further 35 terrariums within a few small buildings, so that makes 85 terrariums that are for the most part of average quality. However, the outdoor enclosures are simply awesome, with a huge gharial pool that contains 6 species of turtles as well as the rare crocodilians, loads of iguanas and other lizards in massive habitats, and many enormous Galapagos tortoises in a few huge paddocks. With 85 terrariums, a large Komodo dragon outdoor exhibit, the gharial pool and tortoise enclosures, combined with maybe another 8-10 outdoor exhibits and once you add all of that up there is no other zoo in North America that can touch San Diego for reptiles and amphibians. Species list for the gharial pool: narrow-headed softshell turtle, Malaysian giant turtle, painted terrapin, river terrapin, fly river turtle and Chinese stripe-necked turtle.
Polar Rim: Polar Bear Plunge – This excellent area has a large polar bear exhibit with massive viewing windows both above and underwater. The 3 bears have a huge 130,000 gallon pool that slopes into a very deep section, a patch of grass, a digging box, and lots of logs and tree stumps to play around with. There isn't a ton of substrate in this exhibit, but it's still good enough to be one of the best of its kind in North America. There is an Arctic fox and a raccoon in two small wire cages, reindeer in a raised paddock, and diving arctic ducks and waterfowl in a pair of bird areas. Species list in the walk-through aviary: ruff, smew, bufflehead, long-tailed duck and harlequin duck. On my 2008 visit I saw a caracal and an Arabian wild cat (a revolving army of animals have been placed here) but the fox and raccoon fit better with the Polar Rim theme. Outside of this area is a long row of metal aviaries with many species of Australian/Asian birds, and they could almost be classified as off-exhibit as almost no one wanders down that pathway.
Lost Forest: Tiger Trail (Tiger River) - This set of enclosures is as terrific as the rest of Lost Forest, and the thick jungle foliage along the pathways creates a lush landscape. A Malayan tapir enclosure has high mudbanks and the fishing cat has a deep pool with fish in it. There is a beautiful, underrated Johnstone crocodile exhibit with several turtle species included, yet more aviaries, a huge Burmese python and a few assorted terrariums nearby.
Lost Forest: Orangutan Trail (Absolutely Apes) - The orangutans and siamangs interact well, but still spend too much time on the ground. This exhibit works because the multiple viewing windows are enormous, the apes appear to always be active and not interrupted by the humans staring at them, and the uniqueness of the enclosure is appealing now that it is looking lush in the middle of summer. The exhibit dips down a hill at the back to allow for quiet time for the apes, and there is loads of soft substrate spread around the front of the enclosure as well as a squishy floor for visitors. Nearby is a glass-enclosed exhibit for Eastern Angolan colobus monkeys and Wolf’s guenons.
Asian Passage: Sun Bear Trail - sun bears in a rocky, grotto-like exhibit, lion-tailed macaques in an outstanding habitat, tropical birds in an aviary (red-billed malkoha/chestnut-bellied hill-partridge/superb fruit dove) and silvered-leaf langurs in a pair of vertically enormous exhibits all set in a densely planted, nicely winding trail.
Skyfari Ride – This is a gondola-style ride that transports visitors from one end of the zoo to the other. It is a fascinating overview that provides a birds-eye view of many off-exhibit areas, and I was amused to see so many herds of hoofstock that are not on show as I have heard that San Diego has a large collection that can only be seen by employees. The paddocks that are behind the scenes are almost all larger than what the public see from the visitor pathways, and it was cool to travel over the enormous aviaries and gaze down on the gorillas in their rocky habitat.
THE AVERAGE:
Africa Rocks – There is a fantastic klipspringer/rock hyrax kopje that is a near perfect collection of rocks and boulders and a large, sand-filled meerkat exhibit at the end of Africa Rocks, but those are the two best exhibits in this outdated section of the zoo. There are 5 tiny wire cages that are the oldest in the entire zoo (more on those later) and then the species list is as follows: warthog, Chinese goral, yellow-footed rock wallaby, spotted hyena, striped hyena, New Guinea singing dog and Bateleur eagle. The eagle aviary is excellent and adjacent to the Kopje area, but the other enclosures are all subpar. A brand-new North Chinese leopard exhibit just opened a week or so ago and it provides excellent viewing of the leopard through a combination of glass and mesh. The enclosure itself is not as large as perhaps it should be, but there is a real tree already in place and the leopard has options for attaining height.
Elephant Odyssey – This large-scale, $40 million set of exhibits opened in 2009 and has been much maligned by many ZooChatters. In all honesty the average zoo visitor does not want to stroll past innumerable enclosures that all appear the same and all contain antelope, deer and pigs. I have fond memories of Horn & Hoof Mesa from my 2006 visit to the zoo and I personally loved the endless rows of hoofstock. However, I fully understand the reason for the zoo to dramatically overhaul the area as the current hoofstock paddocks don’t hold anyone’s attention but hardcore zoo fans. I spent two full days at the zoo and I noticed a stream of people only pausing long enough to take a quick glance at the hoofstock before lumbering along to see the mighty polar bears.
Elephant Odyssey has been discussed endlessly on ZooChat, but I’ll still give a summary here. In my two days at the zoo I went through this area a total of 3 times and so I feel well acquainted with it. What definitely works is the very nice California condor exhibit; the large rattlesnake exhibit with 3 species (southwestern speckled, southern pacific and red diamond); the terrific series of reptile and amphibian ponds along the path; the kid-friendly prehistoric creatures to touch, the mini-bulldozer for kids to clamber on, and the neat little messages about elephant conservation (via life-size collars) and the tar pits of the world; the jaguar habitat is much better than I thought it would be, although it is jarring to see the huge double-decker buses go by in the background; and finally the excellent graphics on all of the signs. The zoo chose a theme and stuck to it well, and I applaud the audacity to attempt something new and original.
What doesn’t work: the elephant exhibit doesn’t break any new ground and is basically a sandy dustbowl for aging female elephants that are past their reproductive age (there is also one bull); the elephant care center is a massive pile of ugly steel; some of the pathways are far too narrow for large groups of people, especially near the elephant care center where on both days I saw traffic jams; the lion exhibit is not nearly as impressive as what the jaguar has; the pronghorn/llama/camel enclosure is bleak and I only saw a single pronghorn on all 3 of my visits; the secretary bird enclosure leaves little protection for the bird; the guanaco/Baird’s tapir/capybara exhibit has some nice landscaping by the water but the holding building is an intense eyesore; and the horse/donkey yard is simply ridiculous.
Outback – Including indoor, glass-fronted exhibits there are approximately 8 enclosures featuring at least 12 koalas, some goodfellows tree kangaroos down the path, at least 6 or more parma wallabies (with a couple in with some koalas) and some southern hair-nosed wombats. Those Aussie critters combine to make this one of the top 5 zoos in North America for Australian creatures, and with all of those koalas there are more here than anywhere else outside of Australia. This being San Diego Zoo there are of course some odds n’ ends exhibits near the Outback section, and the species list includes: Bactrian camel, Cuvier’s gazelle, Visayan warty pig and a ring-tailed lemur/rock hyrax exhibit. There is still a large mesh exhibit that is on the zoo map, appears to have at one point held primates, and while I took a photo of it at the moment it is closed to visitors. Before reaching the Outback section of the zoo there are a series of small, outdated, black metal cages that seem to exist solely to give visitors something to gaze at on the way to the koalas. Species include: binturong (two cages), slow loris, blue-crowned lorikeet, double-eyed fig parrot, kookaburra, banded mongoose, southern white-faced owl and Vietnam giant flying squirrel.
Hoofstock Exhibits – There is a red river hog pair of enclosures directly next to Panda Trek, and the reminder of what was left over from the now decimated Horn & Hoof Mesa stretches from the top of Elephant Odyssey almost to the gigantic Bird of Prey aviaries. Species list: Sichuan takin, Cavendish’s dik-dik, southern steenbok, red-flanked duiker, Chacoan peccary, gerenuk, bontebok, addra gazelle, lesser kudu, Speke’s gazelle and Grevy’s zebra.
THE WORST:
Repeating Exhibits – There are at least 3 exhibits with red river hogs, 3 exhibits with otters (containing 3 different species), 3 exhibits of meerkats, 3 exhibits with fossas and 3 exhibits of colobus monkeys.
Asian Passage - The grottoes containing grizzly bears (rotating with a Manchurian brown bear), lions, spotted hyenas, spectacled bears and cape-clawless otters all need to be radically overhauled. Then there are 4 corn crib cages that are terrible, featuring DeBrazza guenons, red ruffed lemurs, Francois’ langurs and L’hoest’s guenons. Why does the zoo insist on maintaining these obviously outdated cages? I’d rather see yet another gift shop there as no one can be impressed by the terrible viewing opportunities in the metal boxes. Big Cat Trail contains old-fashioned but still adequate wire cages for these species: mountain lion (two exhibits although one was empty on my visit), jaguar, snow leopard and Siberian lynx. There is a southern ground hornbill enclosure bizarrely placed between the snow leopards and Siberian lynx.
Below the Big Cat Trail upper pathway is a lower level with the 5 oldest exhibits in the entire zoo. I know this because a tour bus went by and the guide pointed out how animals “used to be showcased”. Why the hell does the world-famous San Diego Zoo still have such tiny metal cages on its grounds? Instead of lavishing $40 million on Elephant Odyssey, wiping out an amazing hoofstock collection in the process, the zoo could have spent $1 million and bulldozed this crap. Species listing: kinkajou, bat-eared fox, coati and fossa (two exhibits). There is also an African wild dog exhibit by an escalator; an Indian crested porcupine enclosure; and 3 adjoining aviaries: Reeves’s pheasant/great hornbill, Siamese fireback/red-knobbed hornbill, and Java rhinoceros hornbill. A couple of other bird cages have grosbeak starlings, and a mixed-species aviary with these species: Himalayan monal/fairy bluebird, magpie robin, metallic starling, Bali mynah and fawn-breasted bowerbird.
Urban Jungle – This small section of the zoo used to be Elephant Mesa, and now it is even more of a mess. The elephants have been replaced by Indian rhinos in the large center exhibit, and there is another large enclosure that was empty on my visit but supposedly houses the ambassador animals that the zoo has. That includes Arctic wolves, golden retrievers, Anatolian shepherds and cheetahs, as there were plenty of signs with the names of each animal. Other exhibits in Urban Jungle: babirusa/lowland anoa, meerkat, red river hog, Caribbean flamingo, clouded leopard, serval, red kangaroo, Grant’s zebra/miniature Mediterranean donkey, and Masai giraffe/Soemmerring’s gazelle. None of the enclosures are very good, and the cats are in horrid little metal cages. The Kiwi Trail still juts off from Urban Jungle and is the same as ever, but this entire area is now a shambles both geographically, aesthetically and morally and some of the enclosures need to be destroyed.
Discovery Outpost: Children's Zoo – This is one of the weakest areas of the zoo for me, particularly after visiting some really cool, interactive kid zoos during the past few years. Here the cages for an ocelot (badly pacing), a fennec fox, red pandas, meerkats, Goeldi’s marmosets, pygmy marmosets, macaws, a fossa, mice, North American river otter/spot-necked otter, thick-billed parrot, collared loris, a kea, toe-toed sloth, Indian crested porcupines, naked mole rats and an echidna range from mediocre to borderline terrible, even though some of those animals are used in shows. This zone needs to be freshened up, but the small insect section (18 terrariums) is quite well done and the highlight of the area. There is a little theater there for daily shows (the new Camp-themed show is definitely weak as I watched some of it while I was in Reptile Mesa) but for a zoo of San Diego’s stature the children’s section is hugely disappointing.
Pathways – I think that San Diego features steeper walkways than even Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, and that establishment is built on a mountain! Walking alone on the first day I didn’t mind the foot-throbbing climbs up and down the canyon trails, but with a stroller and two kids in it (around 62 pounds) I received a work-out the following day. Also, many of the trails around the Lost Forest section are so winding and mazelike that it is quite easy to move from the Hippo Trail to the Monkey Trail to the Tiger Trail and miss exits to key exhibits.
OVERALL:
San Diego Zoo is my favorite zoo in North America and it is regarded as being one of the best zoos on the planet. The Bronx Zoo for me is a brilliant institution with fantastic exhibits that ultimately slots into second place in my personal rankings, and Omaha and Columbus have the money and history to have exciting futures. The lushly planted gardens, tropical weather and collection of animals at San Diego (that allows most of them a huge amount of unlimited time in their exhibits) all contributes to the overall visitor experience. Northern zoos simply cannot compare to San Diego, specifically when animals are locked in night quarters in the late afternoon or not even on view in the off season as is the case with many northern zoos that I have visited.
The zoo is the best in North America for birds, the best for its botanical collection, the best for reptiles, the best for its animal collection, the best for primates, and probably amongst the top categories for just about everything else possible. If you are a major zoo fan and have never visited then you are definitely missing out on one of the great zoological establishments of the world. Combined with the nearby Safari Park this 1-2 punch surely tops most other captive wildlife experiences in the world. There is a selection of exhibits in San Diego that deserve criticism, but in my humble opinion the vast majority of the enclosures are better than anything at almost any other North American zoo. Other than the children’s zoo practically every single exhibit complex on the left-hand side of the map is stellar and well worth visiting, while on the right-hand side of the map is where all of the grottoes and mediocre exhibits are located.
