Best Continents for Zoos

[Pertinax]

North America versus European Zoos.

I think its partly because of North America being a single nation with a good economy(?) and a well developed network of well planned zoos with lots of money spent on them- all the major ones have many top quality exhibits and reflect a prosperous nation and a largely singular attitude and culture toward acceptable standards of animal keeping.

In Europe on the other hand, there are many countries with different cultures, economies and attitudes.. The wealthier and more developed ones like Germany(particularly), UK, France, Scandinavia etc tend to have the best and most modern animal collections, though inevitably there are many historical zoo buildings in European zoos which have to be preserved- less of a problem in North America perhaps.. Those in Eastern Europe and the hotter Mediterranean countries are generally(at least historically) much poorer with considerably lower standards of housing and animal welfare, again the product of the economy and cultural attitudes toward Animal keeping and husbandry.

Of course there are bad zoos in the 'good zoo' countries, and vice versa. Even in North America there are still some small 'roadside' type zoos I think which are pretty abysmal places.

 

[Sun Wukong]

It's only my humble opinion, as I'm sure that others will beg to disagree...haha.

As expected, I do .

Maybe you sometimes have another point of view than I do in regard of zoos, based on a different cultural background-although we both tended to agree on many aspects in past discussions. However, comparing the European and American institutions I have visited so far both as a visitor, as a guest behind the scenes or worked at, I tend to think that the differences between American and European zoos on the fields on animal husbandry aren't that prominent to earn North America a #1 place; sometimes, You just have to scrap at the fake rockwork of a highly praised multi-dollar zoo exhibit of an American to reveal the very same ugly form of outdated animal husbandry as in the case an ancient zoo bear grotto of, say, Olomouc or Chengdu Zoo. There are various areas where some American zoos easily surpass their European counterparts-may it be state-of-the-art zoo veterinary clinics, medical training of reptiles and frogs, better customer service, better zoo education, public presentation of the zoo etc. etc. But one should neither forget the still many, far from optimal smaller zoos in the US, substandard single exhibits in the 20 "super-zoos" You mentioned (bear grottos, oh my!), misleading window-dressing of some newer exhibits nor the "backstage" husbandry that hasn't changed in many zoos in the last 50 years...

Collections in countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Portugal, etc are downright ghastly at times (...) But zoos in major cities like Madrid, Berlin, Barcelona, Lisbon, Warsaw, Moscow, Rome, etc have some animal enclosures that are more like prisons than "habitats".

Unfortunately, this is also very true for many American zoos-may it be bear grottos in the Bronx Zoo, small cat exhibits in Cincinnati or Denver, big cat houses in Omaha or Mandrills in LA...
Such a positive balance of good and bad exhibits is hardly likely in any American (or European, or Asian, or Oceanian...) zoo if objectively judged; the faults might be less apparent, but they do exist.

If my reviews and recent photos of Czech zoos here have prompted the idea that all Czech zoos and their exhibits within are "ghastly", then I shall better not post any more; as Czech (as well as Polish and Portuguese) zoos have much more positive to offer-and are also willing to improve in the areas they lack. Their only problem often is money-a problem more and more American zoos are facing nowadays and are going to face even more in the future if the current economical status does not improve.

I wouldn't just base my judgement on photos and internet reports; going there in person often might result in a totally different impression.

 

[redpanda]

I agree with snowleopard's new order. Much as i love european zoos, the few that i have visited in the US have just had the WOW factor (except for a disgusting 'safari' park near Seattle but i won't go into that).

Congo Gorilla Forest at the bronx zoo, for example, is by far the best exhibit i have ever seen and i am sure there is nothing even close to rivalling it in europe. I've never even visited any of the other top 20 zoos mentioned and i'm sure all of these also have knock-out exhibits.

Try as i might, i can't think of any such exhibits that i've seen in europe (this is mainly the UK as i have visited very few zoos on the continent). Budongo and Realm of the Red Ape, recently built at two of the UK's most progressive zoos, simply aren't in the same league as their american counter-parts. Not to mention some of the totally unimaginative zoo exhibits built recently at some of our supposedly best zoos - Gorilla Kingdom springs to mind.

Having said that, most good european zoos appear to have less truly atrocious enclosures than the good american ones so it is close but it is just that even the average zoos in the states are so much better than the average ones here. Paigntons new croc swamp hardly compares to minnesota's grizzly coast (an extreme example, i know)!

For once, i think america is the best !

 

[Zoogoer2000]

Im just going to say this right up front,the continents with the best zoos are North America, Europe and Australia and no,this is not in order of the best

 

[filipinos]

Almost 4 years later, i´ll have to ask for a new rank.

Europe or North America? Asia or Oceania? South America or Africa?

This is my rank:

6º Africa
5º South America
4º Asia
3º Oceania
2º North America
1º Europe

I´ve visited some zoos in North America, but more in Europe. And well, i prefer Europe.

 

[condor]

7- Antarctica: zero zoos, and so naturally in last place.

If aquariums are included in zoos: At least one of the Antarctic field stations (McMurdo) that allows tourists to visit, usually as part of cruise trips, have an aquarium that is part of the Crary Lab. Though it primarily is aimed at research, cruise ship tourists can still visit the aquariums and they even have a small touch pool. A small but unique collection that at various points of time has had species such as giant sea spiders, the group-hunting sea star Odontaster validus, red sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri, Epimeria amphipods, the odd free-swimming Clione antarctica mollusc, the giant isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus and various species of icefish (ranging from the huge Antarctic toothfish to the small notothens). I'm not sure if cruise ship tourists that visit the Palmer Station or the Rothera Research Station (Bonner Laboratory) can visit their aquarium facilities, but they have also had several interesting animals in their aquariums, including some of the previously mentioned species and the large, ultra-carnivorous Labidiaster sea star.

OK, one can argue that those facilities don't really count and even if they do it doesn't change the overall placement of Antarctica . I've visited quite a few zoos on all continents, but all African zoos I have visited were in South Africa and a Kenyan wildlife center that wasn't a zoo under any normal definition.
My ranking would be: 1) North America, 2) Europe, 3) Asia, 4) Oceania, 5/6) Africa & South America (can't decide between the two), 7) Antarctica

* Note: My ranking is only based on the top facilities on each continent and includes all types of zoological facilities: Normal zoos, bird parks, reptile parks and aquariums. If bottom range facilities were included in the equation, Oceania would be ahead of Asia because of the large number of poor facilities in the latter continent

 

[reduakari]

If aquariums are included in zoos: At least one of the Antarctic field stations (McMurdo) that allows tourists to visit, usually as part of cruise trips, have an aquarium that is part of the Crary Lab. Though it primarily is aimed at research, cruise ship tourists can still visit the aquariums and they even have a small touch pool. A small but unique collection that at various points of time has had species such as giant sea spiders, the group-hunting sea star Odontaster validus, red sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri, Epimeria amphipods, the odd free-swimming Clione antarctica mollusc, the giant isopod Glyptonotus antarcticus and various species of icefish (ranging from the huge Antarctic toothfish to the small notothens). I'm not sure if cruise ship tourists that visit the Palmer Station or the Rothera Research Station (Bonner Laboratory) can visit their aquarium facilities, but they have also had several interesting animals in their aquariums, including some of the previously mentioned species and the large, ultra-carnivorous Labidiaster sea star.

OK, one can argue that those facilities don't really count and even if they do it doesn't change the overall placement of Antarctica . My ranking would be: 1) North America, 2) Europe, 3) Asia, 4) Oceania, 5/6) Africa & South America (can't decide between the two), 7) Antarctica

* Note: My ranking is only based on the top facilities on each continent. If bottom range facilities were included in the equation, Oceania would be ahead of Asia because of the large number of poor facilities in the latter continent

Interesting. As to the Africa or South America question--there is at least one GREAT South American zoo (Temaiken in Argentina). While Africa has a couple of very good aquariums (UShaka and Two Oceans), I've never heard of or seen a great zoo anywhere on the continent.

 

[condor]

As to the Africa or South America question--there is at least one GREAT South American zoo (Temaiken in Argentina). While Africa has a couple of very good aquariums (UShaka and Two Oceans), I've never heard of or seen a great zoo anywhere on the continent.

The National Zoo in South Africa has some interesting exhibits and their 200+ species of mammals is supposedly the second largest collection in the world (after Pilsen), though I don't remember it as being exceptionally huge. South Africa also some interesting bird parks, notably World of Birds Wildlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park (it's almost entirely a bird park, they don't have many monkeys), and Birds of Eden (essentially a huge free-flight aviary). I've managed to miss Johannesburg Zoo on my visit to the city, but I've heard it was worth a visit. Brazil has many zoos, I guess as many as all the remaining countries in South America combined, but most are smal and/or of low standard. Exceptions where at least some parts of the zoos are quite good include the zoos in Sao Paulo and Belo Horizonte, and the bird park Parque das Aves. Cali Zoo in Colombia and Las Leyendas in Peru are definetely worth a visit and both have some good exhibits, but also have some not so good exhibits. I have yet to visit a zoo in Chile or Venezuela, or the small countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, Suriname and Guiana, but I'm not aware of any noteworthy zoos in those countries.

 

[JBZvolunteer]

I have yet to visit a zoo in Chile or Venezuela, or the small countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana, but I'm not aware of any noteworthy zoos in those countries.

From the photos I saw of the grounds of the national zoo it is not that spectacular but, they do have a pond where they let you feed their amazonian manatees.

 

[condor]

From the photos I saw of the grounds of the national zoo it is not that spectacular but, they do have a pond where they let you feed their amazonian manatees.

I'm fairly sure those are West Indian manatees. It can be confusing that this species is found along the South American coast all the way south to Brazil. I managed to forget this some years ago when I visited the Itamaraca manatee conservation project, hoping to see Amazonian manatees. Great project but the "wrong" manatee. At least I had a visit to Belem later during that trip (Goeldi Zoobotanical Park has had Amazonian for years – to my knowledge the only other captive Amazonian are in Iquitos, Peru and Manaus, Brazil).

 

[devilfish]

I have yet to visit a zoo in Chile or Venezuela, or the small countries of Paraguay, Uruguay, French Guiana, Suriname and Guiana, but I'm not aware of any noteworthy zoos in those countries.

eduardo_brazil recommended the zoo in Itaipu (Paraguay) very highly, and suggested that if there's time, it's a much better way to spend your day than visiting Parque das Aves just across the border in Brazil. Photos I've come across do look impressive.