Snowleopard's Epic Road Trip
- Thread starter snowleopard
- Start date
Elephant Mesa
To Snowleopard:
I don't think elephant mesa is a bad elephant exhibit at all compared to some of the disgraceful ones like LA Zoo. It is more spacious that most elephant yards and it is high quality for its inhabitants when you consider how old it is. The elephants have enrichment items all over their yard and have a nice pool. The terrain is also varied weekly to give the elephants a challenge to walk on. Another thing I like about the elephant exhibit is that you can get really close to the elephants when they walk up to the side of the fence.
I also think the canyon exhibits are very nice compared to some other cat exhibits. The Snow Leopards and Black Jaguar have nice cages because they have an abundance of foliage and places for these secretive cats to hide. In my opinion there are no exhibits at San Diego Zoo that are disgraceful and awful like many other zoos. To me the most disgraceful exhibit in the country is the LA Zoo elephant paddock.
About the Oregon Zoo Asian elephants. Jon and Allen said this was one of the best zoos to see elephants. I heard that the elephants have very nice good quality yards. Also the fact that the elephants are breeding is a good sign because breeding is a natural behavior. They would not be exhibiting natural behaviors at all if the exhibit was that bad.
To Snowleopard:
I don't think elephant mesa is a bad elephant exhibit at all compared to some of the disgraceful ones like LA Zoo. It is more spacious that most elephant yards and it is high quality for its inhabitants when you consider how old it is. The elephants have enrichment items all over their yard and have a nice pool. The terrain is also varied weekly to give the elephants a challenge to walk on. Another thing I like about the elephant exhibit is that you can get really close to the elephants when they walk up to the side of the fence.
I also think the canyon exhibits are very nice compared to some other cat exhibits. The Snow Leopards and Black Jaguar have nice cages because they have an abundance of foliage and places for these secretive cats to hide. In my opinion there are no exhibits at San Diego Zoo that are disgraceful and awful like many other zoos. To me the most disgraceful exhibit in the country is the LA Zoo elephant paddock.
About the Oregon Zoo Asian elephants. Jon and Allen said this was one of the best zoos to see elephants. I heard that the elephants have very nice good quality yards. Also the fact that the elephants are breeding is a good sign because breeding is a natural behavior. They would not be exhibiting natural behaviors at all if the exhibit was that bad.
@BlackRhino: thanks for your comments, and I agree with most of your statements. I seem to recall pointing out in my long review of the San Diego Zoo that the bear and cat canyons there are actually better than most other grottoes at various zoos in North America, and I think that there is no doubt that San Diego is the best zoo on the continent.
One thing that I'd like to clarify is this: the Oregon Zoo is a place where every single year is ranked as one of the top ten worst zoos in the United States for elephants. Here is the link for 2006, and in 2007 the Oregon Zoo went from the #3 worst zoo to the #2 worst zoo for elephants in the entire country.
Help Elephants in Zoos
Of the elephants at the Oregon Zoo, 3 have been euthanized in the past decade for health reasons, all but one of the current elephants have foot disorders, and the exhibit has I believe at least 7-8 elephants on 1.5 acres of actual outdoor space. The zoo is famous for having an amazing breeding record, but I've been to the zoo 3 times in 3 years and the elephant exhibit is god-awful. Tony Vecchio, the zoo director, has issued a plea for this November's zoo bond to expand and alter the elephant exhibit...and has hinted that the zoo might stop exhibiting elephants altogether if the zoo bond doesn't go through. So overall the zoo is great for seeing elephants as there are so many in such a tiny space, but in my humble opinion it's one of the worst zoo exhibits I've ever seen for the world's largest land mammal. Because of the splitting of the genders the elephants are sectioned off into tiny areas of the paddock, and the hard ground and limited amount of space makes for some bizarre psychological problems to go along with the atrocious foot disorders.
http://helpelephantsinzoos.org/pdf/or_health_problems.pdf
One thing that I'd like to clarify is this: the Oregon Zoo is a place where every single year is ranked as one of the top ten worst zoos in the United States for elephants. Here is the link for 2006, and in 2007 the Oregon Zoo went from the #3 worst zoo to the #2 worst zoo for elephants in the entire country.
Help Elephants in Zoos
Of the elephants at the Oregon Zoo, 3 have been euthanized in the past decade for health reasons, all but one of the current elephants have foot disorders, and the exhibit has I believe at least 7-8 elephants on 1.5 acres of actual outdoor space. The zoo is famous for having an amazing breeding record, but I've been to the zoo 3 times in 3 years and the elephant exhibit is god-awful. Tony Vecchio, the zoo director, has issued a plea for this November's zoo bond to expand and alter the elephant exhibit...and has hinted that the zoo might stop exhibiting elephants altogether if the zoo bond doesn't go through. So overall the zoo is great for seeing elephants as there are so many in such a tiny space, but in my humble opinion it's one of the worst zoo exhibits I've ever seen for the world's largest land mammal. Because of the splitting of the genders the elephants are sectioned off into tiny areas of the paddock, and the hard ground and limited amount of space makes for some bizarre psychological problems to go along with the atrocious foot disorders.
http://helpelephantsinzoos.org/pdf/or_health_problems.pdf
Oregon Zoo
You do make a good point. Although I do disagree with Helps Elephants in Zoos immensely. For one it lists Saint Louis Zoo on the top 10 worst. That is completely wrong. I cannot stress enough how I do not agree with that. Saint Louis Zoo has a beautiful elephant enclosure with a large herd and an extremely high quality exhibit, with grass and trees and deep pools and enrichment items. I sort of agree with them about Oregon Zoo, but I think the whole Help Elephants in Zoos is a complete slap in the face to Elephant keepers. It is especially a slap in the face to me because I want to be an elephant/rhino keeper when I finish college. Elephant keepers are extremely dedicated to what they do and would be horrified to see their zoos in IDA's top 10 worst zoos for elephants. I think Help Elephants in zoos is accurate with some zoos, but others completely do not belong on the list. If you go to Saint Louis Zoo and go to their elephant page you can read about St. Louis' awesome fantastic amazing elephant exhibit. There was even a show about it on Animal Planet in 2005, yet this IDA group lists it as one of the WORST. No, it is one of the BEST. I have read all about the IDA's worst elephant zoo list and it exaggerates so much.
You do make a good point. Although I do disagree with Helps Elephants in Zoos immensely. For one it lists Saint Louis Zoo on the top 10 worst. That is completely wrong. I cannot stress enough how I do not agree with that. Saint Louis Zoo has a beautiful elephant enclosure with a large herd and an extremely high quality exhibit, with grass and trees and deep pools and enrichment items. I sort of agree with them about Oregon Zoo, but I think the whole Help Elephants in Zoos is a complete slap in the face to Elephant keepers. It is especially a slap in the face to me because I want to be an elephant/rhino keeper when I finish college. Elephant keepers are extremely dedicated to what they do and would be horrified to see their zoos in IDA's top 10 worst zoos for elephants. I think Help Elephants in zoos is accurate with some zoos, but others completely do not belong on the list. If you go to Saint Louis Zoo and go to their elephant page you can read about St. Louis' awesome fantastic amazing elephant exhibit. There was even a show about it on Animal Planet in 2005, yet this IDA group lists it as one of the WORST. No, it is one of the BEST. I have read all about the IDA's worst elephant zoo list and it exaggerates so much.
San Diego Zoo & wild Animal Park
The One that completely does not deserve to be on the list is the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park. To put down the amazing 3 acre elephant exhibit at the Wild Animal Park is wrong. I have seen that exhibit in person and there is not a single flaw to it. The elephants there do not exhibit any stereotypical behaviors and are very happy. They have babies chasing each other, Mother chasing there babies around, A huge pool for the elephants to frolic in, grass and dirt both for the elephants to walk on, a dedicated staff who are constantly monitoring the elephants health. It is the best elephant exhibit in the country hands down. The only other place better to see elephants than at the Wild Animal Park is probably Africa itself. Looking at the huge exhibit it actually looks like Africa. Allen & Jon both also say this is one of the country's best elephant exhibits. Yet Help Elephant in Zoos still manages to bash it. There is something wrong there. The 2006 Elephant list is very wrong especially in the sense that it has the SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK ON IT! To me that is outrageous. The elephants were going to be culled so the Wild Animal Park too them. There is nothing wrong with taking elephants if they are going to be culled! Pretty soon the Wild Animal Park African elephants will have double the space once the Asian Elephants move down to the zoo into the Elephant Odyssey. I'm sure though Help Elephants in Zoos will still find a way to bash the Wild Animal Park even when the elephants have nearly 6 acres!
The One that completely does not deserve to be on the list is the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park. To put down the amazing 3 acre elephant exhibit at the Wild Animal Park is wrong. I have seen that exhibit in person and there is not a single flaw to it. The elephants there do not exhibit any stereotypical behaviors and are very happy. They have babies chasing each other, Mother chasing there babies around, A huge pool for the elephants to frolic in, grass and dirt both for the elephants to walk on, a dedicated staff who are constantly monitoring the elephants health. It is the best elephant exhibit in the country hands down. The only other place better to see elephants than at the Wild Animal Park is probably Africa itself. Looking at the huge exhibit it actually looks like Africa. Allen & Jon both also say this is one of the country's best elephant exhibits. Yet Help Elephant in Zoos still manages to bash it. There is something wrong there. The 2006 Elephant list is very wrong especially in the sense that it has the SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK ON IT! To me that is outrageous. The elephants were going to be culled so the Wild Animal Park too them. There is nothing wrong with taking elephants if they are going to be culled! Pretty soon the Wild Animal Park African elephants will have double the space once the Asian Elephants move down to the zoo into the Elephant Odyssey. I'm sure though Help Elephants in Zoos will still find a way to bash the Wild Animal Park even when the elephants have nearly 6 acres!
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
Actually the only better Elephant exhibit that is not in SD wild animal park is at Disney's Animal Kingdom.
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
I actually have to disagree with you on this one. Even though the exhibit has many enrichment items, it is still very small for three elephants. How can it be more spacious than most elephant yards when it's only 17,000 square foot? Even the new elephant exhibit that they are building will be very small (2 acres) for all the elephants that it will be home to.
I agree with you that the LA zoo exhibit is really small, but by next year Billy will be living in a 3.7 acres outdoor exhibit, which makes me really happy.
ANyhuis
Well-Known Member
As Ituri pointed out, the IDA "Help Elephants in Zoos" website is very slanted and anti-zoo. In fact, if you read it carefully, you'll see they follow David Hancocks' ultra-radical views on elephants -- that zoos should NOT exhibit elephants at all, and thus only 2 places in the USA would have these magnificent animals for America's children to see. I have no respect for IDA's Ten Worst list. BlackRhino has pointed to at least 2 examples (St. Louis and SDWAP) that should not be even close to this list. Rosamond Gifford, Woodland Park, and Oregon are others.
One thing IDA points out (and SnowLeopard quotes) is when zoos have health problems with their animals. This can be an indicator of bad treatment by the zoo, but more often it's not. I used to work for a large hospital and they ran into the same problem. Annually the government releases the death rates in all American hospitals, and my well-respected hospital was often high on the list. The reason was because that hospital was famous for accepting and treating very high risk patients. Similar unrelated reasons can explain why some zoos have had "bad luck" with their elephants. But if you're a radical, anti-zoo organization like IDA, you'll use these unfortunate situations to make your radical point.
As for why we listed the Oregon Zoo in our book as "one of the best" places to see elephants was because of 3 factors: (a) a large number of elephants to see; (b) a great breeding record; and (c) their great Elephant Museum. SnowLeopard is right, the elephant exhibit itself is nothing spectacular at all. But he didn't mention the museum at all. I found that museum (and the similar one in Tulsa) very interesting.
One thing IDA points out (and SnowLeopard quotes) is when zoos have health problems with their animals. This can be an indicator of bad treatment by the zoo, but more often it's not. I used to work for a large hospital and they ran into the same problem. Annually the government releases the death rates in all American hospitals, and my well-respected hospital was often high on the list. The reason was because that hospital was famous for accepting and treating very high risk patients. Similar unrelated reasons can explain why some zoos have had "bad luck" with their elephants. But if you're a radical, anti-zoo organization like IDA, you'll use these unfortunate situations to make your radical point.
As for why we listed the Oregon Zoo in our book as "one of the best" places to see elephants was because of 3 factors: (a) a large number of elephants to see; (b) a great breeding record; and (c) their great Elephant Museum. SnowLeopard is right, the elephant exhibit itself is nothing spectacular at all. But he didn't mention the museum at all. I found that museum (and the similar one in Tulsa) very interesting.
To Allen:
You cold not have said it better. I agree with you completely. Whenever a zoo has bad luck with elephants IDA attacks it to no end. I also agree with you that Woodland Park & Oregon do not deserve to be on the list. It just so happens that Woodland Park had bad luck with Hansa. She had a virus. So because of this IDA has to bash the Woodland Park Zoo to no end, and that to me is completely wrong. It is not even fair to Woodland Park. An example of a good luck elephant is Ambika at the National Zoo. She is 60 years old. The National Zoo elephant is nothing spectacular at all. In fact Woodland Park has a nicer exhibit yet Hansa died at the age of 7. Ambika has reached the elephant's natural life span of 60 years old and she is still alive and pretty healthy for a 60 year old elephant.
You cold not have said it better. I agree with you completely. Whenever a zoo has bad luck with elephants IDA attacks it to no end. I also agree with you that Woodland Park & Oregon do not deserve to be on the list. It just so happens that Woodland Park had bad luck with Hansa. She had a virus. So because of this IDA has to bash the Woodland Park Zoo to no end, and that to me is completely wrong. It is not even fair to Woodland Park. An example of a good luck elephant is Ambika at the National Zoo. She is 60 years old. The National Zoo elephant is nothing spectacular at all. In fact Woodland Park has a nicer exhibit yet Hansa died at the age of 7. Ambika has reached the elephant's natural life span of 60 years old and she is still alive and pretty healthy for a 60 year old elephant.
I actually have to disagree with you on this one. Even though the exhibit has many enrichment items, it is still very small for three elephants. How can it be more spacious than most elephant yards when it's only 17,000 square foot? Even the new elephant exhibit that they are building will be very small (2 acres) for all the elephants that it will be home to.
I agree with you that the LA zoo exhibit is really small, but by next year Billy will be living in a 3.7 acres outdoor exhibit, which makes me really happy.
San Diego Zoo's exhibit is not 17,000 square feet. I have seen it in person and I could name you a handful of zoos that have smaller elephant enclosures. For example: Cleveland, Brookfield, Dallas, Buffalo, Los Angeles, San Antonio, Denver, Toledo all have smaller exhibits than San Diego. Also 2 acres is pretty large. I do not agree with the whole elephant ratio thing. 2 acres for several elephants is better than 2 acres for one elephant because elephants live in herds. I think the quality of the exhibit space is much more important than the quantity. If they are given a high quality exhibit space to keep the elephants active is better than a huge space of dust.
Another thing I think is that as elephant care becomes more advanced the life-span of elephants in zoos will become higher. 20 years ago animals in zoos did not get nearly as good treatment as they do now. Nowadays they are given the best care which I think will improve the life expectancy of elephants in zoos.
The Oregon Zoo's elephant museum is something that I've mentioned a few times here at ZooBeat, and on a variety of different threads. The first time that I saw it I marvelled at the cool artifacts on display, and on my recent trip to the zoo (my 3rd visit) I noted that a portion of the museum has now been transformed into a dinosaur-themed gift shop and thus the overall affect is tarnished.
Getting back to my initial thread...
After my 29 zoo/aquarium trek this summer, and my massive uploading of photos (more than 3,600 and counting according to the ZooBeat STATS page) it's almost time for me to unveil my top ten zoo list. I've been mulling over all of the many zoos and aquariums that I've visited in North America, and have whittled down my list via the process of elimination to only include what I feel are the ten best that I've been to. For aquariums it is a no-brainer, as I've announced a few times now that I believe that Shedd is #1, Georgia #2 and Monterey Bay #3. Those are regarded as North America's big three, and we'll leave it at that.
Zoos are much trickier to organize into favourites, as terrible zoos sometimes have the odd fantastic exhibit, while some zoos consist of numerous average enclosures but at the same time don't really have anything truly atrocious. I think that Zoo Atlanta fits that description perfectly, as there is nothing in that tiny zoo that is awful, and yet nothing spectacular either. It's a very nice little zoo that isn't in my top ten list, but I have a soft spot for it nonetheless.
Sometime tomorrow I'll post my TOP TEN zoo list, in order from #1 to #10, and then will sit back and see if people barrage me with insults. Hahaha. Seriously, I'm sure that some opinions will fly back and forth as no two people will likely agree on the exact same ten zoos. Tune in tomorrow...and I'll continue to upload hundreds of photos.
Getting back to my initial thread...
After my 29 zoo/aquarium trek this summer, and my massive uploading of photos (more than 3,600 and counting according to the ZooBeat STATS page) it's almost time for me to unveil my top ten zoo list. I've been mulling over all of the many zoos and aquariums that I've visited in North America, and have whittled down my list via the process of elimination to only include what I feel are the ten best that I've been to. For aquariums it is a no-brainer, as I've announced a few times now that I believe that Shedd is #1, Georgia #2 and Monterey Bay #3. Those are regarded as North America's big three, and we'll leave it at that.
Zoos are much trickier to organize into favourites, as terrible zoos sometimes have the odd fantastic exhibit, while some zoos consist of numerous average enclosures but at the same time don't really have anything truly atrocious. I think that Zoo Atlanta fits that description perfectly, as there is nothing in that tiny zoo that is awful, and yet nothing spectacular either. It's a very nice little zoo that isn't in my top ten list, but I have a soft spot for it nonetheless.
Sometime tomorrow I'll post my TOP TEN zoo list, in order from #1 to #10, and then will sit back and see if people barrage me with insults. Hahaha. Seriously, I'm sure that some opinions will fly back and forth as no two people will likely agree on the exact same ten zoos. Tune in tomorrow...and I'll continue to upload hundreds of photos.
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
Yup, Los Angeles has had bad luck with its elephants too. The zoo has taken in many circus and privately owned elephants in the past and when they died the zoo was the one to blame.
ANyhuis
Well-Known Member
Using Tragedies for Political Gain
Wow, Mario makes my point perfectly!
People on both sides of the political spectrum do this thing -- using tragedy to make their point. Whenever there's a school shooting tragedy (ie, Columbine), the anti-gun lobby is out saying this proves we need more gun restrictions. In contrary, whenever an illegal alien commits a crime, the conservative anti-immigration folks use that tragedy to prove we need to seal the border better. If Hurricane Gustav turns out to be a tragedy (please God, no!), watch for some global warming activists to try and use it to bash their opponents. I'm not necessarily disagreeing or agreeing with any of the above in their opinions, but I DO think it's wrong to USE a tragedy to make your point -- without absolute proof. This is what groups like the IDA does whenever there's an animal death.
Wow, Mario makes my point perfectly!
People on both sides of the political spectrum do this thing -- using tragedy to make their point. Whenever there's a school shooting tragedy (ie, Columbine), the anti-gun lobby is out saying this proves we need more gun restrictions. In contrary, whenever an illegal alien commits a crime, the conservative anti-immigration folks use that tragedy to prove we need to seal the border better. If Hurricane Gustav turns out to be a tragedy (please God, no!), watch for some global warming activists to try and use it to bash their opponents. I'm not necessarily disagreeing or agreeing with any of the above in their opinions, but I DO think it's wrong to USE a tragedy to make your point -- without absolute proof. This is what groups like the IDA does whenever there's an animal death.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
And when will you announce your vice presidential candidate pick?
It's now time for me to unveil my list of the top ten zoos that I've visited in North America, which everyone should kindly remember is a subjective list that is strictly my personal opinion. I'm not a zoo employee and am simply a massive fan of zoos, and I've basically been obsessed with zoos all of my life. There have been around 50 zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums that I've been to in North America (plus another 20 overseas) and so to figure out the ten best I proceeded via the age-old process of elimination. I typed out a list of the 50 institutions that I've seen in North America and then began to whittle it down. First went a few that are no longer in existence, then some small wildlife parks were crossed off the list, and then a series of obviously poor quality zoos and a number of aquariums. From there it was quite easy for me to gradually eliminate zoos one-by-one, carefully considering all of the factors that go into making a well-rounded, high-quality zoo. I prefer to look mainly at the diversity of the collection, and find that I put a preference on zoos with above average or fantastic exhibits.
I firmly believe that every single zoo has something that is commendable for visitors. The Pittsburgh Zoo has some truly awful bear pits and a "Tropical Forest" set of habitats for primates that might be the worst one of its kind. Yet at the same time the children's zoo there is probably the best in North America, and the small aquarium is top-notch. The National Zoo in Washington DC has many average and outdated habitats, but the new Asia Trail section is fantastic and thus elevates the entire zoo to another level. Brookfield Zoo in Chicago is a very complete zoo, with a huge amount of land and animal species of countless varities. The zoo contains one of the best wolf exhibits of any zoo I've seen, but overall "Tropic World" and other exhibits are lacking and the zoo will actually be undergoing a massive bout of renovation in the next few years to hopefully improve many of the enclosures. The Minnesota Zoo is vastly improved now that they have the "Russia's Grizzly Coast" set of habitats open to the public, and I must confess that this zoo was definitely in my final 15 list. However, none of the zoos that I've mentioned so far made the final 10.
I'd like to mention 3 more things: First of all, no two people are likely to produce the exact same list. I have privately emailed loads of people here at ZooBeat, and actually have at least ten acquaintances here that have sent me their own top 5 or top 10 zoo lists sometime during 2008. Some of you will see my list and agree with most of the zoos, some of you will agree with half of the zoos, and others will like the list but might shake their heads at one or two of the selections. Feel free to comment either publicly or privately on the list, as I'm not expecting to be in agreement with everyone.
Secondly, this list is quite fluid. For example I feel that the Oregon Zoo needs a little improvement around the grounds, and with the tremendous amount of construction that could possibly begin there then perhaps in another 5 or 10 years the Oregon Zoo could be a candidate for the top ten. Many major zoos, such as Toronto and Brookfield, are planning massive overhauls that could completely transform the entire zoo and greatly elevate it to a higher echelon of zoological collections. The better zoos seem to add or expand an exhibit every couple of years, and there are zoos with large sums of money that appear to issue forth a new enclosure at least once a year.
Thirdly, and lastly, anyone reading this must remember that I have not been to all 220 AZA-accredited zoos in North America. I don't know who has...haha! I've visited Mexico three times but have never actually been to a zoo there...but there aren't any Mexican zoos that would likely crack anyone's personal top ten list. I've travelled extensively all throughout Canada and only Calgary and Toronto have top-class zoos that were candidates for my list. Both zoos have good qualities and some solid exhibits, but ultimately they weren't likely to make my list. I've never visited Disney's Animal Kingdom, or zoos in Miami, St. Louis, North Carolina and New Orleans. However, I have still got 50 under my belt on the continent, including the vast majority of all the major, noteworthy zoos. I feel that I've seen almost all of the truly famous and top class institutions, and so missing out on a handful of others probably wouldn't have notably affected my final list. Maybe next summer I should persuade my wife Debbie to drive around with me to see the zoos that we missed this year!
MY TOP TEN ZOOS IN NORTH AMERICA:
#1 - San Diego Zoo: For me this is a no-brainer, and to be perfectly honest only the Bronx Zoo is even close to being a contender. The beautiful climate, giant pandas, immense reptile collection, excellent polar bear plunge, staggering number of bird species, brilliant Monkey Trails and Forest Tales boardwalk exhibits, gorgeous gorilla and bonobo enclosures, Ituri Forest, Tiger River...and the list goes on and on. I love the fact that I could visit this zoo at any time of the year and everything would be open and accessible, and that the only building on the entire 100 acres is the reptile house. This is truly an open-air, amazing zoo and in my mind without a doubt the best that North America has to offer.
#2 - Bronx Zoo: There is a high-quality level of exhibit design at this world-class zoo. The Congo Gorilla Forest is breathtaking, and maybe the first or second best set of habitats in North America. JungleWorld still holds up well after a couple of decades, Himalayan Highlands is superb, Tiger Mountain is excellent, the new Madagascar house is brilliantly done, Baboon Reserve is a wonder to behold, the bird collection is vast, and probably 85% of the exhibits are at least of average quality or better. The Wild Asia monorail tour could be spruced up a bit, and sadly in winter I've heard from many people that the zoo is vastly different. No Wild Asia tour, possibly no gorillas, other animals locked indoors for weeks on end...and here is where the zoo lacks San Diego's sunshine. Instead visitors during all seasons go from building to building (at least 7-8 in total) that truly defines a zoo that is located in a northern climate.
#3 - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo: This zoo aims high and some have criticized their enormous buildings as having too small animal exhibits. I believe that the amazing qualities far outweigh the flaws, and anyone who visits this midwest zoo finds its big 3 buildings astonishing. The Lied Jungle is the largest indoor rainforest on the planet, and in my opinion (and I've seen the Masoala forest in Zurich) the best. The Desert Dome is the largest and best of its kind, and the Kingdoms of the Night nocturnal house is also the biggest and best of its kind on the planet. There is no nocturnal house in the world that can compete with Kingdoms! Those three knockout exhibits, even with their flaws, elevate this zoo into the top ten. One could go home happy after these buildings and leave it at that. However, the orangutan exhibit is probably the tallest in North America, the gorilla exhibit is somewhat mazelike and above average, the Aquarium is simply superb and it contains a top-class penguin exhibit, and the 4-acre aviary is so big that it's impossible to see the other end once you enter. However, Omaha's big cat complex is dreadful, the bear grottoes are dilapidated, and much of the rest of the zoo is average. The pros outweigh the cons here, and with a massive Madagascar Forest complex and possibly a 12-acre elephant paddock opening in the next few years this zoo will cement its position in my #3 slot.
#4 - Columbus Zoo: I know two people here at ZooBeat who think this is without a doubt a top 5 zoo, and I can name two others who don't think that I should have it in my top ten at all. I've said this before, but I believe that 90% of the exhibits at this zoo are average or above average, even though it lacks a killer exhibit like many other top ranked zoos. The zoo is organized perhaps better than any single other zoo that I've ever been to, with only a few exceptions to the geographic zoning principle. The new Asia Quest section features an awesome pair of exhibits for the amur tigers and sun bears; the African Forest has a Howletts-style gorilla enclosure and the best bonobo exhibit in North America; Manatee Coast has an excellent pool for its sea cows; the Australia section is an absolute knockout (and I used to live in Australia when I was a kid); the elephant building is the largest in North America and comes with an expansive outdoor paddock; and the North American section is the oldest part of the zoo and still first-class. I'm perplexed when the occasional person criticizes this zoo, as there is very little wrong with it. Next year's Polar Frontier complex, and 2012's 70-acre African Savanna should keep this zoo high on anyone's list.
#5 - Woodland Park Zoo: The rain in Seattle is definitely a factor with this zoo, as I visit it at least every 6 months and invariably get wet while doing so. I'm a little unsure if I illustrate bias in my decision to put this zoo in my top 5, but then a number of people that I contacted here at ZooBeat also rank it quite high. About 30 years this zoo transformed the zoo world with its style of naturalistic exhibits, and at least 80% of the zoo is of a very high quality. The Asian section with its orangutans, malayan tapirs and asian elephants is excellent; the nocturnal house isn't large but is one of the better ones in North America; the indoor children's Zoomazium is unique, the African Savanna is a bit dated now but still holds up well after 30 years and has a brilliant African wild dog exhibit; the Tropical Rain Forest area has a terrific jaguar exhibit and a pair of old yet top-notch gorilla habitats; and the Northern Trail habitats are the best of the lot. Grizzly bears, river otters, elk, wolves, bald eagles and rocky mountain goats all live in this award-winning set of exhibits, and only the Bronx Zoo has more exhibit awards than this zoo.
#6 - San Diego Wild Animal Park: The monorail trip is not the best way to see this zoo, as sometimes mere seconds pass and the journey continues to another destination point. But the sheer volume of animals here is astonishing, and this park along with the San Diego Zoo packs a one-two zoo punch that is not equalled anywhere on the planet. The Nairobi Village, large elephant yard, lion camp, Mombasa Lagoon, Condor Ridge, Heart of Africa walkway, etc, all combine to make an awesome zoo-going experience. It's as close to Africa as I've ever been, and the best of the open-range zoos.
#7 - Detroit Zoo: This is a choice that shouldn't really surprise those people who steadfastly followed my epic trip across Canada and the United States. The sublime Arctic Ring of Life, 4-acre polar bear/seal/fox habitat is either the best or second best set of exhibits in North America. Only the Bronx's Congo Gorilla Forest can challenge it for that distinction. Those that complain about polar bear enclosures (people like me!) should see the mighty white beasts cavorting on grass and swimming over the pedestrian walk-through tunnel. But Detroit not only has the best polar bear exhibit, as it also has the best amphibian building in North America ("Amphibiville"), the largest chimpanzee habitat, the best aardvark exhibit, the best tree kangaroo exhibit, the best red panda exhibit, the best binturong exhibit, the largest red kangaroo exhibit, etc. All of the outdoor paddocks for its hoofstock are enormous, far larger than most other zoos. The zebra, vulture, Brazilian tapir and penguin habitats are all amongst the largest of their kind, and I really enjoyed this spacious, historic zoo. This was the first zoo in North America to be competely designed without bars, and large moated habitats are around every corner. There are still some carnivore grottoes that should be either torn down or renovated, but at least 80% of this zoo pleased me immensely. Those that don't rank it highly should re-visit it to appreciate the lack of any bars or cages.
#8 - Oklahoma City Zoo: For some people this will probably be the most shocking zoo on my list. Oklahoma...has Snowleopard gone crazy? Initially I didn't think that it would make the cut, but after going back to it again and again in my mind I realized that this zoo is an underrated gem that simply cannot be ignored. The opening of 2007's "Oklahoma Trails" added 8 acres and 800 animals to the zoo, and for those that have only seen it before 2007 it's time to go back again. Those new North American exhibits that have been added are excellent, with a wide variety of all types of animalls. There are 11 different ecosystems that are covered, including huge black bear/red fox and grizzly bear habitats with enormous pools. I uploaded more than 220 photos of this zoo yesterday for those who wish to check it out. Aside from the award-worthy, outstanding Oklahoma Trails section of the zoo, there is also one of the best cat complexes in North America. There are 9 species of feline over 4 acres of space, and basically all of the exhibits are above average. Also around the zoo are the best collection of wild dogs in the western hemisphere on "Wild Dog Drive"; an above average set of 4 enclosures for orangutans, chimpanzees and 2 groups of gorillas; huge hoofstock paddocks, large indian and black rhino fields, an impressive collection of antelope, and other spacious enclosures such as the large giraffe paddock. There is still work to be done here, but 2009's multi-acre children's zoo and 2011's massive, $23 million Asian Zone will cement this zoo's position in my top ten list.
#9 - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: An all-North American collection of animals, but the diversity of creatures that can be found in the desert is nothing short of astonishing. This "zoo" has the best location of perhaps any park in the entire world, as one has to drive 12 miles out into the middle of nowhere before locating this small yet brilliant institution in the centre of a seemingly never-ending desert. This establishment is famous for its high-quality exhibits, such as the desert loop trail with its peccaries and coyotes, cat canyon with small felines, the staggeringly gorgeous walk-through hummingbird aviary, the desert grassland and "life on the rocks" habitats, and the list goes on and on. Wild lizards and an assortment of birds are all around this open-air collection, and even though it is small and can be seen in a few hours I feel as if it's one of the best designed and all-around amazing zoos in North America.
#10 - Denver Zoo: This is one of the most complete zoos on the continent, with a diverse and vast collection. I visited in May of 2006, and was immediately impressed with "Predator Ridge" and its rotating lions, spotted hyenas and african wild dogs. The "Primate Panorama" section of the zoo is brilliant, with almost 30 different species of primates in mainly spacious and naturalistic habitats. The hoofstock collection is almost unbeatable, the tropical rainforest building is above average, the massive bird house is excellent, and the Northern Shores section of the zoo is above average. With the 10-acre, rotating exhibits for asian elephants, indian rhinos and malayan tapirs set to open in the next couple of years this already large zoo will only get better.
I firmly believe that every single zoo has something that is commendable for visitors. The Pittsburgh Zoo has some truly awful bear pits and a "Tropical Forest" set of habitats for primates that might be the worst one of its kind. Yet at the same time the children's zoo there is probably the best in North America, and the small aquarium is top-notch. The National Zoo in Washington DC has many average and outdated habitats, but the new Asia Trail section is fantastic and thus elevates the entire zoo to another level. Brookfield Zoo in Chicago is a very complete zoo, with a huge amount of land and animal species of countless varities. The zoo contains one of the best wolf exhibits of any zoo I've seen, but overall "Tropic World" and other exhibits are lacking and the zoo will actually be undergoing a massive bout of renovation in the next few years to hopefully improve many of the enclosures. The Minnesota Zoo is vastly improved now that they have the "Russia's Grizzly Coast" set of habitats open to the public, and I must confess that this zoo was definitely in my final 15 list. However, none of the zoos that I've mentioned so far made the final 10.
I'd like to mention 3 more things: First of all, no two people are likely to produce the exact same list. I have privately emailed loads of people here at ZooBeat, and actually have at least ten acquaintances here that have sent me their own top 5 or top 10 zoo lists sometime during 2008. Some of you will see my list and agree with most of the zoos, some of you will agree with half of the zoos, and others will like the list but might shake their heads at one or two of the selections. Feel free to comment either publicly or privately on the list, as I'm not expecting to be in agreement with everyone.
Secondly, this list is quite fluid. For example I feel that the Oregon Zoo needs a little improvement around the grounds, and with the tremendous amount of construction that could possibly begin there then perhaps in another 5 or 10 years the Oregon Zoo could be a candidate for the top ten. Many major zoos, such as Toronto and Brookfield, are planning massive overhauls that could completely transform the entire zoo and greatly elevate it to a higher echelon of zoological collections. The better zoos seem to add or expand an exhibit every couple of years, and there are zoos with large sums of money that appear to issue forth a new enclosure at least once a year.
Thirdly, and lastly, anyone reading this must remember that I have not been to all 220 AZA-accredited zoos in North America. I don't know who has...haha! I've visited Mexico three times but have never actually been to a zoo there...but there aren't any Mexican zoos that would likely crack anyone's personal top ten list. I've travelled extensively all throughout Canada and only Calgary and Toronto have top-class zoos that were candidates for my list. Both zoos have good qualities and some solid exhibits, but ultimately they weren't likely to make my list. I've never visited Disney's Animal Kingdom, or zoos in Miami, St. Louis, North Carolina and New Orleans. However, I have still got 50 under my belt on the continent, including the vast majority of all the major, noteworthy zoos. I feel that I've seen almost all of the truly famous and top class institutions, and so missing out on a handful of others probably wouldn't have notably affected my final list. Maybe next summer I should persuade my wife Debbie to drive around with me to see the zoos that we missed this year!
MY TOP TEN ZOOS IN NORTH AMERICA:
#1 - San Diego Zoo: For me this is a no-brainer, and to be perfectly honest only the Bronx Zoo is even close to being a contender. The beautiful climate, giant pandas, immense reptile collection, excellent polar bear plunge, staggering number of bird species, brilliant Monkey Trails and Forest Tales boardwalk exhibits, gorgeous gorilla and bonobo enclosures, Ituri Forest, Tiger River...and the list goes on and on. I love the fact that I could visit this zoo at any time of the year and everything would be open and accessible, and that the only building on the entire 100 acres is the reptile house. This is truly an open-air, amazing zoo and in my mind without a doubt the best that North America has to offer.
#2 - Bronx Zoo: There is a high-quality level of exhibit design at this world-class zoo. The Congo Gorilla Forest is breathtaking, and maybe the first or second best set of habitats in North America. JungleWorld still holds up well after a couple of decades, Himalayan Highlands is superb, Tiger Mountain is excellent, the new Madagascar house is brilliantly done, Baboon Reserve is a wonder to behold, the bird collection is vast, and probably 85% of the exhibits are at least of average quality or better. The Wild Asia monorail tour could be spruced up a bit, and sadly in winter I've heard from many people that the zoo is vastly different. No Wild Asia tour, possibly no gorillas, other animals locked indoors for weeks on end...and here is where the zoo lacks San Diego's sunshine. Instead visitors during all seasons go from building to building (at least 7-8 in total) that truly defines a zoo that is located in a northern climate.
#3 - Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo: This zoo aims high and some have criticized their enormous buildings as having too small animal exhibits. I believe that the amazing qualities far outweigh the flaws, and anyone who visits this midwest zoo finds its big 3 buildings astonishing. The Lied Jungle is the largest indoor rainforest on the planet, and in my opinion (and I've seen the Masoala forest in Zurich) the best. The Desert Dome is the largest and best of its kind, and the Kingdoms of the Night nocturnal house is also the biggest and best of its kind on the planet. There is no nocturnal house in the world that can compete with Kingdoms! Those three knockout exhibits, even with their flaws, elevate this zoo into the top ten. One could go home happy after these buildings and leave it at that. However, the orangutan exhibit is probably the tallest in North America, the gorilla exhibit is somewhat mazelike and above average, the Aquarium is simply superb and it contains a top-class penguin exhibit, and the 4-acre aviary is so big that it's impossible to see the other end once you enter. However, Omaha's big cat complex is dreadful, the bear grottoes are dilapidated, and much of the rest of the zoo is average. The pros outweigh the cons here, and with a massive Madagascar Forest complex and possibly a 12-acre elephant paddock opening in the next few years this zoo will cement its position in my #3 slot.
#4 - Columbus Zoo: I know two people here at ZooBeat who think this is without a doubt a top 5 zoo, and I can name two others who don't think that I should have it in my top ten at all. I've said this before, but I believe that 90% of the exhibits at this zoo are average or above average, even though it lacks a killer exhibit like many other top ranked zoos. The zoo is organized perhaps better than any single other zoo that I've ever been to, with only a few exceptions to the geographic zoning principle. The new Asia Quest section features an awesome pair of exhibits for the amur tigers and sun bears; the African Forest has a Howletts-style gorilla enclosure and the best bonobo exhibit in North America; Manatee Coast has an excellent pool for its sea cows; the Australia section is an absolute knockout (and I used to live in Australia when I was a kid); the elephant building is the largest in North America and comes with an expansive outdoor paddock; and the North American section is the oldest part of the zoo and still first-class. I'm perplexed when the occasional person criticizes this zoo, as there is very little wrong with it. Next year's Polar Frontier complex, and 2012's 70-acre African Savanna should keep this zoo high on anyone's list.
#5 - Woodland Park Zoo: The rain in Seattle is definitely a factor with this zoo, as I visit it at least every 6 months and invariably get wet while doing so. I'm a little unsure if I illustrate bias in my decision to put this zoo in my top 5, but then a number of people that I contacted here at ZooBeat also rank it quite high. About 30 years this zoo transformed the zoo world with its style of naturalistic exhibits, and at least 80% of the zoo is of a very high quality. The Asian section with its orangutans, malayan tapirs and asian elephants is excellent; the nocturnal house isn't large but is one of the better ones in North America; the indoor children's Zoomazium is unique, the African Savanna is a bit dated now but still holds up well after 30 years and has a brilliant African wild dog exhibit; the Tropical Rain Forest area has a terrific jaguar exhibit and a pair of old yet top-notch gorilla habitats; and the Northern Trail habitats are the best of the lot. Grizzly bears, river otters, elk, wolves, bald eagles and rocky mountain goats all live in this award-winning set of exhibits, and only the Bronx Zoo has more exhibit awards than this zoo.
#6 - San Diego Wild Animal Park: The monorail trip is not the best way to see this zoo, as sometimes mere seconds pass and the journey continues to another destination point. But the sheer volume of animals here is astonishing, and this park along with the San Diego Zoo packs a one-two zoo punch that is not equalled anywhere on the planet. The Nairobi Village, large elephant yard, lion camp, Mombasa Lagoon, Condor Ridge, Heart of Africa walkway, etc, all combine to make an awesome zoo-going experience. It's as close to Africa as I've ever been, and the best of the open-range zoos.
#7 - Detroit Zoo: This is a choice that shouldn't really surprise those people who steadfastly followed my epic trip across Canada and the United States. The sublime Arctic Ring of Life, 4-acre polar bear/seal/fox habitat is either the best or second best set of exhibits in North America. Only the Bronx's Congo Gorilla Forest can challenge it for that distinction. Those that complain about polar bear enclosures (people like me!) should see the mighty white beasts cavorting on grass and swimming over the pedestrian walk-through tunnel. But Detroit not only has the best polar bear exhibit, as it also has the best amphibian building in North America ("Amphibiville"), the largest chimpanzee habitat, the best aardvark exhibit, the best tree kangaroo exhibit, the best red panda exhibit, the best binturong exhibit, the largest red kangaroo exhibit, etc. All of the outdoor paddocks for its hoofstock are enormous, far larger than most other zoos. The zebra, vulture, Brazilian tapir and penguin habitats are all amongst the largest of their kind, and I really enjoyed this spacious, historic zoo. This was the first zoo in North America to be competely designed without bars, and large moated habitats are around every corner. There are still some carnivore grottoes that should be either torn down or renovated, but at least 80% of this zoo pleased me immensely. Those that don't rank it highly should re-visit it to appreciate the lack of any bars or cages.
#8 - Oklahoma City Zoo: For some people this will probably be the most shocking zoo on my list. Oklahoma...has Snowleopard gone crazy? Initially I didn't think that it would make the cut, but after going back to it again and again in my mind I realized that this zoo is an underrated gem that simply cannot be ignored. The opening of 2007's "Oklahoma Trails" added 8 acres and 800 animals to the zoo, and for those that have only seen it before 2007 it's time to go back again. Those new North American exhibits that have been added are excellent, with a wide variety of all types of animalls. There are 11 different ecosystems that are covered, including huge black bear/red fox and grizzly bear habitats with enormous pools. I uploaded more than 220 photos of this zoo yesterday for those who wish to check it out. Aside from the award-worthy, outstanding Oklahoma Trails section of the zoo, there is also one of the best cat complexes in North America. There are 9 species of feline over 4 acres of space, and basically all of the exhibits are above average. Also around the zoo are the best collection of wild dogs in the western hemisphere on "Wild Dog Drive"; an above average set of 4 enclosures for orangutans, chimpanzees and 2 groups of gorillas; huge hoofstock paddocks, large indian and black rhino fields, an impressive collection of antelope, and other spacious enclosures such as the large giraffe paddock. There is still work to be done here, but 2009's multi-acre children's zoo and 2011's massive, $23 million Asian Zone will cement this zoo's position in my top ten list.
#9 - Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum: An all-North American collection of animals, but the diversity of creatures that can be found in the desert is nothing short of astonishing. This "zoo" has the best location of perhaps any park in the entire world, as one has to drive 12 miles out into the middle of nowhere before locating this small yet brilliant institution in the centre of a seemingly never-ending desert. This establishment is famous for its high-quality exhibits, such as the desert loop trail with its peccaries and coyotes, cat canyon with small felines, the staggeringly gorgeous walk-through hummingbird aviary, the desert grassland and "life on the rocks" habitats, and the list goes on and on. Wild lizards and an assortment of birds are all around this open-air collection, and even though it is small and can be seen in a few hours I feel as if it's one of the best designed and all-around amazing zoos in North America.
#10 - Denver Zoo: This is one of the most complete zoos on the continent, with a diverse and vast collection. I visited in May of 2006, and was immediately impressed with "Predator Ridge" and its rotating lions, spotted hyenas and african wild dogs. The "Primate Panorama" section of the zoo is brilliant, with almost 30 different species of primates in mainly spacious and naturalistic habitats. The hoofstock collection is almost unbeatable, the tropical rainforest building is above average, the massive bird house is excellent, and the Northern Shores section of the zoo is above average. With the 10-acre, rotating exhibits for asian elephants, indian rhinos and malayan tapirs set to open in the next couple of years this already large zoo will only get better.
mstickmanp
Well-Known Member
Great list, and I agree with almost everything except pic #9. I think at least putting Denver Zoo ahead of Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum.
Hope you do get to have another trip.
Hope you do get to have another trip.
Pretty good top 10. Mine is pretty similar because I have Bronx, San Diego, SDWAP, Woodland Park, & Oklahoma City all in my top 5. Of all the zoos you visited I am curious to know where your favorite Snow Leopard exhibit is. In your summary of Bronx Zoo as to why it is #2 you say Himalayan Highlands is superb. I have not been to Bronx and I hear it has many excellent exhibits.