The photos are making this zoo appear to be better than it actually is, as to be honest it lost its accreditation a few years ago for substandard housing for its hippos. Now that the zoo has regained its status as a proper collection things have improved, but much of the wire fencing is basic and it is possible to put your hand into just about every single hoofstock enclosure as they are only surrounded by wooden posts and wire. It reminds me of many photos of overseas zoos, as instead of mock-rock and walls or anything resembling immersion exhibitry there are very basic wood and wire containments for animal exhibits. There is not necessarily anything wrong with that, but walking around the Greater Vancouver Zoo the vast majority of the enclosures look similar, and with the 35 species of hoofstock my wife was saying "antelope, deer, antelope, deer" as we went past paddock after paddock.
The best thing about the zoo is the SPACE that the animals are given, as the 1.2 acre hippo exhibit, 2 acre wild boar exhibit, 10 acre black bear/wolf exhibit, 1.5 acre grizzly bear exhibit, 15 acre bison/elk/deer exhibit are all exceptional. Most of the hoofstock paddocks are at least an acre in size, and so the enclosures are quite barren but full of room to roam.
