Greater Vancouver Zoo Greater Vancouver Zoo News

snowleopard

snowleopard

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Premium Member
Probably the zoo's most famous resident has died at the age of 18. The Greater Vancouver Zoo has always claimed that they had the world's only albino black bear in captivity, and I'm curious as to whether that declaration was actually valid. Anyway, Albus is now deceased:

WHAT'S NEW | GREATER VANCOUVER ZOO

Also, even though they are not listed on the map, the zoo in 2008 added a pair of muskox to the collection:

08/22 ~ GET CHILLED - Official Opening of the Arctic Section | GREATER VANCOUVER ZOO

There are now about 30 different species of hoofstock at the park:

ZOO MAP | GREATER VANCOUVER ZOO
 
There seems to be relatively little information on this zoo on here. Their website shows they mostly have common zoo animals, is it really worth a visit?
 
I personally have never been. I would pm snowleopard if I were you. Living in BC and visiting most zoos in Canada and the US he would probably have the best information on it for you. In all likelihood hes been there and can give you a very fair assessment if your looking to go.
 
I live about 20 minutes from Greater Vancouver Zoo and I've not been in slightly over 2 years as I'd much rather spend 5 hours round-trip and tour Woodland Park in Seattle. To be honest it has improved greatly from what it was about 15 years ago but there have been many controversies and preventable deaths (zebras, hippos, an eagle, spider monkey, multiple giraffes, etc) and the for-profit stance is a bit tough to swallow. There are several outstanding acres set aside for a variety of hoofstock, but also many boring stretches of common animals in chain-link enclosures.
 
Thanks TZFan and Snowleopard.

It doesn't really sound like its worth visiting then, unless there is some really rare-in-captivity species there which you haven't mentioned?

If one was, hypothetically, to visit Vancouver, which animal attractions would be best to visit. In Canada. The aquarium looks good, but is there anything else?
 
I was in BC about 15 years ago and we went to Butchart Gardens which was beautiful if your into horticulture.

Taking the ferry from the mainland to Victoria was nice too.

I went to the aquarium but I was less than impressed. That being said it was a long time ago and I know a ton has changed.

My favourite part was going whale watching. That was amazing. We got to see seals which was nice and the killer whales were amazing. The pod we saw were resident whales and we got to see spy hopping, jumping and most amazing and truly lucky of all a group of 4 whales, with a small calf dove under our boat. You could see them slip beneath the waves and see their white markings as they rose on the opposite side. We went on the largest boat we could find because i am not a boat and motion fan. But it was the best experience in the world.

A possible really cool idea is to do what we did in reverse. Our trip we flew from our home in Toronto to Calgary. While there we visited the Zoo, a pioneer village I cant remember the name of, a day out to Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell Museum. At the museum we got to go on a dino dig. It was amazing to be able to see the mountains, drive out through the flat land to hilly country to the awesome badlands. Then we turned and headed west to Kamloops. It was cool going from the flat area to where the mountains tower above you. We visited Baniff and Lake Louise... got chased by an elk. When we went there was a mudslide that closed the main highway so we headed north to go through Rocky Mountain House. We drove up to the Athabasca Ice fields which was a real bonus highlight that we had never considered. Then we drove through the rockies stopping at some little deserted mining town with 10 people because my father thought it would be cool... It wasnt. Then on to Vancouver and Victoria. It was a trip well worth it.
The Butchart Gardens | Over 100 Years in Bloom

Home | BC Ferries - British Columbia Ferry Services Inc.
 
I've visited about 40 aquariums in North America and I'd place Vancouver in the #7 position. It has a couple of dolphins, a couple of beluga whales, and other animals like sea otters, penguins, harbour porpoises, Steller's sea lions and the usual assortment of aquatic critters. It is in the midst of a $100 million transformation and so without a doubt it will remain one of the top 7 aquariums on the continent. Not quite up there with Shedd, Georgia or Monterey Bay, but definitely in the next grouping.

Greater Vancouver Zoo has around 25 species of hoofstock and some great exhibits (1.5 acre grizzly bear enclosure, huge bison/elk yard, etc) but for the most part it is over-priced and being privately owned the focus is not always on conservation.

The B.C. Wildlife Park is about 3 hours east and it can be toured in 2-3 hours and features strictly native animals (including a Kermode bear).

The rest of Canada of course has huge zoos far away in Calgary and Toronto, plus Granby Zoo and various smaller establishments.
 
zooboy28 said:
There seems to be relatively little information on this zoo on here. Their website shows they mostly have common zoo animals, is it really worth a visit?
Click to expand...

That depends. If you are coming to North America to visit zoos, then no; there are many more that are a better use of your time. But if you will be in Vancouver anyway, then yes, it's worth the 45 minute drive.

I've been to the zoo twice, but not in about five years. As others have said, the best part of this zoo is the variety of ungulates, and they all have plenty of space. They have a few species that I've only seen at a few zoos (yak, for example). I also like how they rent four-wheeled bike-like devices so you can ride around instead of walking through the acres of ungulates.

I think the aquarium is very nice - especially the outside portion. I've been there three or four times. They have the best views I've seen of Beluga whales and Pacific White-sided Dolphin.

If you find yourself on Vancouver Island, check out Pacific Northwest Raptors in Duncan, north of Victoria. They have a wide variety of raptors -- mostly from North America but also some exotics.
 
Thanks for the info guys, I don't think I would be going far from Vancover, but the aquarium, raptor place and island all sound doable.
 
Their facebook page said reindeer. Im not sure but I think the Canadian Zoos usually have European Reindeer and not Caribou, which is a shame because Woodland Caribou are animals at risk in most if not all of the provinces they naturally inhabit.
 
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