Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[birdsandbats]

I could go on all day with the travesties that are the porcupine exhibits in American zoos, but for my last two photos I will jet off to Western Europe. Earlier, I mentioned ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) with its North American Beaver/North American Porcupine exhibit that is better than 90% of the enclosures for porcupines in U.S. zoos. There's also Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) with its tall, shaded, North American Porcupine exhibit with actual live trees:

@vogelcommando

Any idea how this zoo maintains the live trees? These animals are pretty notorious for killing trees, they do this even in the wild.

 

[MOG2012]

The Erethizontidae species I've seen only are North American Porcupine, and Brazilian Porcupine. I may have seen Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine but I forgot which facility

 

[NNM.]

This species rests in trees and is partly arboreal, thus I always feel that so many zoo exhibits for North American Porcupines are terrible as there's very little climbing opportunities and a limited amount of space.

Here’s one that at least partially fits that description.

This enclosure from the ridiculously-incohesive Stone Zoo has a small amount of ground space, and the vertical space is wasted because the climbing materials are barely off the ground. A decent amount of enclosures at this zoo follow this format, honestly, especially in this “Yukon Creek” area.

 

[EagleScout610]

Snowleopard if you ever come back to Cleveland, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History has a very good NA Porcupine exhibit

Credit- @geomorph

 

[Enzo]

Indian Crested Porcupines have not been even half as common as the African/Cape combination, with more than 50% of my sightings literally in a single month in Western Europe in 2019. While American zoos have focused on African Crested Porcupines and Cape Porcupines, I saw a TON of Indian Crested in Europe. They all look alike to me anyway!

I've seen Indian Crested Porcupines at 34 zoos:

2019 = 20 zoos!!

1- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2005
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2006
3- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2010
4- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2010
5- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2010
6- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2012
7- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2012
8- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2014
9- Lille Zoo (France) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
10- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
11- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
12- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
13- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
14- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
15- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
16- Tierpark Fauna (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
17- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
18- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
19- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
20- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
21- Dierenpark de Oliemeulen (Netherlands) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
22- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
23- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
24- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
25- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
26- Gronau Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
27- Nordhorn Zoo (Germany) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
28- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2019
29- Munkholm Zoo (Denmark) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2022
30- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2022
31- Lanna Mini Zoo (Thailand) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2024
32- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2024
33- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2024
34- Night Safari (Singapore) – Indian Crested Porcupine – 2024

Here's what the Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit at San Diego Zoo (USA) looked like back in the day. My photo is from 2011:

Wildlife Safari (USA) had Indian Crested Porcupines with Red-billed Hornbills in a relatively small cage in 2010.

My slightly blurry photo of the Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) shows a cool exhibit that used to also house Mouse-deer and a thunderstorm!

The Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit at Little Rock Zoo (USA) had a target mounted on the wall. Perhaps a silly joke about how a porcupine shoots its quills???

Here's the small, grassy outdoor yard for Indian Crested Porcupines at Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) in 2014:

A large, sandy Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit at Lille Zoo (France):

This one is interesting as the rock wall is quite small and the barrier is thus rather minimal. I took this photo at Maubeuge Zoo (France). I could have stepped right into the enclosure!

Here is a more substantial barrier for Indian Crested Porcupines, this time at Pairi Daiza (Belgium).

@KevinB

And some really impressive looking brickwork at Aachener Zoo (Germany), a typically neat and tidy, top-notch German zoo. The Indian Crested Porcupines have quite a bit of space here to roam.

There are two substantial exhibits, for Meerkats and Indian Crested Porcupines, at Zoo Neuwied (Germany).

Indian Crested Porcupines and Meerkats, again separately, but they share a bright red house at Tierpark Fauna (Germany).

Indian Crested Porcupines and Yellow Mongooses are together at Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands).

@Moorhunhe

Berlin Tierpark (Germany) has Indian Crested Porcupines and looking at this specimen here, it could be an Indian, African or a Cape as far as my knowledge goes.

@SivatheriumGuy

In an eerie replica of Zoo Neuwied's (Germany) setup, the Meerkat and Indian Crested Porcupine exhibits at Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) look the same except for the brilliant use of glass barriers. Can you imagine being the keeper assigned to washing all that glass?

Wanna stick your finger in an exhibit, bruh? Here's some Indian Crested Porcupines at Gronau Zoo (Germany) who would like to nibble some hands.

There's a ruined temple vibe to the Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit at Randers Regnskov (Denmark) inside one of that zoo's huge domes.

@Sipmark

My photo from Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) shows an albino Indian Crested Porcupine moving speedily on the right.

Rodents: 14 species so far (and not many more to go!)

Prairie Dog - 116 zoos
African Crested Porcupine - 74 zoos (and some of those will be Cape Porcupines)
Naked Mole-Rat - 37 zoos
North American Beaver - 35 zoos
Indian Crested Porcupine - 34 zoos
Nutria - 24 zoos
Woodchuck - 18 zoos
Lowland Paca - 11 zoos
Eurasian Beaver - 6 zoos
Damaraland Mole-Rat - 4 zoos
Cape Porcupine - 3 zoos (and likely many more that have been mislabeled in zoos)
Ansell's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Mechow's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Zambian Mole-Rat - 1 zoo

No Indian crested porcupines in South America since the last ones died in Vila Isabel, over a hundred years ago.

 

[Enzo]

My house's backyard borders a forest and about twice a year an American Black Bear wanders through the area. Of course, bears are highly active in my community in southern British Columbia, Canada, with signs of them everywhere, but actually seeing a bear is twice a year. We also get Coyotes quite frequently, a once a year glance at an Opossum, loads of Raccoons and White-tailed Deer and even a Bobcat every year or two. But in all my lifetime of viewing animals in the Canadian wild, including going hiking a lot in my youth, I've never once seen a North American Porcupine outside of a zoo other than some dead ones on the side of the highway.

This species rests in trees and is partly arboreal, thus I always feel that so many zoo exhibits for North American Porcupines are terrible as there's very little climbing opportunities and a limited amount of space. Most porcupines are rescue animals, so it's great that zoos provide a space for them, but finding a truly great exhibit for the species is a lost cause. Zoos in North America seem to have no minimal requirements other than keeping an animal alive with food and water, so this post today will showcase some dreadful accommodation. I had to fly to Europe (!!) to see some excellent exhibits for this species because the zoos over there are generally of a higher quality.

I've seen North American Porcupines at 76 zoos (6 of the zoos are outside North America):

2014 = 12 zoos
2015 = 14 zoos
2018 = 12 zoos

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 1975
2- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 1996
3- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 1998
4- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2001
5- Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2005
6- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2006
7- B.C. Wildlife Park (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2006
8- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2008
9- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2008
10- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2008
11- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2008
12- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2010
13- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2010
14- Houston Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2010
15- Zoo Boise (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2010
16- CuriOdyssey (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2011
17- San Diego Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2011
18- Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2011
19- CALM (California Living Museum) (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2011
20- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2012
21- John Ball Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2012
22- Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2012
23- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2012
24- Pocatello Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2012
25- Dakota Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
26- Red River Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
27- Lake Superior Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
28- Irvine Park & Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
29- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
30- DeYoung Family Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
31- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
32- Niabi Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
33- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
34- Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
35- Hutchinson Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
36- Willow Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2014
37- Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
38- G W Exotic Animal Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
39- San Angelo Nature Center (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
40- Austin Nature & Science Center (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
41- Abilene Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
42- Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
43- Spring River Park & Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
44- Living Desert Zoo – New Mexico (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
45- Wildlife West Nature Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
46- Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
47- Bearizona (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
48- Turtle Bay Exploration Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
49- Sequoia Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
50- High Desert Museum (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2015
51- Discovery Wildlife Park (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2016
52- Lindsay Wildlife Experience (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2017
53- Orange County Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2017
54- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2017
55- Wildlife Learning Center (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2017
56- America’s Teaching Zoo: Moorpark College (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2017
57- Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2018
58- Wilderness Walk Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
59- GarLyn Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
60- Howell Nature Center: Wild Wonders Wildlife Park (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
61- Washington Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
62- Columbian Park Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
63- Summerfield Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
64- Jo-Don Farms (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
65- Bear Den Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
66- Animal Haven Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
67- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
68- Zollman Zoo (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2018
69- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – North American Porcupine – 2019
70- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – North American Porcupine – 2019
71- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – North American Porcupine – 2019
72- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – North American Porcupine – 2019
73- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – North American Porcupine – 2019
74- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – North American Porcupine – 2019
75- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – North American Porcupine – 2022
76- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – North American Porcupine – 2023

Even Northwest Trek Wildlife Park (USA), an otherwise fantastic facility and very much like the 150+ German 'wildparks' that can be found in Europe, cannot come up with a half-decent North American Porcupine exhibit. It's just a concrete bowl with a few branches and logs.

The North American Porcupine exhibit at Minnesota Zoo (USA), with the species combined with Great Horned Owls in the past, is just okay.

When I was at California Living Museum (USA) in 2011, the North American Porcupine exhibit was just a small pit-like enclosure. Since then the species has also been kept in a traditional cage setting. Vertically speaking, this is a disaster and would be more suited to some Chuckwallas!

At John Ball Zoo (USA), which is an AZA-accredited establishment, the North American Porcupine exhibit in 2012 had a total height of maybe two feet for the animals. The rest was wasted space that was probably an old aviary.

Another AZA-accredited facility, Dakota Zoo (USA), has kept North American Porcupines in a small cement bowl with a single, crappy little branch in the middle. It would be more appropriate for African Crested Porcupines.

A small metal cage with some woodchips and a few old branches, is the home to a North American Porcupine at Irvine Park & Zoo (USA).

This very tiny cage has a single log in it at DeYoung Family Zoo (USA) and is totally useless for its North American Porcupine occupant.

Willow Park Zoo (USA), now known as Zootah at Willow Park, went with the corn-crib cage look when I was there in 2014. Several zoos on my list have kept North American Porcupines in these old cages, so when it rains the animals go deaf.

Another tiny cage with literally zero climbing branches, unless the North American Porcupine squeezed into here can scale the metal on the sides, at Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary (USA). A 'sanctuary' from what???

A small metal cage with a cement floor for a North American Porcupine at San Angelo Nature Center (USA).

This combination of mock-rock, metal and a cement floor at least has the opportunity for the North American Porcupine living in this hellhole to get some height. I took this photo at Spring River Park & Zoo (USA) in New Mexico.

At first glance, the North American Porcupine exhibit at Bearizona (USA) in northern Arizona looks to be a good one. But, peer closer and you can see that there's a row of hotwire along the front of the exhibit (on the mock-rock), there's a fence of electrified wire at the back, none of the trees are climbable because of metal shields wrapped around them, and so it's actually a very poor exhibit overall.

At Lindsay Wildlife Experience (USA), the North American Porcupines are brought out and shown to the public on a regular basis. However, this enclosure is essentially a glass tank and there's no outdoor access for the animals. This is their life and there's more space for the SIGNS than the actual living quarters for the critters.

When I visited America's Teaching Zoo (USA) in 2017, I saw some appalling cages with big carnivores on slabs of cement in a facility that trains young zookeepers. The North American Porcupine exhibit there was a typically nasty corn-crib cage, but at least it had what appeared to be a new wooden climbing platform inside. Still not great though.

Wilderness Walk Zoo (USA) had an African Crested Porcupine in essentially what was a tiny box, and the North American Porcupine exhibit does offer up a bit of height but the animal probably just sits there most of its life doing absolutely nothing. Why not build a whole series of connected platforms?

An awful enclosure for North American Porcupines at the now closed Jo-Don Farms (USA), a naff little zoo in Wisconsin.

Ahhh, Animal Haven Zoo (USA), another crap Wisconsin hellhole. Now closed, ya gotta love the signage at this place. The arrows point right to the animal!

Another naff little corn-crib cage, this time at Special Memories Zoo (USA), and in the gallery there's a couple more of my photos that show a keeper with a microphone handling a North American Porcupine. When I was at this zoo, I took a train ride and the train stops at various enclosures while the keeper goes into a cage and hauls an animal out by its tail before giving a talk while holding the creature. Very odd!

I could go on all day with the travesties that are the porcupine exhibits in American zoos, but for my last two photos I will jet off to Western Europe. Earlier, I mentioned ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) with its North American Beaver/North American Porcupine exhibit that is better than 90% of the enclosures for porcupines in U.S. zoos. There's also Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) with its tall, shaded, North American Porcupine exhibit with actual live trees:

@vogelcommando

The North American Porcupine/Beaver exhibit at Osnabruck Zoo (USA) is fantastic, with a beautiful stream, nice rockwork and lots of climbing opportunities. If you want to see wonderful exhibits for this North American species, then head to Europe! Isn't that so crazy?

Rodents: 15 species so far (and not many more to go!)

Prairie Dog - 116 zoos
North American Porcupine - 76 zoos
African Crested Porcupine - 74 zoos (and some of those will be Cape Porcupines)
Naked Mole-Rat - 37 zoos
North American Beaver - 35 zoos
Indian Crested Porcupine - 34 zoos
Nutria - 24 zoos
Woodchuck - 18 zoos
Lowland Paca - 11 zoos
Eurasian Beaver - 6 zoos
Damaraland Mole-Rat - 4 zoos
Cape Porcupine - 3 zoos (and likely many more that have been mislabeled in zoos)
Ansell's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Mechow's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Zambian Mole-Rat - 1 zoo

I have never seen a North American porcupine. I guess you're covering Brazilian porcupines next, so I'lll definitely come here tomorrow lol.

 

[snowleopard]

According to All the Mammals of the World (2023), there are 16 species in the Genus COENDOU and I have no idea how many of them I've seen. Likely not many, but there's no 100% way of knowing as the signage at zoos has either been 'Coendou' or 'Prehensile-tailed Porcupine'.

It's amazing for me to consider that, as far as I'm aware, in visits to 200 zoos in Europe, Asia and Australia, I've seen this type of porcupine only TWICE and that was inside the legendary Grzimek House at Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) and at the more obscure Lanna Mini Zoo (Thailand). The rest of my sightings, not including me petting one at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad & Tobago, have been in North American zoos. Here's a species that has been prevalent in nocturnal houses over the years, making photography difficult.

I've seen Prehensile-tailed Porcupines at 37 zoos:

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 1996
2- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2006
3- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
4- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
5- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
6- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
7- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
8- Zoo Miami (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
9- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
10- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
11- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
12- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
13- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
14- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
15- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
16- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
17- Charles Paddock Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
18- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
19- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
20- Erie Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
21- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
22- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
23- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
24- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
25- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
26- Lake Superior Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
27- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
28- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
29- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
30- Moody Gardens (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
31- Austin Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
32- Abilene Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
33- Out of Africa (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
34- Micke Grove Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2017
35- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2018
36- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2019
37 - Lanna Mini Zoo (Thailand) - Prehensile-tailed Porcupine - 2024

Prehensile-tailed Porcupines look quite a bit different from the other porcupine species I have analyzed so far.

@pachyderm pro

Due to their docile nature, sometimes this species is used as an ambassador animal, such as at San Diego Zoo (USA).

@pachyderm pro

There's a bare bones Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with a cement floor inside the Small Mammal House at Smithsonian's National Zoo (USA):

@Coelacanth18

A somewhat similar exhibit for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines is inside Memphis Zoo's (USA) Animals of the Night building.

@Coelacanth18

Prehensile-tailed Porcupine, Cotton-top Tamarin and Three-banded Armadillo exhibit at Los Angeles Zoo (USA) back in the day.

@Blackduiker

Prehensile-tailed Porcupines have been combined with White-faced Sakis and Southern Screamers inside Kansas City Zoo's (USA) historic Tropics Building.

@KCZooFan

A really memorable, open-topped exhibit for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines and Two Toed-Sloths can be found at Mesker Park Zoo (USA) inside the Amazonia: Forest of Riches building.

This photo shows about 50% of the Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit inside The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) before the building closed down for construction in September.

@CMZman

It's nice to see that the Philadelphia Zoo (USA) had natural substrate on the floor of its Prehensile-tailed Porcupine/Geoffroy's Marmoset exhibit back in 2010. I took this photo inside the Rare Animal Conservation Centre and even 15 years later a zoo like Smithsonian's National Zoo, in contrast, lacks natural substrate in some of its enclosures inside the Small Mammal House.

The number of mixed-species exhibits with Prehensile-tailed Porcupines is crazy. This one, at Cameron Park Zoo (USA), had Turkey Vultures and Mourning Doves when I shot this photo in 2010.

At ABQ Biopark Zoo (USA) in 2010, there was a combo of Prehensile-tailed Porcupines, Golden Lion Tamarins, Grey-winged Trumpeters, Red-footed Tortoises and Yellow-footed Tortoises all together.

When I visited Charles Paddock Zoo (USA) in 2011 the Prehensile-tailed Porcupines were kept in a very tiny metal cage. Since then they've had a bit of an upgrade.

Virginia Zoo (USA) had a nocturnal section of its old Reptile House when I was there in 2012 and since then a new Reptile House has emerged at this zoo. Prehensile-tailed Porcupines were combined with Two-toed Sloths and small primates during that time period.

@mweb08

Yet another nocturnal setup for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines can be found at Lake Superior Zoo (USA).

@Dhole dude

By far the WORST Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit I've ever seen was at Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) in 2014. It was a small, rather ghastly cage with a metal floor.

It's actually rare to find a Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with any notable amount of space, and that includes this old cage at Miller Park Zoo (USA).

Another Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with very minimal shelter or space can be seen at Henson Robinson Zoo (USA).

Out of Africa (USA) had a very small glass exhibit with Prehensile-tailed Porcupines and Two-toed Sloths when I was there in 2015. Porcupines do badly in captivity in terms of enriched environments.

Rodents: 16 species so far (and close to being done!)

Prairie Dog - 116 zoos
North American Porcupine - 76 zoos
African Crested Porcupine - 74 zoos (and some of those will be Cape Porcupines)
Naked Mole-Rat - 37 zoos
Prehensile-tailed Porcupine - 37 zoos
North American Beaver - 35 zoos
Indian Crested Porcupine - 34 zoos
Nutria - 24 zoos
Woodchuck - 18 zoos
Lowland Paca - 11 zoos
Eurasian Beaver - 6 zoos
Damaraland Mole-Rat - 4 zoos
Cape Porcupine - 3 zoos (and likely many more that have been mislabeled in zoos)
Ansell's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Mechow's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Zambian Mole-Rat - 1 zoo

 

[EagleScout610]

This photo shows about 50% of the Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit inside The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) before the building closed down for construction in September.

@CMZman

In case anyone was worried about this being a small exhibit for the porcupines, here's the other half:

Credit: @TinoPup

Granted, close to every time I've been to Cleveland the porcupines have been sleeping in their tree.

 

[Enzo]

According to All the Mammals of the World (2023), there are 16 species in the Genus COENDOU and I have no idea how many of them I've seen. Likely not many, but there's no 100% way of knowing as the signage at zoos has either been 'Coendou' or 'Prehensile-tailed Porcupine'.

It's amazing for me to consider that, as far as I'm aware, in visits to 200 zoos in Europe, Asia and Australia, I've seen this type of porcupine only TWICE and that was inside the legendary Grzimek House at Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) and at the more obscure Lanna Mini Zoo (Thailand). The rest of my sightings, not including me petting one at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad & Tobago, have been in North American zoos. Here's a species that has been prevalent in nocturnal houses over the years, making photography difficult.

I've seen Prehensile-tailed Porcupines at 37 zoos:

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 1996
2- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2006
3- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
4- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
5- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
6- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
7- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
8- Zoo Miami (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2008
9- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
10- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
11- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
12- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
13- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
14- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
15- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
16- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2010
17- Charles Paddock Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
18- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
19- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2011
20- Erie Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
21- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
22- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
23- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
24- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
25- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2012
26- Lake Superior Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
27- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
28- Miller Park Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
29- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2014
30- Moody Gardens (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
31- Austin Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
32- Abilene Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
33- Out of Africa (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2015
34- Micke Grove Zoo (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2017
35- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2018
36- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Prehensile-tailed Porcupine – 2019
37 - Lanna Mini Zoo (Thailand) - Prehensile-tailed Porcupine - 2024

Prehensile-tailed Porcupines look quite a bit different from the other porcupine species I have analyzed so far.

@pachyderm pro

Due to their docile nature, sometimes this species is used as an ambassador animal, such as at San Diego Zoo (USA).

@pachyderm pro

There's a bare bones Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with a cement floor inside the Small Mammal House at Smithsonian's National Zoo (USA):

@Coelacanth18

A somewhat similar exhibit for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines is inside Memphis Zoo's (USA) Animals of the Night building.

@Coelacanth18

Prehensile-tailed Porcupine, Cotton-top Tamarin and Three-banded Armadillo exhibit at Los Angeles Zoo (USA) back in the day.

@Blackduiker

Prehensile-tailed Porcupines have been combined with White-faced Sakis and Southern Screamers inside Kansas City Zoo's (USA) historic Tropics Building.

@KCZooFan

A really memorable, open-topped exhibit for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines and Two Toed-Sloths can be found at Mesker Park Zoo (USA) inside the Amazonia: Forest of Riches building.

This photo shows about 50% of the Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit inside The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) before the building closed down for construction in September.

@CMZman

It's nice to see that the Philadelphia Zoo (USA) had natural substrate on the floor of its Prehensile-tailed Porcupine/Geoffroy's Marmoset exhibit back in 2010. I took this photo inside the Rare Animal Conservation Centre and even 15 years later a zoo like Smithsonian's National Zoo, in contrast, lacks natural substrate in some of its enclosures inside the Small Mammal House.

The number of mixed-species exhibits with Prehensile-tailed Porcupines is crazy. This one, at Cameron Park Zoo (USA), had Turkey Vultures and Mourning Doves when I shot this photo in 2010.

At ABQ Biopark Zoo (USA) in 2010, there was a combo of Prehensile-tailed Porcupines, Golden Lion Tamarins, Grey-winged Trumpeters, Red-footed Tortoises and Yellow-footed Tortoises all together.

When I visited Charles Paddock Zoo (USA) in 2011 the Prehensile-tailed Porcupines were kept in a very tiny metal cage. Since then they've had a bit of an upgrade.

Virginia Zoo (USA) had a nocturnal section of its old Reptile House when I was there in 2012 and since then a new Reptile House has emerged at this zoo. Prehensile-tailed Porcupines were combined with Two-toed Sloths and small primates during that time period.

@mweb08

Yet another nocturnal setup for Prehensile-tailed Porcupines can be found at Lake Superior Zoo (USA).

@Dhole dude

By far the WORST Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit I've ever seen was at Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) in 2014. It was a small, rather ghastly cage with a metal floor.

It's actually rare to find a Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with any notable amount of space, and that includes this old cage at Miller Park Zoo (USA).

Another Prehensile-tailed Porcupine exhibit with very minimal shelter or space can be seen at Henson Robinson Zoo (USA).

Out of Africa (USA) had a very small glass exhibit with Prehensile-tailed Porcupines and Two-toed Sloths when I was there in 2015. Porcupines do badly in captivity in terms of enriched environments.

Rodents: 16 species so far (and close to being done!)

Prairie Dog - 116 zoos
North American Porcupine - 76 zoos
African Crested Porcupine - 74 zoos (and some of those will be Cape Porcupines)
Naked Mole-Rat - 37 zoos
Prehensile-tailed Porcupine - 37 zoos
North American Beaver - 35 zoos
Indian Crested Porcupine - 34 zoos
Nutria - 24 zoos
Woodchuck - 18 zoos
Lowland Paca - 11 zoos
Eurasian Beaver - 6 zoos
Damaraland Mole-Rat - 4 zoos
Cape Porcupine - 3 zoos (and likely many more that have been mislabeled in zoos)
Ansell's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Mechow's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Zambian Mole-Rat - 1 zoo

You have surely seen them at many zoos! There is (or at least used to be) a Brazilian/prehensile-tailed porcupine at my local zoo named Spike, but I am not sure if it is still around.

However, I have seen Coendou spinosus in Rio (a female named Marcela and, if Marcelo is not a renamed Spike, it should a Paraguayan hairy dwarf porcupine too), Volta Redonda (maybe? Their exhibit was empty when I last went there), São Paulo, Itatiba and Sorocaba.

 

[birdsandbats]

The vast majority of Coendou in zoos are the Brazilian Porcupine, Coendou prehensilis. Wildlife World (and possibly also Cleveland?) keeps a different species, but no one seems to be able to agree what that species is. But other than those two, I believe every Coendou you will have seen will have been C. prehensilis.

Also, I'm legitimately shocked this isn't an extremely abundant species in Europe like it is in the US.

 

[Aardwolf]

The vast majority of Coendou in zoos are the Brazilian Porcupine, Coendou prehensilis. Wildlife World (and possibly also Cleveland?) keeps a different species, but no one seems to be able to agree what that species is. But other than those two, I believe every Coendou you will have seen will have been C. prehensilis.

Also, I'm legitimately shocked this isn't an extremely abundant species in Europe like it is in the US.

PTP are extremely common in US zoos, but a very sizable percentage of the population is housed off-exhibit as ambassador animals. I’ve worked at four zoos with the species, only one of which actually had the porcupines on display

 

[snowleopard]

This will be the LAST post for rodents and I will analyze FOUR porcupine species. I've visited 610 different zoos and aquariums and I've obviously seen vast numbers of rodents, but as I have not kept an accurate log of all the rodents I've come across over the years I'm ending my count at an even 20 species.

At the Bronx Zoo (USA) in 2008 I spent a long time inside the famous Mouse House, with its plethora of mice and rats in all directions. I've seen a lot of rodents inside the Small Mammal House at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA), there's some choice species in the Underground Zoo at Osnabruck Zoo (Germany), some rarities at San Angelo Nature Center (USA), many mice and rat enclosures in various European Giraffe Houses, and at countless other locations, and my list of rodent exhibits could be endless if I actually had the data to support all of my hundreds of zoo visits. But, since I'm not at least 95% accurate with my lists of species when it comes to rodents, it's not enough for me to sustain this thread any longer. I can only imagine how many rodents I've seen over the years, especially Capybara and Mara by the thousands, but also many choice rarities.

Of the 9 porcupine species I've seen, and possibly 10 as there's likely at least a different 'Prehensile-tailed Porcupine' species somewhere, the Malayan, Sunda and Asian Brush-tailed species I saw for the first time ever this summer and porcupines are a dime a dozen in Southeast Asian zoos. I have seen African Brush-tailed Porcupines in the past to round out my quartet of porky species today.

I will have ONE more post about a type of animal that will be right out of left field (an American slang term) in the next day or two.

I've seen Malayan Porcupines at 11 zoos:

1- Lopburi Zoo (Thailand) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
2- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
3- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
4- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
5- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
6- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
7- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
8- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
9- Night Safari (Singapore) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
10- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024
11- Faunaland Ancol (Indonesia) – Malayan Porcupine – 2024

AND...

I've seen Sunda Porcupines at 5 zoos:

1- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) – Sunda Porcupine – 2024
2- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Sunda Porcupine – 2024
3- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Sunda Porcupine – 2024
4- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – Sunda Porcupine – 2024
5- Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia) – Sunda Porcupine – 2024

AND...

I've seen African Brush-tailed Porcupines at 4 zoos:

1- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – African Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2018
2- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – African Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2019
3- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – African Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2019
4- Randers Regnskov (Denmark) – African Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2022

AND...

I've seen Asian Brush-tailed Porcupines at 3 zoos:

1- Pata Zoo (Thailand) – Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2024
2- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2024
3- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine – 2024

The very first time I saw Malayan Porcupines was at the dump that is known as Lopburi Zoo (Thailand). I'd go on to see the species 10 more times in Southeast Asia in 3 weeks.

Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) has Malayan Porcupines with a beautiful jungle backdrop.

I saw two exhibits for Malayan Porcupines at Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand), including one that was essentially a bare bones cement pit.

You can see a half-dozen Malayan Porcupines in this photo I took at Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand):

A quite spacious Malayan Porcupine exhibit can be seen at Songkhla Zoo (Thailand):

Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) has Malayan Porcupines and here's a stunning portrait of one:

@Toki

A dozen or so Malayan Porcupines were at Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia), showing that this species can be kept in large numbers in captivity.

It's possible that Zoo Negara (Malaysia) has FIVE porcupine species, including Malayan Porcupines in this large enclosure.

Yet more Malayan Porcupines, this time at Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia):

Faunaland Ancol (Indonesia) has Malayan Porcupines as well.

As for Sunda Porcupines, often called Javan Porcupines, I have seen this species on 5 occasions and entirely in Indonesia. Often, the zoos have multiple enclosures with this species as they are common animals in that nation.

Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) has THREE Sunda Porcupine exhibits, with one of them having some odd-looking stylized mock-rock.

I saw close to a dozen Sunda Porcupines at Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia).

Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) has a huge collection of mammals, including 40-45 primate species (that counts some off-show) and Sunda Porcupines.

Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) has TWO exhibits for Sunda Porcupines, both not the most notable in terms of aesthetics. Here's an example:

Then there's Ragunan Zoo (Indonesia), with its vast acreage and dozens of exhibits for mammals such as Tigers, Sun Bears and porcupines. The zoo has FOUR Sunda Porcupine enclosures.

As for African Brush-tailed Porcupines, it's always been a pleasure to see this species in the cavernous Kingdoms of the Night nocturnal house at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA).

@bugboiben

My photo from Berlin Zoo (Germany) in 2019 shows the exhibit for African Brush-tailed Porcupines. At Omaha, Randers and Amersfoort, all three of those zoos has this species in a darkened environment, but Berlin bucks that trend.

As for Asian Brush-tailed Porcupines, I saw the species at the awful Pata Zoo (Thailand) (my photo of two animals is in the gallery) as well as the far superior Taiping Zoo (Malaysia), with its weird climbing 'trees'. A porcupine was nestled into a hole in one of the structures.

The Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine exhibit at Zoo Negara (Malaysia) is outdoors, grassy and bigger than most for the species.

Rodents: 20 species (that's all folks - but I've obviously seen FAR more)

Prairie Dog - 116 zoos
North American Porcupine - 76 zoos
African Crested Porcupine - 74 zoos (and some of those will be Cape Porcupines)
Naked Mole-Rat - 37 zoos
Prehensile-tailed Porcupine - 37 zoos
North American Beaver - 35 zoos
Indian Crested Porcupine - 34 zoos
Nutria - 24 zoos
Woodchuck - 18 zoos
Lowland Paca - 11 zoos
Malayan Porcupine - 11 zoos
Eurasian Beaver - 6 zoos
Sunda Porcupine - 5 zoos
African Brush-tailed Porcupine - 4 zoos
Damaraland Mole-Rat - 4 zoos
Asian Brush-tailed Porcupine - 3 zoos
Cape Porcupine - 3 zoos (and likely many more that have been mislabeled in zoos)
Ansell's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Mechow's Mole-Rat - 1 zoo
Zambian Mole-Rat - 1 zoo

 

[birdsandbats]

You haven't seen Palawan Porcupine?

 

[snowleopard]

You haven't seen Palawan Porcupine?

I don't think so as I haven't been to Prague or Plzen or Landau or Neunkircher or any other zoos with the species.

 

[birdsandbats]

I don't think so as I haven't been to Prague or Plzen or Landau or Neunkircher or any other zoos with the species.

Then I guess that's one more I have and you don't.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I would have at least expected you to complete squirrels having started them or at a minimum, ground squirrels!

 

[ralph]

I might have seen all the porcupine species you've seen (plus Palawan) but I am not sure.

I saw a porcupine in a small 'zoo' on the grounds of a deluxe resort on Bali.
This could have been a Sunda porcupine, or a Malayan.

If it was a Sunda porcupine, I've seen both species as I've seen Malayan in Dusit Zoo (Bangkok) and in the wild. It if was a Malayan, I've never seen Sunda.

A photo of the porcupine in question; imgur.com

 

[carlos55]

Our native Mexican tree porcupine is not common in our zoos, and is mostly found in collections within its native range.Some may reach the US zoos from confiscation from the illegal pet trade. The African crested porcupine is more common in our zoos since they are larger and more diurnal.

 

[snowleopard]

I began this thread on January 6th and first looked at elephants before spending months on primates. I'm now at approximately 160 primate species with the inclusion of the many new ones I saw in Southeast Asia. I segued into carnivores, ending up with around 20 for Canidae and 32 for Felidae with my Asian additions. I then analyzed a miscellaneous group of mammals of all shapes and sizes, took a few weeks off for my trip in August, and came back with my most popular few months when I discussed hooved animals. That meant typing up massive reports on 30 Cervidae species and almost 90 Bovidae species, where I think this thread reached its apex in terms of community participation. I then tagged on 20 rodent species as a type of 'bonus', as I didn't have the data to be 95% accurate as all my other posts have been and do all the rodents.

That brings us to today, with more than 100 pages on this thread in less than a year, hitting 2,045 posts and approximately 200,000 views. It's been a beast of a thread and I thank everyone for their participation. For those zoo nerds who wish to tackle these huge, long-form threads, my advice would be to keep it up because a tremendous number of people read the material and are silent lurkers. There were times when I would click on the 'Current Visitors' tab and there would be a dozen members reading my thread at a single time, so ignore how many 'likes' there are and keep writing as there are FAR more readers than anyone can ever imagine. It's a wonderful thing to have long threads on ZooChat as it keeps this site going strong. Now that I'm wrapping this one up, I'll soon commence writing Snowleopard's 2024 Road Trip: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia, which will be another beast of a thread with reviews of almost 60 zoos.

I've now covered a lot of mammals (close to 500) and I've seen many more that I ignored (too many Maras to count!) and what mammals do I still crave to see one day? Probably a Numbat would be top of my list, as if I potentially saw one at Perth Zoo circa 1986-1988 I certainly don't recall the sighting. After Numbats, maybe an Indri or Dugong or a Western Red Colobus would be amazing. It could happen one day, as I certainly had zero plans to visit any Asian zoos and suddenly I saw a whole whack of them in August and added more than 50 mammal species to my all-time totals in the span of 3 weeks. Sometimes life can offer up tantalizing plans and you have to reach out and grab them with two hands.

I've had a ton of requests during the past year, from Komodo Dragons to King Cobras, but there is one type of creature that I'll end off with and it's a BIRD...haha. Here is my LAST LIST and it involves superstar zoo animals that are enormously popular. They are small and stinky, but are ballerinas underwater. I'm talking about those famous 'mammals'...PENGUINS!

This post literally took me 3 hours to write today and that doesn't even include the countless hours compiling all the data. Whew! I needed to go out with a bang.

I've seen penguins at 147 zoos and a total of 13 species:

African – 70 zoos
Humboldt – 48 zoos
Gentoo – 26 zoos
King – 25 zoos
Southern Rockhopper – 14 zoos
Magellanic – 11 zoos
Macaroni – 10 zoos
Northern Rockhopper – 7 zoos
Little – 6 zoos
Chinstrap – 5 zoos
Emperor – 2 zoos
Adelie – 1 zoo
Fiordland – 1 zoo

I have not seen these 5 species: Erect-crested, Galapagos, Royal, Snares and Yellow-eyed.

1- Stanley Park Zoo (Canada) – Chinstrap, Emperor, Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Macaroni, Magellanic – 1986
2- Perth Zoo (Australia) – Little – 1987
3- West Edmonton Mall’s Sea Life Caverns (Canada) – African – 2001
4- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – King – 2003
5- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2005
6- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2005
7- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2006
8- Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) – African (2006) & Magellanic (2011)
9- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – Adelie, African, Emperor, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Magellanic – 2006
10- Denver Zoo (USA) – African, Humboldt – 2006
11- Sydney Aquarium (Australia) – Little – 2007
12- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Fiordland, Little – 2007
13- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Little – 2007
14- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Little – 2007
15- Melbourne Aquarium (Australia) – Gentoo, King – 2007
16- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – King, Northern Rockhopper – 2008
17- Shedd Aquarium (USA) – Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
18- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2008
19- Toledo Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
20- Detroit Zoo (USA) – King, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper (2008) & Gentoo (2018)
21- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Northern Rockhopper – 2008
22- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2008
23- Central Park Zoo (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King – 2008
24- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo, King, Macaroni – 2008
25- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Humboldt – 2008
26- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – King, Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
27- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
28- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – African, Gentoo, King, Little, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
29- Memphis Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
30- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
31- Georgia Aquarium (USA) – African – 2008
32- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – African, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
33- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
34- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
35- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
36- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
37- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
38- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Southern Rockhopper – 2010
39- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
40- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, Humboldt, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
41- Akron Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
42- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
43- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
44- Maryland Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
45- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
46- Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo, Macaroni – 2010
47- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
48- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
49- Dallas Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
50- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – African, Little – 2010
51- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
52- Zoo Boise (USA) – African – 2010
53- California Academy of Sciences (USA) – African – 2011
54- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2011
55- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – African – 2011
56- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – African – 2012
57- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2012
58- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
59- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
60- John Ball Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
61- Potter Park Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
62- Erie Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
63- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (USA) – Humboldt – 2012
64- New England Aquarium (USA) – African, Little, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
65- Mystic Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
66- New York Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
67- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – African – 2012
68- Jenkinson’s Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
69- Adventure Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
70- North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – African – 2012
71- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – African – 2012
72- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) – African, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
73- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
74- Topeka Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
75- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
76- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2012
77- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
78- Bramble Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
79- Hemker Park & Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
80- Como Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
81- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
82- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
83- Racine Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
84- Scovill Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2014
85- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
86- Lincoln Children’s Zoo - Nebraska (USA) – Humboldt – 2014
87- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – African – 2014
88- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
89- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo – 2014
90- Moody Gardens (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Northern Rockhopper – 2015
91- SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2015
92- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – African – 2017
93- San Diego Zoo (USA) – African – 2017
94- Saginaw Children’s Zoo (USA) – African – 2018
95- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – African – 2019
96- Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
97- Vogelpark Avifauna (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
98- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Gentoo, King – 2019
99- Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
100- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – African, Gentoo, King, Macaroni – 2019
101- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
102- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – African – 2019
103- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
104- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
105- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
106- Opel Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
107- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
108- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
109- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – African, Gentoo, King – 2019
110- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
111- Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Germany) – African – 2019
112- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
113- Aquazoo Lobbecke Museum (Germany) – African – 2019
114- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
115- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – African – 2019
116- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – African – 2019
117- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – African – 2019
118- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
119- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – African – 2019
120- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King – 2019
121- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – African, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2019
122- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – African – 2019
123- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – African – 2019
124- Weltvogelpark Walsrode (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
125- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
126- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – African – 2019
127- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
128- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
129- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – African – 2019
130- Kattegatcentret Center (Denmark) – Gentoo – 2022
131- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
132- Jyllands Park Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
133- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
134- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Gentoo, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2022
135- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – Humboldt – 2022
136- Kobenhavn Zoo/Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
137- OdySea Aquarium (USA) – African – 2023
138- Sea Life Bangkok (Thailand) – African, Gentoo – 2024
139- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – Humboldt – 2024
140- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Humboldt – 2024
141- Bird Paradise (Singapore) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2024
142- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
143- Eco Green Park (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
144- Gembira Loka Zoo (Indonesia) – African – 2024
145- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
146- Jakarta Aquarium (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
147- Samudra Ancol Marine Park (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024

How to choose 20 images from a lifetime of watching penguins at zoos? I'll do my best!

SeaWorld San Diego (USA) has always been a bit of a hit-and-miss zoological attraction for many zoo nerds, with the combination of rollercoasters and conservation on shaky ground in the minds of many. But, without a doubt the penguin complex there is superb. To have so many species, in such a long exhibit space, is a wonderful sight. This penguin complex has been replicated at SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) and SeaWorld Orlando (USA), but San Diego was first.

@geomorph

Detroit Zoo's (USA) Polk Penguin Conservation Center has been a magnificent addition to what is a top-notch zoo. There's loads of images of this facility in the gallery, including many above-water shots of the penguins on their rocky land area. But, for me, I love this photo I took in 2018 of the pool and it's 25 feet at its deepest point. That's twice as deep as the penguin pool at San Diego Zoo and the Detroit Zoo's underwater penguin zone is stunning on every level. If you walk close to the glass you can almost imagine being in Antarctica.

Even though Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) has arguably the best aquarium of any zoo in the United States, with a terrific penguin exhibit that has snow falling from the ceiling, I vividly recall visiting this zoo for the first time in 2008 and seeing the Giraffe/Ostrich savanna with African Penguins in the same exhibit. I even have a photo in the gallery of 25 penguins and a couple of Ostriches together, but I also like my shot of these Giraffes next to the African Penguin pool. What an incredible mixed-species combination!

In Seattle, Woodland Park Zoo (USA) opened an AZA award-winning Humboldt Penguin complex in 2009 and it's a sprawling exhibit that is impossible to photograph in a single image. Here's just a fraction of the entire habitat, which has many viewing windows along a thematic Peruvian coastline.

Penguin & Puffin Coast at Saint Louis Zoo (USA) has always been brilliant for visitors, as people are in the same frigid environment as the penguins and on a hot summer day it's quite a shock to be shivering with only low glass barriers between you and penguins. As the years have gone by, it does seem that the space for the birds (much more than what is shown below) is a little tight by modern standards. However, as an immersive visitor experience the whole thing is brilliant and incredibly popular.

@pachyderm pro

It's entirely indoors and not massive in terms of size, but the penguin exhibit inside the Bird House at Riverbanks Zoo (USA) is memorable for its attention to detail. The rocks on the outer edges of the pool, the curved viewing windows, the nicely landscaped exhibit...it's a very nice part of the zoo.

@SusScrofa

Rosamond Gifford Zoo (USA) has a large, very rocky outdoor habitat for Humboldt Penguins that even has massive boulders near the visitor entrance. There's a large area for underwater viewing and a pleasant backdrop with conifer trees peering over the escarpment.

@CuzeZoofan

It's not huge in terms of space, but Penguin Pointe opened in 2011 at Little Rock Zoo (USA) and it's memorable for being an enclosed outdoor aviary for African Penguins. There's massive boulders, one end has the prow of a ship poking out, and the design is quite eye-catching.

Calgary Zoo (Canada) spent $25 million and opened Penguin Plunge in 2012, which is almost a carbon copy of the Saint Louis Zoo penguin complex. There's an expansive outdoor grassy section and pool, as well as the indoor area which really does look almost identical to the Saint Louis setup. I've visited on numerous occasions and been splashed by penguins as you can get incredibly close to the birds as they seem to be attracted to visitors. Attendance records were shattered when this thing opened as families love penguins. It's apparently neat to visit Calgary Zoo in the wintertime as the King Penguins are placed outside in the real snow that the city is under during the coldest months.

Some substantial rocky cliffs form the backdrop of the excellent Gentoo Penguin exhibit at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA). This is an enclosure that opened around a decade ago and it has some memorable rockwork.

Another really excellent indoor penguin display can be found at Moody Gardens (USA), which had 5 species when I was there in 2015 and I think they've had 6 penguin species since then.

@geomorph

Africa Rocks, which seems like a silly name, is a complex of animal exhibits at San Diego Zoo (USA) and there is a world-class African Penguin habitat in that zone. There used to be a lot of schooling fish and even Leopard Sharks in with the penguins, but now it's mainly just the birds and a few smaller fish left. I like my photo as it has a mom, a kid and a stroller, but getting a shot of this tank with no one around, in a zoo with 4 million annual visitors, is tricky business!

It lacks underwater viewing, but the walk-through aviary at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) has a large colony of Humboldt Penguins, multiple flamingo species and a half-dozen other bird species all in a huge space. There are birds flying over the heads of visitors, the stench is ripe in all directions, and it's a glorious aviary within an already excellent European zoo.

It's just about the first thing visitors see when they walk into the top-notch Opel Zoo (Germany), and the African Penguin exhibit is very nicely done and the forest background is a splendid touch.

Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) is famous for penguins, has penguins on its logo, and there's a very nice African Penguin exhibit at the zoo. However, in my opinion the zoo's second penguin habitat, featuring speedy Gentoos and stately Kings, is phenomenal with its curving acrylic window that goes over the heads of visitors. Wow!

@Dianamonkey

I was in the same space as the African Penguins when I was at ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) in 2019. Zoos such as Planckendael, Rheine, Givskud and Overloon, where it's not inconceivable to be able to touch a penguin as you walk through the exhibit area, would be totally unheard of in North American collections. European zoos are bold with their numerous walk-through habitats.

@KevinB

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has its now iconic Penguin House, complete with the cool panes of glass that allow natural light into the structure. It's very photogenic.

@SivatheriumGuy

It was amazing to tour Givskud Zoo (Denmark) in 2022 and see the vast spaces given to animals in Scandinavian zoos. An entire chunk of the zoo, consisting of 3 vast habitats, is solely for Andean Bears, and there were signs up saying that the 1.2-acre/0.5-hectare Humboldt Penguin complex was the largest penguin exhibit in the world. I have 10 photos of the penguin exhibit in the ZooChat gallery, but here's one that showcases just how enormous the space really is. I doubt that the penguins stray too far from their pools, but who knows?

At Odense Zoo (Denmark), visitors go from steamy, humid, tropical heat in the jungle house, with manatees lounging in a pool and monkeys bouncing around in the trees, to a frigid, very cold environment with penguins. It's an incredible experience at a fantastic zoo. It's a whole South American package rolled into one zone.

While touring zoos in 4 nations in Southeast Asia in August, 8 of the 10 penguin exhibits held the Humboldt species. That's an interesting fact. The best penguin exhibit I saw in Asia, and it's one of the best I've seen in my entire life, is Penguin Cove at Bird Paradise (Singapore). Whatever other zoos can do, Singapore can do better and this one photo doesn't even encapsulate how impressive the penguin complex is there. Also, the cold temperature is a nice reprieve from the heat and humidity of the outdoor zones.

@twilighter

 

[USZOOfan42]

I began this thread on January 6th and first looked at elephants before spending months on primates. I'm now at approximately 160 primate species with the inclusion of the many new ones I saw in Southeast Asia. I segued into carnivores, ending up with around 20 for Canidae and 32 for Felidae with my Asian additions. I then analyzed a miscellaneous group of mammals of all shapes and sizes, took a few weeks off for my trip in August, and came back with my most popular few months when I discussed hooved animals. That meant typing up massive reports on 30 Cervidae species and almost 90 Bovidae species, where I think this thread reached its apex in terms of community participation. I then tagged on 20 rodent species as a type of 'bonus', as I didn't have the data to be 95% accurate as all my other posts have been and do all the rodents.

That brings us to today, with more than 100 pages on this thread in less than a year, hitting 2,040 posts and approximately 200,000 views. It's been a beast of a thread and I thank everyone for their participation. For those zoo nerds who wish to tackle these huge, long-form threads, my advice would be to keep it up because a tremendous number of people read the material and are silent lurkers. There were times when I would click on the 'Current Visitors' tab and there would be a dozen members reading my thread at a single time, so ignore how many 'likes' there are and keep writing as there are FAR more readers than anyone can ever imagine. It's a wonderful thing to have long threads on ZooChat as it keeps this site going strong. Now that I'm wrapping this one up, I'll soon commence writing Snowleopard's 2024 Road Trip: Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia, which will be another beast of a thread with reviews of almost 60 zoos.

I've now covered a lot of mammals (close to 500) and I've seen many more that I ignored (too many Maras to count!) and what mammals do I still crave to see one day? Probably a Numbat would be top of my list, as if I potentially saw one at Perth Zoo circa 1986-1988 I certainly don't recall the sighting. After Numbats, maybe an Indri or Dugong or a Western Red Colobus would be amazing. It could happen one day, as I certainly had zero plans to visit any Asian zoos and suddenly I saw a whole whack of them in August and added more than 50 mammal species to my all-time totals in the span of 3 weeks. Sometimes life can offer up tantalizing plans and you have to reach out and grab them with two hands.

I've had a ton of requests during the past year, from Komodo Dragons to King Cobras, but there is one type of creature that I'll end off with and it's a BIRD...haha. Here is my LAST LIST and it involves superstar zoo animals that are enormously popular. They are small and stinky, but are ballerinas underwater. I'm talking about those famous 'mammals'...PENGUINS!

This post literally took me 3 hours to write today and that doesn't even include the countless hours compiling all the data. Whew! I needed to go out with a bang.

I've seen penguins at 145 zoos and a total of 13 species:

African – 69 zoos
Humboldt – 47 zoos
Gentoo – 26 zoos
King – 25 zoos
Southern Rockhopper – 14 zoos
Magellanic – 11 zoos
Macaroni – 10 zoos
Northern Rockhopper – 7 zoos
Little – 6 zoos
Chinstrap – 5 zoos
Emperor – 2 zoos
Adelie – 1 zoo
Fiordland – 1 zoo

I have not seen these 5 species: Erect-crested, Galapagos, Royal, Snares and Yellow-eyed.

1- Stanley Park Zoo (Canada) – Chinstrap, Emperor, Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Macaroni, Magellanic – 1986
2- Perth Zoo (Australia) – Little – 1987
3- West Edmonton Mall’s Sea Life Caverns (Canada) – African – 2001
4- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – King – 2003
5- Point Defiance Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2005
6- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2005
7- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2006
8- Monterey Bay Aquarium (USA) – African (2006) & Magellanic (2011)
9- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – Adelie, African, Emperor, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Magellanic – 2006
10- Denver Zoo (USA) – African, Humboldt – 2006
11- Sydney Aquarium (Australia) – Little – 2007
12- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Fiordland, Little – 2007
13- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Little – 2007
14- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Little – 2007
15- Melbourne Aquarium (Australia) – Gentoo, King – 2007
16- Lincoln Park Zoo (USA) – King, Northern Rockhopper – 2008
17- Shedd Aquarium (USA) – Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
18- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2008
19- Toledo Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
20- Detroit Zoo (USA) – King, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper (2008) & Gentoo (2018)
21- Montreal Biodome (Canada) – Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Northern Rockhopper – 2008
22- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2008
23- Central Park Zoo (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King – 2008
24- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo, King, Macaroni – 2008
25- Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (USA) – Humboldt – 2008
26- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – King, Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
27- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
28- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – African, Gentoo, King, Little, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
29- Memphis Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
30- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – African – 2008
31- Georgia Aquarium (USA) – African – 2008
32- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – African, Southern Rockhopper – 2008
33- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
34- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
35- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
36- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
37- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
38- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Southern Rockhopper – 2010
39- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
40- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Gentoo, Humboldt, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
41- Akron Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
42- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
43- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2010
44- Maryland Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
45- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2010
46- Tennessee Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo, Macaroni – 2010
47- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
48- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
49- Dallas Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
50- Dallas World Aquarium (USA) – African, Little – 2010
51- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – African – 2010
52- Zoo Boise (USA) – African – 2010
53- California Academy of Sciences (USA) – African – 2011
54- Santa Barbara Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2011
55- Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – African – 2011
56- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – African – 2012
57- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2012
58- Blank Park Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
59- Newport Aquarium (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
60- John Ball Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
61- Potter Park Zoo (USA) – Magellanic – 2012
62- Erie Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
63- Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park (USA) – Humboldt – 2012
64- New England Aquarium (USA) – African, Little, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
65- Mystic Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
66- New York Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
67- Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center (USA) – African – 2012
68- Jenkinson’s Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
69- Adventure Aquarium (USA) – African – 2012
70- North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores (USA) – African – 2012
71- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – African – 2012
72- Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (USA) – African, Southern Rockhopper – 2012
73- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
74- Topeka Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
75- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2012
76- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2012
77- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
78- Bramble Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
79- Hemker Park & Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
80- Como Park Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
81- Northeastern Wisconsin (NEW) Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
82- Henry Vilas Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
83- Racine Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
84- Scovill Zoo (USA) – Humboldt – 2014
85- Henson Robinson Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
86- Lincoln Children’s Zoo - Nebraska (USA) – Humboldt – 2014
87- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – African – 2014
88- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – African – 2014
89- Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA) – Gentoo – 2014
90- Moody Gardens (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Macaroni, Northern Rockhopper – 2015
91- SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) – Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, Southern Rockhopper – 2015
92- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – African – 2017
93- San Diego Zoo (USA) – African – 2017
94- Saginaw Children’s Zoo (USA) – African – 2018
95- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – African – 2019
96- Sea Life Scheveningen (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
97- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Gentoo, King – 2019
98- Sea Life Blankenberge (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
99- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – African, Gentoo, King, Macaroni – 2019
100- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
101- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – African – 2019
102- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Humboldt – 2019
103- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
104- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
105- Opel Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
106- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
107- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
108- Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) – African, Gentoo, King – 2019
109- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
110- Tierpark + Fossilium Bochum (Germany) – African – 2019
111- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – African – 2019
112- Aquazoo Lobbecke Museum (Germany) – African – 2019
113- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
114- Dierenpark Zie-ZOO (Netherlands) – African – 2019
115- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – African – 2019
116- ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) – African – 2019
117- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
118- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – African – 2019
119- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King – 2019
120- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – African, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2019
121- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – African – 2019
122- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – African – 2019
123- Weltvogelpark Walsrode (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
124- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
125- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – African – 2019
126- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Humboldt – 2019
127- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Humboldt – 2019
128- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – African – 2019
129- Kattegatcentret Center (Denmark) – Gentoo – 2022
130- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
131- Jyllands Park Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
132- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
133- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Gentoo, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2022
134- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – Humboldt – 2022
135- Kobenhavn Zoo/Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Humboldt – 2022
136- OdySea Aquarium (USA) – African – 2023
137- Sea Life Bangkok (Thailand) – African, Gentoo – 2024
138- Khao Kheow Open Zoo (Thailand) – Humboldt – 2024
139- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Humboldt – 2024
140- Bird Paradise (Singapore) – Gentoo, Humboldt, King, Northern Rockhopper – 2024
141- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
142- Eco Green Park (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
143- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
144- Jakarta Aquarium (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024
145- Samudra Ancol Marine Park (Indonesia) – Humboldt – 2024

How to choose 20 images from a lifetime of watching penguins at zoos? I'll do my best!

SeaWorld San Diego (USA) has always been a bit of a hit-and-miss zoological attraction for many zoo nerds, with the combination of rollercoasters and conservation on shaky ground in the minds of many. But, without a doubt the penguin complex there is superb. To have so many species, in such a long exhibit space, is a wonderful sight. This penguin complex has been replicated at SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) and SeaWorld Orlando (USA), but San Diego was first.

@geomorph

Detroit Zoo's (USA) Polk Penguin Conservation Center has been a magnificent addition to what is a top-notch zoo. There's loads of images of this facility in the gallery, including many above-water shots of the penguins on their rocky land area. But, for me, I love this photo I took in 2018 of the pool and it's 25 feet at its deepest point. That's twice as deep as the penguin pool at San Diego Zoo and the Detroit Zoo's underwater penguin zone is stunning on every level. If you walk close to the glass you can almost imagine being in Antarctica.

Even though Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) has arguably the best aquarium of any zoo in the United States, with a terrific penguin exhibit that has snow falling from the ceiling, I vividly recall visiting this zoo for the first time in 2008 and seeing the Giraffe/Ostrich savanna with African Penguins in the same exhibit. I even have a photo in the gallery of 25 penguins and a couple of Ostriches together, but I also like my shot of these Giraffes next to the African Penguin pool. What an incredible mixed-species combination!

In Seattle, Woodland Park Zoo (USA) opened an AZA award-winning Humboldt Penguin complex in 2009 and it's a sprawling exhibit that is impossible to photograph in a single image. Here's just a fraction of the entire habitat, which has many viewing windows along a thematic Peruvian coastline.

Penguin & Puffin Coast at Saint Louis Zoo (USA) has always been brilliant for visitors, as people are in the same frigid environment as the penguins and on a hot summer day it's quite a shock to be shivering with only low glass barriers between you and penguins. As the years have gone by, it does seem that the space for the birds (much more than what is shown below) is a little tight by modern standards. However, as an immersive visitor experience the whole thing is brilliant and incredibly popular.

@pachyderm pro

It's entirely indoors and not massive in terms of size, but the penguin exhibit inside the Bird House at Riverbanks Zoo (USA) is memorable for its attention to detail. The rocks on the outer edges of the pool, the curved viewing windows, the nicely landscaped exhibit...it's a very nice part of the zoo.

@SusScrofa

Rosamond Gifford Zoo (USA) has a large, very rocky outdoor habitat for Humboldt Penguins that even has massive boulders near the visitor entrance. There's a large area for underwater viewing and a pleasant backdrop with conifer trees peering over the escarpment.

@CuzeZoofan

It's not huge in terms of space, but Penguin Pointe opened in 2011 at Little Rock Zoo (USA) and it's memorable for being an enclosed outdoor aviary for African Penguins. There's massive boulders, one end has the prow of a ship poking out, and the design is quite eye-catching.

Calgary Zoo (Canada) spent $25 million and opened Penguin Plunge in 2012, which is almost a carbon copy of the Saint Louis Zoo penguin complex. There's an expansive outdoor grassy section and pool, as well as the indoor area which really does look almost identical to the Saint Louis setup. I've visited on numerous occasions and been splashed by penguins as you can get incredibly close to the birds as they seem to be attracted to visitors. Attendance records were shattered when this thing opened as families love penguins. It's apparently neat to visit Calgary Zoo in the wintertime as the King Penguins are placed outside in the real snow that the city is under during the coldest months.

Some substantial rocky cliffs form the backdrop of the excellent Gentoo Penguin exhibit at Loveland Living Planet Aquarium (USA). This is an enclosure that opened around a decade ago and it has some memorable rockwork.

Another really excellent indoor penguin display can be found at Moody Gardens (USA), which had 5 species when I was there in 2015 and I think they've had 6 penguin species since then.

@geomorph

Africa Rocks, which seems like a silly name, is a complex of animal exhibits at San Diego Zoo (USA) and there is a world-class African Penguin habitat in that zone. There used to be a lot of schooling fish and even Leopard Sharks in with the penguins, but now it's mainly just the birds and a few smaller fish left. I like my photo as it has a mom, a kid and a stroller, but getting a shot of this tank with no one around, in a zoo with 4 million annual visitors, is tricky business!

It lacks underwater viewing, but the walk-through aviary at Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) has a large colony of Humboldt Penguins, multiple flamingo species and a half-dozen other bird species all in a huge space. There are birds flying over the heads of visitors, the stench is ripe in all directions, and it's a glorious aviary within an already excellent European zoo.

It's just about the first thing visitors see when they walk into the top-notch Opel Zoo (Germany), and the African Penguin exhibit is very nicely done and the forest background is a splendid touch.

Wuppertal Zoo (Germany) is famous for penguins, has penguins on its logo, and there's a very nice African Penguin exhibit at the zoo. However, in my opinion the zoo's second penguin habitat, featuring speedy Gentoos and stately Kings, is phenomenal with its curving acrylic window that goes over the heads of visitors. Wow!

@Dianamonkey

I was in the same space as the African Penguins when I was at ZooParc Overloon (Netherlands) in 2019. Zoos such as Planckendael, Rheine, Givskud and Overloon, where it's not inconceivable to be able to touch a penguin as you walk through the exhibit area, would be totally unheard of in North American collections. European zoos are bold with their numerous walk-through habitats.

@KevinB

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has its now iconic Penguin House, complete with the cool panes of glass that allow natural light into the structure. It's very photogenic.

@SivatheriumGuy

It was amazing to tour Givskud Zoo (Denmark) in 2022 and see the vast spaces given to animals in Scandinavian zoos. An entire chunk of the zoo, consisting of 3 vast habitats, is solely for Andean Bears, and there were signs up saying that the 1.2-acre/0.5-hectare Humboldt Penguin complex was the largest penguin exhibit in the world. I have 10 photos of the penguin exhibit in the ZooChat gallery, but here's one that showcases just how enormous the space really is. I doubt that the penguins stray too far from their pools, but who knows?

At Odense Zoo (Denmark), visitors go from steamy, humid, tropical heat in the jungle house, with manatees lounging in a pool and monkeys bouncing around in the trees, to a frigid, very cold environment with penguins. It's an incredible experience at a fantastic zoo. It's a whole South American package rolled into one zone.

While touring zoos in 4 nations in Southeast Asia in August, 8 of the 9 penguin exhibits held the Humboldt species. That's an interesting fact. The best penguin exhibit I saw in Asia, and it's one of the best I've seen in my entire life, is Penguin Cove at Bird Paradise (Singapore). Whatever other zoos can do, Singapore can do better and this one photo doesn't even encapsulate how impressive the penguin complex is there. Also, the cold temperature is a nice reprieve from the heat and humidity of the outdoor zones.

@twilighter

What a great end to this thread! Overall what is your favorite zoo exhibit you have ever seen?