KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
I made a short, 20-30 minute run through the medium-sized Honolulu zoo on my trip out there. I was pleasantly impressed with most of the exhibitry, as well as a pretty nice collection, especially of birds. It is a difficult zoo to natigate, especially when time is short, and I did do a little backtracking. It is set up in a sort of loop, with a lot of connections in the middle. I am going to try to describe the exhibits in a counter-clockwise fashion, but it will not be exact. I did not have time to make not of all the species, but will try to remember all I can.
At the front of the zoo are two lushly planted bird exhibits. Wild black-crowned night herons and cattle egrets are commonly found in the wet exhibits throughout the zoo. One of these is a Duck Pond, with rosy-billed pochard, hooded merganser, and cape teal. The other, less lush, is the Flamingo Pond, with American flamingos, white ibis, Old World comb duck, black swan, and roseate spoonbill.
Covering the northeast part of the zoo are dozens of crappy wire aviarys. They are not attractive at all, but large and well planted. They come in many shapes and sizes, as do the inhabitants, including a number of mixed exhibits. The highlight of these were three bird-of paradise species, Ragianna, superb, and magnificent. Some of the other species exhibited are: toco toucan, laughing gull, roseate spoonbill, ringed teal, white ibis, cockatiel, palm cockatoo, scarlet macaw, sun conure, king parrot, eclectus parrot, victoria crowned pigeon, common emerald dove, silver-eared mesia, red-billed leiothrix, common hill mynah, Pacific golden-plover, wrikled hornbill, great argus, hawk-headed parrot, Japanese white-eye, nicobar pigeon, Palawan peacock pheasant, red-whiskered bulbul, and tawny frogmouth. There are many others I cannot remember, as they have an outstanding bird collection.
There is a small, fenced in area displaying some native Hawaiian species. A large exhibit with a couple of pools displays several Nene’s, or Hawaiian geese. A large cage has two Io’s, or Hawaiian hawks in it. The area also have many species of native Hawaiian plants. Nearby is a pretty nice and large, glass-fronted Komodo dragon exhibit. Another, large and well-planted cage nearby houses the zoo’s Sumatran tiger. It is an excellent exhibit, in my opinion.
A “Primates” section of the zoo had a decent selection in a rather odd series of exhibits. A small, concrete building has a pathetic cage on each side, on with spider monkeys, the other with Francois langurs. Four small islands with climbing structures, with black-and-white ruffed lemur, ring-tailed lemur, white-handed gibbon, and siamang. A nearby orangutan exhibit is pretty good, a large circular cage with decent grass cover.
Near this is the “Reptiles” section there are several large tortoise yards, with Aldabra giant, Galapagos giant, red-footed, yellow-footed, and spur-thighed tortoises, among others. There is a lush American alligator exhibit, and a big and excellent gharial exhibit with four of the reptiles and two pools. A small reptile house has about 15 excellent terrariums. I regret not taking not as to what was in here, but a few I remember were Fly River turtle, Burmese python, surinam toad, African bullfrog, prehensile-tailed skink, and many others.
A large, dusty exhibit for Asian elephants stands alone between the African savannah and the Reptiles. It is nice, and large, but nothing amazing. Beautiful views of Diamond Head in the background were probably the best feature. There is a children’s zoo/farm area that I did not go into.
The largest and best exhibit in the zoo by far is the African savannah. I blew threw it pretty fast, but I could have spend a long time watching the animals. It is split into four areas; wetlands, savannah, kopje, and forest. It is a well organized winding loop, with a small part of backtracking required to see the cheetah (I didn’t). The wetlands section surrounds a raised , grassy exhibit for several land birds; gray crowned cranes, white stork, American white pelican, and sacred ibis. Two exhibits for Nile Crocodile and hippopotamus have underwater viewing caves, and both are excellent, among the best I’ve seen for each species. Warthogs have a muddy exhibit neaby, and lesser flamingos and African spoonbill have another wetlands exhibit. The last wetlands enclosure is for aardvarks, complete with a burrow. The savannah section has a large dusty paddock for giraffes and Plain’s zebras, next to another for ostriches. There are some small exhibits for kirk’s dik-dik, red-flanked duiker, and African crested porcupine. The kopje section is excellently themed, though the other areas have a slight kopje theme. Nile monitors, fennec foxes, and meerkats all occupy small glass-fronted exhbitis. Hamadryas baboons have a rocky enclosure, that I found pretty nice for them. There is also a decent sized and grassy lion exhibit, but nothing I haven’t seen a dozen times. The forest section is the largest. There are two bird cages that are in different areas, one for marabou stork and one for southern ground hornbill. A loop leads by a good-sized chimpanzee exhibit with good climbing opportunities, surrounded by glass. There are also black rhinoceros and African wild dog exhibits, both rather dusty. A lush walkthrough aviary features free-flying emeral starlings, hamerkop, golden-breasted starling, green wood-hoopoe and some other stuff. Side eviary exhibit blacksmith plover/cape teal/red-and-yellow barbet, serval, common waxbill/speckled mousebird/cape thick-knee, and helmeted guinefowl/hooded vulture. The whole exhibit has some of the best theming I’ve seen, outside of Omaha, and the animal exhibits themselves are much better. There is never a chain link fence, and the plants hide all the behind the scenes stuff, making this one of the best exhibits I’ve ever seen, and I’d say rivalling Kansas City’s African section. Amazing exhibit that brings the zoo from decent to excellent.
The Honolulu Zoo is not huge, but certainly has a good collection, and very few bad exhibits (primates). Their bird collection is outstanding, but the cages leave something to be desired. A few random exhibits around the zoo (elephant, tiger, and Komodo dragon) seem out of place. But, the African Savannah clearly takes the cake as the best exhibit at the zoo, and one I could have spend a lot of time at if I had it. I basically ran through the zoo, which I don’t recommend for this one. I’d say it is my 4th favorite zoo, behind Sedgwick County, and ahead of Brookfield. I did not take any exhibit photos, but the gallery has a good amount already.
At the front of the zoo are two lushly planted bird exhibits. Wild black-crowned night herons and cattle egrets are commonly found in the wet exhibits throughout the zoo. One of these is a Duck Pond, with rosy-billed pochard, hooded merganser, and cape teal. The other, less lush, is the Flamingo Pond, with American flamingos, white ibis, Old World comb duck, black swan, and roseate spoonbill.
Covering the northeast part of the zoo are dozens of crappy wire aviarys. They are not attractive at all, but large and well planted. They come in many shapes and sizes, as do the inhabitants, including a number of mixed exhibits. The highlight of these were three bird-of paradise species, Ragianna, superb, and magnificent. Some of the other species exhibited are: toco toucan, laughing gull, roseate spoonbill, ringed teal, white ibis, cockatiel, palm cockatoo, scarlet macaw, sun conure, king parrot, eclectus parrot, victoria crowned pigeon, common emerald dove, silver-eared mesia, red-billed leiothrix, common hill mynah, Pacific golden-plover, wrikled hornbill, great argus, hawk-headed parrot, Japanese white-eye, nicobar pigeon, Palawan peacock pheasant, red-whiskered bulbul, and tawny frogmouth. There are many others I cannot remember, as they have an outstanding bird collection.
There is a small, fenced in area displaying some native Hawaiian species. A large exhibit with a couple of pools displays several Nene’s, or Hawaiian geese. A large cage has two Io’s, or Hawaiian hawks in it. The area also have many species of native Hawaiian plants. Nearby is a pretty nice and large, glass-fronted Komodo dragon exhibit. Another, large and well-planted cage nearby houses the zoo’s Sumatran tiger. It is an excellent exhibit, in my opinion.
A “Primates” section of the zoo had a decent selection in a rather odd series of exhibits. A small, concrete building has a pathetic cage on each side, on with spider monkeys, the other with Francois langurs. Four small islands with climbing structures, with black-and-white ruffed lemur, ring-tailed lemur, white-handed gibbon, and siamang. A nearby orangutan exhibit is pretty good, a large circular cage with decent grass cover.
Near this is the “Reptiles” section there are several large tortoise yards, with Aldabra giant, Galapagos giant, red-footed, yellow-footed, and spur-thighed tortoises, among others. There is a lush American alligator exhibit, and a big and excellent gharial exhibit with four of the reptiles and two pools. A small reptile house has about 15 excellent terrariums. I regret not taking not as to what was in here, but a few I remember were Fly River turtle, Burmese python, surinam toad, African bullfrog, prehensile-tailed skink, and many others.
A large, dusty exhibit for Asian elephants stands alone between the African savannah and the Reptiles. It is nice, and large, but nothing amazing. Beautiful views of Diamond Head in the background were probably the best feature. There is a children’s zoo/farm area that I did not go into.
The largest and best exhibit in the zoo by far is the African savannah. I blew threw it pretty fast, but I could have spend a long time watching the animals. It is split into four areas; wetlands, savannah, kopje, and forest. It is a well organized winding loop, with a small part of backtracking required to see the cheetah (I didn’t). The wetlands section surrounds a raised , grassy exhibit for several land birds; gray crowned cranes, white stork, American white pelican, and sacred ibis. Two exhibits for Nile Crocodile and hippopotamus have underwater viewing caves, and both are excellent, among the best I’ve seen for each species. Warthogs have a muddy exhibit neaby, and lesser flamingos and African spoonbill have another wetlands exhibit. The last wetlands enclosure is for aardvarks, complete with a burrow. The savannah section has a large dusty paddock for giraffes and Plain’s zebras, next to another for ostriches. There are some small exhibits for kirk’s dik-dik, red-flanked duiker, and African crested porcupine. The kopje section is excellently themed, though the other areas have a slight kopje theme. Nile monitors, fennec foxes, and meerkats all occupy small glass-fronted exhbitis. Hamadryas baboons have a rocky enclosure, that I found pretty nice for them. There is also a decent sized and grassy lion exhibit, but nothing I haven’t seen a dozen times. The forest section is the largest. There are two bird cages that are in different areas, one for marabou stork and one for southern ground hornbill. A loop leads by a good-sized chimpanzee exhibit with good climbing opportunities, surrounded by glass. There are also black rhinoceros and African wild dog exhibits, both rather dusty. A lush walkthrough aviary features free-flying emeral starlings, hamerkop, golden-breasted starling, green wood-hoopoe and some other stuff. Side eviary exhibit blacksmith plover/cape teal/red-and-yellow barbet, serval, common waxbill/speckled mousebird/cape thick-knee, and helmeted guinefowl/hooded vulture. The whole exhibit has some of the best theming I’ve seen, outside of Omaha, and the animal exhibits themselves are much better. There is never a chain link fence, and the plants hide all the behind the scenes stuff, making this one of the best exhibits I’ve ever seen, and I’d say rivalling Kansas City’s African section. Amazing exhibit that brings the zoo from decent to excellent.
The Honolulu Zoo is not huge, but certainly has a good collection, and very few bad exhibits (primates). Their bird collection is outstanding, but the cages leave something to be desired. A few random exhibits around the zoo (elephant, tiger, and Komodo dragon) seem out of place. But, the African Savannah clearly takes the cake as the best exhibit at the zoo, and one I could have spend a lot of time at if I had it. I basically ran through the zoo, which I don’t recommend for this one. I’d say it is my 4th favorite zoo, behind Sedgwick County, and ahead of Brookfield. I did not take any exhibit photos, but the gallery has a good amount already.
