I'm not so sure, Vegas doesn't only attract visitors wanting to visit the Strip. I know of many families and children that have visited Vegas and said they were bored because there was nothing to do suitable for them.
Desert Zoos
- Thread starter Arizona Docent
- Start date
What's the Springs Preserve?
Springs Preserve - Official Web Site
Fairly large plot, I am assuming it is kind of like Botanical Gardens. It also has large rock boulders and rockwork.
Also consists of a museum and some animal exhibits for butterflies, lizards, tortoises, cottontail rabbits and a gray fox.
Fairly large plot, I am assuming it is kind of like Botanical Gardens. It also has large rock boulders and rockwork.
Also consists of a museum and some animal exhibits for butterflies, lizards, tortoises, cottontail rabbits and a gray fox.
In addition to the reply (post 23) immediately below your post, see also post 14 in this thread.
Hmm...and how does Tucson support two zoos?
And what other cities are capable of supporting a normal zoo and a desert museum (like ASDM)?
And what other cities are capable of supporting a normal zoo and a desert museum (like ASDM)?
Because they are very different. The city could NOT support two traditional zoos (with giraffes, lions, etc). However, there is one traditional zoo (Reid Park Zoo) that is in the city center and receives part of its funding from city parks. They cater mostly to local families with young children. The other one (Arizona Sonora Desert Museum) is just outside the city and focuses exclusively on animals and plants from the Sonoran Desert. They focus also on a wider range of topics than a traditional zoo and the grounds include a geology cave/museum, botanical gardens and an art gallery (thus the "museum" in their title). They cater largely to adults and tourists. My city's two zoos are different enough that they really do not compete.
And are there any other cities in the US that could do a similar sort of thing?
Sure a lot of cities could do it, but they do not. In fact I think it makes a lot of sense. More sense than, for example, having two traditional zoos with similar animals in Chicago (Brookfield and Lincoln Park).
Chicago, New York, and Minneapolis are about the only cities that have two (or more) zoos in them. Minneapolis has quite different zoos, not sure how different the ones in New York are. Regarding desert locations that could have zoos, didn't you mention on a post once that you think Yuma could support a zoo? That could have a neat desert theme.
Yes Yuma definitely could use a zoo. It is on the Arizona side of the Arizona-California-Mexico border along Interstate 8. It is a big enough city to support at least a mid size zoo and would also draw families from El Centro, California and perhaps from across the border in Mexico. The other major Interstate that crosses Arizona-California is Interstate 10 which has a smaller but still substantial city of Blythe. There is nothing to do there and they could certainly support a small zoo.
That would be interesting if a zoo did go into either place. The idea of zoos focusing on specific fauna is interesting to me, even if it's not something that would likely happen.