Best and worst local zoo exhibits

Cleveland:
Best:
The RainForest, 1993 (Soon to be expanded)
African Elephant Crossing, 2011 (African Elephants, Meerkats, Rock Python, Aviary)
Tiger Passage, 2015 (Amur Tiger)

Worst:
Current:
Primate Cat and Aquatics, 1970's. To put it simply, every single part of this exhibit is out of date. Cramped concrete exhibits, barren enclosures, and barely any room for the gorillas outside.
Bear Grottos, 1966. Soon to be updated thankfully, so hoping that bumps it off the 'Worst' list.
Species: Sun Bear, Sloth Bear, Andean Bear

Replaced:
Monkey Island, 1934-2019. Replaced by an expanded rhino yard.
Species: Colobus Monkeys, Klipspringers, Hyrax
Pachyderm Building 1956-2011. Replaced by African Elephant Crossing.
Species: African and Asian Elephants, Giraffe, Nile Hippo, Pygmy Hippo, Malayan Tapir, and Warthog
 
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Zoo: St. Louis Zoo
I'm going to try to be objective here but I primarily go to zoos for photography so my personal preference in exhibits is based pretty much solely on how well it lends itself to photography.
Best: Sea Lion Sound
Worst: Big Cat Country (This was so hard to put here given how much I loved this area of the zoo as a kid but its objectively dated and due for an update)
 
cloudedleopard611 said:
Worst: Big Cat Country (This was so hard to put here given how much I loved this area of the zoo as a kid but its objectively dated and due for an update)
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I think the opposite actually - Big Cat Country is somewhat old, but the exhibits are still adequate or even excellent. With the primate area now heavily renovated, all of Saint Louis Zoo is excellent.
 
birdsandbats said:
I think the opposite actually - Big Cat Country is somewhat old, but the exhibits are still adequate or even excellent. With the primate area now heavily renovated, all of Saint Louis Zoo is excellent.
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Don't get me wrong, I by no means think Big Cat Country is bad. With the bear pits gone SLZ doesn't really have a bad exhibit anymore. Big Cat Country is still a perfectly adequate exhibit and if that's the worst part of the zoo it speaks volumes to its quality. It was actually hard to pick my choice for the worst for this reason.
 
Aquarium of the Pacific
Best: Tropical Pacific Gallery, lots of good exhibits and a strong central exhibit; Southern California Baja Gallery, good California coast representation and good educational value.
Worst: 4D theater and globe theater, useless because of pacific visions theater and take up lots of useful space and money.
Santa Barbara Zoo
Best: California trails, great collection and beautiful exhibits and view of lagoon/bird sanctuary; gibbon exhibit, completely open very large lots of natural climbing opportunities great views
Worst: Amur and Snow Leopard exhibits, both lacking in space and climbing opportunities and have terrible theming; Gorilla exhibit, not terrible but definitely isn’t large enough and has very poor views.
Living Desert
Best: African mixed savanna exhibits (rhinos savanna and giraffe savanna), unique and well thought out exhibits with great views. Bighorn Sheep mountain, large and spacious with easy viewing
Worst: Eagle Aviaries, very small and dark and don’t provide ample enrichment or perching; African small carnivore exhibits, small cages with not much space enrichment or light.
San Diego Zoo
Best: Africa Rocks, great collection great education on diverse African exhibits; Lost Forest, massive area with a great collection of tropical species in very well planted exhibits.
Worst: Asian Passage bear grottos, extremely small and outdated for the current inhabitants; Urban Jungle, a poor mishmosh of popular species with bad exhibits and a lack of a central focus.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Best: Tiger trail, Beautiful excellent use of adverse terrain and loads of strong education; Condor Ridge, great exhibits and views along with one of the best California condor exhibits in the world.
Worst (might be controversial): Asian Savanna, could be a great exhibit with a great collection but it is inaccessible with regular park pay requiring a separate tour; Elephant Valley, hard to access and poor viewing opportunities.
SeaWorld San Diego
Best: Turtle Reef, a nice tropical exhibit with many good viewing areas; Penguin Encounter, large exhibit with a great collection of penguin species.
Worst: Orca viewing, severely lacking in anything in the barren exhibit (there used to be lots of rocks and kelp making the exhibit more naturalistic, why was it removed?); Dolphin show area, severely lacking in space for dolphins and pilot whales and many poor exhibits for the ex-ambassador animals.
 
Corangurilla said:
Henry Vilas Zoo
  • Best: Arctic Passage, easy. I love how the Polar Bears have access to the Grizzly Bear habitat during the winter.
  • Worst: The penguin exhibit is pretty lifeless. At least with the hoofstock yards, the animals are visible most of the time. I have never seen the penguins anywhere other than huddled in the corner.
Milwaukee County Zoo (not really local, but I might as well count it)
  • Best: I'd say the aviary, but I've never actually been inside (thanks a lot, bird flu...), so I'm gonna be controversial and say the new outdoor hippo exhibit. Unlike other modern hippo habitats, it doesn't overkill it with the underwater viewing and actually lets you see the hippos on land (do you get it, Cincinnati?!). Yeah, it's not Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's hippo exhibit, but this is Milwaukee, I'm working with slim pickings here.
  • Worst: Milwaukee County Zoo: Putting the "Rot" in "Bear Grottos" since nineteen-fifty-something. Dishonorable mention to Primates of the World for its weirdly sterile atmosphere (almost like a laboratory, not a good look) and for providing me with the most depressing picture of a Mandrill ever taken.
Phoenix Zoo
  • Best: Forest of Uco is pretty cool, I guess. I'll have to revisit that area when I go back to AZ so I can see it with a younger bear.
  • Worst: May be a hot take, but the cougar habitat. The viewing is obstructed by the massive diagonal rock and the fact that the cougars are usually high up, which means I have to duck in order to see them. Thank goodness it won't be around for much longer.
Wildlife World Zoo
  • Best: Um.... uh.... shoot. Dragon World...? It's a decent-enough reptile house with a semi-rare Saltwater Crocodile?
  • Worst: The black bear exhibit in Adventure Land. Blegh, BARF. I can sort-of forgive some of the crappier habitats in the main zoo because they were probably built in the 90's, but Adventure Land opened in 2016 and the bear exhibit is just a sandy, rocky island with a dry moat and a climbing structure. WHYYYYYYY?!
Odysea Aquarium
  • Best: Ocean Voyager is an extremely unique experience, and the final stop at the shark tank is beautiful...
  • Worst: ...but it can only be ridden once per visit (as far as I know), which means your time to get photos is limited. There's no way to see the sea lions on land without paying for behind the scenes stuff. But perhaps the worst sin of them all is the mandatory 5 seconds of Baby Shark that cannot be skipped. Honestly, I could write an essay on all the cringey narrations that Ocean Voyager has had over the years.
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Just over a month later and I realized that I completely forgot to mention how much I hate the Phoenix Zoo's current lion/former hyena exhibit. The inside itself isn't so bad, but everything else around it annoys me to no end. Prior to the Predator Passage construction, the path where'd you cross from the lion side to the hyena side went down, while the lion habitat itself is raised a little higher than that. Then there's the plants which slightly obscure the viewing of the animals who like to be near the center, and then there's the fact that the lions and hyenas spent most of their time lying down! When the zoo still had hyenas, the only time I ever saw them standing up was when my family did the drive-thru thing in 2020, and I couldn't even get a good picture!
It's not that bad of a habitat compared to some of the other "worsts" on this thread, but this one's a personal least favorite of mine. Predator Passage can't come soon enough...
 
Southwick’s Zoo
Best: Reptile House, chimpanzees, the zebra/antelope/ostrich field
Worst: Some of the new small animal habitats that have popped up lately that are kind of too small, and the cheetah exhibit which was once bigger but has since been divided into two smaller halves
 
Riverbanks Zoo

Best: Gorilla Base Camp, its got interior views to the climbable interior space, and two exterior areas that can be viewed, one adjacent to the interior area behind glass, and the other on the opposite side of a small hill that can be viewed across from the meerkats/rhinos. I've seen the gorillas move between the three areas often.

Worst: Lion grotto. Its just way too small.

Honorable Mention: Rhinos. After the zoo phased out elephants, a good decision imo the habitat was just too small for elephants and didn't seem to be easily expanded. The new rhino area with newly planted grass (not just dirt) new enrichment items, and an overhauled viewing area, make a much nicer experience across the board, as much as I love elephants.

Dishonorable Mention: It'd be easy to point to the remaining habitats from the 1970's original construction that haven't aged well, lots of grottoes, some have been renovated such as the new bear and otter habitats, but I'd instead point to the koala room. It's just bland. Some eucalyptus stands in a room, and that's it really.
 
Steelcan said:
Riverbanks Zoo

Best: Gorilla Base Camp, its got interior views to the climbable interior space, and two exterior areas that can be viewed, one adjacent to the interior area behind glass, and the other on the opposite side of a small hill that can be viewed across from the meerkats/rhinos. I've seen the gorillas move between the three areas often.

Worst: Lion grotto. Its just way too small.

Honorable Mention: Rhinos. After the zoo phased out elephants, a good decision imo the habitat was just too small for elephants and didn't seem to be easily expanded. The new rhino area with newly planted grass (not just dirt) new enrichment items, and an overhauled viewing area, make a much nicer experience across the board, as much as I love elephants.

Dishonorable Mention: It'd be easy to point to the remaining habitats from the 1970's original construction that haven't aged well, lots of grottoes, some have been renovated such as the new bear and otter habitats, but I'd instead point to the koala room. It's just bland. Some eucalyptus stands in a room, and that's it really.
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What type of rhinos are held there?
 
Local Zoo: Saint Louis Zoo

Best Exhibit: I honestly cannot decide between the Bird House, River’s Edge or the Penguin & Puffin Coast. The River’s Edge is just gorgeous, and every time I walk through it I just forget I’m in St. Louis. It is easily the most natural of all the exhibits. The Bird House gets a vote because of it’s historical preservation and diverse array of bird species, featuring birds from every continent (except Antarctica), but speaking of Antarctica, Penguin & Puffin Coast is just such a clever concept and the indoor area still holds up today. Sure, the Humboldt Haven grottoes are a little outdated but the Penguin Cove makes up for it.

Worst Exhibit: Gonna have to go with Big Cat Country on this one. It’s not terrible, but to me, the cat pits are unappealing. The exhibit itself does have a nice collection of big cats, ranging from leopards to jaguars, but it could definitely use a revamp.
(If that’s the worst exhibit, though, it goes easily to say that the Saint Louis Zoo is an excellent place)
 
TheGerenuk said:
African Lion Safari:
Best: Drive-through portion (large areas to roam, aquedate shelter)
Worst: Black lemur enclosure (Barren, small cage)
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After a revisit, the black lemurs are no longer present. The new worst exhibit is probably the flying fox aviary (looks barren and dated).
 
Since I visited recently, I'll do Grant's Farm
Best: ring-tailed lemurs (its basically just an island with a swingset on it but it works. It really shows off their climbing and jumping abilities. Also there's a lot of different viewing areas for them)
oct-2021-ring-tailed-lemur-exhibit.551078

Worst: horse stalls (seemed empty on my last visit although I just walked by I didn't actually get the chance to go in and look. I'm not sure if they've stopped using them. I certainly hope so.)
main-building-horse-stalls.267690
 
Toronto Zoo
Best: I have to say the Indo-Malaya Pavilion and the Zoomobile Drive-Thru Przewalski's Horse and Yak Enclosure
Worst: Admittedly it's the Canadian Domain, Tundra Trek and the Australasia Pavilion
Middle: African Rainforest Pavilion, African Savannah, Caves and Tunnels of Africa, Malayan Woods Butterfly House, Mayan Temple Ruins, and Americas Pavilion

Sorry I really wanted to express my feelings of all the exhibits.
 
ZSL London Zoo:
Best: I would say 'BUGS', an extensive and innovative invertebrate house that goes way beyond what other zoos have achieved for that phylum. If you asked me on a different day, however, I might instead say the 'Blackburn Pavilion', a charming bird house with a great collection
Worst: The Zebra and Giraffe enclosures. I would broaden this to include the entire 'Into Africa' complex if it wasn't for that brilliant new Pygmy Hippo enclosure carrying the team.

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo:
Best: I would like to say 'Passage through Asia', but now that I don't have a car, I have to take points away for the poor pedestrian viewing offered. As such, I am tempted to reward this instead to either 'Rhinos of Nepal' or the new Aquarium/Butterfly House.
Worst: Now that the Sea Lions are gone there isn't really anything at Whipsnade that matches that description. Having said that, I have always thought the Red Panda enclosure could be a lot better.

Bristol Zoo:
Bristol's best (Twilight World) and worst (Pygmy Hippo Enclosure) exhibits have already closed their doors in preparation for the rest of the zoo to very sadly do the same in a few weeks. With them gone, nothing really stands out as good or bad, but I will opt for:

Best: The Aquarium, mainly due to the Mississippi tank and the architecture, but there is a lot to love about this exhibit.
Worst: The Asiatic Lion enclosure, as it is a bit small.
 
Kalaw said:
ZSL London Zoo:
Best: I would say 'BUGS', an extensive and innovative invertebrate house that goes way beyond what other zoos have achieved for that phylum. If you asked me on a different day, however, I might instead say the 'Blackburn Pavilion', a charming bird house with a great collection
Worst: The Zebra and Giraffe enclosures. I would broaden this to include the entire 'Into Africa' complex if it wasn't for that brilliant new Pygmy Hippo enclosure carrying the team.

ZSL Whipsnade Zoo:
Best: I would like to say 'Passage through Asia', but now that I don't have a car, I have to take points away for the poor pedestrian viewing offered. As such, I am tempted to reward this instead to either 'Rhinos of Nepal' or the new Aquarium/Butterfly House.
Worst: Now that the Sea Lions are gone there isn't really anything at Whipsnade that matches that description. Having said that, I have always thought the Red Panda enclosure could be a lot better.

Bristol Zoo:
Bristol's best (Twilight World) and worst (Pygmy Hippo Enclosure) exhibits have already closed their doors in preparation for the rest of the zoo to very sadly do the same in a few weeks. With them gone, nothing really stands out as good or bad, but I will opt for:

Best: The Aquarium, mainly due to the Mississippi tank and the architecture, but there is a lot to love about this exhibit.
Worst: The Asiatic Lion enclosure, as it is a bit small.
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I think the giraffe enclosure *is* pretty good for an enclosure that’ 200 years old.
 
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