Zoogoer2000
Well-Known Member
Hi everybody,I decided I was finally going to make a review for San Diego Zoo. Im going to format in the way snowleopard always puts his reviews with Best,Average and Worst.I'll probably start uploading pictures soon too so stay tuned
The Best
Gorilla Tropics:An absolute to die-for exhibit.The extremly good gorilla exhibit represented a rainforest clearing with many trees and bushes.It also featured several beautifal streams and waterfalls.The viewing was amazing with several overloooks and a massive glass window where the gorillas were feeding.The troop was also impressively large.The bonobo,colobus monkey and the Scripps Aviary were off exhibit that day but I did go to the Treehosue Cafe to have lunch with amzing views of the park.
Absolutely Apes: An awesome habitat for the red apes of asia.The long grassy exhibit has several rocks,termite mounds,real trees and large climbing structures made with metal poles to look like trees.There were about 3 or four of the these large structures that stood about 16 ft tall and had tons of rope beetween them.The only downside to the exhibit was that even though it was long and had lots of stimulation,it still did'nt have much square footage because it was'nt all that wide.It was good at trying to disguising it though as you could barely see the fence and it looked as it it goes forever into a forest.They also share the exhibit with siamangs which have learned how to use tools as well.The viewing area was amzing as the floor was shredded tire and it had humungous tall and long with which allowed close encouters.Another downside was the fact that its was the only viewing area there.
Ituri Forest:This replica of a west-african rainforest was very well done.The first part of the exhibits had them all collaged together by riverbanks and ravines.On one side of the exhibit was a humungo flooded forest cleraing for spot-nosed and debrazza's guenons,allen's swamp monkeys and african spot-necked otter.It basically consists of severel trees,raised platforms and streams leadign to a big pool at one end.The only downside is no up-close encounters.The other side of the exhibit is another exhibit spot-necked otters and allen's swamp monkey.It is a stream exhibit with a large pool with underwater viewing.Now up on top of the tall riverbank is the forest buffalo/red river hog/forest hog exhibit.It is fairly large with several trees and rocks around the edge.The swamp monkeys also have access to here by climbing the riverbank wall and going throug the metal poles which I despise.After that you go deeper into the jungle to come face to face with gigantic river hippos at Hippo Beach.The have a massive,crystal clear pool with amazing viewing windows which wrap around the entire pool.There is very little land area but it did'nt seem to phase the hippos who were soaking away the California day.One even decide to take a dump.Up behind the hippos is the okapi yard.It was a fairly dense exhibit with a trio of okapis.The part I hated about this exhibi twas the hideous chain-link fence (We all know how I feel about chain-link by now).Either then that the viewing was ggod from overlooks.This was the last exhibit in Ituri Forest which led into Tiger River
Tiger River: The asian rainforest is built beautifally here.Winding jungles trails make your journey even more authenntic on your way to the star exhibit here, tigers.The tigers have half an acre in an amazing jungle setting.The first view is from a small hut with glass viewing looking up the hill towards the holding.The tigers were up there at first whci hmade for difficult views of them.It was also crowded so we moved to the empty,but very nice over look which delighted us because the tiger cubs decided to swim.The moat also had a tall riverbank where mom was trying to escape to with not much sucess.Once they decided to finish trying to drown each other,they ran up the riverbank to the last glass viewing where there was another viewing area.It looked kind of liek an old riverbed.They decided now they were goign to try and kill each other by trying to push each other over the cliff.Continueing down the path,the tapir habitat came into viewing.The winding exhibit had two pools and a large much area.Three tapirs were sleeping in the shade while a fourth was in the first pool.The last exhibits were the gharial waterhole whch was offf exhibit,a fishing cat in a riverbank setting viewed through harp-wire and a large aviary with several baby storks.
Flamingo Lagoon: The lagoon here was very nice.It was located next to the Absolutely Apes area.It had a long and wide pool and a nice land area with nesting grounds.There were abotu 100 or so flamingos which coudl be viewing from a bamboo fence
Owen's Rainforest Aviary:This sixty five foot tall masterpiece is an amazing sight.This massive jungle aviary might be one of the best in the world.With over 65 species including broadbills,woodpeckers,lories,jacanas,kingfishers,bali mynah,pheasants and much more.It also has a groudn level and canopy view plus a huge forest stream with fire-spotted eel
Sun Bear Forest:This exhibit shows why they have had so much success,its fantastic.The entire exhibit is 1.5 acres of jungle trails,forest tales and tons of amazing animals.The fist exhibit is the amazingly large sun bear exhibit.This rocky forest habitat has several climbing areas,digging pits,a tremite mound and a moat.Again though,no glass.The sad part was that none were out but it was for a good reason,they'd had the two cubs the day before.Across from them was the red cheeked gibbon/binturong exhibit (they were mixed together) and the silvery langur exhibit.Both were towering glass exhibits with massive climbing structures and trees.I had trouble viewing both though because there was toons and condonsation on the glass areas.The last exhibit was the lion-tailed macaque exhibiw whci hi have to say is miles ahead of Toronto's exhibit.It was extremly expansive and it had a stream leading down the grassy hill into a rocky,shallow pool.The monkeys alos had tons of ropes and raised platfroms for resting and several glass viewing areas.
African Kopje:The last exhibit of the day was African Kopje which was actually one of my favourties becasue of the fact that the exhibits were all blended together fantasticly well.There was a spacious,kopje aviary for batleur eagle,a desert home for meerkats and several other birds exhibits but my favourite of all was the dwarf mongoose/rock hyrax/klipspringer exhibit where all the animals lived in harmony.One side was a rocky cliff while the other was a grassy plateau.
The Average
Monkey Trails and Forest Tails:First off,I know some people love this exhibit,but for a few reasons,I did'nt like it.First off,I think the viewing could could have been alot better.Sure the canopy walk was great and all,but were is the glass.I barely saw any the whole time and I just looked through mesh the entire time!The only exhibit that actually had good viewing was the crocodile and the pygmy hippo/wolf guenon exhibit.Also,the pig exhibist were extremlly unattractive and they had n otype of mud wallow or pool whatsoever!It was have been torute for them to sit in the blazing heat with so water to sit in.The part that i like was the fact that they all had large exhibits with tall climbing structures.
Polar Bear Plunge:Again,a good try...but with several issues.First,I did'nt see anything either then gunnite,gravel or water for the polar bears and although they had a deep pool with good underwater views,the views of the entire exhibit sucked as all the views were from across water or under it though glass,there wasn't a single overlook or land glass viewing area where you could get up close to them while they were walking.The other thing that boithered me was the fact that they had caracal lynx and arabian wild cat in a TUNDRA exhibit.I mean come on,I don't think you see many cats from Africa walking across glaciers or swimmign in the Arctic Ocean!The one part that I liked about this exhibit was the siberian reindeer exhibit which actually resembeled arctic tundra and the fact that the polar bear exhibi tat least was large and it had alot of enrichment.The aviary was also of display which was kind of disapointign because for some reason,i wanted to see the diving ducks?
Giant Padan Research Station:This was yet another okay,but still lacking exhibit.I liked the fact that the yards had lots to do,but the yards were a bit small and I hated how they did'nt have grass.Also,you'd think there would be glass viewing in such a rare species exhibit.I did liek though how they did'nt hotwire treescand they did have quite an assortmant of toys.I'd still say though they have the second best exhibit in the US with National Zoo's Panda Habitat in first place.I also hated the red panda exhibit here,way to small.
Koala Complex:The outdoor exhibits here were great but it was the indoor exhibits that ticked me off,they were SO tiny!There were about 5 of these sterile,tiny rooms with ntohing but a fake tree int he middle while the koala ate.It looked as if it was one of those atrocious pet store windows for puppys.The outdoor exhibits were great with a grassy ground and several trees but I just hope that the indoor koalas get outdoor time as well.
Elephant Mesa:Elephant Mesa did'nt disgust me like it did alot of other people.All the animals exhibits were okay with the rhino,tapir and giraffe havign the best exhibits.I did'nt actually mind the elephant exhibit,I think it was an okay size for three female elephants and it had alot to do,it was just a little small,Its a good thing there getting a new home.The mesh exhibits here were terrible though and the anteater exhibi twas average at best.The part I hated about the elehant exhibit was the fact that there was no existance of a pool!!!How do they survive,they must get endless showers.All in All,I thin kthis exhibit is terrible,but not
great.
The Worst
Bear Canyon:Atrociously smll exhibits might as well be the exhibit motto here as half the exhibits here probably don't even make USA Prison Standards!The "exhibits" were all terribly small grotto hells for grizzly bears,andean bears,sloth bears,otters and lions plus other unforunate animals.the only slightly good part was that they actually contained some natutral substrates and pools.
Cat Walk:Yet again,another hideous animal canyon.All the animals here are contained in mesh exhibits and nothign else.Alot of the "exhibits" are terribly small to okay at best.The only animals lucky enoug hto have a fairly large exhibit are the lynx,jaguar,leopard and snow leopard who actually have furniture like small trees,logs,bushes and other items.The others are in desolate cages or if your a goral or serow,disgusting lookign grottos.
Wings of Australia:This is probably the secong worst exhibit in the entire zoo after Bear Canyon.All the birds are kept in 8 foot high cages wiuth a few perches and bushes an it was so bad,I did'nt really bother too stop and look at any.Theexhibits were also really thin because the point was to fit in as many cages as possible
SDWAP Review is going to be in a completely seperate thread,thanks for reading
The Best
Gorilla Tropics:An absolute to die-for exhibit.The extremly good gorilla exhibit represented a rainforest clearing with many trees and bushes.It also featured several beautifal streams and waterfalls.The viewing was amazing with several overloooks and a massive glass window where the gorillas were feeding.The troop was also impressively large.The bonobo,colobus monkey and the Scripps Aviary were off exhibit that day but I did go to the Treehosue Cafe to have lunch with amzing views of the park.
Absolutely Apes: An awesome habitat for the red apes of asia.The long grassy exhibit has several rocks,termite mounds,real trees and large climbing structures made with metal poles to look like trees.There were about 3 or four of the these large structures that stood about 16 ft tall and had tons of rope beetween them.The only downside to the exhibit was that even though it was long and had lots of stimulation,it still did'nt have much square footage because it was'nt all that wide.It was good at trying to disguising it though as you could barely see the fence and it looked as it it goes forever into a forest.They also share the exhibit with siamangs which have learned how to use tools as well.The viewing area was amzing as the floor was shredded tire and it had humungous tall and long with which allowed close encouters.Another downside was the fact that its was the only viewing area there.
Ituri Forest:This replica of a west-african rainforest was very well done.The first part of the exhibits had them all collaged together by riverbanks and ravines.On one side of the exhibit was a humungo flooded forest cleraing for spot-nosed and debrazza's guenons,allen's swamp monkeys and african spot-necked otter.It basically consists of severel trees,raised platforms and streams leadign to a big pool at one end.The only downside is no up-close encounters.The other side of the exhibit is another exhibit spot-necked otters and allen's swamp monkey.It is a stream exhibit with a large pool with underwater viewing.Now up on top of the tall riverbank is the forest buffalo/red river hog/forest hog exhibit.It is fairly large with several trees and rocks around the edge.The swamp monkeys also have access to here by climbing the riverbank wall and going throug the metal poles which I despise.After that you go deeper into the jungle to come face to face with gigantic river hippos at Hippo Beach.The have a massive,crystal clear pool with amazing viewing windows which wrap around the entire pool.There is very little land area but it did'nt seem to phase the hippos who were soaking away the California day.One even decide to take a dump.Up behind the hippos is the okapi yard.It was a fairly dense exhibit with a trio of okapis.The part I hated about this exhibi twas the hideous chain-link fence (We all know how I feel about chain-link by now).Either then that the viewing was ggod from overlooks.This was the last exhibit in Ituri Forest which led into Tiger River
Tiger River: The asian rainforest is built beautifally here.Winding jungles trails make your journey even more authenntic on your way to the star exhibit here, tigers.The tigers have half an acre in an amazing jungle setting.The first view is from a small hut with glass viewing looking up the hill towards the holding.The tigers were up there at first whci hmade for difficult views of them.It was also crowded so we moved to the empty,but very nice over look which delighted us because the tiger cubs decided to swim.The moat also had a tall riverbank where mom was trying to escape to with not much sucess.Once they decided to finish trying to drown each other,they ran up the riverbank to the last glass viewing where there was another viewing area.It looked kind of liek an old riverbed.They decided now they were goign to try and kill each other by trying to push each other over the cliff.Continueing down the path,the tapir habitat came into viewing.The winding exhibit had two pools and a large much area.Three tapirs were sleeping in the shade while a fourth was in the first pool.The last exhibits were the gharial waterhole whch was offf exhibit,a fishing cat in a riverbank setting viewed through harp-wire and a large aviary with several baby storks.
Flamingo Lagoon: The lagoon here was very nice.It was located next to the Absolutely Apes area.It had a long and wide pool and a nice land area with nesting grounds.There were abotu 100 or so flamingos which coudl be viewing from a bamboo fence
Owen's Rainforest Aviary:This sixty five foot tall masterpiece is an amazing sight.This massive jungle aviary might be one of the best in the world.With over 65 species including broadbills,woodpeckers,lories,jacanas,kingfishers,bali mynah,pheasants and much more.It also has a groudn level and canopy view plus a huge forest stream with fire-spotted eel
Sun Bear Forest:This exhibit shows why they have had so much success,its fantastic.The entire exhibit is 1.5 acres of jungle trails,forest tales and tons of amazing animals.The fist exhibit is the amazingly large sun bear exhibit.This rocky forest habitat has several climbing areas,digging pits,a tremite mound and a moat.Again though,no glass.The sad part was that none were out but it was for a good reason,they'd had the two cubs the day before.Across from them was the red cheeked gibbon/binturong exhibit (they were mixed together) and the silvery langur exhibit.Both were towering glass exhibits with massive climbing structures and trees.I had trouble viewing both though because there was toons and condonsation on the glass areas.The last exhibit was the lion-tailed macaque exhibiw whci hi have to say is miles ahead of Toronto's exhibit.It was extremly expansive and it had a stream leading down the grassy hill into a rocky,shallow pool.The monkeys alos had tons of ropes and raised platfroms for resting and several glass viewing areas.
African Kopje:The last exhibit of the day was African Kopje which was actually one of my favourties becasue of the fact that the exhibits were all blended together fantasticly well.There was a spacious,kopje aviary for batleur eagle,a desert home for meerkats and several other birds exhibits but my favourite of all was the dwarf mongoose/rock hyrax/klipspringer exhibit where all the animals lived in harmony.One side was a rocky cliff while the other was a grassy plateau.
The Average
Monkey Trails and Forest Tails:First off,I know some people love this exhibit,but for a few reasons,I did'nt like it.First off,I think the viewing could could have been alot better.Sure the canopy walk was great and all,but were is the glass.I barely saw any the whole time and I just looked through mesh the entire time!The only exhibit that actually had good viewing was the crocodile and the pygmy hippo/wolf guenon exhibit.Also,the pig exhibist were extremlly unattractive and they had n otype of mud wallow or pool whatsoever!It was have been torute for them to sit in the blazing heat with so water to sit in.The part that i like was the fact that they all had large exhibits with tall climbing structures.
Polar Bear Plunge:Again,a good try...but with several issues.First,I did'nt see anything either then gunnite,gravel or water for the polar bears and although they had a deep pool with good underwater views,the views of the entire exhibit sucked as all the views were from across water or under it though glass,there wasn't a single overlook or land glass viewing area where you could get up close to them while they were walking.The other thing that boithered me was the fact that they had caracal lynx and arabian wild cat in a TUNDRA exhibit.I mean come on,I don't think you see many cats from Africa walking across glaciers or swimmign in the Arctic Ocean!The one part that I liked about this exhibit was the siberian reindeer exhibit which actually resembeled arctic tundra and the fact that the polar bear exhibi tat least was large and it had alot of enrichment.The aviary was also of display which was kind of disapointign because for some reason,i wanted to see the diving ducks?
Giant Padan Research Station:This was yet another okay,but still lacking exhibit.I liked the fact that the yards had lots to do,but the yards were a bit small and I hated how they did'nt have grass.Also,you'd think there would be glass viewing in such a rare species exhibit.I did liek though how they did'nt hotwire treescand they did have quite an assortmant of toys.I'd still say though they have the second best exhibit in the US with National Zoo's Panda Habitat in first place.I also hated the red panda exhibit here,way to small.
Koala Complex:The outdoor exhibits here were great but it was the indoor exhibits that ticked me off,they were SO tiny!There were about 5 of these sterile,tiny rooms with ntohing but a fake tree int he middle while the koala ate.It looked as if it was one of those atrocious pet store windows for puppys.The outdoor exhibits were great with a grassy ground and several trees but I just hope that the indoor koalas get outdoor time as well.
Elephant Mesa:Elephant Mesa did'nt disgust me like it did alot of other people.All the animals exhibits were okay with the rhino,tapir and giraffe havign the best exhibits.I did'nt actually mind the elephant exhibit,I think it was an okay size for three female elephants and it had alot to do,it was just a little small,Its a good thing there getting a new home.The mesh exhibits here were terrible though and the anteater exhibi twas average at best.The part I hated about the elehant exhibit was the fact that there was no existance of a pool!!!How do they survive,they must get endless showers.All in All,I thin kthis exhibit is terrible,but not
great.
The Worst
Bear Canyon:Atrociously smll exhibits might as well be the exhibit motto here as half the exhibits here probably don't even make USA Prison Standards!The "exhibits" were all terribly small grotto hells for grizzly bears,andean bears,sloth bears,otters and lions plus other unforunate animals.the only slightly good part was that they actually contained some natutral substrates and pools.
Cat Walk:Yet again,another hideous animal canyon.All the animals here are contained in mesh exhibits and nothign else.Alot of the "exhibits" are terribly small to okay at best.The only animals lucky enoug hto have a fairly large exhibit are the lynx,jaguar,leopard and snow leopard who actually have furniture like small trees,logs,bushes and other items.The others are in desolate cages or if your a goral or serow,disgusting lookign grottos.
Wings of Australia:This is probably the secong worst exhibit in the entire zoo after Bear Canyon.All the birds are kept in 8 foot high cages wiuth a few perches and bushes an it was so bad,I did'nt really bother too stop and look at any.Theexhibits were also really thin because the point was to fit in as many cages as possible
SDWAP Review is going to be in a completely seperate thread,thanks for reading
