Hello ZooChat! I am (finally) back with another zoo review and species list. This is yet another review of a facility that I visited over last summer and never got around to posting for a variety of reasons, so I figured it's time to finally get this out of my system before it's too late. I do understand that the timing of this review and the nature of the subject facility means the species list may be a tad outdated, but hopefully, this review and list still proves helpful.
In my last review, I covered the Queens Zoo. Now, the time has finally come to cover the last facility I visited on my June 2024 New York Trip. And I have definitely saved the best for last. It is finally time to take on the mother of all New York zoos. It is time to talk about...
...the Bronx Zoo!
For my New York trip, this was the last zoo I visited. I visited this facility on 6/14/2024-06/16/2024. Yep, that's right folks. I have done nothing but Bronx Zoo for 3 days! This place is so big and dense, that I actually wasn't able to see everything in one day. Thankfully, I did see this going in and planned accordingly. I knew there were plenty of areas in the zoo that would keep my attention and act as potential time-sinks. Additionally, it allowed me to go back and see animals that I may have missed the first time. In fact, I had to go back and redo my internal species list completely because I actually photographed quite a few animals that weren't signed. Combined with me having to go through close to 3.8k photos from just this zoo alone, and you have one reason why it took so long for me to get this review out.
The Bronx Zoo needs no introduction, but I'll give you one anyway. The zoo was originally established as the Bronx Zoological Gardens in 1899 by the New York Zoological Society (known today as the Wildlife Conservation Society), itself formed from members of the Boone and Crockett Club, a nonprofit organization that advocated for ethical hunting practices and habitat conservation. The zoo featured over 800 animals and 20 exhibits when it opened.
The early Bronx Zoo's most notable area was the Astor Court, which was adorned with Beaux-arts buildings that are still standing and are even in use today. This includes the Lion House (now Madagascar), the Bird House (now an administrative space, although a few exterior exhibits remain), and a Monkey House (no longer exhibiting animals). The Court is anchored by the Zoo Center (formerly home to Elephants), a Sea Lion exhibit, and the Rockefeller Fountain, which was actually imported from Italy.
In its early years, the zoo was notable for housing several species and subspecies that are now extinct, such as the Thylacine and the Barbary Lion. The zoo also achieved many firsts and breakthroughs among both American and International zoos. The zoo constructed the world's first animal hospital as well as the first exhibit specifically designed for nocturnal animals (World of Darkness). It was also the first zoo in the country to display Komodo Dragons, Okapi, Shoebills (which are no longer present), James Flamingo (no longer present), Proboscis Monkey (also no longer present), as well as others. The Bronx Zoo was also one of only 3 US zoos to hold the Sumatran Rhinoceros.
The zoo would continuously expand and bring in animals over the decades. Unlike the other WCS zoos, the Bronx Zoo never really had a period where it fell into disrepair. But even the Bronx wasn't without its struggles. In 2009, New York cut its funding to the state's zoos, including those under the WCS umbrella. The budget cuts required the Bronx Zoo to lay off staff and also close several exhibits, including the soon-to-be-resurrected World of Darkness, the Rare Animal Range (located beyond the Aquatic Bird House), the Skyfari (a chairlift that also problematic to maintain), and a small section of the African Plains (which is now used for the NatureTrek play course).
Today, the zoo spans 265 acres of hilly forests and parklands through which the Bronx River flows, making it the largest urban zoo in the country. It's public-facing collection is also one of the country's most species-rich, featuring more than 500 species, many of which are rare and endangered. The zoo has also become renowned for its groundbreaking and innovate exhibits, which include Congo Gorilla Forest (the country's largest man-made rainforest), Gelada Reserve, Wild Asia Monorail (now the nation's last operating zoo monorail), Jungleworld, Madagascar, World of Birds, and Himalayan Highlands.
One interesting and unique feature of the zoo is that some of its exhibits, like Congo Gorilla Forest and Jungleworld, are technically upcharge attractions, requiring a separate fee if you by the limited ticket. However, the zoo does offer a full ticket that grants you regular access to these attractions.
I kind of let the cat out of the bag when I posted in the US Zoo Rankings thread, but as of my visit (and also after some thought), the Bronx Zoo has usurped Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo as my #1 zoological facility. Seriously, the Bronx Zoo was simply an awe-inspiring zoo that managed to impress me at just about every corner. The zoo features a gargantuan collection which included many rare, endangered, and interesting species, including many I have either never seen before or haven't seen elsewhere. The exhibitry is also unmatched; the zoo features some of the best-designed exhibits I have ever seen. Seriously, the zoo's landscaping and design team is absolutely cracked. The zoo perfectly blends modern exhibitry with its historic roots, as classic structures adorn various areas of the zoo.
The Bronx Zoo is simply the best zoo I have visited, hands down.
That being said; its lead over Omaha isn't as big as you may think. As much as I am going to praise this zoo through the review, there was one major complaint I had about it that I feel I should mention upfront: its operations.
Like the WCS facilities, the Bronx Zoo does not allow re-entry. However; that's not an issue here in the slightest, as the zoo has plenty of onsite dining options, and really, there was no reason for me to leave the zoo early. But what did give me grief was its operating hours; the zoo was open 10am-5pm on Friday (my first day), and 10am-5:30pm on the weekends. These hours are quite restrictive for such a large and dense zoo, which is what made it hard for me to see everything in one day. But what really made this a major flaw was that the zoo closes ALL of its exhibits 30 minutes early. So the zoo may as well only be open 10am-4:30pm (or 10am-5pm). This means that there is a whole half-hour of which the zoo is open, but none of the exhibits are, giving you nothing to do.
This is a huge deviation from how other zoos, even those in the New York metro and even those in the WCS, operate. From what I remember, Omaha only closes Lied Jungle early, but everything else remains open. And just about every other place I have been to kept their exhibits open to close as well. I have no idea what the motivation behind this policy is, but it is annoying nonetheless.
Otherwise, that's the only real general complaint I had regarding the zoo. Otherwise, this zoo exceled and exceeded my expectations in just about every other area.
The zoo features four entrances; Asia, Bronx River, Southern Blvd, and Fordham Road. For all 3 visits, I utilized the Fordham Road entrance. The Fordham Road, Southern Blvd, and Bronx River gates also feature onsite parking. However; the parking lots do not open until the zoo itself does (something I found out the hard way as I always arrived early). The Fordham Road parking lot is only open on the weekends, and has extremely limited spots. But it does have one major advantage; it is located past the zoo's admission gate, and requires admission to access, so you can return to your vehicle without actually leaving the zoo (which otherwise has a no-reentry policy). I used the Fordham Road entrance for all 3 visits; for my first day, I parked at Fordham University, which is just a short walk from the Fordham Road entrance. For my Saturday and Sunday visits, I actually utilized the Fordham Gate parking.
In my next post, I will start reviewing the various exhibits and posting species lists as I go. There are a few caveats I need to mention beforehand. First off, the Pheasant aviaries (located near Congo Gorilla Forest) where closed during my visit, so I will be skipping that small section. Also, my list is based on my June visits, so it will be a bit out of date by this point, as I understand that several changes have occurred since (not surprising given the size of the collection). I will attempt to note any changes that have occurred since where possible.
Also, I had photographed quite a few animals that were unsigned. I tried my best to ID them, but there were a few that stumped me. I would like to give a shoutout to @USZOOfan42, @MOG2012, and @Summer Tanager for helping me ID a few animals. I also referenced @red river hog's species list from 2022 to help ID a few animals as well (mainly just as a starting point to see what the zoo had held in the past).
My species list on iNaturalist can be found here -> [VISIT] Bronx Zoo Species List - 2024/06/16. Despite what the URL says, this is a cumulative list from my 3-day visit. As usual, please note that the English and Latin names used by iNaturalist may differ from what is signed at the zoo (although differences in Latin names are due to one party using synonyms). I will note any significant differences in labeling where possible.
With all that said, that should do it for an introduction. The next post will begin the review proper. This is going to be a long review (likely my longest review and species list yet), since I have a lot of ground to cover (literally!). Some of these exhibits are going to need their own post, because they are that awesome.
To be Continued...
In my last review, I covered the Queens Zoo. Now, the time has finally come to cover the last facility I visited on my June 2024 New York Trip. And I have definitely saved the best for last. It is finally time to take on the mother of all New York zoos. It is time to talk about...
...the Bronx Zoo!
For my New York trip, this was the last zoo I visited. I visited this facility on 6/14/2024-06/16/2024. Yep, that's right folks. I have done nothing but Bronx Zoo for 3 days! This place is so big and dense, that I actually wasn't able to see everything in one day. Thankfully, I did see this going in and planned accordingly. I knew there were plenty of areas in the zoo that would keep my attention and act as potential time-sinks. Additionally, it allowed me to go back and see animals that I may have missed the first time. In fact, I had to go back and redo my internal species list completely because I actually photographed quite a few animals that weren't signed. Combined with me having to go through close to 3.8k photos from just this zoo alone, and you have one reason why it took so long for me to get this review out.
The Bronx Zoo needs no introduction, but I'll give you one anyway. The zoo was originally established as the Bronx Zoological Gardens in 1899 by the New York Zoological Society (known today as the Wildlife Conservation Society), itself formed from members of the Boone and Crockett Club, a nonprofit organization that advocated for ethical hunting practices and habitat conservation. The zoo featured over 800 animals and 20 exhibits when it opened.
The early Bronx Zoo's most notable area was the Astor Court, which was adorned with Beaux-arts buildings that are still standing and are even in use today. This includes the Lion House (now Madagascar), the Bird House (now an administrative space, although a few exterior exhibits remain), and a Monkey House (no longer exhibiting animals). The Court is anchored by the Zoo Center (formerly home to Elephants), a Sea Lion exhibit, and the Rockefeller Fountain, which was actually imported from Italy.
In its early years, the zoo was notable for housing several species and subspecies that are now extinct, such as the Thylacine and the Barbary Lion. The zoo also achieved many firsts and breakthroughs among both American and International zoos. The zoo constructed the world's first animal hospital as well as the first exhibit specifically designed for nocturnal animals (World of Darkness). It was also the first zoo in the country to display Komodo Dragons, Okapi, Shoebills (which are no longer present), James Flamingo (no longer present), Proboscis Monkey (also no longer present), as well as others. The Bronx Zoo was also one of only 3 US zoos to hold the Sumatran Rhinoceros.
The zoo would continuously expand and bring in animals over the decades. Unlike the other WCS zoos, the Bronx Zoo never really had a period where it fell into disrepair. But even the Bronx wasn't without its struggles. In 2009, New York cut its funding to the state's zoos, including those under the WCS umbrella. The budget cuts required the Bronx Zoo to lay off staff and also close several exhibits, including the soon-to-be-resurrected World of Darkness, the Rare Animal Range (located beyond the Aquatic Bird House), the Skyfari (a chairlift that also problematic to maintain), and a small section of the African Plains (which is now used for the NatureTrek play course).
Today, the zoo spans 265 acres of hilly forests and parklands through which the Bronx River flows, making it the largest urban zoo in the country. It's public-facing collection is also one of the country's most species-rich, featuring more than 500 species, many of which are rare and endangered. The zoo has also become renowned for its groundbreaking and innovate exhibits, which include Congo Gorilla Forest (the country's largest man-made rainforest), Gelada Reserve, Wild Asia Monorail (now the nation's last operating zoo monorail), Jungleworld, Madagascar, World of Birds, and Himalayan Highlands.
One interesting and unique feature of the zoo is that some of its exhibits, like Congo Gorilla Forest and Jungleworld, are technically upcharge attractions, requiring a separate fee if you by the limited ticket. However, the zoo does offer a full ticket that grants you regular access to these attractions.
I kind of let the cat out of the bag when I posted in the US Zoo Rankings thread, but as of my visit (and also after some thought), the Bronx Zoo has usurped Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo as my #1 zoological facility. Seriously, the Bronx Zoo was simply an awe-inspiring zoo that managed to impress me at just about every corner. The zoo features a gargantuan collection which included many rare, endangered, and interesting species, including many I have either never seen before or haven't seen elsewhere. The exhibitry is also unmatched; the zoo features some of the best-designed exhibits I have ever seen. Seriously, the zoo's landscaping and design team is absolutely cracked. The zoo perfectly blends modern exhibitry with its historic roots, as classic structures adorn various areas of the zoo.
The Bronx Zoo is simply the best zoo I have visited, hands down.
That being said; its lead over Omaha isn't as big as you may think. As much as I am going to praise this zoo through the review, there was one major complaint I had about it that I feel I should mention upfront: its operations.
Like the WCS facilities, the Bronx Zoo does not allow re-entry. However; that's not an issue here in the slightest, as the zoo has plenty of onsite dining options, and really, there was no reason for me to leave the zoo early. But what did give me grief was its operating hours; the zoo was open 10am-5pm on Friday (my first day), and 10am-5:30pm on the weekends. These hours are quite restrictive for such a large and dense zoo, which is what made it hard for me to see everything in one day. But what really made this a major flaw was that the zoo closes ALL of its exhibits 30 minutes early. So the zoo may as well only be open 10am-4:30pm (or 10am-5pm). This means that there is a whole half-hour of which the zoo is open, but none of the exhibits are, giving you nothing to do.
This is a huge deviation from how other zoos, even those in the New York metro and even those in the WCS, operate. From what I remember, Omaha only closes Lied Jungle early, but everything else remains open. And just about every other place I have been to kept their exhibits open to close as well. I have no idea what the motivation behind this policy is, but it is annoying nonetheless.
Otherwise, that's the only real general complaint I had regarding the zoo. Otherwise, this zoo exceled and exceeded my expectations in just about every other area.
The zoo features four entrances; Asia, Bronx River, Southern Blvd, and Fordham Road. For all 3 visits, I utilized the Fordham Road entrance. The Fordham Road, Southern Blvd, and Bronx River gates also feature onsite parking. However; the parking lots do not open until the zoo itself does (something I found out the hard way as I always arrived early). The Fordham Road parking lot is only open on the weekends, and has extremely limited spots. But it does have one major advantage; it is located past the zoo's admission gate, and requires admission to access, so you can return to your vehicle without actually leaving the zoo (which otherwise has a no-reentry policy). I used the Fordham Road entrance for all 3 visits; for my first day, I parked at Fordham University, which is just a short walk from the Fordham Road entrance. For my Saturday and Sunday visits, I actually utilized the Fordham Gate parking.
In my next post, I will start reviewing the various exhibits and posting species lists as I go. There are a few caveats I need to mention beforehand. First off, the Pheasant aviaries (located near Congo Gorilla Forest) where closed during my visit, so I will be skipping that small section. Also, my list is based on my June visits, so it will be a bit out of date by this point, as I understand that several changes have occurred since (not surprising given the size of the collection). I will attempt to note any changes that have occurred since where possible.
Also, I had photographed quite a few animals that were unsigned. I tried my best to ID them, but there were a few that stumped me. I would like to give a shoutout to @USZOOfan42, @MOG2012, and @Summer Tanager for helping me ID a few animals. I also referenced @red river hog's species list from 2022 to help ID a few animals as well (mainly just as a starting point to see what the zoo had held in the past).
My species list on iNaturalist can be found here -> [VISIT] Bronx Zoo Species List - 2024/06/16. Despite what the URL says, this is a cumulative list from my 3-day visit. As usual, please note that the English and Latin names used by iNaturalist may differ from what is signed at the zoo (although differences in Latin names are due to one party using synonyms). I will note any significant differences in labeling where possible.
With all that said, that should do it for an introduction. The next post will begin the review proper. This is going to be a long review (likely my longest review and species list yet), since I have a lot of ground to cover (literally!). Some of these exhibits are going to need their own post, because they are that awesome.
To be Continued...
