I'm not terribly fond of it. It has an impressive collection, but it's clear that animal husbandry needs at the forefront of the institutional priorities.
I'm not terribly fond of it. It has an impressive collection, but it's clear that animal husbandry needs at the forefront of the institutional priorities.
Did you leave out some words? Did you mean to say "...husbandry needs ARE NOT at the forefront..."?
I have decidedly mixed feelings. I love seeing the variety of animals I cannot see elsewhere and I get enough good photos to make it enjoyable. Both of the Reid Park volunteers who went with me thoroughly enjoyed it. Yet I cringe at some of the bird and monkey cages (which are cages in every sense of the word).
The hoofstock have it very well - nice large fields, many with trees and/or grass. The lions and tigers have it ok - nothing that great, but not horrendous. The leopards and jaguars are not so good. The new Dragon World is definitely worthwhile and the aquariums are overall pretty good.
I think enough interesting things to see that no ZooChatter who is in the area should miss it.
True, although the aquarium section makes it more difficult to compare. Most aquariums have steep admission fees as I am sure it is costly to maintain proper water balances for healthy sea creatures. Perhaps if all the rides did not cost extra it might seem like a more reasonable value.
This place is incredibly fascinating and very tough to get a clear picture of without visiting, and it takes many hours to see everything. There are 4 aquarium buildings with close to 100 exhibits that have all been built in the last 5 years, which is astonishing for a non-AZA-accredited zoo that receives absolutely zero government support. The hoofstock list is incredible and there are many spacious paddocks; and the animal collection is comparable to most top zoos in North America. There are close to 20 species of primates; there are about 40 species just in the tiny Small Mammal Building near the right-hand corner of the map; 50 exhibits in the Reptile House; at least 5-6 rides; and the bird list is off the charts.
However, the quality of exhibits is often mediocre at best. The aquarium tanks are hit-and-miss but overall fairly impressive, but 95% of the carnivore, bird and primate exhibits are aesthetically awful. At $29 plus tax it is also one of the more expensive zoos in the country, but with the species lineup and the aquatic facilities it is difficult to argue that the price isn't worth it. Many aquariums charge close to the same amount and can be seen in 2 hours, while Wildlife World Zoo takes most of the day as long as someone doesn't mind seeing a large number of junky exhibits.
