Completely agree. The only exhibits I can think of that are a bit less than adequate are probably the smaller mammal ones like the coati and porcupine. I find their red wolf and bison exhibits to be quite nice and the small primate exhibits also seem comparable to the ones I've seen from other smaller zoos like Trevor Zoo, Buttonwood Park Zoo and Staten Island Zoo, to name a few.
You'd be amazed at how little that counts for in the accreditation process
Honestly, there’s not one big thing (though welfare assessments seem to be hot topic of focus now). It’s everything. The application questionnaire is 30 pages long, and most of those questions basically require an essay answer. They look at every aspect of the facility - maintenance program, safety drills and training, financial stability, staff compensation, how much you contribute to conservation (in time or money), evaluations of education programs, the vet program. I’ve heard of zoos getting chewed out because they didn’t have adequate parking spaces, of all things. AZA is just really tightening the screws these past 5 years. It used to be very rare for someone to be denied. Now it’s like 4 zoos a year
Yes, exactly. Finances are a huge part of it.
The Bergen County Zoo is the closest zoo to my house, and despite me going to the Bronx Zoo a bit more often, I was actually gonna start going here a bit more often thanks to the rising tolls to get into the city. It’s a shame especially since animal welfare, education, and conservation wise, it’s a decent zoo, with the only bad exhibit imo being the porcupine, so it’s likely something going on in management. I am hopeful that the zoo will regain accreditation at some point in the future. I will say that they tried to add a parking garage at the zoo but many locals didn’t like the idea.
When you visited the Aviary was still closed for the winter. They did change it up a little bit since you went too as they build some shade structures in the American Plains and South American habitats, and replaced all the signage throughout the zoo. One top of that, once they figure out what they are doing with the Bald Eagles, they are building a completely new Ocelot exhibit.
When I’m June did you visit? It was open when I went on June 12th and 28th. I will say in all the years I’ve been going, the Wetlands area, which includes the aviary and alligators, reopens very late into the year.
Roseate Spoonbill, Scarlet Ibis, Snowy Egret and Wood Duck, it also signs Black-Crowned Nigh Heron, although I haven’t seen it since before the Avian Flu. The Aviary also has dozens of Florida Cooters, Pond Sliders, and Painted Turtles. I will also say the signs in the aviary are the only ones in the zoo not to receive an update this summer.
