Small zoo reviews (Orange County, Salisbury, Brandywine)

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Pics are being posted in the other gallery. Seems that I have misplaced or lost some of the ones from the Orange County Zoo though.

I'll give brief reviews of these small zoos that I've visited recently. I won't have as many details as some other post in their reviews; sorry for that.

Orange County Zoo:

Located in Orange, CA in the Irvine Regional Park. Admission: $2 plus park entrance fee.

First off, the zoo only has local animals, or at least animals that once were local or aren't too far away. After walking in you see a couple standard reptile exhibits in the main zoo building to your left which is followed by a couple relatively small owl exhibits. Adjacent to that is a pathway which features a decent sized exhibits for ocelots, bobcats, and coyotes. There's also a bird exhibit with pheasants and doves before you walk into the farm area which has a petting zoo. They have cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, and turkeys here.

After going back past the other exhibits you get to a loop trail which has a decent sized netted exhibits for bald eagles and golden eagles. There's a red-tailed hawk exhibit and a mule deer exhibit on the inside half of the loop that are both decent sized. Then you have exhibits for racoons, coati's, and beavers on the outer side of the trail. The beaver exhibit features underwater viewing and is quite nice. There's a burro exhibit on the inside half of the trail.

Next is the main attraction at the zoo which is a good sized and rather attractive (other than the typical chain link fencing) black bear exhibit. There's a mock rock wall all along the back with a waterfall close to the side viewing which has a pool for the bears. There's also a few trees for climbing and some logs and rocks on the ground along with all natural substrate and plenty of grass. Two bears call this exhibit home.

After that you can view animals such as island foxes, porcupine, and turkey vultures in decent exhibits that are well landscaped but don't have attractive fencing and in some cases aren't that big.

The other main highlight here is the mountain lion exhibit which has two lions in it. This exhibit is also surrounded by chain link fencing but also has a wood fence on the sides and back. It's only about 9 feet high but is a respectable size otherwise and has a rock platform/shelter in the back with a log coming down from it and there's one large tree that can't really be climbed due to the low height of the top and some small trees in the exhibit.

Overall, not bad for a little zoo with a cheap admission price.

Salisbury Zoo up next.

 

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The Salisbury Zoo is in the town of the same name in Eastern Maryland. It is free. There are two entrances and it is in a large park with a river going through it.

Here's a zoo map with a virtual tour: Welcome To The Salisbury Zoo!

There is a long tropical bird exhibit that is about 15 feet high after entering the entrance I went into. There is an alligator exhibit on the opposite side which is nothing to write home about. Then there's a decent sized exhibit for two-toed sloth and some type of monkeys. No animals were out though and the fencing is not attractive. Then there's a pretty good sized flamingo and macaw exhibit where the macaws are on a series of trees with ropes in between for them to walk from perch to perch.

There is also a visitor's center in this area which has various snakes, frogs, and turtles.

On the other side is a good sized bobcat exhibit that has quite a few trees, plants, logs, and rocks in it, but again, ugly fencing. Then I saw a river otter exhibit which is at least average size but has a decent amount of concrete in it along with only shallow water.

Then you go to an area that has two duck exhibits, and large and well landscaped coati exhibit and a similar ocelot exhibit. There's also a decent exhibit for cotton top tamarins if I recall correctly on the species. On the other side of that exhibit is a spider monkey exhibit which is rather large but again has chain link fencing and isn't the most attractive exhibit and doesn't have any immersion qualities.

The zoo also has a spectacled bear exhibit that is nice other than the chain link fencing. There is a small glass window as well. There is a second section for the bears though and it's more of a concrete grotto with a pool, rather small.

Next is the best part of the zoo imo. It features a large red wolf exhibit with glass viewing, a white tail deer exhibit which is right next to the wolves and has wild turkeys as well. Then there are very large yards for guanaco's, and rhea/capybara's. On the opposite side of the board walk is a decent prairie dog exhibit and then a solid bison exhibit.

Otherwise the zoo has a poor jaguar exhibit, some waterfowl exhibits, llama's, and patagonian cavy's among others.

Overall, not bad at all considering what one would expect and the free admission.