Phoenix Zoo or Work Wildlife Zoo

Coelacanth18 said:
The first person you insulted already answered your question, but to put it another way: both zoos have information on their websites and downloadable zoo maps about contact areas (petting zoos) and all of the interactive, hands-on animal encounters they offer such as giraffe feedings and stingray touch pools. If that's what you're looking for, you don't need us; you just need to use Google.

If you're trying to ask something else then it doesn't seem like people understand what you are asking for, in which case you should consider clarifying your question instead of throwing shade at everybody who tries to help you.
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I have many bad habits and the ones you list I cannot argue with. There may have been a misunderstanding, and my questions were partially answered, but not really.

I understand I can get information from Google/their websites, but there is information I am looking for that requires first hand experience. Also they have different reviews from people that went and I'm sure those people could have also downloaded a guide. Based on the answer I receive, because of what is important to me, I may not need to spend time looking into other information, such as information presented to me here by some.

What I am asking, in case it wasn't clear, is which location can I interact with the animals the most and be closer to. Interaction can be in the form of a petting area or animals being up close.

If I go to the zoo is it possible the animals will be too far too see because of the vast space they have? Will there be the same issue at WWZ or are you closer to the animals? Is this not an issue at either? I thought I clarified this to the first person that said my child couldn't tell the difference between a giraffe and a toaster.
 
Kareem said:
but there is information I am looking for that requires first hand experience.
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No there isn't.
Kareem said:
What I am asking, in case it wasn't clear, is which location can I interact with the animals the most and be closer to. Interaction can be in the form of a petting area or animals being up close
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Do you know someone with pets? That seems like a perfect fit to me. ;)

A zoo's main purpose nowadays is to educate the public about animals, conserve them, and generally just attract people who want to see animals that they normally can't see all the time.

Not a petting zoo.

This doesn't necessarily mean that zoos can't have interactions physically between guests, but very few animals kept by zoos are meant to be pet by the public, excluding giraffe feedings and Stingray touchpools and Domestic farm animals in childrens zoos if they supply that kind of interactions at the zoo. Which the usually do, but only seeing domestics at the place, that's no way to visit a zoo in my book.

EDIT:
And why, may I ask, the Phoenix zoo or the WWZA?
I mean it says you live in San Francisco, there is a zoo there. . . .
 
CheeseChameleon1945 said:
No there isn't.

Do you know someone with pets? That seems like a perfect fit to me. ;)

A zoo's main purpose nowadays is to educate the public about animals, conserve them, and generally just attract people who want to see animals that they normally can't see all the time.

Not a petting zoo.

This doesn't necessarily mean that zoos can't have interactions physically between guests, but very few animals kept by zoos are meant to be pet by the public, excluding giraffe feedings and Stingray touchpools and Domestic farm animals in childrens zoos if they supply that kind of interactions at the zoo. Which the usually do, but only seeing domestics at the place, that's no way to visit a zoo in my book.

EDIT:
And why, may I ask, the Phoenix zoo or the WWZA?
I mean it says you live in San Francisco, there is a zoo there. . . .
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It's so hard for me not to troll when I literally just clarified what I was asking and you still don't get it. Should I take a video with a tape measure to give you a visual representation? I said nothing about physical interaction and I JUST clarified that.

And maybe the experiences you've had after researching them online were exactly as you expected, but this has not been the case with me. If you go to the SF Zoo I would tell you when not to go as there are times of the year you barely get to see any animals because they are hiding in their private indoor areas. You would not find this information on their website.

Now that I'm done being an ass, yes, you may ask. I am going to visit Arizona and have limited time for what we want to do, so I wanted to pick one of the two locations.
 
Kareem said:
Now that I'm done being an ass, yes, you may ask. I am going to visit Arizona and have limited time for what we want to do, so I wanted to pick one of the two locations.
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That makes perfect sense.

On regarding the San Francisco zoo that is simply not true, I've been to so many zoos during the winter and I've had plenty of wonderful experiences. And also don't expect the website to update every day saying that, "Due to today's inconvenience this animal will be hiding in its exhibit and showing natural behavior etc."

I think most of the repliers on this thread seem to get the question now, and we've given answers, so I'm not sure why you keep complaining.

According to your mindset, closer means better, so I and other people gave you answers on just how close you can get.

I mean I would delve into it more but it's just not worth it rambling on like this anymore, so I'm just going to click that Handy dandy Ignore button!
 
CheeseChameleon1945 said:
That makes perfect sense.

On regarding the San Francisco zoo that is simply not true, I've been to so many zoos during the winter and I've had plenty of wonderful experiences. And also don't expect the website to update every day saying that, "Due to today's inconvenience this animal will be hiding in its exhibit and showing natural behavior etc."

I think most of the repliers on this thread seem to get the question now, and we've given answers, so I'm not sure why you keep complaining.

According to your mindset, closer means better, so I and other people gave you answers on just how close you can get.

I mean I would delve into it more but it's just not worth it rambling on like this anymore, so I'm just going to click that Handy dandy Ignore button!
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I forgot I'm speaking to a child. Bye Felicia
 
[QUOTE="CheeseChameleon1945, post: 1354094, member: 17082"
According to your mindset, closer means better
/QUOTE]

If only I would have mentioned this somewhere, like the OP...
 
Kareem said:
It's so hard for me not to troll when I literally just clarified what I was asking and you still don't get it. Should I take a video with a tape measure to give you a visual representation? I said nothing about physical interaction and I JUST clarified that.

And maybe the experiences you've had after researching them online were exactly as you expected, but this has not been the case with me. If you go to the SF Zoo I would tell you when not to go as there are times of the year you barely get to see any animals because they are hiding in their private indoor areas. You would not find this information on their website.

Now that I'm done being an ass, yes, you may ask. I am going to visit Arizona and have limited time for what we want to do, so I wanted to pick one of the two locations.
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Neither are closer and neither have what you want. Both have equally close spaces, the difference is wildlife world has more cages and paddocks whereas Phoenix has more grottos and natural spaces.
 
Kareem said:
What I am asking, in case it wasn't clear, is which location can I interact with the animals the most and be closer to. Interaction can be in the form of a petting area or animals being up close.
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I would assume both animals have a petting area, as nearly every zoo I've been to does. I'm sure their websites will clarify that for you.

As for how physically close you are to the animals or whether they will be largely visible this time of year, that would indeed be a question for someone who has been to both. I've only been to Phoenix Zoo and I don't remember having any specific problem seeing animals; I can't remember how many I saw close up. My experience is that in most zoos I've been to, some animals you can be very close to - for example, only a pane of glass separating - while some animals the enclosures are just not designed for that level of proximity. There aren't many zoos that are easy for me to generalize as one or the other. Likewise, most zoos I've been to on most days I see most of the animals - some close and active, some not - and don't see a few of them.
 
What the hell is with all of you today? Why are we gate-keeping zoos here? We should be glad that someone wants to visit one! This person came to us asking for advice, with a few genuine questions. There are plenty of reasons to ask which zoo gives you a closer view of the animals; photography, for one. Some zoos obviously have better views than others - it's much easier to see a big cat or bear if they can come right up to a class window vs having to look over a railing and a moat, for example. Unless people share lots of photos of the exhibits themselves, not just close ups of species, it can be difficult to tell based on that. I personally have had trouble finding exhibit photos for WWZ in the past.

@Kareem, I haven't been to either, so I can't give you an easy answer. Phoenix Zoo currently lets you pet cownose rays (they're soft and a little slimy, fun to touch!), but I don't know what the pool looks like; sometimes they're very difficult for little arms to reach in to. They also do camel rides, and have a petting farm area with domestic species. They also offer a Discovery Tour, $80 adult/$69 children, that can get you closer views. You can find some more photos of the zoo here: https://www.zoochat.com/commnity/media/categories/phoenix-zoo.1011/

Wildlife World Zoo is a bit harder to get an idea of, their website isn't great. They do have a drive through safari area, so animals could potentially come up to your vehicle. There's several transportation rides, as well - a train, a tram, and a boat. Their kangaroo walkabout lets you get up close with their roos. They have a nursery, as well, where you can get close up views of some baby animals. In February you'll be able to get a photo taken with their sea lions, for now they just have a sea lion show. They also do daily penguin feedings. Photos are here: Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium - ZooChat

You might also want to look at the Sea Life Aquarium - Best Arizona Aquarium | SEA LIFE Arizona Aquarium It's next to legoland, so they can be combined, and you get a discount for buying tickets to both. The aquarium has touch tanks and a really neat tunnel where the fish swim all around you.
 
TinoPup said:
What the hell is with all of you today? Why are we gate-keeping zoos here?
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Tino, you very kindly answered the poster's question, as did I and several other people. The poster did nothing but gratuitously insult and troll us. To his credit, it appears that he did apologize and reframe his question into a genuine query. The trolling is what people objected to. Hopefully the poster got the information that he was seeking and we can all move forward now.
 
DavidBrown said:
Tino, you very kindly answered the poster's question, as did I and several other people. The poster did nothing but gratuitously insult and troll us. To his credit, it appears that he did apologize and reframe his question into a genuine query. The trolling is what people objected to. Hopefully the poster got the information that he was seeking and we can all move forward now.
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Why are we assuming Kareem's a he? :confused:
 
@Kareem I live in Arizona and have been to both zoos several times, so I suppose I should give my opinion. (However I will say that I am losing my personal interest in zoos and am unlikely to visit any of these again).

Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium & Safari Park, as they now call themselves, lets you get closer and would be easier for a toddler to see animals up close. However, they are a for-profit corporation with cheezy rides and (in my opinion) very poor animal husbandry practices and some cages that are downright inhumane. After my last visit a few years ago when they opened a new extension that still had terrible exhibits, I decided I did not want to support them any more. So even though it may meet your desires better, I would urge you to avoid it for the reasons listed. There is a reason they had to give up their AZA accreditation years ago.

Phoenix Zoo is big and has several very nice natural exhibits (plus some mediocre exhibits). They are not what I would call a world-class zoo, but their exhibitry and animal husbandry is certainly a step above Wildlife World. They are a non-profit AZA accredited zoo and have a nice children's zoo - the only zoo in Arizona that has a full-fledged children's zoo. They support several conservation projects, including an on-site breeding center for black-footed ferrets that are being reintroduced into the wild (though the ferrets are not visible to the public). If you must choose one in the Phoenix area, this is the one.

If you are interested in driving south, I think Reid Park Zoo in my city of Tucson would fit your needs the best. It's small, AZA accredited, most of the animals are up close, and the exhibits are overall good. The African elephant exhibit is much better than the Asian elephant exhibit at Phoenix Zoo (the only other elephant exhibit in the state) and in fact Reid Park's is one of the best in the country. If you arrive in the morning and go to the education building in the back, there is a good chance that docents will have small animals out for your toddler to see and touch (at least that's how it was when I was a docent there).

I hope this helps!
 
TinoPup said:
@Kareem, I haven't been to either, so I can't give you an easy answer. Phoenix Zoo currently lets you pet cownose rays (they're soft and a little slimy, fun to touch!), but I don't know what the pool looks like; sometimes they're very difficult for little arms to reach in to. They also do camel rides, and have a petting farm area with domestic species. They also offer a Discovery Tour, $80 adult/$69 children, that can get you closer views. You can find some more photos of the zoo here: https://www.zoochat.com/commnity/media/categories/phoenix-zoo.1011/
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Phoenix also has an entire children’s trail and a farm section which looks to be pretty up close.
Wildlife World has a children’s petting area and a play area right next to it.
 
DavidBrown said:
Tino, you very kindly answered the poster's question, as did I and several other people. The poster did nothing but gratuitously insult and troll us. To his credit, it appears that he did apologize and reframe his question into a genuine query. The trolling is what people objected to. Hopefully the poster got the information that he was seeking and we can all move forward now.
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I haven't seen any trolling, just attempts to get their questions answered. They got a bit testy, but that isn't trolling, and it wasn't really unwarranted given how most people were replying.
 
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