GraysonDP
Well-Known Member
San Diego Zoo Review
Date of Visit: January 10, 2009
Without question the most famous zoo in America. San Diego has a lot going for it- a flawless collection, a beautiful lush property, excellent weather year-round, strong community support, huge budgets and a rich history of breeding and conservation success stories. Additionally, many of the exhibits are quite immersive and among the best of their kind- particularly on the left hand side of the zoo which focuses primarily on rainforest habitats. The zoo has an awkward mix of terrain (lots of mesas and canyons) as well as a sometimes disorganized mix of older taxidermic regions and modern primarily geographic ones. However, at times San Diego can seem commercial in a way that is offputting and is quite crowded. Also, some of the older exhibits are quite weak and significant portions of the zoo are deeply flawed and outdated. Elephant Odyssey, Panda Canyon and Australian Outback had not opened when I visited so they won’t be covered in this review.
Excellent
Monkey Trails and Forest Tales- In my opinion, the best part of the zoo. By walking on a boardwalk, visitors view a wide variety of primate species in lush spacious mesh habitats as well as a few other animals. The amount of climbing opportunities and enrichments in this section is phenomenal and the exhibtry is a brilliant alternative to the glorified cages found for monkeys at so many other zoos. Mandrills and guenons share a fairly large netted exhibit with lots of trees, deadfalls, realistic rocks, ropes, plants and shade. It has more height than any other exhibit I’ve seen for either species.This very well might be the best mandrill exhibit in the nation and it is perfect for the colorful baboons. Colobus monkeys and mangabeys live in a super tall habitat with ropes and trees galore for them to swing around. Capuchins have a similar exhibit filled with enrichments for them to play with and height for them to climb. Red-cheeked gibbons have an exhibit with tall trees for them to swing around with and a fair amount of vegetation. All of these mesh habitats are state-of-th-eart and all among the very best of their kind.
Clouded leopards used to be featured in an amazing exhibit in this section but have since been moved to the despicable Urban Jungle, one of many things about San Diego I just don’t understand. In addition to the primates, a wide variety of tropical birds live in netted mesh enclosures that are quite stellar. You really feel like you’re walking around a jungle. Pygmy hippopotamus and Wolf’s guenons live in an excellent habitat with a huge pool and underwater viewing for the hippos and plenty of trees for the monkeys. It is by far the best pygmy hippo exhibit I have ever seen and I especially appreciate the amount of land area and detail in figuring out the backdrops and beach. Slender snouted crocodiles live in a terrific exhibit loaded with gallons upon gallons of water and an underwater viewing. The rockwork is excellent and the pool is loaded with fish. Babirusas live in a decent sized muddy habitat, yellow backed duikers live in an average exhibit and a variety of reptiles live in a bunch of excellent terrariums. Overall an absolutely brilliant complex and the best monkey exhibit complex I’ve seen.
Ituri Forest- Another amazing complex that successfully transports people and animals to a Central African Rainforest. It starts out with a spectacular exhibit for Allen’s swamp monkeys, Schmidt’s red-tailed guenons and spotted-necked otters. The land area is loaded with deadfalls, ropes, lush vegetation and a wooden structure that doubles as a shade resting place and a climbing opportunity. The river around it is brilliantly designed and the rockwork is very well done. This great exhibit is the perfect vehicle to seeing three very charismatic species act. Up next is a drier habitat for the above species as well as red river hogs and the rarely seen forest buffalo. Then comes a very nice African aviary for lovebirds, turacos, warblers and other birds. Next is the crown jewel of the complex and one of the zoo’s high points: the famous Hippo Beach. It is the best Nile hippopotamus exhibit I’ve ever seen, largely thanks to the stunning pool. The pool is gigantic, has the highest quality of water around and is perfect for observing the giants lumber around. Additionally, the lush vegetation around the exhibit enhances the immersion and makes you feel like you’re getting an excellent view of an underwater lake in the wild. The plants and rocky backdrops around the exhibit are perfect and the deadfalls and ample land area make this one of the best large mammal exhibits in the country. Last, okapis have a shaded yard next to the hippos. Personally I would have put more grass in the exhibit but it works fine and has plenty of trees.
Gorilla Tropics- While not the largest gorilla exhibit I have seen, this is definitely one of the lushest. It is packed with waterfalls, a variety of trees and bushes, deadfalls, rocks, enrichments, hiding opportunities and nests for the apes to reside in. As a visitor, you feel transported to an elusive tropical rainforest where gorillas can pop up any minute. It also works well that this exhibit is far away from the hustle and noise of the main paths and the bus tour. Although not native to Africa, there is quite a lot of bamboo in this exhibit. I really appreciate the amount of opportunities to climb, find shade and make choices this gorilla exhibit gives and would say it is one of the top five or six I have seen and probably a top ten one in the nation.
Nearby is an enormous treehouse, the spectacular Scripps Aviary and the equally brilliant bonobo exhibit. Complete with a crashing waterfall, the pygmy chimps have a decent-sized habitat that is quite immersive and naturalistic. I would probably say Columbus’s is better since it is larger and has more enrichment opportunities but I really like this one too. The rockwork here is phenomenal and the deadfalls are designed in a brilliant way that gives them a fair amount of height and lets the apes climb. A series of ropes serve as great enrichment opportunities. Amazing exhibit.
African Kopje- This is a small exhibit but the zoo went all out with its design and construction in 1986. It looks exactly like a kopje and replicates the habitat perfectly. Klipspringers, dwarf mongoose, hyraxes and pancake tortoises inhabit this sandy, rocky exhibit and it is perfectly designed to suit their needs. A solid Bateleur eagle aviary is found behind and an excellent meerkat exhibit filled with mounds is nearby. Utterly brilliant in all ways.
Polar Plunge- Some have questioned exhibiting polar bears in sunny San Diego but I feel these concerns are counteracted by the large, deep pool they are given to cool off in. When built this was without a doubt the best Arctic bear habitat in the country and while that is no longer true it is still quite good. I’m not crazy about the mock-rock land area and would add natural substrate but the exhibit does have a decent amount of enrichments and a brilliant pool. Standard exhibits for caribou, Arctic fox and birds are found nearby.
Koalas- At the time of my visit the exhibitry was subpar but the amount of koalas they have is absolutely amazing in itself. It appears now they have an incredible set of habitats in Australian Outback so I’m ranking this as excellent.
Aviaries- Even if you’re not much of a bird person, the aviaries at this zoo will blow you away. They are enormous, walkthrough, incredibly lush and packed with every tropical bird you can imagine. Incredible.
Tiger River- While a bit dated in some sections, this exhibit complex ultimately holds up quite well. It starts out with a nice but small aviary for Asian birds. The vegetation around the pathway helps transport visitors to an Asian rainforest. Up next is an excellent exhibit for gharials complete with a huge, clear pool and lush backdrops. Then comes another aviary and a small but well designed exhibit for fishing cat viewed through vertical wire. The exhibit has a crashing waterfall, good pond, lots of vertical space and a good amount of hiding opportunities. A Malayan tapir habitat has a nice pool and good rocky backdrops but the land area is simply too small. Two more aviaries appear before visitors get to the complex’s namesake tiger exhibit. The tigers live in a shady, hilly habitat that’s decently sized and has plenty of opportunities for them to hide. There is a pool for the tigers to swim, deadfalls for them to climb and the rocks are quite immersive. Personally I would prefer it to be a bit lusher but this is still a great tiger habitat. I especially like how the trees make it feel like a forest clearing.
Absolutely Apes- A fairly large exhibit which houses orangutans and siamang. It is quite open and I would definitely add more trees and a canopy inside since the apes are on the ground too much. However, the amount of enrichments, poles and ropes elevates the quality of this habitat significantly and I would ultimately say it’s slightly above average.
Reptile Mesa- I love how this reptile house is open air and the outdoor exhibits are all stellar. Great collection as well.
Flamingo Lagoon- One of the best flamingo pools I have seen with a beautiful flock.
Average
Sun Bear Forest- The highlight of this section is the brilliant netted lion-tailed macaque exhibits (I believe now they house gibbons). They are loaded with enrichments such as a hammock, tons of ropes, plenty of fake trees and a nice mix of rock and grass. However, the sun bear habitats themselves are merely average. They do have a fair amount of enrichments and climbing opportunities but they are too small and are fundamentally grottoes.
Spider Monkey- For a zoo that has so many excellent primate exhibits this one is quite disappointing. There is at least a decent amount of height but there isn’t any vegetation in this habitat.
Giant Panda- The zoo’s star attraction but their exhibit is average. My favorite thing about this area is they enforce a quiet policy among visitors. There is a decent amount of enrichment and climbing/hiding opportunities in the habitats but they just aren’t as large or immersive as they should be.
Poor
Hoof and Horn Mesa- While most of the complex was closed in 2007, some remnants near Polar Plunge were still around on my visit and continue to be so today. When I visited in 2006, I wasn’t a big fan of Hoof and Horn Mesa because the habitats were all substandard and I can say the same for what remains. They just are really dry and generic. The remnants house species including Grevy’s zebra, lesser kudu, maned wolf/giant anteater, Cuvier’s gazelle, gerenuk and Speke’s gazelle.
Bear Canyon- A highly outdated row of grottos features grizzly bears, spotted hyenas, lions (since moved to Elephant Odyssey), sea otters, sloth bears and Andean bears. They offer minimal naturalism and are largely concrete. Yuck. Even worse, there are a few primate cages that exist from when the zoo first opened. Bring on the bulldozers!
Children’s Zoo- A relatively outdated, poorly designed children’s zoo which has been done better by many.
Wegeforth Bowl- An outdated facility for a sea lion show that really should be replaced by a naturalistic habitat. The pool is really small and narrow and the land area is all concrete.
Cat Canyon- This section of the zoo was atrocious was I was quite happy to hear it got bulldozed to make way for Africa Rocks, which I’m quite excited about.
Elephant Mesa (Urban Jungle)- An absolute disaster on all levels and a complete hodgepodge. The elephant exhibit (now Indian rhinoceros) is quite weak as it is small, barren and lacking enough enrichment or room to encourage natural behavior. The new exhibit from most accounts and the pictures is far from perfect and goes for a more stylized approach rather than immersion but it is clearly leagues above this one in size and quality. At least that one allows them to act like elephants. The giraffe exhibit was and is a disaster and is about the smallest one around. The other habitats aren’t any better and host a wide variety of animals that the zoo doesn’t seem to know what to do with. This zoo sometimes puts having a stellar collection above quality (in my opinion the biggest flaw of the zoo) and this complex shows it well.
I really enjoyed my visit to the San Diego Zoo and plan on visiting again sometimes in a few years after Africa Rock opens. It is easy to see why this zoo is so popular and famous and I came out with admiration. Exhibits such as Monkey Trails, Ituri Forest, Gorilla Forest and African Kopje are among my favorite exhibits anywhere. However, I am not convinced this is the best zoo in America because there are too many areas that are outdated and fundamental flaws to parts of the zoo. I would probably rank this one somewhere between 4 and 6 in a national ranking of America’s best zoos.
Date of Visit: January 10, 2009
Without question the most famous zoo in America. San Diego has a lot going for it- a flawless collection, a beautiful lush property, excellent weather year-round, strong community support, huge budgets and a rich history of breeding and conservation success stories. Additionally, many of the exhibits are quite immersive and among the best of their kind- particularly on the left hand side of the zoo which focuses primarily on rainforest habitats. The zoo has an awkward mix of terrain (lots of mesas and canyons) as well as a sometimes disorganized mix of older taxidermic regions and modern primarily geographic ones. However, at times San Diego can seem commercial in a way that is offputting and is quite crowded. Also, some of the older exhibits are quite weak and significant portions of the zoo are deeply flawed and outdated. Elephant Odyssey, Panda Canyon and Australian Outback had not opened when I visited so they won’t be covered in this review.
Excellent
Monkey Trails and Forest Tales- In my opinion, the best part of the zoo. By walking on a boardwalk, visitors view a wide variety of primate species in lush spacious mesh habitats as well as a few other animals. The amount of climbing opportunities and enrichments in this section is phenomenal and the exhibtry is a brilliant alternative to the glorified cages found for monkeys at so many other zoos. Mandrills and guenons share a fairly large netted exhibit with lots of trees, deadfalls, realistic rocks, ropes, plants and shade. It has more height than any other exhibit I’ve seen for either species.This very well might be the best mandrill exhibit in the nation and it is perfect for the colorful baboons. Colobus monkeys and mangabeys live in a super tall habitat with ropes and trees galore for them to swing around. Capuchins have a similar exhibit filled with enrichments for them to play with and height for them to climb. Red-cheeked gibbons have an exhibit with tall trees for them to swing around with and a fair amount of vegetation. All of these mesh habitats are state-of-th-eart and all among the very best of their kind.
Clouded leopards used to be featured in an amazing exhibit in this section but have since been moved to the despicable Urban Jungle, one of many things about San Diego I just don’t understand. In addition to the primates, a wide variety of tropical birds live in netted mesh enclosures that are quite stellar. You really feel like you’re walking around a jungle. Pygmy hippopotamus and Wolf’s guenons live in an excellent habitat with a huge pool and underwater viewing for the hippos and plenty of trees for the monkeys. It is by far the best pygmy hippo exhibit I have ever seen and I especially appreciate the amount of land area and detail in figuring out the backdrops and beach. Slender snouted crocodiles live in a terrific exhibit loaded with gallons upon gallons of water and an underwater viewing. The rockwork is excellent and the pool is loaded with fish. Babirusas live in a decent sized muddy habitat, yellow backed duikers live in an average exhibit and a variety of reptiles live in a bunch of excellent terrariums. Overall an absolutely brilliant complex and the best monkey exhibit complex I’ve seen.
Ituri Forest- Another amazing complex that successfully transports people and animals to a Central African Rainforest. It starts out with a spectacular exhibit for Allen’s swamp monkeys, Schmidt’s red-tailed guenons and spotted-necked otters. The land area is loaded with deadfalls, ropes, lush vegetation and a wooden structure that doubles as a shade resting place and a climbing opportunity. The river around it is brilliantly designed and the rockwork is very well done. This great exhibit is the perfect vehicle to seeing three very charismatic species act. Up next is a drier habitat for the above species as well as red river hogs and the rarely seen forest buffalo. Then comes a very nice African aviary for lovebirds, turacos, warblers and other birds. Next is the crown jewel of the complex and one of the zoo’s high points: the famous Hippo Beach. It is the best Nile hippopotamus exhibit I’ve ever seen, largely thanks to the stunning pool. The pool is gigantic, has the highest quality of water around and is perfect for observing the giants lumber around. Additionally, the lush vegetation around the exhibit enhances the immersion and makes you feel like you’re getting an excellent view of an underwater lake in the wild. The plants and rocky backdrops around the exhibit are perfect and the deadfalls and ample land area make this one of the best large mammal exhibits in the country. Last, okapis have a shaded yard next to the hippos. Personally I would have put more grass in the exhibit but it works fine and has plenty of trees.
Gorilla Tropics- While not the largest gorilla exhibit I have seen, this is definitely one of the lushest. It is packed with waterfalls, a variety of trees and bushes, deadfalls, rocks, enrichments, hiding opportunities and nests for the apes to reside in. As a visitor, you feel transported to an elusive tropical rainforest where gorillas can pop up any minute. It also works well that this exhibit is far away from the hustle and noise of the main paths and the bus tour. Although not native to Africa, there is quite a lot of bamboo in this exhibit. I really appreciate the amount of opportunities to climb, find shade and make choices this gorilla exhibit gives and would say it is one of the top five or six I have seen and probably a top ten one in the nation.
Nearby is an enormous treehouse, the spectacular Scripps Aviary and the equally brilliant bonobo exhibit. Complete with a crashing waterfall, the pygmy chimps have a decent-sized habitat that is quite immersive and naturalistic. I would probably say Columbus’s is better since it is larger and has more enrichment opportunities but I really like this one too. The rockwork here is phenomenal and the deadfalls are designed in a brilliant way that gives them a fair amount of height and lets the apes climb. A series of ropes serve as great enrichment opportunities. Amazing exhibit.
African Kopje- This is a small exhibit but the zoo went all out with its design and construction in 1986. It looks exactly like a kopje and replicates the habitat perfectly. Klipspringers, dwarf mongoose, hyraxes and pancake tortoises inhabit this sandy, rocky exhibit and it is perfectly designed to suit their needs. A solid Bateleur eagle aviary is found behind and an excellent meerkat exhibit filled with mounds is nearby. Utterly brilliant in all ways.
Polar Plunge- Some have questioned exhibiting polar bears in sunny San Diego but I feel these concerns are counteracted by the large, deep pool they are given to cool off in. When built this was without a doubt the best Arctic bear habitat in the country and while that is no longer true it is still quite good. I’m not crazy about the mock-rock land area and would add natural substrate but the exhibit does have a decent amount of enrichments and a brilliant pool. Standard exhibits for caribou, Arctic fox and birds are found nearby.
Koalas- At the time of my visit the exhibitry was subpar but the amount of koalas they have is absolutely amazing in itself. It appears now they have an incredible set of habitats in Australian Outback so I’m ranking this as excellent.
Aviaries- Even if you’re not much of a bird person, the aviaries at this zoo will blow you away. They are enormous, walkthrough, incredibly lush and packed with every tropical bird you can imagine. Incredible.
Tiger River- While a bit dated in some sections, this exhibit complex ultimately holds up quite well. It starts out with a nice but small aviary for Asian birds. The vegetation around the pathway helps transport visitors to an Asian rainforest. Up next is an excellent exhibit for gharials complete with a huge, clear pool and lush backdrops. Then comes another aviary and a small but well designed exhibit for fishing cat viewed through vertical wire. The exhibit has a crashing waterfall, good pond, lots of vertical space and a good amount of hiding opportunities. A Malayan tapir habitat has a nice pool and good rocky backdrops but the land area is simply too small. Two more aviaries appear before visitors get to the complex’s namesake tiger exhibit. The tigers live in a shady, hilly habitat that’s decently sized and has plenty of opportunities for them to hide. There is a pool for the tigers to swim, deadfalls for them to climb and the rocks are quite immersive. Personally I would prefer it to be a bit lusher but this is still a great tiger habitat. I especially like how the trees make it feel like a forest clearing.
Absolutely Apes- A fairly large exhibit which houses orangutans and siamang. It is quite open and I would definitely add more trees and a canopy inside since the apes are on the ground too much. However, the amount of enrichments, poles and ropes elevates the quality of this habitat significantly and I would ultimately say it’s slightly above average.
Reptile Mesa- I love how this reptile house is open air and the outdoor exhibits are all stellar. Great collection as well.
Flamingo Lagoon- One of the best flamingo pools I have seen with a beautiful flock.
Average
Sun Bear Forest- The highlight of this section is the brilliant netted lion-tailed macaque exhibits (I believe now they house gibbons). They are loaded with enrichments such as a hammock, tons of ropes, plenty of fake trees and a nice mix of rock and grass. However, the sun bear habitats themselves are merely average. They do have a fair amount of enrichments and climbing opportunities but they are too small and are fundamentally grottoes.
Spider Monkey- For a zoo that has so many excellent primate exhibits this one is quite disappointing. There is at least a decent amount of height but there isn’t any vegetation in this habitat.
Giant Panda- The zoo’s star attraction but their exhibit is average. My favorite thing about this area is they enforce a quiet policy among visitors. There is a decent amount of enrichment and climbing/hiding opportunities in the habitats but they just aren’t as large or immersive as they should be.
Poor
Hoof and Horn Mesa- While most of the complex was closed in 2007, some remnants near Polar Plunge were still around on my visit and continue to be so today. When I visited in 2006, I wasn’t a big fan of Hoof and Horn Mesa because the habitats were all substandard and I can say the same for what remains. They just are really dry and generic. The remnants house species including Grevy’s zebra, lesser kudu, maned wolf/giant anteater, Cuvier’s gazelle, gerenuk and Speke’s gazelle.
Bear Canyon- A highly outdated row of grottos features grizzly bears, spotted hyenas, lions (since moved to Elephant Odyssey), sea otters, sloth bears and Andean bears. They offer minimal naturalism and are largely concrete. Yuck. Even worse, there are a few primate cages that exist from when the zoo first opened. Bring on the bulldozers!
Children’s Zoo- A relatively outdated, poorly designed children’s zoo which has been done better by many.
Wegeforth Bowl- An outdated facility for a sea lion show that really should be replaced by a naturalistic habitat. The pool is really small and narrow and the land area is all concrete.
Cat Canyon- This section of the zoo was atrocious was I was quite happy to hear it got bulldozed to make way for Africa Rocks, which I’m quite excited about.
Elephant Mesa (Urban Jungle)- An absolute disaster on all levels and a complete hodgepodge. The elephant exhibit (now Indian rhinoceros) is quite weak as it is small, barren and lacking enough enrichment or room to encourage natural behavior. The new exhibit from most accounts and the pictures is far from perfect and goes for a more stylized approach rather than immersion but it is clearly leagues above this one in size and quality. At least that one allows them to act like elephants. The giraffe exhibit was and is a disaster and is about the smallest one around. The other habitats aren’t any better and host a wide variety of animals that the zoo doesn’t seem to know what to do with. This zoo sometimes puts having a stellar collection above quality (in my opinion the biggest flaw of the zoo) and this complex shows it well.
I really enjoyed my visit to the San Diego Zoo and plan on visiting again sometimes in a few years after Africa Rock opens. It is easy to see why this zoo is so popular and famous and I came out with admiration. Exhibits such as Monkey Trails, Ituri Forest, Gorilla Forest and African Kopje are among my favorite exhibits anywhere. However, I am not convinced this is the best zoo in America because there are too many areas that are outdated and fundamental flaws to parts of the zoo. I would probably rank this one somewhere between 4 and 6 in a national ranking of America’s best zoos.
