I have visited this zoo a couple of times on my way out to Toronto and Ohio I decided to write a review.
It has a typical New York zoo style layout: one main building with outside exhibits. The main building is divided into four animal sections- U.S.S. Antiquities, Diversity of Birds, Adaptations and Social Animals.
U.S.S. Antiquities is the zoos aquarium/herp house with the only mammals being a GLT and Prevost's squirrels. I was there less than two years ago and thought the collection was nice with exhibits ranging from a mix species exhibit with dwarf caiman, giant river and yellow spotted amazon turtles and a rhino iguana to a tropical saltwater tank with bamboo sharks. Nothing spectacular but enjoyable. Other species included retic and blood pythons, lined seahorses, various species of frogs, yellow spotted salamander and other freshwater turtles.
Diversity of birds is a large indoor aviary with a few small enclosures. The aviary its self is not impressive but I liked the collection. It was not location specific as it had palawan peacock pheasant, chestnut mandible toucan, luzon bleeding heart dove, various lories, nicobar pigeon and asian fairy bluebird. There was also a large hybrid macaw and radiated tortoises in the aviary.
The Adaptations buildings has a mix of species but mostly mammals. The exhibits are medium to small and house egyptian fruit bats, two toed sloths, naked mole rats, ocelots, fennec foxes and virginia opossum. The last time I visited this whole section smelled like ocelot urine. They had just recently been put on exhibit. The zoo has since added fossas and sand cats to this area.
The Social Animal section has most of the zoos primates, N.A. river otters, african lions and meerkats. The primate exhibits are small and none of them had outside areas (They have what looks like an outdoor island exhibit but I have never seen water surrounding the island which would allow the primates access). The species include siamangs, mandrills, vervet monkeys, ringtail and b/w ruffed lemurs, GLTs and squirrel monkeys. The lion enclosure is one of the smallest and barren I have seen at an accredited zoo and has a large window for viewing. Last time I was there the male began roaring and it was almost deafening because of the reverberation off the concrete walls and viewing glass in such a small habitat. They also have two females. The river otter exhibit is average and has a underwater viewing window with bluegills and pumpkin seeds in the foreground. The meerkat exhibit looks like the outside of an African hut that they share with von deckens hornbill.
There is also a cafeteria, classrooms and a banquet area in the building.
Outside the building, in the courtyard, is the waterfowl pond. I think I remember flamingos in the pond but I'm not sure. I do remember a graphic picture of ducks stomach cut open with coins coming out of it. It was there to remind people not to throw coins into the pond because this was the end result. I thought it was effective.
To the left of the cafeteria is the asian elephant exhibit. It is very small and all concrete with a pool to bathe in. It is sectioned off into two parts: one is a demonstration and training area and the other was a display area. Most times I have been there Indy, the bull, is in the display area and one or more of the females is in the demonstration area. Rosamond Gifford also may be one of the few zoos that allows you to touch one of the elephants during the demonstration. They currently house 1.3 elephants with two more females on loan to African Lion Safari in Canada. As a side note, one of these females recently gave birth to a son and was named after the director of the Rosamond Gifford zoo.
To the left of the elephants is the farm animal area with various domestic hoofstock and a dog.
Further to the left of that is a small collection of raptors which included peregrine falcon, turkey vultures and african crows.
Before you start the Wildlife Trails section of the zoo, there is a bird show area and a swan pond. The bird show had owls, hawks and falcons. Only place I have seen a merlin/pigeon hawk.
Wildlife Trails is the largest section of the zoo with a half mile trail that has about two dozen outdoor exhibits. All the species are found in or can tolerate cold weather. Starting from the raptors the first exhibit you come to is the spectacled bears. The bears the last time I visited came from the Erie Zoo. They lived in what looked like a modified bear pit with a rocky hill in the center that bears could climb and be eye level with visitors. They also also had numerous wooden structures to climb and a stream that ran around the circular enclosure with parts they could soak in. It used to be home to a huge Kodiak bear. Across from the spectacled bears are the andean condors and snow leopards. The condors are in a relatively small enclosure with a large tree they can use. The snow leopards enclosure is decent sized that has a small rocky hill with a stream running through it and is well vegetated (they have plenty of hiding spots). Across from the snow leopard is the red panda/muntjac exhibit. I have only seen the pandas once because it always seems hot when I visit. It is an average red panda exhibit but the zoo has had a lot of success breeding this species. Next to the red pandas is the collared peccary exhibit. I have only seen one in this barren exhibit. Next to the peccary is the bison pasture. The viewing area is partially blocked by trees and it can be difficult to see them. It is a fairly large enclosure. Next to them is the elephant summer yard. Compared to the other elephant area this is heaven. It is a large grassy yard (a least a couple of acres) with a large real tree and plenty of enrichment. I will put a picture up in the gallery. The only thing it is missing is a pool but a new elephant exhibit is in the works (I will address this later). It is a very good elephant habitat and with a little more work could be one of the best. Across from the elephant yard is the Thorolds deer yard. It is as large as the elephant yard and had about 7 or 8 individuals including young and a massive buck. The enclosure is built on a hill so it give the animals different terrain and allows the visitor great views of this magnificent species. Across from the deer and next the elephant, is the red wolf enclosure. You are elevated and look down into the enclosure which is heavily planted and can be difficult to spot the wolves. The exhibit is also very large. Next to the wolves are the amur tigers. This large habitat is also one the side of a hill but instead of looking up, you look down the hill. It has large viewing windows with a pool right in front so on hot days visitors can watch the tigers play in the water. This is one of my favorite amur tiger exhibits. Across from the tigers are five small exhibits with various wildlife. I have seen fisher, bald eagles, eurasian lynx, himalayan pheasent, red fox, golden eagle and barn owl. Next are the Turkmenian markhor and Rocky mountain bighorn sheep. Both exhibits are typical rocky, hilly terrain with boulders, logs and some grass. Average but nice. Next to them are the caribou and arctic wolves. The caribou are behind the wolves but they look like they share the same space. The caribou can look down at the wolves but the wolves can not get up to the caribou exhibit. Last time I went, I got to watch a keeper give the wolves frozen quails as an enrichment and they loved them. Across from the wolves are the yaks. This enclosure housed musk ox prior to the yaks. The last exhibit is the humboldt penguin exhibit. It was redone recently and is an excellent exhibit. It has indoor/outdoor and underwater viewing with a large pool and every time I visit there are chicks.
Overall I think the Rosamond Gifford zoo is nice and recommend it to anyone in the area or wants to make the drive. The outdoor exhibits are some of my favorite and the collection overall is good. It does have some work to be done, mainly elephants and primates but the zoo has addressed this and plans to have new elephant and primate exhibits in the future. They would like to bring back their two elephants in Canada to start breeding again (the zoo has had some bad luck with elephant breeding). The current zoo map shows they have moved the bison out and plan on expanding the summer yard which I am glad to see. I would honestly like them to expand into the deer yard but I will take what I can get.
