San Diego Zoo San Diego: The Perfect Zoo?

My post above about the San Diego Zoo is negative, but that's not a good reflection about my overall views about the facility. It comes from my belief that the San Diego Zoo could be much better if they were less committed to displaying such a full complement of large mammals.The San Diego does not have to move out all their large animals- just do a better job with those that it keeps.

I think that the San Diego Zoo does an exceptional job displaying many of their small animals. The highlights of the San Diego Zoo for many Zoochat visitors seems to be the large walk-through aviaries, monkey exhibits, and the reptile yards.

Thankfully, I think that my views aren't that different from the direction that the San Diego Zoo is headed. Africa Rocks reflects a commitment to showcasing smaller animals that are still charismatic. The renovations to the Children's Zoo seem to reflect a similar philosophy.
 
I have split the comparison and debate about the "best zoos in the USA" into a separate thread - Top 5 zoos in the USA

That thread will remain closed.

This thread is about debating the question, "Is San Diego the perfect zoo". This does not entail comparing it to other zoos - it is about critiquing San Diego zoo on its own merits. Please do not go down the path of comparing or ranking other zoos in this thread.
 
I wish to make a public apology for throwing out a few insults in the old version of this thread, and I thank the moderator for removing my insults. While my insults were reacting to another's insults thrown at me, I am not going to use that as an excuse. I should have been above that and followed the admonition of "turning the other cheek". So again, I'm sorry. That was not my normal way of behaving online.
 
I think the San Diego Zoo is a fantastic zoo to visit, especially for a bird enthusiast such as me. I have visited twice (I am from Australia) the first time over 20 years ago and the second only 3 years ago. Both times I did not have enough time, there are things I missed, and I felt rushed to see as much as possible. When I next visit I will make sure I have two days there.

But the perfect zoo?

I guess that perfection is in the eye of the beholder. To me the perfect zoo would have the conservation ethos of Jersey Zoo and the sense of place and quality of exhibitary of the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, and that is something I try for with my own zoo, Moonlit Sanctuary. However even on it's own terms the San Diego Zoo falls short of perfect. Please note the following comments are based on memories of my visit three years ago:
  • It is very difficult to get around. Not much can be done about this given the topography.
  • Wayfinding was poor.
  • There were a number of poor exhibits still in use. Leaving aside the wire enclosures for aye-ayes etc I thought the Australian exhibits were very disappointing.
  • With no aquarium, and a tiny, out of the way insect house, vast sections of the animal kingdom are woefully underrepresented for such a major zoo.
  • For me, small mammals were also lacking.
  • While I know San Diego does a lot for conservation, there was no consistent conservation message or much to tell that story. Even going onto their website conservation queries tend to end up at a donation page.
But there is one measure not considered yet, that is what does Joe Public visitor think. These days we can refer to TripAdvisor reviews to give us some idea. San Diego Zoo performs very well, with a 4.59/5 average rating and 91% of visitors grading it either Very Good or Excellent. However there are still quite a few zoos that perform better, including as it happens Jersey Zoo, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum and I am proud to say, Moonlit Sanctuary.
 
I don't mean to have malicious intent in bumping a thread, but I find in regards to this discussion about the San Diego Zoo something of an interesting observation can be made.
In studying the history of zoo architecture, it is usually that at the most major, most influential zoos the enclosures - typically for large animals - reflect the artistry or conceptions held at the time. Hagenbeck's zoo reflected an 'age of enlightenment' alongside other conceptions held at that time - and, for some cases, this would be overshadowed by the abstract movement which, with its concave shapes, also had influence in zoo enclosure design.
Likewise, San Diego's more modern installments, built in an age of minimalism and utilitarianism, creates an environment one may call 'slightly incongruous' compared to what can be found in nature - an age of convenience reflected in the usage of such objects as utili-trees for elephants etc.
 
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