KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
The David Traylor Zoo is a tiny zoo located in Emporia, Kansas. It is small it doesn’t even have one exhibit complex, just several exhibits scattered around its few acres. It is one of the most beautiful zoos I’ve evr been to, with lush flowers and trees and other plants all over the grounds. There are many cages scattered around the zoo for some of the animals. This is the only flaw I found with this zoo. Collection wise, it is also tiny. There are only 58 species on zoo grounds. Thirteen of these are mammals, 38 are birds, six reptiles, and one fish species. Of the birds, there are 28 waterfowl, two birds of prey, one owl, one kingfisher, one hornbill, one parrot, two ratites, and two game birds. Of the mammals, four are carnivores, five are ungulates, three are primates, and one is a rodent. None of the exhibits are truly great, but none are terrible either.
The zoo is basically arranged in a loop. The first exhibit is one for trumpeter swans, complete with two pools. On the other side of the exhibit are two very tall cages. There are pretty bare, both with only a small cave-like structure. One is for bobcats and one is for red fox. The next exhibit is kind of an odd exhibit for Nene geese and Reeve’s muntjac. It is very large and has several large pools. The strange part is that the whole thing is covered in very large rocks. Not sure the purpose, but it is rather attractive. After this is a fairly big exhibit for black swans, Chiloe wigeons, and canvasbacks. Like all the other waterfowl exhibits, it has a large pool. There is also a small cage for trumpeter hornbill. Next is a large rectangular cage for mountain lions. It isn’t huge, but has natural substrate and logs for climbing. Across the path is a grassy enclosure for Cape Barren geese. I’m not sure if they are terrestrial, but I found the lack of a pool strange. In the back of the exhibit is a cage for laughing kookaburras. The most scenic exhibit is a tall cage for bald eagles surrounded by a pond for alligator snapping turtle and koi. Nearby is a huge yard for African spurred tortoise. Around the corner is a similar exhibit for red-footed tortoises. Another small cage has a sign that lists African spurred tortoise, leopard tortoise, desert tortoise, and three-toed box turtle, but I only saw the leopard tortoise. Black and white ruffed lemurs and collared lemurs live in two tall cages on either side of a low building. Next is a similar cage for cottontop tamarins. The tamarins also have a large indoor exhibit viewed through glass windows. On the end of the tamarin cage is another one for yellow-headed amazons. There are two fairly large exhibits for black-tailed prairie dogs and American badgers side-by-side. The badger was underground, as were most of the prairie dogs on the hot day I was there. The final two cages are octagonal ones for barn owls and Eurasian black vultures. The vulture cage is huge and really good. One whole side of the zoo is a huge waterfowl pond for 22 species of native waterfowl. It is very scenic, though the waterfowl were hard to see. Across the street is a very long row of cages for hoofstock and large birds. Indian peafowl were in almost every one of them. There are five exhibits that are decent size for: llamas, greater rheas, emus, Texas longhorns, and male mule deer. At the end is a huge exhibit that must be at least two acres. Living in it are American bison, female mule deer, and wild turkeys.
This zoo is not a destination trip, and if this was the only thing you did, would be disappointing. However, coupled with the Sedgwick County Zoo, provides a very nice day. The grounds are fantastic and beautiful. The collection is not outstanding, but I did see my first Cape Barren goose. Nearby is a nice memorial for veterans of all wars, as Veterans Day was started in Emporia.
The zoo is basically arranged in a loop. The first exhibit is one for trumpeter swans, complete with two pools. On the other side of the exhibit are two very tall cages. There are pretty bare, both with only a small cave-like structure. One is for bobcats and one is for red fox. The next exhibit is kind of an odd exhibit for Nene geese and Reeve’s muntjac. It is very large and has several large pools. The strange part is that the whole thing is covered in very large rocks. Not sure the purpose, but it is rather attractive. After this is a fairly big exhibit for black swans, Chiloe wigeons, and canvasbacks. Like all the other waterfowl exhibits, it has a large pool. There is also a small cage for trumpeter hornbill. Next is a large rectangular cage for mountain lions. It isn’t huge, but has natural substrate and logs for climbing. Across the path is a grassy enclosure for Cape Barren geese. I’m not sure if they are terrestrial, but I found the lack of a pool strange. In the back of the exhibit is a cage for laughing kookaburras. The most scenic exhibit is a tall cage for bald eagles surrounded by a pond for alligator snapping turtle and koi. Nearby is a huge yard for African spurred tortoise. Around the corner is a similar exhibit for red-footed tortoises. Another small cage has a sign that lists African spurred tortoise, leopard tortoise, desert tortoise, and three-toed box turtle, but I only saw the leopard tortoise. Black and white ruffed lemurs and collared lemurs live in two tall cages on either side of a low building. Next is a similar cage for cottontop tamarins. The tamarins also have a large indoor exhibit viewed through glass windows. On the end of the tamarin cage is another one for yellow-headed amazons. There are two fairly large exhibits for black-tailed prairie dogs and American badgers side-by-side. The badger was underground, as were most of the prairie dogs on the hot day I was there. The final two cages are octagonal ones for barn owls and Eurasian black vultures. The vulture cage is huge and really good. One whole side of the zoo is a huge waterfowl pond for 22 species of native waterfowl. It is very scenic, though the waterfowl were hard to see. Across the street is a very long row of cages for hoofstock and large birds. Indian peafowl were in almost every one of them. There are five exhibits that are decent size for: llamas, greater rheas, emus, Texas longhorns, and male mule deer. At the end is a huge exhibit that must be at least two acres. Living in it are American bison, female mule deer, and wild turkeys.
This zoo is not a destination trip, and if this was the only thing you did, would be disappointing. However, coupled with the Sedgwick County Zoo, provides a very nice day. The grounds are fantastic and beautiful. The collection is not outstanding, but I did see my first Cape Barren goose. Nearby is a nice memorial for veterans of all wars, as Veterans Day was started in Emporia.
