This is a zoo I have been waiting to go to for quite some time. However, with Grizzly Ridge still under construction, I wanted to wait until it was completed. I am definitely glad I did as I cannot picture the zoo without this wonderful exhibit.
LEGENDS OF THE WILD: It first starts out with a small Humboldt penguin exhibit. The nice thing about this exhibit is in the winter time if the temperature is under 50 degrees fahrenheit, visitors are allowed to feed the penguins for $3. Now this does not mean you can hand feed them, but the exhibit has a few stairs off the the side with a ledge. You can drop your fish down in the water for the penguins. Right beside this exhibit is an indoor area with ring tailed lemurs, red ruffed lemurs, black and white lemurs, and a day gecko all in intimate exhibits.
Continuing on the trail, you pass a pond of waterfowl and then you continue on with the next set of exhibits. There is an alpaca exhibit and then you climb up a ramp to the Andean condor exhibit. The condor exhibit is on a hillside and I believe is a good space for the two birds. Next is a predator vs. prey set of exhibits with jaguars and capybaras behind them. Both were off exhibit, but it would have been nice to see the jaguar as it looked like there were many opportunities to view them up close. Next is a building with slow loris and fruit bats, another area with closed off exhibits.
There was another set of predator vs. prey exhibits with snow leopards and tahrs. The snow leopard exhibit was decently sized, and had a pretty good amount of vertical space. To me, it is similar to the cougar exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo. This whole area was nicely themed with architecture and signage with interesting stories.
KOMODO KINGDOM/JOURNEY TO THE REEF: Komodo Kingdom had a couple exhibits, one being a mixed one with golden lion tamarin, birds, and fish. The other being for the title animal, two new females. There was also a small exhibit for a green tree python.
Journey to the Reef is one of the newest exhibits and it's definitely one of the best. If you can see it on a quiet day, it's quite relaxing to view all the animals. Modern and stylish designs, signage, and display of intimate exhibits. I cannot even begin to list all the animals but some highlights include the giant Pacific octopus, puffer fish, variety of eels, jellies, sea nettles, chocolate chip starfish, etc. At the end is a nice play area for children and a seasonal touch tank section.
TIGER VALLEY: One of the older sections of the zoo and it is average. All exhibits are intimate for guests to view the animals, but probably not enough space for the inhabitants. The lions probably have one of the smallest exhibits I have seen for its kind, with only a center platform to slightly hide from visitors. The Sumatran tiger exhibit was decent and they at least had a heated cave to hide in with a side window most guests probably miss, as they spot the sloth bear exhibit. The sloth bear exhibit seemed the most aged. Although it has a lot of natural substrate, the black painted walls make it look more small and there was chipped paints and dirt all over it. I almost think a new paint job, with perhaps a scenic mural would spruce up the area. Other highlight exhibits include one for barking deer, red panda (where you can walk around 3/4th of their exhibit, and white stork.
GRIZZLY RIDGE: The newest addition to the zoo and one of my favorite North American exhibits. The first exhibit was for bald eagles which had many trees to perch and hide in. The next exhibit is the aviary where visitors are on the top section and they look down to view most of the aviary. Obviously the smaller birds can be on top in the trees, but turkeys were in the bottom section. This area also has a nice overview of the Akron skyline. If you pass this exhibit from the beginning, there is a window to view the bottom section of the aviary. The grizzly bear exhibit is next with different windows to view it. The first set of windows looks into their exhibit, with their cave being in the back. One of the windows it right next to their pool giving visitors a chance to see these animals play in the water. If you walk past the exhibit you will come to the back window which is right next to their cave. The North American river otter exhibit is one of the best in the country. The first area has a deep pool for them to swim in and a wonderful viewing opportunity for guests to go down a clear slide inside their exhibit. Please note the slide is seasonal and it was closed off during our visit. The next section is a grassy and rocky land area with a small pool for the otters. The otters take advantage walking along the ledge of their exhibit right next to the windows. There was also a training wall for the keepers to work with the otters. The only qualm I had with this exhibit was their signage. There was at least two signs that had pictures of Asian small clawed otters.
Next come a pair of nice exhibits for the red wolf and the coyote. There's also a wall with pictures of each animal explaining to guests how you can the difference between the two. I believe there was also a small area used in the summer where zoo employees can show American animals from their education collection.
The zoo wraps up with a small farm area with sheep and goats and the zoo's gardens. Along the way I do believe I encountered small exhibits for groundhogs, prairie dogs, and burrowing owls. When I returned back to the entrance of the zoo, I noticed the sika deer exhibit located near the penguin exhibit.
For being a small zoo, it certainly has a lot of average to very nice exhibits. Visitors have an intimate experience with the animals. In the past decade the zoo has transformed and created a lot of new exhibits. Hopefully the zoo continues in this direction.
LEGENDS OF THE WILD: It first starts out with a small Humboldt penguin exhibit. The nice thing about this exhibit is in the winter time if the temperature is under 50 degrees fahrenheit, visitors are allowed to feed the penguins for $3. Now this does not mean you can hand feed them, but the exhibit has a few stairs off the the side with a ledge. You can drop your fish down in the water for the penguins. Right beside this exhibit is an indoor area with ring tailed lemurs, red ruffed lemurs, black and white lemurs, and a day gecko all in intimate exhibits.
Continuing on the trail, you pass a pond of waterfowl and then you continue on with the next set of exhibits. There is an alpaca exhibit and then you climb up a ramp to the Andean condor exhibit. The condor exhibit is on a hillside and I believe is a good space for the two birds. Next is a predator vs. prey set of exhibits with jaguars and capybaras behind them. Both were off exhibit, but it would have been nice to see the jaguar as it looked like there were many opportunities to view them up close. Next is a building with slow loris and fruit bats, another area with closed off exhibits.
There was another set of predator vs. prey exhibits with snow leopards and tahrs. The snow leopard exhibit was decently sized, and had a pretty good amount of vertical space. To me, it is similar to the cougar exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo. This whole area was nicely themed with architecture and signage with interesting stories.
KOMODO KINGDOM/JOURNEY TO THE REEF: Komodo Kingdom had a couple exhibits, one being a mixed one with golden lion tamarin, birds, and fish. The other being for the title animal, two new females. There was also a small exhibit for a green tree python.
Journey to the Reef is one of the newest exhibits and it's definitely one of the best. If you can see it on a quiet day, it's quite relaxing to view all the animals. Modern and stylish designs, signage, and display of intimate exhibits. I cannot even begin to list all the animals but some highlights include the giant Pacific octopus, puffer fish, variety of eels, jellies, sea nettles, chocolate chip starfish, etc. At the end is a nice play area for children and a seasonal touch tank section.
TIGER VALLEY: One of the older sections of the zoo and it is average. All exhibits are intimate for guests to view the animals, but probably not enough space for the inhabitants. The lions probably have one of the smallest exhibits I have seen for its kind, with only a center platform to slightly hide from visitors. The Sumatran tiger exhibit was decent and they at least had a heated cave to hide in with a side window most guests probably miss, as they spot the sloth bear exhibit. The sloth bear exhibit seemed the most aged. Although it has a lot of natural substrate, the black painted walls make it look more small and there was chipped paints and dirt all over it. I almost think a new paint job, with perhaps a scenic mural would spruce up the area. Other highlight exhibits include one for barking deer, red panda (where you can walk around 3/4th of their exhibit, and white stork.
GRIZZLY RIDGE: The newest addition to the zoo and one of my favorite North American exhibits. The first exhibit was for bald eagles which had many trees to perch and hide in. The next exhibit is the aviary where visitors are on the top section and they look down to view most of the aviary. Obviously the smaller birds can be on top in the trees, but turkeys were in the bottom section. This area also has a nice overview of the Akron skyline. If you pass this exhibit from the beginning, there is a window to view the bottom section of the aviary. The grizzly bear exhibit is next with different windows to view it. The first set of windows looks into their exhibit, with their cave being in the back. One of the windows it right next to their pool giving visitors a chance to see these animals play in the water. If you walk past the exhibit you will come to the back window which is right next to their cave. The North American river otter exhibit is one of the best in the country. The first area has a deep pool for them to swim in and a wonderful viewing opportunity for guests to go down a clear slide inside their exhibit. Please note the slide is seasonal and it was closed off during our visit. The next section is a grassy and rocky land area with a small pool for the otters. The otters take advantage walking along the ledge of their exhibit right next to the windows. There was also a training wall for the keepers to work with the otters. The only qualm I had with this exhibit was their signage. There was at least two signs that had pictures of Asian small clawed otters.
Next come a pair of nice exhibits for the red wolf and the coyote. There's also a wall with pictures of each animal explaining to guests how you can the difference between the two. I believe there was also a small area used in the summer where zoo employees can show American animals from their education collection.
The zoo wraps up with a small farm area with sheep and goats and the zoo's gardens. Along the way I do believe I encountered small exhibits for groundhogs, prairie dogs, and burrowing owls. When I returned back to the entrance of the zoo, I noticed the sika deer exhibit located near the penguin exhibit.
For being a small zoo, it certainly has a lot of average to very nice exhibits. Visitors have an intimate experience with the animals. In the past decade the zoo has transformed and created a lot of new exhibits. Hopefully the zoo continues in this direction.
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