Why are you Proud of your Home Zoo?

If you are talking about the zoo in Naples, Florida that used to be known as Caribbean Gardens, I have been there. Pretty bad zoo and basically a complete waste of my time. I should have gone to the Everglades instead.

In my opinion, it's improved. Sure, viewing is a horrendous issue at some points, and the leopard enclosure is a joke, but I thought it was a decent zoo. Their plans for a new African exhibit look really good.
 
so if i did my math with the pandas correctly, there are exactly as many wombats in the US as there are giant pandas. but brookfield has 2 parents, a joey, and 2 imports, so shouldnt they have 5 wombats?

The two imported wombats were first sent to Brookfield then Brookfield sent them to Toronto because Toronto only had one old male.
 
ThylacineAlive- Have you been to Cincy Zoo before? Also thanks for mentioning those other tidbits of info about Beardsley. I'm also proud of how for the most part strongly stick to a North/South American theme (except for the Amur Tigers.)
Gulo gulo- Thanks for more of that info on Stone Zoo, and I hope I might be able to visit next year.
Mystic Aquarium also was the first to AI a Beluga, though it was unsuccessful. I'm proud of Mystic for their marine mammal collection (Belugas, Steller Sea Lions, Northern Fur Seals, Harbor Seals, California Sea Lions), their fantastic exhibits, their rescue and rehabilitation program, and their conservation work for African Penguins. Also, they have a strong emphasis on connecting with their animals.
Maritime Aquarium I'm proud of for having a very strong emphasis on Long Island Sound, and the recent refurbishment that made the aquarium look a whole lot better, plus how interactive the aquarium is.
I know I live a long way from Naples, but it seems no one here but Meaghan Edwards, snowleopard, and I have visited Naples Zoo, and I'd like to point out that I'm proud of their fantastic American Black Bear exhibit, and for being dedicated to having some of the rarest animals in the US (Honey Badgers, Striped Hyenas, Fossas, Dingos, Cuban Crocs, Kinkajous, 4 lemur species and 3 gibbon species)

I have never been to Cincinnati. I'm planning my visit for when they finish their African exhibit. If I had visited it, you would find it on my website (I don't know if you actually look at it, but I will be adding the Central Park Zoo in the upcoming two weeks). I forgot to mention Mystic's rescue program. I got a few more to add to my list.
Bronx-
Once held Thylacines:D
Most zoo visits by me.
Amazing exhibits
It's the frickin Bronx Zoo:D

Smithsonian National-
First zoo I ever visited (as a mere infant)
Had Thylacines:D
Amazing exhibits

Cincinnati-
White Lions
Amazing exhibits
First zoo I hadn't visited that I fell in love with.
First zoo I donated to
Thane's cool (I don't even know what the directors of Beardsley and Bronx even look like)

Disney's Animal Kingdom-
Best African Elephant exhibit of any public U.S. zoo
Rollercoasters and animals:D
Actually do good breeding and conservation work
Bring public awareness through popular films (ex. Chimpanzee and African Cats).
Very naturalistic exhibits

St. Angustine Alligator (or is it Crocodile) Farm and Zoological Park-
Has almost every species of crocodilian
Has really rare animals rarely found in captivity in the U.S.

TropicWorld54- I'm pretty sure that D.C. had pandas first. I know that the president traded two Muskox for two Giant Pandas and that (or so I heard) he gave them to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, making it the first zoo in North America to have the species.
 
Thane's cool (I don't even know what the directors of Beardsley and Bronx even look like)
Despite the fact that he averages 1.4 mistakes per video?;)

Disney's Animal Kingdom-
Best African Elephant exhibit of any public U.S. zoo
Depends. From a visitor's standpoint, it's actually really annoying. How long do you see the elephants for? About 2 minutes.



Has almost every species of crocodilian

I believe they do
 
Despite the fact that he averages 1.4 mistakes per video?;)

Depends. From a visitor's standpoint, it's actually really annoying. How long do you see the elephants for? About 2 minutes.

I believe they do

Who cares? He's a very interactive director and he makes videos for his zoo he he's trying. Isn't that enough for you!!:D I don't even know the name of the National and Bronx Zoo's directors and the only time I've seen Gregg Dancho is when he was begging for money on TV.

At leats the elephants get enough room. Most zoos make it convinient for the visitors but the animals mostly don't get enough room but DAK give their elepants room to spread their huge legs around. Although, the last time I was there, I only saw an elephants behind and I glimpse of one as we went around a turn. Still, it's a great exhibit for the animals.

I have to visit there sometime.

Another thing for the Smithsonian National Zoo-
They're soon to become the second zoo in the world to display Bhutan Takins and the only zoo outside of Bhutan (in Bhutan they are the only captive animlas in the countries only zoo. It's probably the smallest zoo in the world but at least the takins get so much room):D
 
Beardsley Zoo- Has one of the best and most diverse collections I've ever seen for a small zoo like that. (Not many big zoos have four canine species and, soon to be, six feline species).
 
Beardsley Zoo- Has one of the best and most diverse collections I've ever seen for a small zoo like that. (Not many big zoos have four canine species and, soon to be, six feline species).

Actually, only 3 canine species remain. But the canines all have very good habitats, except for the Gray Foxes, which have an average exhibit. The Canada Lynx exhibit is awful though, and the Amur Tiger exhibits aren't horrible, but are too small. The Domestic Cat enclosure is small and dusty, while the Brazilian Ocelot exhibit is the nicest of the four exhibits, with a decent size and plenty of climbing oppurtunities. The Bobcat is an education animal as you know, and hopefully the renovation for the sixth feline will result in a decent habitat.
 
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Columbus: Although not that great of a collection, every exhibit is marvelous and almost half of them blew me away (Sun bear, Amur tiger, Moose, Polar bear, Asian elephant, Flying fox, etc.)
 
And the canines all have very good habitats, except for the Gray Foxes, which have an average exhibit. The Canada Lynx exhibit is awful though, and the Amur Tiger exhibits aren't horrible, but are too small. The Domestic Cat enclosure is small and dusty, while the Brazilian Ocelot exhibit is the nicest of the four exhibits, with a decent size and plenty of climbing oppurtunities. The Bobcat is an education animal as you know, and hopefully the renovation for the sixth feline will result in a decent habitat.

I think the Grey Fox exhibit should be expanded slightly into the Greater Sandhill Crane exhibit (aren't there two foxes?)

The zoo has four Canada Lynx now and, while they only display two at a time, it's definetly time for a new exhibit I would build it across from the bison or Pronghorn or something like that because in the whole North American portion of the zoo, there's nothing on the left side of the trail (heading towards the Tigers). I think the Canada Lynx exhibit should be torn down and the Tiger exhibit expanded to include that area. Also, this would give the exhibit designers a chance to build an exhibit going deeper back. The Domestic Cat exhibit needs a cleaning and it needs more climbing things. I only ever see Kuma sitting on that rock to the far right of the exhibit. How does she get up there with no tail and with a missing leg!? Why'd they decide not to put the Bobcat on exhibit? Hopefully it will result in a nice looking exhibit that holds Amur Leopards.:D How's work going on that anyway?
 
Edinburgh/HWP, really my home zoological society, with a rich history and many World, European and UK first breedings.
But it is its recent history that makes me proud, in the past 8 or so years, the society has invigorated its collections at both parks, primarily with the mammals, species not seen and bred in the UK for many years and many of those species, still unique in the UK.
 
Chapultepec zoo in Mexico City has a brreding colony of volcano rabbits and has reintroduced these endangered animals to protected areas on Mount Popocateptl.
Chapultepec was also the first zoo outside of China to breed giant pandas. Currently among the endangered mexican species bred there are desert bighorn sheep, mexican black howler monkeys, mexican grey wolf or lobos, and mexican brocket deer.
But the second city in my heart is and always will be Chicago where i studied for various years. And tropicworld is correct, Su Lin was the first giant panda exhibited outside of China back in 1937 and it was at Brookfield zoo. A quick check on Wikipedia will confirm this. Also Brookfield zoo bred black rhinos and okapi for the first time in North America.
And Lincoln Park zoo in chicago has had 51 gorillas born there, the most recent about a month ago.
 
John Ball Zoo:
first zoo to have a zipline in the US
first zoo to have a ropes course in the US (sorry we started the trend)
first zoo in the world to have a funincular
pretty awesome african exhibit
largest aquarium in Michigan
 
John Ball Zoo:
first zoo to have a zipline in the US
first zoo to have a ropes course in the US
(sorry we started the trend)
first zoo in the world to have a funincular
pretty awesome african exhibit
largest aquarium in Michigan


The two items that I highlighted - are you sure you are proud of that? :p
 
I like how the N.Y. Aquarium adopts a lot of orphaned Sea Otters, Walruses, ect. I also like how they're building a new building just for the many species of sharks native to the area as I only really know about the Sand Tiger Shark, Lemon Shark, Great White Shark, and the Bull Shark.:D
 
This thread makes the assumption that one is proud of their home zoo.
 
I think the Grey Fox exhibit should be expanded slightly into the Greater Sandhill Crane exhibit (aren't there two foxes?)

The zoo has four Canada Lynx now and, while they only display two at a time, it's definetly time for a new exhibit I would build it across from the bison or Pronghorn or something like that because in the whole North American portion of the zoo, there's nothing on the left side of the trail (heading towards the Tigers). I think the Canada Lynx exhibit should be torn down and the Tiger exhibit expanded to include that area. Also, this would give the exhibit designers a chance to build an exhibit going deeper back. The Domestic Cat exhibit needs a cleaning and it needs more climbing things. I only ever see Kuma sitting on that rock to the far right of the exhibit. How does she get up there with no tail and with a missing leg!? Why'd they decide not to put the Bobcat on exhibit? Hopefully it will result in a nice looking exhibit that holds Amur Leopards.:D How's work going on that anyway?

Yes there are two foxes.
How do you know if the zoo has four Canada Lynx?
Even if the tiger exhibit was expanded into the lynx exhibit, the space would still be too small for Amur Tigers. Kuma can still climb very well despite her physical capabilties. The AZA wanted Beardsley to use the Bobcat as an ambassador animal. I don't know how construction is going, but making the ugly old bear exhibit nice-looking isn't the only problem. Space is too, as the exhibits were too small. Hopefully there will be more space, but I doubt it.
 
The fact that they finally decided to stop having polar bears in the desert!

Is that official? Reid Park won't be replacing the one that died? If that's the case, I am VERY happy. Polar Bears DON'T belong in the desert. I just wish it hadn't taken the deaths of 3 bears to realize that (not blaming RPZ at all)
 
My home zoo is the Phoenix Zoo and I'm proud of them for their dedication to conservation. They almost single-handedly kept the Arabian Oryx from going extinct and made it possible for other zoos to start breeding herds. They provided sanctuary to 2 former circus elephants so they wouldn't be destroyed. They also provided sanctuary to 2 rhinos beyond reproductive age so the zoos they were living at could have room for younger females and continue with SSP. They are constantly improving, adding new exhibits and improving ones they already have. They brought back the Chiricahua Leopard Frog from the brink of extinction. There's lots to be proud of them for.
 
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