GraysonDP
Well-Known Member
Knoxville Zoo Review
Date of Visit: August 15, 2013
The Knoxville Zoo is a medium-sized zoo that has a surprising amount of megafuana. Most of the exhibits have been built since 1990 and no bear pits or cat grottoes are found here. A few exhibits are quite innovative in terms of exhibit design but I would say the vast majority are simple, average and uninspiring. I would say of the “major” zoos I have visited it is one of my least favorites. Its lacks any solid immersive complexes although I hope the upcoming Tiger Forest changes that. Most of the exhibits are standalone or part of small exhibit areas.
Excellent
Black Bear Falls- Easily the most interesting and inspiring part of the zoo. I don’t like this exhibit as some others on this site since I feel it uses too much mock rock but I appreciate the amount of enrichment and climbing opportunities that it provides the bears. Concrete trees are well designed for the bears to use and it could honestly be mistaken for a primate exhibit. Good first impression for the zoo.
Chimp Ridge- Not one of my favorite chimpanzee exhibits but still a good one. Again I hate the overdose of mockrock that makes up a good portion of the exhibit but I appreciate the amount of space given to the apes. There are some trees in the background and a few solid climbing opportunities. Ultimately a thumbs up.
Red Panda Village- A worthy home for a very well known breeding program. The habitats have plenty of structures to enrich the red pandas and are decently vegetated.
River Otter Habitat- Fairly good exhibit for the otters.
Average
Valley of the Kings- The zoo’s newest addition but an underwhelming one in my book. A mediocre lion exhibit can be viewed behind chain-link fence and has an okay amount of space but not enough naturalism or enrichment. An indoor viewing area for the lions isn’t any better. Baboons live in a fairly large topped exhibit that is quite open and contains a few ropes and enrichments. Alright but nothing special.
Gorilla Valley- An exhibit that is large enough and relatively green and lush but not that impressive in my book. There aren’t enough enrichments and this exhibit lacks the level of immersion and quality I expect in an excellent gorilla exhibit.
Tortoise Territory- Decent habitat for turtles.
Beaver- Somewhat substandard habitat for the rodents but nothing terrible.
Red Wolf- This exhibit has ample space but it is quite hard for visitors to see the wolf and not as impressive as other wolf exhibits.
Meerkats- Not unlike any other meerkat exhibit in the country.
Poor
Grasslands Africa- One of my least favorite savannas and really quite forgettable. It is acceptable in terms of size but I hate how it is bone dry. Giraffes, waterbucks, Thomson’s gazelles and now zebras live in the savanna.
Zebra Habitat (Now White Rhinos)- A barren paddock that lacks any naturalism or character and isn’t very large.
Stokely African Elephant Reserve- Some think a poor rating might be harsh for this elephant exhibit but I stand by it. Like the savanna, this exhibit is bone dry and has huge eyesores in the way of steel fences. Also, it is not large enough and besides a fake baobab tree doesn’t do much to transport visitors or pachyderms to the African savanna. Thumbs down.
Penguin Rock- Quite possibly the worst penguin exhibit I have ever seen. It is way too small, all indoors and really not good at all.
The Knoxville Zoo is a medium sized average zoo with a good cast of animals and mediocre exhibits with a few roses and thorns. The exhibit design is often not my taste but I think Tiger Forest (opening in 2017) should raise the quality of this zoo. I would put this zoo somewhere between 47 and 60 on my ratings of best zoos in America.
Date of Visit: August 15, 2013
The Knoxville Zoo is a medium-sized zoo that has a surprising amount of megafuana. Most of the exhibits have been built since 1990 and no bear pits or cat grottoes are found here. A few exhibits are quite innovative in terms of exhibit design but I would say the vast majority are simple, average and uninspiring. I would say of the “major” zoos I have visited it is one of my least favorites. Its lacks any solid immersive complexes although I hope the upcoming Tiger Forest changes that. Most of the exhibits are standalone or part of small exhibit areas.
Excellent
Black Bear Falls- Easily the most interesting and inspiring part of the zoo. I don’t like this exhibit as some others on this site since I feel it uses too much mock rock but I appreciate the amount of enrichment and climbing opportunities that it provides the bears. Concrete trees are well designed for the bears to use and it could honestly be mistaken for a primate exhibit. Good first impression for the zoo.
Chimp Ridge- Not one of my favorite chimpanzee exhibits but still a good one. Again I hate the overdose of mockrock that makes up a good portion of the exhibit but I appreciate the amount of space given to the apes. There are some trees in the background and a few solid climbing opportunities. Ultimately a thumbs up.
Red Panda Village- A worthy home for a very well known breeding program. The habitats have plenty of structures to enrich the red pandas and are decently vegetated.
River Otter Habitat- Fairly good exhibit for the otters.
Average
Valley of the Kings- The zoo’s newest addition but an underwhelming one in my book. A mediocre lion exhibit can be viewed behind chain-link fence and has an okay amount of space but not enough naturalism or enrichment. An indoor viewing area for the lions isn’t any better. Baboons live in a fairly large topped exhibit that is quite open and contains a few ropes and enrichments. Alright but nothing special.
Gorilla Valley- An exhibit that is large enough and relatively green and lush but not that impressive in my book. There aren’t enough enrichments and this exhibit lacks the level of immersion and quality I expect in an excellent gorilla exhibit.
Tortoise Territory- Decent habitat for turtles.
Beaver- Somewhat substandard habitat for the rodents but nothing terrible.
Red Wolf- This exhibit has ample space but it is quite hard for visitors to see the wolf and not as impressive as other wolf exhibits.
Meerkats- Not unlike any other meerkat exhibit in the country.
Poor
Grasslands Africa- One of my least favorite savannas and really quite forgettable. It is acceptable in terms of size but I hate how it is bone dry. Giraffes, waterbucks, Thomson’s gazelles and now zebras live in the savanna.
Zebra Habitat (Now White Rhinos)- A barren paddock that lacks any naturalism or character and isn’t very large.
Stokely African Elephant Reserve- Some think a poor rating might be harsh for this elephant exhibit but I stand by it. Like the savanna, this exhibit is bone dry and has huge eyesores in the way of steel fences. Also, it is not large enough and besides a fake baobab tree doesn’t do much to transport visitors or pachyderms to the African savanna. Thumbs down.
Penguin Rock- Quite possibly the worst penguin exhibit I have ever seen. It is way too small, all indoors and really not good at all.
The Knoxville Zoo is a medium sized average zoo with a good cast of animals and mediocre exhibits with a few roses and thorns. The exhibit design is often not my taste but I think Tiger Forest (opening in 2017) should raise the quality of this zoo. I would put this zoo somewhere between 47 and 60 on my ratings of best zoos in America.