What American zoos are you looking to visit?
~Thylo
~Thylo
Looking forward to 2014
- Thread starter Javan Rhino
- Start date
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
What American zoos are you looking to visit?
~Thylo
Me?
I'm likely visiting the West Coast, so the collections I'm keen to visit include: Vancouver Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, & San Diego Sea World. I'm not sure how possible visiting all of these will be, but fingers crossed! I'd also like to visit some places in Portland, but now sure what's there yet.
I'm looking forward to visiting New Zealand.
I went to Australia last year and even though the trip cost me an arm and a leg and I bled $$$ down there, I loved every minute of it. I loved the Taronga Zoo, where I got to see AND photograph a snow leopard for the first time (after standing in front of the enclosure for 20-25 minutes). The two snow leopards at the San Diego zoo have never been cooperative with me.
Auckland and Wellington, you are next.
I went to Australia last year and even though the trip cost me an arm and a leg and I bled $$$ down there, I loved every minute of it. I loved the Taronga Zoo, where I got to see AND photograph a snow leopard for the first time (after standing in front of the enclosure for 20-25 minutes). The two snow leopards at the San Diego zoo have never been cooperative with me.
Auckland and Wellington, you are next.
Me?
I'm likely visiting the West Coast, so the collections I'm keen to visit include: Vancouver Aquarium, Woodland Park Zoo, San Francisco Zoo, Los Angeles Zoo, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, & San Diego Sea World. I'm not sure how possible visiting all of these will be, but fingers crossed! I'd also like to visit some places in Portland, but now sure what's there yet.
The Vancouver Aquarium is great. The beluga whale show is just awesome!
The LA zoo is tiny but if you have kids, they'll love petting goats.
The San Diego zoo is probably one of the best zoos in the world. Their new koala exhibit has more animals of that species than anything in Australia.
The general access to the San Diego Safari Park is kind of lame. Go for the personal excur$$$ion. You get to feed rhinos and giraffes!! It's mind blowing.
San Diego Sea world was great before SeaWorld banned trainers in the water with the orcas. I haven't got to see Shamu after that.
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
Auckland
I hope you haven't booked flights yet!
Ha! You posted your reply before I corrected the name!
I was watching the sun bear webcam broadcast from Oakland, CA while I was typing. Hence my mistake. No excuse, I know.
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
I'm keen to see LAIR at LA Zoo, and definitely plan on doing more at the SD Safari Park than just the basics. Will probably spend very little time looking at koalas at the SD Zoo!
I went to the LA Zoo about two weeks ago for the first time (in spite of the advise from a kid, see below). I didn't visit the LAIR though. My 5-year-old niece doesn't like snakes.
I'd advice you skip the LA Zoo and head south to San Diego. The Safari Park is the way to go.
Here's a true story that happened about 4 months ago. My better half and I went to the San Diego Zoo (we go there about four times a year) and overheard a 9-year-old telling his mother: "this zoo rocks!! it has so many cool animals! The LA Zoo sucks!!"
That was the natural reaction of a kid about the LA zoo. You've been warned, LOL.
I'd advice you skip the LA Zoo and head south to San Diego. The Safari Park is the way to go.
Here's a true story that happened about 4 months ago. My better half and I went to the San Diego Zoo (we go there about four times a year) and overheard a 9-year-old telling his mother: "this zoo rocks!! it has so many cool animals! The LA Zoo sucks!!"
That was the natural reaction of a kid about the LA zoo. You've been warned, LOL.
I wouldn't call it tiny - it's 133 acres! And when it opened in 1966 it was the fifth largest zoo in the world (according to Nyhuis and Wassner).
According to their website they only have 21 koalas. Taronga Zoo also has 21 koalas. Lone Pine in Brisbane has 130. Of course, if you know where to go you can see a couple of dozen koalas in the wild.
Hix
In the next 6 months l will be taking 3 trips.
Bali. - will visit the zoo for the 1st time, can't help myself although l am concerned that l will be severely disappointed.
Auckland. - looking forward to my first visit to Auckland Zoo.
Perth - I was last at the Perth Zoo in 2009. I will be driving down to Margret River any recommendations ?
Bali. - will visit the zoo for the 1st time, can't help myself although l am concerned that l will be severely disappointed.
Auckland. - looking forward to my first visit to Auckland Zoo.
Perth - I was last at the Perth Zoo in 2009. I will be driving down to Margret River any recommendations ?
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
Keen to hear what you think of Auckland Zoo - definitely let us know. Will you be visiting any other zoos on that visit?
Hi Zooboy,
Can you recommend other zoos around Auckland?
PS the other zoos will either need primates or great enclosures to tempt me. I am only going to be in Auckland for the weekend, while my nights are fully booked l will have all day saturday and Sunday till 3 pm free.
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
If you are only going to be in Auckland for the weekend, then I would recommend just exploring the zoo and the city. Perhaps visit the Museum - it has some good natural history displays, or Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium (now SEA LIFE but still pretty good), and maybe take a ferry out to Tiri Tiri Matangi (for birds) or Rangitoto Island (for views).
If you really were keen for another zoo, then you could drive an hour north to the Ti Point Reptile Park, which has two capuchins as well as lots of reptiles (including heaps of natives) or drive two hours south to Hamilton Zoo, which has some very nice enclosures, and quite a few primates (although nothing that you wouldn't have seen before). But I think this could end up being less fun as you would need to do quite a bit of driving, and have less time for actually doing stuff.
Have you actually been to the LA Zoo? It is one of the largest zoos in the U.S. by acreage and possibly by collection.
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
As Hix mentioned, the LA zoo is 133 acres, 33 more acres than the "world famous" San Diego Zoo. Of course, the SD Zoo likes to pack in animals in every corner of the zoo which makes it appear much larger.
Also, you didn't like the LA zoo yet you didn't see one of the best exhibits at the zoo.
As Hix mentioned, the LA zoo is 133 acres, 33 more acres than the "world famous" San Diego Zoo. Of course, the SD Zoo likes to pack in animals in every corner of the zoo which makes it appear much larger.
Also, you didn't like the LA zoo yet you didn't see one of the best exhibits at the zoo.
I'm doubtful that he actually visited the LA Zoo based on his statement that it is "tiny" and his lack of description of it. Not sure why he's a hater.
I am super excited for you!!!!Maguari said:
If you can, when in Costa Rica get to Manuel Antonio where you can do boat trips through the mangroves for silky anteaters (high chance of success) and I have recently learned there are also night boat trips where there is a reasonable chance for yapok!!!!!!!!! (That's with Avenature). Check out the Mammalwatching page for Costa Rica, and there was a recently-added trip report mentioning about the yapoks.
the Fitzroy Gardens have "tame" brush-tailed possums which are used to being fed by people at night. I have heard there are ring-tails there as well but I didn't see any (I was there years ago).
Remember the water rats at St. Kilda pier as well (in the evening, where the penguin colony is).