I have been asked to do a review of NC Zoo, so I will:
In my opinion it is one of the best zoos I have been too with some of the nicest exhibits I have ever seen (I have been up and down the East coast and midwest visiting zoos).
The layout is zoogeographic with two main areas: North America and Africa. It is very scenic being in the country and located in a hilly area. My only real complaint about the layout is it's spaced out. It seems to take forever to go from one exhibit to another. It is a minor complaint and I can always use the exercise. There is also a tram that will take you from the beginning of Africa to the beginning of North America if needed.
The first exhibit you come to entering from North America side the Cypress Swamp. It is very naturalistic taking most of its immersion from the woods and marshes that naturally surround that portion of the zoo. Wild turtles, birds and frogs can be seen in and near the large pond as you enter to your left and to the right of the boardwalk as you walk towards the exhibit. They also have 2 N.A. alligator exhibits: one has a large bull and at least 1 female with a big gator snapper. It also has underwater viewing. The other has at least several smaller gators in a much larger habitat. Near the big gators is a small herp collection with native salamanders, frogs, turtles and snakes. Lastly there is cougar exhibit that had 2 cougars in it. It was not very large but had lots of enrichment and was very naturalistic looking with glass windows and steel netting on top.
The exhibit I visited nest was the Rocky Coast exhibit. There were 3 large enclosures and 2 smaller enclosures. The first one I saw was the pinniped exhibit that housed California sea lions and harbor seals (It also housed a harp seal for a brief time a year or two ago). It has natural looking rock outcroppings and a large pool with underwater viewing. It was nothing special but just above average. Next were the seabird colonies. They were located on the bottom level (so is the underwater viewing for polar bears and pinnipeds). NC Zoo is one of the few zoos in the country to house thick billed murre, parakeet auklet and horned puffin. Their exhibit is very naturalistic looking and is viewed through a large glass window with above and underwater viewing. It is one of the best indoor bird colony (penguin, puffin etc) enclosures I have seen. The polar bear exhibit is one of the better polar bear exhibits I have seen.They only had one bear because the other died recently. It is not very large but was naturalistic with a large pool, a rock outcropping to jump off of into the pool, I good amount of dry land and different types of substrate to walk on (rock, concrete, grass, pebbles, sand(?)). They are going to enlarge the enclosure in the near future. There are also two smaller enclosures on either side of the bear and pinniped enclosures: one containing arctic foxes, the other peregrine falcons. They are about average.
I bypassed the children's zoo when I found out they did not have any animal exhibits, only animal encounters.
The Streamside exhibit is a fake stream that seems to run through two buildings and 2 outdoor enclosures. The buildings contain native wildlife like barred owls but mostly herps and fish. Copperheads, rattlers, frogs and trout are just some of these animals. The exhibit also has an N.A. otter exhibit that is very naturalistic and a bobcat exhibit that is similar to the cougar exhibit.
The N.A. black bear enclosure is very large with trees, streams, dens and a large pool with a waterfall in the front of the exhibit so visitors can watch them. The grizzly bear and red wolf exhibits are similar but not quite as large and there are fewer trees. These are some of the best bear/wolf exhibits I have seen.
The prairie exhibit is a massive 14 acres and has N. A. elk and bison. There are large herds of each species and this is the second largest exhibit at the zoo. There are 4 viewing areas with elevated points to see most of the enclosure (Its so big its impossible to see the whole enclosure). When I was there ,May '09, they were building a fake Old Faithful in front of one of the viewing areas which I thought was a cool idea. This exhibit is bigger than the zoo and parking lot I am currently at.
The last exhibit in North America is the Sonora Desert exhibit. This is one of my favorite exhibits ever. It is an indoor desert with a large geodesic dome covering it and separated into three parts: daytime desert, riverbed and nocturnal. As you walk through there are free-flight birds with small enclosures found in the rock work and surrounding area. Some of the free-flight birds include black throat hummingbirds and gamblers quails. The enclosures include Annas hummingbird, roadrunners, gila woodpeckers, elf owls, desert tortoises, chuckwalla, desert iguana, night snakes and ocelots. The riverbed is mostly herps (salamanders, lizards, snakes, toads) but has desert pupfish as well. The nocturnal part has large enclosures for vampire bats, cacomistle, coati, spotted skunk and sidewinders. Overall this is one of the most unique immersion exhibits I have ever visited with a great collection of animals.
As you enter the Africa section, the aviary if one of the first exhibits you will encounter. Outside there are flamingos and before you enter the avairy there is a small frog exhibit with dart and panama golden frogs. The aviary is a typical indoor aviary but is completely free-flight with no visible enclosures. It is very lush and very natural looking. Even though it is found in the Africa section the bird species are diverse. Eclectus parrots, victoria crowned pigeon, bali mhynas, red capped cardinals, emerald starling and one of the few grey headed kingfishers in the country are found in the aviary. Yellow and red foot tortoise can also be found in the aviary.
Just outside the Africa Pavillion is the gorilla habitat. It is nothing special but adequate for the 1.2 group that lives there.
The African Pavillion used to house many african animals including colobus, meerkats, dik-dik, trumpeter hornbill and monitors but now has orchids in these exhibits. Only the indoor hamadryas baboon habitat and the w. african dwarf croc reside indoors. The outside has the large baboon habitat (I think its better than the gorilla), bateleur eagles and an empty enclosure that had servals in it.
After coming out the back of the Africa Pavillion you will see the largest exhibit I have seen in a zoo. Watani Grasslands African plains exhibit is a massive 30-40+ acre exhibit that is beautiful with a large pond/lake, trees, varying terrain and plenty of room to roam (see pics in gallery). As of May '09 the exhibit featured S. white rhino, gemsbok, blesbok, fringe eared oryx, common waterbuck, thompsons gazelle, greater kudu, nile lechwe, ostrich and spur winged geese. Trying to describe it does not do it justice, see the gallery or just visit the zoo.
Next to the plains exhibit is the elephant exhibit. Second in size to DAK, this 7 acre habitat is the best elephant habitat I have seen. Go to the gallery to see pics and more details about the exhibit.
The 1.5 acre Forest Edge exhibit has giraffe, ostrich, grants zebra and soon, bongo. It is very nice and seems slightly elevated for great viewing and photo opportunities.
The Red River Hog exhibit is slightly above average and gives the pigs a good amount of space.
Next, the lion exhibit is larger than average and is on a grassy hill giving the lions different view points and terrain. It also over looks the chimp exhibit which kept the lioness occupied while I was visiting.
The chimp exhibit is the best I have seen (I have not gone to Detroit or KC). It is large with plenty of climbing structures and one or two hills for the chimps to explore. Also there are two viewing areas with large glass windows to see the chimps through.
Finally the patas monkey habitat is a good size island with a good number of climbing structures. Slighty above average primate island exhibit.
Overall, the NC Zoo is one of the best zoos I have visited. The exhibits are some of the largest and most naturalistic I have ever seen and the collection is excellent. I recommend this zoo to anyone willing to make the trip.
In my opinion it is one of the best zoos I have been too with some of the nicest exhibits I have ever seen (I have been up and down the East coast and midwest visiting zoos).
The layout is zoogeographic with two main areas: North America and Africa. It is very scenic being in the country and located in a hilly area. My only real complaint about the layout is it's spaced out. It seems to take forever to go from one exhibit to another. It is a minor complaint and I can always use the exercise. There is also a tram that will take you from the beginning of Africa to the beginning of North America if needed.
The first exhibit you come to entering from North America side the Cypress Swamp. It is very naturalistic taking most of its immersion from the woods and marshes that naturally surround that portion of the zoo. Wild turtles, birds and frogs can be seen in and near the large pond as you enter to your left and to the right of the boardwalk as you walk towards the exhibit. They also have 2 N.A. alligator exhibits: one has a large bull and at least 1 female with a big gator snapper. It also has underwater viewing. The other has at least several smaller gators in a much larger habitat. Near the big gators is a small herp collection with native salamanders, frogs, turtles and snakes. Lastly there is cougar exhibit that had 2 cougars in it. It was not very large but had lots of enrichment and was very naturalistic looking with glass windows and steel netting on top.
The exhibit I visited nest was the Rocky Coast exhibit. There were 3 large enclosures and 2 smaller enclosures. The first one I saw was the pinniped exhibit that housed California sea lions and harbor seals (It also housed a harp seal for a brief time a year or two ago). It has natural looking rock outcroppings and a large pool with underwater viewing. It was nothing special but just above average. Next were the seabird colonies. They were located on the bottom level (so is the underwater viewing for polar bears and pinnipeds). NC Zoo is one of the few zoos in the country to house thick billed murre, parakeet auklet and horned puffin. Their exhibit is very naturalistic looking and is viewed through a large glass window with above and underwater viewing. It is one of the best indoor bird colony (penguin, puffin etc) enclosures I have seen. The polar bear exhibit is one of the better polar bear exhibits I have seen.They only had one bear because the other died recently. It is not very large but was naturalistic with a large pool, a rock outcropping to jump off of into the pool, I good amount of dry land and different types of substrate to walk on (rock, concrete, grass, pebbles, sand(?)). They are going to enlarge the enclosure in the near future. There are also two smaller enclosures on either side of the bear and pinniped enclosures: one containing arctic foxes, the other peregrine falcons. They are about average.
I bypassed the children's zoo when I found out they did not have any animal exhibits, only animal encounters.
The Streamside exhibit is a fake stream that seems to run through two buildings and 2 outdoor enclosures. The buildings contain native wildlife like barred owls but mostly herps and fish. Copperheads, rattlers, frogs and trout are just some of these animals. The exhibit also has an N.A. otter exhibit that is very naturalistic and a bobcat exhibit that is similar to the cougar exhibit.
The N.A. black bear enclosure is very large with trees, streams, dens and a large pool with a waterfall in the front of the exhibit so visitors can watch them. The grizzly bear and red wolf exhibits are similar but not quite as large and there are fewer trees. These are some of the best bear/wolf exhibits I have seen.
The prairie exhibit is a massive 14 acres and has N. A. elk and bison. There are large herds of each species and this is the second largest exhibit at the zoo. There are 4 viewing areas with elevated points to see most of the enclosure (Its so big its impossible to see the whole enclosure). When I was there ,May '09, they were building a fake Old Faithful in front of one of the viewing areas which I thought was a cool idea. This exhibit is bigger than the zoo and parking lot I am currently at.
The last exhibit in North America is the Sonora Desert exhibit. This is one of my favorite exhibits ever. It is an indoor desert with a large geodesic dome covering it and separated into three parts: daytime desert, riverbed and nocturnal. As you walk through there are free-flight birds with small enclosures found in the rock work and surrounding area. Some of the free-flight birds include black throat hummingbirds and gamblers quails. The enclosures include Annas hummingbird, roadrunners, gila woodpeckers, elf owls, desert tortoises, chuckwalla, desert iguana, night snakes and ocelots. The riverbed is mostly herps (salamanders, lizards, snakes, toads) but has desert pupfish as well. The nocturnal part has large enclosures for vampire bats, cacomistle, coati, spotted skunk and sidewinders. Overall this is one of the most unique immersion exhibits I have ever visited with a great collection of animals.
As you enter the Africa section, the aviary if one of the first exhibits you will encounter. Outside there are flamingos and before you enter the avairy there is a small frog exhibit with dart and panama golden frogs. The aviary is a typical indoor aviary but is completely free-flight with no visible enclosures. It is very lush and very natural looking. Even though it is found in the Africa section the bird species are diverse. Eclectus parrots, victoria crowned pigeon, bali mhynas, red capped cardinals, emerald starling and one of the few grey headed kingfishers in the country are found in the aviary. Yellow and red foot tortoise can also be found in the aviary.
Just outside the Africa Pavillion is the gorilla habitat. It is nothing special but adequate for the 1.2 group that lives there.
The African Pavillion used to house many african animals including colobus, meerkats, dik-dik, trumpeter hornbill and monitors but now has orchids in these exhibits. Only the indoor hamadryas baboon habitat and the w. african dwarf croc reside indoors. The outside has the large baboon habitat (I think its better than the gorilla), bateleur eagles and an empty enclosure that had servals in it.
After coming out the back of the Africa Pavillion you will see the largest exhibit I have seen in a zoo. Watani Grasslands African plains exhibit is a massive 30-40+ acre exhibit that is beautiful with a large pond/lake, trees, varying terrain and plenty of room to roam (see pics in gallery). As of May '09 the exhibit featured S. white rhino, gemsbok, blesbok, fringe eared oryx, common waterbuck, thompsons gazelle, greater kudu, nile lechwe, ostrich and spur winged geese. Trying to describe it does not do it justice, see the gallery or just visit the zoo.
Next to the plains exhibit is the elephant exhibit. Second in size to DAK, this 7 acre habitat is the best elephant habitat I have seen. Go to the gallery to see pics and more details about the exhibit.
The 1.5 acre Forest Edge exhibit has giraffe, ostrich, grants zebra and soon, bongo. It is very nice and seems slightly elevated for great viewing and photo opportunities.
The Red River Hog exhibit is slightly above average and gives the pigs a good amount of space.
Next, the lion exhibit is larger than average and is on a grassy hill giving the lions different view points and terrain. It also over looks the chimp exhibit which kept the lioness occupied while I was visiting.
The chimp exhibit is the best I have seen (I have not gone to Detroit or KC). It is large with plenty of climbing structures and one or two hills for the chimps to explore. Also there are two viewing areas with large glass windows to see the chimps through.
Finally the patas monkey habitat is a good size island with a good number of climbing structures. Slighty above average primate island exhibit.
Overall, the NC Zoo is one of the best zoos I have visited. The exhibits are some of the largest and most naturalistic I have ever seen and the collection is excellent. I recommend this zoo to anyone willing to make the trip.
