Jonas Livet - 1,400+ different zoos/aquariums
As of today I am exactly standing at 1402 institutions (and 2109 visits).
On a side note, my daughter visited approximately 130 zoos before she was even 3 years old! Almost all of those were major collections and she has probably toured more major American zoos than 99% of the people on this forum. Crazy, right? The catch is that she peaked when she was still technically 2 years old, she hasn't really added many new zoos in the past 6 years, and of course she doesn't remember any of those places when she was a toddler. She also visited 41 out of the 50 U.S. states while she was still 2 years old, back when my wife and I traveled everywhere with two young kids. Now that we have 4 children it is an era of 'solo zoo traveling' for me.
By contrast, my second child has been to perhaps 100 zoos, while the two youngest kids have visited less than 10 zoos each. Those guys got ripped off.![]()
On a side note, my daughter visited approximately 130 zoos before she was even 3 years old! Almost all of those were major collections and she has probably toured more major American zoos than 99% of the people on this forum. Crazy, right? The catch is that she peaked when she was still technically 2 years old, she hasn't really added many new zoos in the past 6 years, and of course she doesn't remember any of those places when she was a toddler. She also visited 41 out of the 50 U.S. states while she was still 2 years old, back when my wife and I traveled everywhere with two young kids. Now that we have 4 children it is an era of 'solo zoo traveling' for me.
By contrast, my second child has been to perhaps 100 zoos, while the two youngest kids have visited less than 10 zoos each. Those guys got ripped off.![]()
Wow 41/50 States by age 2!? Has she added anymore? At age 35 my count is exactly 41/50 which blows away most Americans. I'm sure I have her beat on foreign countries visited though haha!
My wife and I have been to all 50 U.S. states, although I've only made it through the Honolulu airport on a few occasions and so technically Hawaii counts as well. Our daughter is at 41 U.S. states (plus Mexico and Australia), our second kid is at around 36 U.S. states (plus Australia), our third kid is at 1 U.S. state (plus Australia) and the fourth kid is also at 1 U.S. state only. Those guys got ripped off.
No species lists for the kids, although having 4 children means that I'm well equipped to judge Children's Zoos...an Achilles Heel for many zoo nerds. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is possibly the best zoo that I've ever seen for small children, even though there are very few animals in that section of the grounds.
The zoos I visited the most are actually the closest to where I am living: 24 visits in Zoologischer Stadgarten Karlsruhe and 21 visits in Zoo d'Amnéville. ;-)Which location have you visited the most times?
...I'm well equipped to judge Children's Zoos...an Achilles Heel for many zoo nerds.
Why don't you just come up with bedtime stories involving Bruce the Echidna or GusGus the Cuscus, and then when you go to the zoo you will be begged to take them to see those animals...?The worst thing about a big zoo visit with the kids, you miss a lot of bloody stuff unless you can persuade your partner that they don't need to see the echidna/tur/cuscus etc. whilst you can wander off on your own for half hour.![]()
Why don't you just come up with bedtime stories involving Bruce the Echidna or GusGus the Cuscus, and then when you go to the zoo you will be begged to take them to see those animals...?
Why don't you just come up with bedtime stories involving Bruce the Echidna or GusGus the Cuscus, and then when you go to the zoo you will be begged to take them to see those animals...?
Too bad this isn't the 200 zoo club, which I'm knocking on the door of. Will have to wait a bit to hit 300. Although I usually don't visit zoos unless there's a lifer mammal present for me to see. For instance I've never even been to the Staten Island Zoo which is less than 1 hour away from where I live.
And because I can't resist I'll post a link for my zoos/national parks visited map:
Alexander Meyer's Zoo & National Park Map - Google My Maps
A great exercise that I'd truly recommend for anyone interested.