America's 100 Must See Exhibits

[Emanuel Theodorus]

I find myself agreeing with Chlidonias that the number of savannahs included is rather high. It is certainly among the most common exhibit themes in the US, and while there are plenty of well done complexes eight does seem a bit much here.

8 out of 100? I really don't think that's unreasonable. I don't know if it's just me who hasn't visited any zoos in US or I had a biased loved towards African Savannah exhibits, but I don't really think that the amount of that will be a problem, considering the amount of African Savannah that they have it is.

That's a bit of a slippery slope - by that reasoning might as well include every good exhibit in the US on the list.

Come on, no. I absolutely agree with the choices of the lists so far. You don't find a Disney-sized budget for easily the largest African Savannah (also extends to the forests) complex anywhere in US, and the amount of budget for having simutaneously some of the best elephant, rhino, hippo, crocodile, and giraffe exhibits in the country like in Kilimanjaro Safaris, nor do you find an amazing giraffe-elephant mixed exhibit with amazing viewing like you do on Giants of the Savannah, nor do you find an absolutely incredible grasslands complex for elephants and rhinos with easily the most natural looking substrate with beautiful mudworks like you do in Watani Grasslands. That's not a slippery slope; that's a way for these exhibits to stand out on their own on why they are a must see. If I ever go to US, I would easily put them on top of my must see lists.

Night Safari is in Singapore not Indonesia.

While not a separate zoo per se, Taman Safari indeed offer a nighttime experience, and also called Night Safari as well. There is no Night Safari in Bali though, @JVM , you must've confused it with Bali Safari and Marine Park.

Similar Exhibits: Later...

I think this refers to Cincinnati Zoo's Elephant Trek right? The closest exhibit I can think of about this exhibit.

 

[15399]

I think this refers to Cincinnati Zoo's Elephant Trek right? The closest exhibit I can think of about this exhibit

I think it refers to the fact that another, similar exhibit will be covered in the thread in the future? Or four more similar exhibits?

 

[Persephone]

Hmm. Curious what a similar exhibit would be. I could see the white rhino paddock at The Wilds or maybe an exhibit at SDZSP or Fossil Rim. I don’t think there’s an equivalent exhibit in the US in a standard, non safari park zoo.

 

[Great Argus]

Come on, no. I absolutely agree with the choices of the lists so far. You don't find a Disney-sized budget for easily the largest African Savannah (also extends to the forests) complex anywhere in US, and the amount of budget for having simutaneously some of the best elephant, rhino, hippo, crocodile, and giraffe exhibits in the country like in Kilimanjaro Safaris, nor do you find an amazing giraffe-elephant mixed exhibit with amazing viewing like you do on Giants of the Savannah, nor do you find an absolutely incredible grasslands complex for elephants and rhinos with easily the most natural looking substrate with beautiful mudworks like you do in Watani Grasslands. That's not a slippery slope; that's a way for these exhibits to stand out on their own on why they are a must see. If I ever go to US, I would easily put them on top of my must see lists.

You're somewhat misinterpreting my point. This comment can be easily applied to any of the honorable mentions and even some unmentioned exhibits.

So while these exhibits do all have some similarities, all of them are unique in their own right and, in my opinion, were obvious inclusions on a list of must-see exhibits.

My interpretation is perhaps a bit off from Neil's point, but I felt it does imply the field is rather open to any good exhibit rather than the best ones. It has nothing to do with me contradicting exhibit quality as you seem to have taken it, rather I find the statement "all of them are unique in their own right" and thus worthy of inclusion an easy way to argue for any exhibit's inclusion into the top places.

 

[Westcoastperson]

Since you mentioned it, I'll give a little tease of what to expect going forward. There are four more exhibits on this than can be described as African savannas, so a total of eight. That might seem like a lot, but some of the upcoming selections are far more unique and specialized than the ones that have been covered so far and I don't anticipate any of them being particularly contentious. There is at least one may come as a surprise to some, but we'll cross that bridge at a later date.

Id like to speculate some of the options for the four exhibits. I think Omaha, Miami, SDZSP, and maybe Cheyenne all have a chance of getting it. I think Honolulu and Woodland Park both could be the surprise exhibit. Honolulu because of how great the immersion is and how extensive the collection is and Woodland park for the historic aspect of the exhibit and the barrier immersion.

 

[15399]

Id like to speculate some of the options for the four exhibits. I think Omaha, Miami, SDZSP, and maybe Cheyenne all have a chance of getting it. I think Honolulu and Woodland Park both could be the surprise exhibit. Honolulu because of how great the immersion is and how extensive the collection is and Woodland park for the historic aspect of the exhibit and the barrier immersion.

When I made a list at the beginning to guess the exhibits that'd be included, I had seven African Savanna exhibits, plus two others that include African Savanna-type exhibits as part of larger complexes. For African Savannas, in addition to the four already covered in this thread, my guesses included African Grasslands at Omaha's Henry-Doorly Zoo, African Rift Valley at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, and Expedition Africa at Brevard Zoo. The two exhibits which included savannas as part of larger complexes are African Journey at Lincoln Park Zoo and African Forest at Houston Zoo. So depending on how Pachyderm Pro defines "African Savanna", I could see any four from this list being included, or the top three plus a fourth savanna I did not guess if the latter two aren't considered "African Savannas".

 

[birdsandbats]

Can we wait on the speculation as to what those other African savannas will be? I have my suspicions as well but I'll discuss them once we know the others.

 

[Westcoastperson]

Can we wait on the speculation as to what those other African savannas will be? I have my suspicions as well but I'll discuss them once we know the others.

It’s all in good spirit with the thread. I wouldn’t want to encroach or ruin any surprises but isn’t speculation part of the journey to the answer? And it would be even better to see an answer nobody saw coming in the speculation.

 

[birdsandbats]

And it would be even better to see an answer nobody saw coming in the speculation.

Nah, I think it would spoil the surprise. This thread is getting hard enough to navigate already.

 

[OkapiFan]

32. Watani Grasslands Reserve
North Carolina Zoo, NC
Opened: 1980
Size: 50 Acres (20 Hectares)
Inhabitants: African Elephant, Southern White Rhino and various antelope.

African savannas are commonplace in zoos worldwide and as a result are oftentimes forgettable. That is not the case for this outstanding series of grassy pastures set in the gorgeous North Carolina countryside. Size isn't everything when it comes to good exhibit design, but the sheer scale of these enclosures cannot be understated. The primary habitat containing rhinos and a delightful selection of hoofstock is larger than the entirety of some major zoos, which is both to the exhibit's benefit and detriment. The huge space is obviously fantastic for its residents, but from a visitor perspective it can appear rather void of animals at times. Many of the more shy antelope like the bongo and sitatunga choose to spend most of their time in the adjacent forest which makes them even more difficult to locate. To combat this, a drive-through tour runs during the warmer months which takes guests directly through the savanna landscape and provides a more intimate experience. The adjacent pair of multi-acre elephant paddocks are similarly brilliant, spacious and wonderfully green, being a strong contender for the best of their kind on the continent. The elephant habitats also blend in nicely with the multi-species savanna and from certain angles it appears as if there are no visible barriers. The size of these phenomenally landscaped enclosures combined with some incredible vistas add up to make it one of greatest African savanna exhibits in the US.

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

Similar Exhibits: Later...

Yay! One of my home zoos has made it onto the list! This exhibit is by far my favorite part of the NC Zoo! And here's hoping that my other home zoo, the Greensboro Science Center, will make it one here. (I know the chances are almost 0, but I'm still hoping!)

 

[CGSwans]

The difference is that 'America's 50 Must See Zoos' was ordered by state so you were able to anticipate what zoos could come next. However, considering the order for this thread is completely random, there is no way to reasonably predict what exhibit could come next. @CGSwans put it well, so I'll just say I'd appreciate if we didn't just start throwing out random guesses that don't relate the exhibit being discussed, and please save those kinds of discussions for once the list is finished.

It’s all in good spirit with the thread. I wouldn’t want to encroach or ruin any surprises but isn’t speculation part of the journey to the answer? And it would be even better to see an answer nobody saw coming in the speculation.

 

[Westcoastperson]

I’m sorry I didn’t realize the thread creator didn’t want speculation, that’s my mistake.

 

[pachyderm pro]

I’m sorry I didn’t realize the thread creator didn’t want speculation, that’s my mistake.

To be fair I was the one that stoked the fires in the first place, so no harm no foul.

 

[Emanuel Theodorus]

Nah, I think it would spoil the surprise. This thread is getting hard enough to navigate already.

I have the list of the zoos and their respective pages if you wish to navigate btw, feel free to DM me (I don't want to post it here as a navigation post will be posted after it was done.)

 

[JVM]

I think you've made it pretty clear you love Shedd, although I can't help but disagree with your earlier comments about Shedd not being notable for exhibit design. If anything, they have the most candidates for this list out of any aquarium in the country as just seen in the oceanarium, which will not be their last mention on this thread.

I look forward to those entries and welcome your perspective on whichever exhibits you plan to include.

Given the generally higher rate of homogeneity in American zoos and the prominence of such exhibits there, having 8 doesn’t seem out of place at all.

I'm in agreement here. This is something I had tried to allude to earlier to earlier but clumsily about how certain kinds of homogeneous exhibits are going to be the best. The Savannah is always a huge draw to the non-enthusiast zoo guest, makes for great marketing and expensive but relatively easy to fundraise. So many of the most popular animals hail from that biome, some being those at home in mixed exhibits of several species and others charismatic but with high maintenance needs, both inviting impressive scale. At the very least, some kind of savannah exhibit is homogeneous and pretty much required in any zoo that isn't of specialized focus.

 

[15399]

expensive but relatively easy to fundraise.

Given the relative lack of complexity required for exhibits of Savanna wildlife, they also are relatively less expensive than building comparably sized exhibits for many other biomes. For instance, a zoo can build a good lion exhibit for less money than it'd take to build a good bear exhibit, as the latter requires additional climbing structures, water features, rock work, etc. This isn't to say African Savannas are cheap (no zoo exhibits are), but relative to many other popular exhibits, they're a lot more affordable for a zoo to make and maintain, provided that it doesn't include pachyderms.

 

[toxodon]

I love Watani Grasslands. Such a great inclusion onto the list.

 

[pachyderm pro]

33. Chimpanzee Exhibit
Kansas City Zoo, MO
Opened: 1995
Size: 3 Acres (1.2 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Chimpanzee

After moving out of the infamous great ape house, just about anything would have been a substantial upgrade for Kansas City's chimpanzees. However, the zoo truly outdid themselves when creating this masterpiece. Out of all of the enclosures unveiled in the zoos' elaborate 1995 Africa expansion, none are better designed than this first class great ape habitat. It’s a challenge keeping any primate enclosure lushly planted, but located on a spacious and heavily wooded hillside, the vegetation is so dense that the chimps can completely disappear into the forest backdrop. The trees were originally hotwired, but after the apes were somehow able to get into the trees regardless, they were given full access. There are unobstructed views via hidden moats and large glass windows without a single visible barrier in sight from many angles. The size and scope of the exhibit means some patience is required when it comes to seeing the animals, but watching a large group of apes foraging through the forest and traversing through the treetops is an experience absolutely worth the wait.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@ZooGuyKC

Similar Exhibits: Few chimp exhibits are at the same level of what Kansas City has put together, but there are some other notable ones. Houston Zoo and North Carolina Zoo have well done chimp habitats, but the lack of cover and inclusion of some unnatural elements hold them back. A bit smaller, but far more visually appealing is the chimpanzee enclosure at John Ball Zoo.

Houston Zoo

@Moebelle

@zoosnbrews

North Carolina Zoo

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

John Ball Zoo

@snowleopard

 

[Pleistocene891]

33. Chimpanzee Exhibit
Kansas City Zoo, MO
Opened: 1995
Size: 3 Acres (1.2 Hectares)
Inhabitants: Chimpanzee

After moving out of the infamous great ape house, just about anything would have been a substantial upgrade for Kansas City's chimpanzees. However, the zoo truly outdid themselves when creating this masterpiece. Out of all of the enclosures unveiled in the zoos' elaborate 1995 Africa expansion, none are better designed than this first class great ape habitat. It’s a challenge keeping any primate enclosure lushly planted, but located on a spacious and heavily wooded hillside, the vegetation is so dense that the chimps can completely disappear into the forest backdrop. The trees were originally hotwired, but after the apes were somehow able to get into the trees regardless, they were given full access. There are unobstructed views via hidden moats and large glass windows without a single visible barrier in sight from many angles. The size and scope of the exhibit means some patience is required when it comes to seeing the animals, but watching a large group of apes foraging through the forest and traversing through the treetops is an experience absolutely worth the wait.

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@snowleopard

@ZooGuyKC

Similar Exhibits: Few chimp exhibits are at the same level of what Kansas City has put together, but there are some other notable ones. Houston Zoo and North Carolina Zoo have well done chimp habitats, but the lack of cover and inclusion of some unnatural elements hold them back. A bit smaller, but far more visually appealing is the chimpanzee enclosure at John Ball Zoo.

Houston Zoo

@Moebelle

@zoosnbrews

North Carolina Zoo

@Moebelle

@Moebelle

John Ball Zoo

@snowleopard

It must be impossible at times to locate the chimps with how much vegetation there is.

 

[groundskeeper24]

I don't have a major problem with the number of Savannah exits included on the list. To me, they qualify as must see due to the fact that not every zoo has the space available to build a spectacular one. The ones listed are in zoos that have major advantages in terms of acreage.

Budgets are an issue, but all the money in the world can't buy a landlocked zoo that's short on space (Cincinnati for example) the room do do something on the scale of Columbus, DAK, SDWAP, or NC.

It's just my opinion, but in this case, size matters. For me personally, any zoo that can and does put together a massive mixed species savannah becomes must-see.