How many zoos have you visited? (poll 2)

How many zoological parks have you visited?

  • 1-9

    Votes: 71 14.4%
  • 10-24

    Votes: 155 31.4%
  • 25-49

    Votes: 99 20.1%
  • 50-99

    Votes: 83 16.8%
  • 100-199

    Votes: 50 10.1%
  • 200-299

    Votes: 16 3.2%
  • 300 or more

    Votes: 19 3.9%

  • Total voters
    493
I'm surprised you didn't stop at Three Palms on your drive through Delaware. I had no idea DuPont has a few animals, I'm about 20 minutes from there and used to do some pet sitting down the road.
I have been there before. I got a great impression of it... in awfulness.
 
I thought I had been to some but definitely looking to go to more .
Been to
Nashville zoo
Memphis zoo
Tennessee aquarium
Ripleys aqauariun (Gatliburgh TN)

Louisville zoo
St. Louis zoo
Indianapolis zoo
Toledo zoo
Brookfield zoo (Chicago IL)
Detroit zoo

I am planning on seeing the Cincinnati and Columbus zoos next
 
New one:

86 (53 US). National Aquarium in Baltimore

I'm not counting that reptile zoo anymore because it's just a pet store with all their "zoo" species also up for sale despite being kept in a separate area from the main pet store.

~Thylo

87 (54 US). Southwick's Zoo
88 (55 US). Lupa Zoo

~Thylo
 
Hadn't thought about that until now actually.

Depending on whether or not a couple of "maybe" zoos actually get visited, it could be Magdeburg, Schönebeck, or Poznan Nowe.

~Thylo
Interesting, I am on a similar number to you, was looking at Leipzig for my next trip to Germany and was surprised how many zoos were easily reached . It may well be Magdeburg or Schoenebeck that are my 100th too!
 
My list is significantly shorter than most of the ones shared here, but it's longer than I expected. Total of 35, with 2 or 3 more happening next week. There's also a bunch of rare breed centers, etc. in the UK that I didn't include.

Places I don't remember at all (6):
Beale Park (Reading UK)
Birdland Park (Bourton-on-the-Water, UK)
Bournemouth Parks & Gardens (Bournemouth UK)
Chessington Zoo (Chessington UK)
Marwell Zoo (Winchester UK)
Paultons Park (Romsey UK)

Places I vaguely remember (7):
Adventure Aquarium (Camden, NJ)
Bournemouth Oceanarium (Bournemouth UK)
Bristol Zoo (Bristol UK)
London Aquarium (London UK)
London Zoo (London UK)
Southwick's Zoo (Mendon, MA)
Windsor Wildlife Park (Windsor, UK)

Places I remember fairly well (8):
Animal Kingdom (Orlando, FL)
Beardsley Zoo (Bridgeport, CT)
Cotswolds Zoo (Burford UK)
Longleat (Warminster UK)
Marineland Canada (Niagara Falls, ON)
Mystic Aquarium (Mystic, CT)
National Aquarium (Washington, D.C.)
Six Flags Great Adventure (Jackson, NJ)

Places I visited within the last decade or so (14):
3 Palms Zoo (Clayton, DE)
Brandywine Zoo (Wilmington, DE)
Central Park Zoo (Manhattan, NY)
Elmwood Park Zoo (Norristown, PA)
Maymont (Richmond, VA)
National Aquarium (Baltimore, MD)
Oregon Zoo (Portland, OR)
Philadelphia Zoo (Philadelphia, PA)
Salisbury Zoo (Salisbury, MD)
SeaWorld Orlando (Orlando, FL)
Smithsonian Zoo (Washington, D.C.)
Toronto Zoo (Toronto, ON)
Waterloo Park (Waterloo, ON)
Wildlife Safari (Winston, OR)

Forgot to include Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, NV).

I've since added:
Downtown Denver Aquarium (Denver, CO)
Dallas World Aquarium (Dallas, TX)
Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX)
Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX)
Maryland Zoo (Baltimore, MD)

Bringing me to 41. Missed out on Houston Zoo because of some health issues that day :(
 
I have been to 13 zoos/aquariums (List is not alphabetical)
  1. Sacramento Zoo
  2. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
  3. Micke Grove Zoo
  4. Los Angeles Zoo
  5. San Diego Zoo
  6. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
  7. Oregon Zoo
  8. Honolulu Zoo
  9. Oregon Coast Aquarium
  10. Oakland Zoo
  11. Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
  12. San Francisco Zoo
  13. Monterey Bay Aquarium
 
163.
1. St. Louis Zoo A
2. Wildlife Prairie Park B+
3. Miller Park Zoo A-
4. Willowbrook Wildlife Center A
5. Cosley Zoo A+
6. Lords Park Zoo B+
7. Azoosment Park B
8. Philips Park Zoo B+
9. Brookfield Zoo A
10. Lincoln Park Zoo A+
11. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum A+
12. Shedd Aquarium A+
13. Ladd Arboretum B-
14. Crabtree Nature Center A-
15. Wildwood Nature Center A-
16. Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center A
17. Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Center B
18. Fermilab A+
19. Henson Robinson Zoo A-
20. Niabi Zoo B+
21. Wildlife Discovery Center A
22. Peoria Zoo A-
23. Summerfield Zoo C+
24. The Grove A
25. River Trail Nature Center B-
26. Indian Boundary Park Zoo(Closed) B-
27. Busse Woods Elk Pasture A+
28. Lincoln Park Conservatory B
29. Jo-Don Farms C-
30. Milwaukee County Zoo A
31. Mitchell Park Conservatory A+
32. Bear Den Zoo F
33. Racine Zoo A
34. Shalom Wildlife Zoo A
35. Timbavati Wildlife Park B
36. Menominee Park Zoo B
37. Animal Haven Zoo D
38. Special Memories Zoo C-
39. International Crane Foundation A
40. NEW Zoo A+
41. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary A
42. Henry Vilas Zoo A+
43. Wildwood Zoo A
44. Lincoln Park Zoo (Wisconsin) A-
45. Bruemmer Park Zoo C+
46. Washington Park Zoo B
47. Potawatomi Zoo A
48. Indianapolis Zoo A
49. Maple Lane Animal Farm C-
50. Black Pine Animal Sanctuary B
51. Fort Wayne Children's Zoo A+
52. Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park A
53. John Ball Zoo A
54. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary A+
55. Binder Park Zoo A+
56. Potter Park Zoo A
57. DeYoung Family Zoo B
58. Indian Creek Zoo D
59. Toledo Zoo A+
60. Cincinnati Zoo A
61. Columbus Zoo A+
62. Catoctin Zoo C
63. MD Zoo A+
64. National Aquarium A
65. Salisbury Zoo A
66. Plumpton Park Zoo F
67. Delmarva Discovery Zoo A-
68. Popcorn Park Zoo F
69. Jenkinson's Aquarium A
70. Adventure Aquarium A-
71. Bergen County Zoo A+
72. Cohanzick Zoo A
73. Cape May County Park and Zoo A-
74. Space Farms B
75. Turtle Back Zoo A+
76. Raptor Trust A+
77. Seaport Aquarium D
78. Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge A
79. National Zoo A+
80. Maymont A+
81. Metro Richmond Zoo A-
82. Three Lakes Park and Nature Center A
83. Leesburg Animal Park B-
84. Roer's Zoofari A-
85. VA Safari Park A+
86. VA Zoo A+
87. VA Living Museum A+
88. VA Aquarium A
89. Bluebird Gap Farm B-
90. Peninsula SPCA B
91. Hunt Club Farm D
92. Wilson's Wild Animal Park D
93. Mill Mountain Zoo A
94. Fort Chiswell Animal Park A
95. Creation Kingdom Zoo C+
96. Noah's Last Stop F
97. Byrd Park A+
98. Natural Bridge Zoo D
99. Luray Zoo B
100. Hidden Pond Nature Center A-
101. Sandy Bottom Nature Park A
102. Nauticus A+
103. NC Zoo A
104. Imagination Station Science and History Museum A-
105. Sylvan Heights Bird Park A+
106. Conservator's Center A
107. It's A Zoo Life C+
108. Duke Lemur Center A-
109. Museum of Life and Science A+
110. Greensboro Science Center A
111. Tregembo Animal Park B
112. NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher B+
113. NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island A-
114. NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores A+
115. Kinston Nature Center A
116. Walter L. Stasavitch Nature Center A-
117. Dan Nicholas Park B
118. Carolina Town and Country B-
119. Zootastic= Zoo C- Safari A+
120. Sea Life Charlotte-Concord A
121. Discovery Place Nature A
122. Discovery Place Science A+
123. Lynnwood Park Zoo B+
124. Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary A
125. Tiger World A-
126. Livermon Park and Mini-Zoo B+
127. OBX Lizard Land A+
128. NC Museum of Natural Sciences A
129. Animal Edventures B-
130. NC Estuarium A-
131. Aloha Safari Zoo A-
132. J Bayard Clark Nature Center A
133. Latta Plantation Nature Center A
134. Carolina Raptor Center A+
135. Newport Aquarium A
136. ZooAmerica A+
137. National Aviary A
138. Living Treasures Wild Animal Park (Jones Mill) C+
139. Lehigh Valley Zoo A+
140. Lake Tobias Wildlife Park A
141. East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue C
142. Philadelphia Zoo A
143. Claws n Paws Wild Animal Park B+
144. Pocono Snake and Animal Farm B+
145. Ripley's Aquarium (Myrtle Beach) A-
146. Waccatee Zoo C
147. Alligator Adventure A
148. Reptile Lagoon A+
149. Brandywine Zoo A
150. Killens Pond State Park Nature Center A
151. DuPont Nature Center A+
152. 3 Palms Zoo B
153. Abbott's Mill Nature Center A
154. Bronx Zoo A+
155. Central Park Zoo A+
156. Queens Zoo A+
157. New York Aquarium A-
158. Staten Island Zoo A
159. Zoo Atlanta A+
160. GA Aquarium A+
161. Chattanooga Zoo A
162. TN Aquarium A+
163. Bright's Zoo A-
 
If all goes well, my upcoming trips to Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium will give me another 17 collections

The first chunk of these aforesaid trips has now taken place - the second to follow in April - leaving me with a little updating to do:

And now the second chunk of my planned continental trips has taken place, bringing with it a further handful of new additions to my list:

And now the third and final chunk of my Last Chance Saloon trip has taken place, allowing me to add a handful of extra collections to the list:


Collections visited as of 13/09/2018: 134


Austria: 1 collection

Innsbruck Alpenzoo (first visited 2015)

Belgium: 1 collection

Antwerp Zoo (first visited 2018)

Czech Republic: 6 collections

AkvaTera Plzen (first visited 2017)
Krokodýlí Zoo Praha (first visited 2017)
Prague Zoo (first visited 2017)
Zoo Jihlava (first visited 2017)
Zoo Plzen (first visited 2017)
Zoopark Chomutov (first visited 2017)

Germany: 37 collections

Aachener Tierpark (first visited 2018)
AquaDom & SEALIFE Berlin (first visited 2018)
Aquazoo Dusseldorf (first visited 2018)
Biosphäre Potsdam (first visited 2018)
Erlenbis-Zoo Hannover (first visited 2016)
Klimahaus Bremerhavn (first visited 2016)
Planten un Blomen (first visited 2016)
TerraZoo Rheinberg (first visited 2018)
Tiergarten Nurnberg (first visited 2015)
Tiergarten Schönebeck (first visited 2018)
Tierpark Berlin (first visited 2014)
Tierpark Chemnitz (first visited 2018)
Tierpark Hagenbeck (first visited 2016)
Tierpark Hellabrunn (first visited 2015)
Tropen-Aquarium Hagenbeck (first visited 2016)
Vogelpark Niendorf (first visited 2016)
Vogelpark Olching (first visited 2015)
Weltvogelpark Walsrode (first visited 2016)
Wildgehege Klovensteen (first visited 2016)
Wildpark Connewitz (first visited 2018)
Wildpark Grafenberger Wald (first visited 2018)
Wildpark Schwartze-Berge (first visited 2016)
Wilhelma (first visited 2015)
Zoo am Meer (first visited 2016)
Zoo-Aquarium Berlin (first visited 2014)
Zoo Augsburg (first visited 2015)
Zoo Berlin (first visited 2014)
Zoo Dortmund (first visited 2018)
Zoo Dresden (first visited 2018)
Zoo Duisburg (first visited 2018)
Zoo Frankfurt (first visited 2018)
Zoo Halle (first visited 2018)
Zoo Köln (first visited 2018)
Zoo Krefeld (first visited 2018)
Zoo Leipzig (first visited 2014)
Zoo Magdeburg (first visited 2014)
Zoo Wuppertal (first visited 2018)

Netherlands: 6 collections

BestZoo (first visited 2018)
Burger's Zoo (first visited 2018)
Dierenpark Amersfoort (first visited 2018)
Dierenpark Zie-Zoo (first visited 2018)
Diergaarde Blijdorp (first visited 2018)
Natura Artis Magistra (first visited 2018)

United Kingdom: 83 collections

Amazon World Zoo Park (first visited 2013)
Aquarium of the Lakes (first visited 2015)
Battersea Park Children's Zoo (first visited 2017)
Birdland Park and Gardens (first visited 2013)
Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park (first visited 2011)
Blackbrook Zoo (first visited 2013)
Blackpool Zoo (first visited 2011)
Bluereef Tynemouth (first visited 2009)
Bristol Zoo (first visited 2011)
Butterfly World Stockton (first visited c.1999)
Cedars Nature Centre (first visited 2017)
Chester Cathedral Falconry (first visited 2017)
Chester Zoo (first visited 2010)
Chestnut Centre Otter, Owl and Wildlife Park (first visited 2011)
Colchester Zoo (first visited 2013)
Cotswold Falconry Centre (first visited 2014)
Cotswold Wildlife Park (first visited 2013)
Crocodiles of the World - original site (first visited 2013)
Crocodiles of the World - new site (first visited 2014)
Dudley Zoo (first visited 2011)
East Park Animal Centre (first visited 2017)
Edinburgh Zoo (first visited 2010)
Exmoor Zoo (first visited 2013)
Falconry Days (first visited 2013)
Five Sisters Zoo Park (first visited 2012)
Flamingo Land (first visited c.1992)
Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park (first visited 2012)
Gentleshaw Wildlife Centre (first visited 2013)
Hagley Falconry Centre (first visited 2015)
Hamerton Zoo (first visited 2011)
Hawk Conservancy Trust (first visited 2015)
Heythrop Zoo (first visited 2014)
Highland Wildlife Park (first visited 1989)
Howletts Wild Animal Park (first visited 2012)
ICBP Duncombe Park (first visited 2015)
Jesmond Dene Pets Corner (first visited 2015)
Kew Gardens (first visited 2009)
Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens (first visited 2013)
Kielder Water Bird of Prey Centre (first visited 2012)
Kirkleatham Owl Centre (first visited 2015)
Lake District Wildlife Park (first visited 2015)
Lakeland Bird of Prey Centre (first visited 2015)
Lakeland Wildlife Oasis (first visited 2015)
Libertys Raptor and Reptile Centre (first visited 2006)
Linton Zoo (first visited 2014)
Living Coasts (first visited 2013)
Manchester Museum Vivarium (first visited 2011)
Marwell Zoo (first visited 2013)
Monkey Haven (first visited 2013)
Newquay Zoo (first visited 2013)
North Anston Tropical House (first visited 2014)
Paignton Zoo (first visited 2013)
Port Lympne Wild Animal Park (first visited 2013)
Reaseheath Zoo (first visited 2015)
Regent's Park Waterfowl Collection (first visited 2017)
Scottish Owl Centre (first visited 2015)
SEALIFE Blackpool (first visited 2015)
SEALIFE Manchester (first visited 2016)
SEALIFE Oban (first visited 1994)
SEALIFE Scarborough (first visited c.1992)
Shaldon Wildlife Trust (first visited 2013)
Shepreth Wildlife Park (first visited 2014)
Skye Serpentarium (first visited 1998)
South Lakes Wild Animal Park (first visited 2012)
The Deep (first visited 2017)
Thirsk Bird of Prey Centre (first visited 2015)
Thorp Perrow Arboretum (first visited 2013)
Tropical World Leeds (first visited 2013)
Twycross Zoo (first visited 2011)
Welsh Mountain Zoo (first visited 2012)
West Midland Safari Park (first visited 2015)
Wingham Wildlife Park (first visited 2017)
Wild Animal Adventures (first visited 2014)
Wild Place (first visited 2013)
Wildwood Trust (first visited 2017)
Woburn Safari Park (first visited 2013)
World Owl Trust Muncaster Castle (first visited 1990)
WWT Martin Mere (first visited 2013)
WWT Slimbridge (first visited 2013)
WWT Washington (first visited 2004)
Yorkshire Wildlife Park (first visited 2014)
ZSL London Zoo (first visited 2012)
ZSL Whipsnade Zoo (first visited 2013)
 
163.
1. St. Louis Zoo A
2. Wildlife Prairie Park B+
3. Miller Park Zoo A-
4. Willowbrook Wildlife Center A
5. Cosley Zoo A+
6. Lords Park Zoo B+
7. Azoosment Park B
8. Philips Park Zoo B+
9. Brookfield Zoo A
10. Lincoln Park Zoo A+
11. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum A+
12. Shedd Aquarium A+
13. Ladd Arboretum B-
14. Crabtree Nature Center A-
15. Wildwood Nature Center A-
16. Little Red Schoolhouse Nature Center A
17. Edward L. Ryerson Conservation Center B
18. Fermilab A+
19. Henson Robinson Zoo A-
20. Niabi Zoo B+
21. Wildlife Discovery Center A
22. Peoria Zoo A-
23. Summerfield Zoo C+
24. The Grove A
25. River Trail Nature Center B-
26. Indian Boundary Park Zoo(Closed) B-
27. Busse Woods Elk Pasture A+
28. Lincoln Park Conservatory B
29. Jo-Don Farms C-
30. Milwaukee County Zoo A
31. Mitchell Park Conservatory A+
32. Bear Den Zoo F
33. Racine Zoo A
34. Shalom Wildlife Zoo A
35. Timbavati Wildlife Park B
36. Menominee Park Zoo B
37. Animal Haven Zoo D
38. Special Memories Zoo C-
39. International Crane Foundation A
40. NEW Zoo A+
41. Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary A
42. Henry Vilas Zoo A+
43. Wildwood Zoo A
44. Lincoln Park Zoo (Wisconsin) A-
45. Bruemmer Park Zoo C+
46. Washington Park Zoo B
47. Potawatomi Zoo A
48. Indianapolis Zoo A
49. Maple Lane Animal Farm C-
50. Black Pine Animal Sanctuary B
51. Fort Wayne Children's Zoo A+
52. Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park A
53. John Ball Zoo A
54. Kellogg Bird Sanctuary A+
55. Binder Park Zoo A+
56. Potter Park Zoo A
57. DeYoung Family Zoo B
58. Indian Creek Zoo D
59. Toledo Zoo A+
60. Cincinnati Zoo A
61. Columbus Zoo A+
62. Catoctin Zoo C
63. MD Zoo A+
64. National Aquarium A
65. Salisbury Zoo A
66. Plumpton Park Zoo F
67. Delmarva Discovery Zoo A-
68. Popcorn Park Zoo F
69. Jenkinson's Aquarium A
70. Adventure Aquarium A-
71. Bergen County Zoo A+
72. Cohanzick Zoo A
73. Cape May County Park and Zoo A-
74. Space Farms B
75. Turtle Back Zoo A+
76. Raptor Trust A+
77. Seaport Aquarium D
78. Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge A
79. National Zoo A+
80. Maymont A+
81. Metro Richmond Zoo A-
82. Three Lakes Park and Nature Center A
83. Leesburg Animal Park B-
84. Roer's Zoofari A-
85. VA Safari Park A+
86. VA Zoo A+
87. VA Living Museum A+
88. VA Aquarium A
89. Bluebird Gap Farm B-
90. Peninsula SPCA B
91. Hunt Club Farm D
92. Wilson's Wild Animal Park D
93. Mill Mountain Zoo A
94. Fort Chiswell Animal Park A
95. Creation Kingdom Zoo C+
96. Noah's Last Stop F
97. Byrd Park A+
98. Natural Bridge Zoo D
99. Luray Zoo B
100. Hidden Pond Nature Center A-
101. Sandy Bottom Nature Park A
102. Nauticus A+
103. NC Zoo A
104. Imagination Station Science and History Museum A-
105. Sylvan Heights Bird Park A+
106. Conservator's Center A
107. It's A Zoo Life C+
108. Duke Lemur Center A-
109. Museum of Life and Science A+
110. Greensboro Science Center A
111. Tregembo Animal Park B
112. NC Aquarium at Fort Fisher B+
113. NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island A-
114. NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores A+
115. Kinston Nature Center A
116. Walter L. Stasavitch Nature Center A-
117. Dan Nicholas Park B
118. Carolina Town and Country B-
119. Zootastic= Zoo C- Safari A+
120. Sea Life Charlotte-Concord A
121. Discovery Place Nature A
122. Discovery Place Science A+
123. Lynnwood Park Zoo B+
124. Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary A
125. Tiger World A-
126. Livermon Park and Mini-Zoo B+
127. OBX Lizard Land A+
128. NC Museum of Natural Sciences A
129. Animal Edventures B-
130. NC Estuarium A-
131. Aloha Safari Zoo A-
132. J Bayard Clark Nature Center A
133. Latta Plantation Nature Center A
134. Carolina Raptor Center A+
135. Newport Aquarium A
136. ZooAmerica A+
137. National Aviary A
138. Living Treasures Wild Animal Park (Jones Mill) C+
139. Lehigh Valley Zoo A+
140. Lake Tobias Wildlife Park A
141. East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue C
142. Philadelphia Zoo A
143. Claws n Paws Wild Animal Park B+
144. Pocono Snake and Animal Farm B+
145. Ripley's Aquarium (Myrtle Beach) A-
146. Waccatee Zoo C
147. Alligator Adventure A
148. Reptile Lagoon A+
149. Brandywine Zoo A
150. Killens Pond State Park Nature Center A
151. DuPont Nature Center A+
152. 3 Palms Zoo B
153. Abbott's Mill Nature Center A
154. Bronx Zoo A+
155. Central Park Zoo A+
156. Queens Zoo A+
157. New York Aquarium A-
158. Staten Island Zoo A
159. Zoo Atlanta A+
160. GA Aquarium A+
161. Chattanooga Zoo A
162. TN Aquarium A+
163. Bright's Zoo A-
A few I have forgotten
1. Lincoln Park Conservatory A-
2. Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden A
3. Bodine Fish Hatchery A+
 
I hit number 450 (Aquazoo Dusseldorf) last week :)

I'll race to you 500! ;) I hope to visit my 500th different zoo/aquarium in August of 2019. I'll probably then be stuck at 500 for the following 2-3 years...but you should easily be able to beat me to that total in the first place.
 
My List (in no particular order):

Wisconsin
1. Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo & Adventure Park
2. Henry Vilas Zoo
3. Milwaukee County Zoo
4. Special Memories Zoo
5. Animal Haven Zoo
6. Timbavati Wildlife Park
7. Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo
8. Ochsner Park Zoo
9. Bay Beach Wildlife Santuary
10. International Crane Foundation
11. Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin
12. Wildwood Zoo
13. Menominee Park Zoo
14. Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Zoo
15. Lakewood Zoo & Gift Shop (now closed)
16. Discovery World: Reiman Aquarium
17. Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
18. MacKenzie Center
Iowa
19. National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium
Illinois
20. Brookfield Zoo
21. Lincoln Park Zoo
22. John G. Shedd Aquarium
23. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Michigan
24. DeYoung Family Zoo
Florida
25. SeaWorld Orlando
26. Disney's Animal Kingdom
27. The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot
28. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
District of Columbia
29. Smithsonian National Zoo
Minnesota
30. Minnesota Zoo
31. Como Park Zoo
32. SEA LIFE Minnesota
California
33. San Diego Zoo Safari Park (WAP then)

Wow, that's more than I thought. Many of these, sadly, I don't remember well. I hope to visit more this summer and up this total.
Here are some more:

Wisconsin
1. Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo & Adventure Park
2. Henry Vilas Zoo
3. Milwaukee County Zoo
4. Special Memories Zoo
5. Animal Haven Zoo
6. Timbavati Wildlife Park
7. Manitowoc Lincoln Park Zoo
8. Ochsner Park Zoo
9. Bay Beach Wildlife Santuary
10. International Crane Foundation
11. Butterfly Gardens of Wisconsin
12. Wildwood Zoo
13. Menominee Park Zoo
14. Wisconsin Rapids Municipal Zoo
15. Lakewood Zoo & Gift Shop (now closed)
16. Discovery World: Reiman Aquarium
17. Glacier Ridge Animal Farm
18. MacKenzie Center
19. Racine Zoo
20. Animal Gardens Petting Zoo
21. FREEA (Used to be a small zoo. Doesn't have animals any more.)
Iowa
22. National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium
Illinois
23. Brookfield Zoo
24. Lincoln Park Zoo
25. John G. Shedd Aquarium
26. Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Michigan
27. DeYoung Family Zoo
Florida
28. SeaWorld Orlando
29. Disney's Animal Kingdom
30. The Seas with Nemo and Friends at Epcot
31. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
District of Columbia
32. Smithsonian National Zoo
Minnesota
33. Minnesota Zoo
34. Como Park Zoo
35. SEA LIFE Minnesota
California
36. San Diego Zoo/Safari Park (I remember visiting one of them. Don't remember which)
Missouri
37. Saint Louis Zoo
38. Grant's Farm
39. World Aquarium
40. Lone Elk Park
41. World Bird Sanctuary

Note that I am only including collections I at least partly remember. For example, I am told I visited Gatorland when I was little. I don't remember that. So it's not included. Even though I only remember the food court at San Diego, it's still included.
 
I was doing my 'zoo accounting' after my summer travels and came to the rather startling conclusion that I was on 98 zoos! Then I remembered another zoo from my childhood, which brought me to 99. The thing is, I don't count just any collection as a zoo; sanctuaries are out, as are 'aviary in the park' type places. The problem is the line between zoo and not-zoo gets a bit blurred and when I looked down my list I found a couple of marginal candidates. So, deeming the whole thing to be fairly subjective anyway, and with three new zoos on my horizon before the end of the year, I'm unilaterally determining my current total to be 97.

Number 100 should be a real doozy by the way ;)
 
The thing is, I don't count just any collection as a zoo; sanctuaries are out, as are 'aviary in the park' type places.

As you note, these things are often quite marginal - by your rules I imagine you would probably not count the vivarium within Manchester Museum as a zoo, yet it is possibly the third-biggest amphibian collection in Europe open to the public after Chemnitz and Paignton - and potentially the biggest collection of Costa Rican amphibians anywhere outside the country itself!
 
I've basically decided that, for me, "zoo" just means "public animal collection". Doesn't matter if it's an aviary in a botanical gardens or a full-blown ABC zoo. Everything counts if there are animals there. I can't remember off-hand what my total is though.


EDIT: it is 121 collections apparently - the list is here, earlier in the thread: How many zoos have you visited? (poll 2)
 
Last edited:
As you note, these things are often quite marginal - by your rules I imagine you would probably not count the vivarium within Manchester Museum as a zoo, yet it is possibly the third-biggest amphibian collection in Europe open to the public after Chemnitz and Paignton - and potentially the biggest collection of Costa Rican amphibians anywhere outside the country itself!

A worthwhile point as the very definition of the word 'zoo' can be debated endlessly. A few months ago I toured Bruemmer Park Zoo in Wisconsin and the facility is clearly a zoo but there are only perhaps 4-5 species in the entire collection. Yet some of the 'sanctuaries' that I've visited have included a wide range of big cat species and many more animals...FAR more to see than what tiny Bruemmer Park Zoo has to offer. In my opinion both types of establishments are clearly 'zoos' of some kind or another. Also, the state of California has approximately 20 public aquariums (I've visited all of them!) and some of the buildings contain not much more than a dozen tanks. However, such facilities charge admission, have the word 'aquarium' in their name and are indisputably an aquarium...so size doesn't matter.
 
As you note, these things are often quite marginal - by your rules I imagine you would probably not count the vivarium within Manchester Museum as a zoo, yet it is possibly the third-biggest amphibian collection in Europe open to the public after Chemnitz and Paignton - and potentially the biggest collection of Costa Rican amphibians anywhere outside the country itself!

I've basically decided that, for me, "zoo" just means "public animal collection". Doesn't matter if it's an aviary in a botanical gardens or a full-blown ABC zoo. Everything counts if there are animals there.

A worthwhile point as the very definition of the word 'zoo' can be debated endlessly. A few months ago I toured Bruemmer Park Zoo in Wisconsin and the facility is clearly a zoo but there are only perhaps 4-5 species in the entire collection. Yet some of the 'sanctuaries' that I've visited have included a wide range of big cat species and many more animals...FAR more to see than what tiny Bruemmer Park Zoo has to offer. In my opinion both types of establishments are clearly 'zoos' of some kind or another. Also, the state of California has approximately 20 public aquariums (I've visited all of them!) and some of the buildings contain not much more than a dozen tanks. However, such facilities charge admission, have the word 'aquarium' in their name and are indisputably an aquarium...so size doesn't matter.

I find the debate to be a fairly 'unfun' one to be honest, because I think there is no clear resolution. If one takes the 'Chlidonias' approach one ends up counting stately homes and other such nonsense. This might be the most logically consistent approach but it fails the basic test that it allows a whole bunch of places that are, IMO, clearly not zoos. I usually go with 'the primary purpose of the facility is the display of animals to the public' This precludes sanctuaries, which I'm fine with, but it also threatens the inclusion of some serious collections that are part of greater bodies like theme parks or museums. If Manchester Museum's collection is really that expansive I would probably end up counting it; but Shanghai Natural History Museum has a small row of terrariums and tanks and I wouldn't dream of counting that. So then it seems like size of collection should be a guiding principle, but this throws up more issues. If I would include a large collection in a museum but not a small one, how could I justify including the equivalent of the small collection if it were a separate paying attraction? At this point I just throw my hands up and embrace the subjectivity; if it 'feels' like a zoo it's in, if it doesn't it's not. As someone who likes science I find this fairly painful; as someone who wants to say "I've visited 100 zoos" and feel good about that statement it seems pretty spot on.
 
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