Finest Small Zoos

[15399]

A lot of threads talk about what the best zoos are, but seem to ignore the many good under 20 acre zoos. What good zoos do you know under 20 acres. I have been to four very good collections-
Central Park Zoo- 6 acres
Zoo America- 10 acres
Buttonwood Park Zoo-10 acres
Capron Park Zoo- 8 acres

 

[pangolin12]

Bristol zoo - 12 acres

 

[Scottish Wildcat]

Stone Zoo New England and Five Sisters in Scotland are some of my personal favourites

 

[birdsandbats]

The best tiny zoo I have visited is the Wildwood Zoo. It's incredible for a zoo of it's size.

 

[Alex Bensky]

The Roger Williams Park Zoo in Rhode Island and the Santa Barbara Zoo are a bit bigger, but they are real connoisseur's pieces, well worth a visit if you're in the area.

The Santa Ana Zoo is about twenty acres and seems to have markedly improved since I was there.

 

[PAT]

Perhaps the best 'small' zoo in Australia is Adelaide Zoo. A quick Google search gives its area as 20 acres (8 hectares), so it's right on the cusp of what you'd define as small. It's a perfect combination of interesting species, mostly good-to-fantastic exhibits, beautiful landscaping and location, and fascinating historic elements to appeal to zoo enthusiasts and the general public alike.

I was also going to suggest Antwerp Zoo but at 26 acres, it's a little too big to fit the criteria.

 

[Black Footed Beast]

Cosley Zoo is a nice small zoo that I know of

 

[MJB]

Possibly one of the most important small zoos in the world (if not the most) is Bioparc Fuengirola (Spain), of only two hectares

 

[lintworm]

Possibly one of the most important small zoos in the world (if not the most) is Bioparc Fuengirola (Spain), of only two hectares

I would consider The Menagerie Jardin des Plantes in Paris to be the most important small zoo.

 

[TNT]

I think the UK is full of great "small" collections - but the definition of a "small" zoo in the UK, is probably different to what someone in the states, or even mainland Europe would refer to as a small zoo.

Some personal favourites include Shaldon Wildlife Trust, Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Amazon World Zoo Park ... And many that I havent been to myself.

 

[Crowthorne]

Shaldon Wildlife Trust and Ventura Wildlife Park, are both favourites of mine, both very small in size.

 

[Loxodonta Cobra]

My home zoo, Seneca Park Zoo, is only 20 acres in size, and contains a lot of the charismatic zoo animals you’d expect to see.

 

[MurphyFox]

The Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is one that is quite small but still houses a good variety of species with solid exhibits all around.

Other great small ones include
Servion
Buttonwood Park
Stone Zoo
Valencia Bioparc

 

[ZooElephantMan]

The Staten Island Zoo is very small. It has some old sections, but it’s modern areas are very nice and the place is famous for its comprehensive rattlesnake collection.

 

[CleZooMan]

Erie Zoo- 15 acres- isn't exactly the best zoo, but it has its strength and seems to be getting better

 

[Sphenisciologist]

Erie Zoo- 15 acres- isn't exactly the best zoo, but it has its strength and seems to be getting better

Hopefully so — I visited a few years ago and was not impressed unfortunately.

 

[AndyJ08]

ZooWorld in Panama City, Florida. It’s probably the smallest on this list at 5 acres, and has vastly improved since my first visit in 2014.

 

[Anmltrnr98]

Lincoln Children's Zoo, St. Augustine Alligator Farm, National Aviary, and Tracy Aviary are my favorites under 10 acres.

 

[CleZooMan]

Hopefully so — I visited a few years ago and was not impressed unfortunately.

There's some new exhibits... it's nothing world-class, but I think it's slowly getting better.

 

[Corbett477]

I really like the exhibits and overall atmosphere of the WCS zoos. So for small zoos, I would recommend three of their four establishments: Queens, Prospect Park, and Central Park.